Cooker Stopped Working? Common Causes and How to Fix It

When your cooker, a kitchen appliance that combines an oven and hob for cooking food. Also known as a range, it suddenly stops working, it’s not just inconvenient—it can throw off your whole day. Whether it’s the oven not heating up, the hob burners refusing to ignite, or the whole unit going dark, something’s wrong. Most of the time, it’s not a total loss. A gas cooker, a cooking appliance powered by natural gas or LPG, commonly found in UK homes can often be fixed with a simple check or part swap. You don’t always need to call someone right away.

Here’s what usually goes wrong: a faulty igniter, the component that sparks to light the gas on a hob or oven is the top culprit for burners that won’t light. If you hear clicking but no flame, that’s your clue. Then there’s the thermostat, the temperature control that tells the oven when to turn on or off—if it’s broken, your oven might not heat at all, or it might overheat. Gas supply issues, blocked jets, or a failed safety valve can also shut things down. And don’t forget the power supply—even gas cookers need electricity for the clock, lights, and ignition system. A tripped breaker or blown fuse can make it seem like the whole unit is dead.

Before you panic or book an expensive service call, try a few quick checks. Is the gas supply turned on at the mains? Are the oven controls set correctly? Did you accidentally turn on the child lock? Sometimes it’s as simple as resetting the cooker or cleaning the burner caps. If the oven light works but the heating doesn’t, the heating element could be blown. If the hob sparks but won’t light, clean the gas ports with a needle. These aren’t magic fixes, but they solve half the problems people call engineers for.

What you’ll find below are real, tested guides from people who’ve been there. We’ve pulled together posts that break down exactly what to look for, how to test parts safely, and when you really do need a certified gas engineer. No fluff. No guesswork. Just clear steps to get your cooker working again—or know when it’s time to replace it.