How do ovens cook

Quite normal...top element is for grill/broil only. Bottom element is for bake only. If the grill element were to come on during baking a cake it'd burn the top of your cake to a crisp.
Some grill/broil elements cook at 500-700 degrees.

Check the thermostat.

If you have an electric range, look at both the top and bottom elements while oven is cold. Look for a rough spot like a hole in the element. You may have just burned out one of the elements. Sometimes they go bad without any marks. Turn on oven to about 350 and watch the bottom element to see if it gets red hot. Then set for broil and watch the top for the same red hot glow. If either does not glow red after 5 to 10 minutes, that element is bad.

You're actually referring to the "broiler" elements. Most electric ovens have these at the top of the main oven space. (Some gas ovens are set up the same way, but many put the broiler elements in a bottom drawer.)

As their name implies, broiler elements are active only when you're broiling. They will not go on for baking.

Broiling is the process of cooking food by exposing it directly to a high heat source at close range. To broil a steak, for example, you would place the pan holding the steak on an oven rack raised to the top or next to top position in the oven (consult the manual) and set the oven to broil. The top elements will then turn on and cook the meat by direct radiation.

Most people, however, use ovens for baking far more often than for broiling. Baking is the process of cooking food (cakes, casseroles, roasts etc) by indirect heat. In other words you raise the oven to a certain temperature, put the food on a rack more in the middle of the oven, and let the surrounding heat cook it over time. When you bake the top broiler elements usually don't come on at all.

I hope this helps.

Hello - - If you are referring to the bake element, but the broil element works then you would need to just replace the bake element. If both your bake and broil element does not work, then there might be a problem with the wiring communication. However, if the oven does not bake and/or broil but the cook top works; contact a professional to diagnose the EOC (electronic oven control).

Hi,
The broil is the top element and the bake is the bottom element...so with broil you are heating from the top and with bake you are heating from the bottom...if your oven has a fan, turn that on with a bake setting and it will speed up the process..

heatman101

in the oven there are usually two heating elements. one is on the bottom which is the one mostly used and one is inside the oven but on top of the ceiling of the oven compartment. (this is used for broiling food) if you set your oven to broil, check to see if the heating element on the ceiling of oven is red. I almost bet it is. normally the bottom element will go out. these can be changed.

The top of whatever food you're cooking should be in the center of the oven for the most effective cooking. Do you have the oven set on bake or broil? Broil is a direct heat method and if the food is on the lower shelf and the oven is set on broil, the food is not getting enough heat to cook it properly. Baking heats the lower element and the heat rises to surround the food. Broiling heats the top element and since heat rises, it is not getting down to the food to surround it and cook it.

When you say Top Element, I assume you mean the TOP OVEN ELEMENT, correct? You have bake, and broil? Bake is usually on the bottom, and broil is the top. In order to have the oven operate correctly, the top and bottom elements may come on at start, in order to do as you just said, "Preheat the oven". This will insure an even distribution of the heat in the oven box and result in better cooking expierences. I would not be alarmed or concerned if the top element came on for a short period to pre-heat in preparation for cooking. This is normal. If the top element stayed on, and did not shut off on bake after the pre-heat period, then I would say you have a control board problem. However, if it comes on and then goes out, except when you are broiling, then I would say that this is normal for your stove, and the pre-heat mode of operations. Your owners manual should advise you of this very process in the guide section to how to use the oven. I hope this helps and that all your cakes, pies, souffle's and the like are......delicious. I'm sure they are. I hope this helps and eases your concerns. Kindest regards, Slats.

it really doesnt matter because the heat transfers directly onto the food therefore you can leave the door open or shut.