My oven cooks everything on the top, but not as much on the bottom. The bottom element gets red, but, I'm not sure that it gets as red as the top?

your Maytag range has only a single heating element located at the top of the oven, it is likely a "broil" element, which is used primarily for cooking food close to the top of the oven. The lower heating element, which is typically used for baking and roasting, may be hidden beneath the oven floor or located at the bottom of the oven.
If your oven is not getting very hot, it is possible that the broil element is malfunctioning and needs to be replaced. However, if the oven is not heating evenly or is not getting hot enough to cook food properly, it may be a more complex issue related to the temperature sensor, the control board, or other components.
To diagnose and repair the issue, it is recommended to have the range serviced by a qualified technician, who can properly identify the model and locate the faulty component. The model number of your range can typically be found on a label inside the oven door, on the back of the range, or on a storage drawer beneath the oven.

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 are using the broiler to cook it,the upper element is the broiler,the lower one is for the oven,turn on the oven so that the bottom element is on,if it doesnt work,then that is the problem

Not 100% sure but my guess. Most electric ovens usually bake with both elements on. The bake element(bottom) is usually on at full power with 240 volts to it. The broil element(top) is usually on at 1/2 power 120 volts to help even out the temperature. My guess is your bottom element is not coming on at all either because it is burned out or something in the control system. So what is happening is the oven is trying to heat to the set temp with only the top element keeping it on much longer than it normally should be on and burning everything. Now if you set the oven for bake and the top is on red hot, you have a control system problem something like a bad selector switch or main control board if the oven has a electronic control.

the cooking I can't help with, but the oven I can.

sounds to me like the bottom element or what controls it is not working. the reason the ones on top are cooking is that the top element is coming on and browning them on top after the heat has made the dow rise and cook.
so essentially everything is cooking from the top down. so when the temp drops its using the top element to heat with and thus browns the top rack.

check ur elements to make sure both work, if so, move on to the thermostat which I have to be the culprit many times.

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.

Are you using a pan or placing crust directly on rack?

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.

Hi,
The baking element is probably the problem...

Check out this tip that I wrote about this problem...

http://www.fixya.com/support/r4511800-oven_problems_electric_oven_heating

heatman101

check voltage to element. should be 240v. if voltage is good then replace element.