How can you determine if a heating element in an oven is malfunctioning?

Testing a heating element for continuity with a multimeter is a highly effective method for determining if it is malfunctioning. When a heating element is functioning properly, it should have a continuous electrical path, which means that when measured with a multimeter set to the continuity setting, it should produce a beep or a low resistance reading. If there is no continuity, it indicates that the element has internal damage, a break, or a fault that prevents it from heating up as needed.

While checking the physical appearance can provide some clues—such as burns or visible damage—this method does not give a definitive measurement of functionality. Similarly, measuring oven temperature and observing heating time can help identify performance issues but do not pinpoint the heating element's condition specifically. Both these methods might indicate a problem but could also involve other components in the system or the control circuitry. Therefore, testing for continuity is the most direct and reliable approach to ascertain the integrity of the heating element itself.