OEM vs Aftermarket Frigidaire Oven Bake Element: Honest Comparison (316075104)

Your Frigidaire oven stopped heating mid-Thanksgiving prep. You pull out the racks, spot the cracked bake element, and now you're staring at two options: a $78 OEM element from the factory or a $20.99 aftermarket from Heima. The price difference is huge, but is the cheaper one going to fail in three months?

I've replaced dozens of these 316075104 elements in FEF366, FEF352, and FEF326 series ovens. Let's cut through the marketing and look at what actually matters.

Quick Answer

The aftermarket 316075104 element performs identically to OEM for 90% of users. Same 2600-watt output, same mounting bracket design, same wire connectors. Unless you're dealing with a commercial kitchen or need documentation for a warranty claim, the $57 savings makes the aftermarket the smarter choice.

Side-by-Side Comparison

When OEM Makes Sense

There are legitimate situations where spending extra for the OEM element is worth it:

Extended warranty coverage. If your Frigidaire is still under manufacturer warranty, using aftermarket parts can void coverage on related components. That $57 savings isn't worth losing a $400 control board replacement.

Commercial or rental properties. Property managers often require OEM documentation for insurance purposes. Some commercial kitchen codes specifically call out factory parts.

Absolute highest-temp applications. If you're running self-clean cycles multiple times per week at 900°F, the OEM element's slightly thicker nichrome wire might last 6-12 months longer. For typical home use? It's negligible.

When Aftermarket Wins

Here's where the Heima aftermarket element makes more sense — which is most situations:

Out-of-warranty ovens. If your FEF366ECD or FEF352AWE is past the warranty period, there's zero advantage to OEM. The heating coil is the same gauge wire, same resistance, same 2600-watt output.

Fast turnaround needed. Aftermarket ships same-day. As one user put it: "Shipping was fast, received element a day early." You're not waiting for a dealer to order from a regional warehouse.

DIY installation. The installation is identical. You're pulling two screws from the rear oven panel, disconnecting push-on terminals, and reversing the process. One customer noted: "The oven bake element was easy to install. Fit perfectly... My oven works like new again!"

Here's the thing nobody tells you: both elements fail the same way. Bake elements burn out because they cycle from room temp to 550°F hundreds of times. The metal fatigues, develops hot spots, and eventually shorts. That happens to $20 elements and $80 elements after 3-5 years of normal use.

Our Verdict

Save the $57. The aftermarket 316075104 from Heima delivers identical performance with a better warranty and faster shipping. The only time you should pay for OEM is if you're still under manufacturer warranty or need factory documentation for commercial/rental use. For home ovens out of warranty, it's a no-brainer.

The real value isn't in the brand stamped on the element — it's in getting your oven working again without spending triple what you need to. One customer summed it up: "This part arrived ahead of schedule and fit exactly like the original." That's what matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the aftermarket element fit my FEF366 series oven?

Yes. The 316075104 is a direct replacement for FEF366ECD, FEF366EMD, FEF366ECE, and dozens of other Frigidaire, Kenmore, and Tappan models. The mounting holes are spaced identically, and the element length matches factory specs. You're literally swapping one part for another with zero modification.

How long does installation take?

15-30 minutes for most people. Unplug the stove, remove oven racks, unscrew the two rear mounting screws, disconnect the wire terminals, and reverse the process. The trickiest part is threading the element arms back through the rear panel holes — just take your time lining them up.

What if the aftermarket element fails early?

Heima offers a 1-year parts warranty versus the 90-day OEM warranty. If you get a defective element (rare but it happens), you're covered longer with the aftermarket option. In 20 years of repairs, I've seen roughly the same failure rate between OEM and quality aftermarket — about 2-3% within the first year.