Guide to Heating Elements | Wattco

A heating element is a device used for conversion of electric energy into heat, consisting of a heating resistor and accessories.^[1] Heat is generated by the passage of electric current through a resistor through a process known as Joule Heating. Heating elements are used in household appliances, industrial equipment, and scientific instruments enabling them to perform tasks such as cooking, warming, or maintaining specific temperatures higher than the ambient.

Heating elements may be used to transfer heat via conduction, convection, or radiation. They are different than devices that generate heat from electrical energy via the Peltier effect, and have no dependence on the direction of electrical current.