As far as I know, a resistor and a heating element are the same thing.
But one, the resistor, seems to limit the current in the circuit
while the other, the heating element, draws more current and converts it to heat.
One wastes watts and the other doesn't, yet they are both resistors.
What is the difference between a resistor and a heating element?
Best Answer
They have most characteristics the same, but the OP is interested in the difference between them. Short answer: Thermal stability.
The major difference in characteristics between a resistor and a heating element is that resistors are designed from a material standpoint to have a low thermal resistance change. That is, resistors maintain as constant a resistance to current as possible throughout their operating range. Heating elements have no such requirement, so their resistance can and does vary a lot with current. For a lot of heating elements, its resistance will appear to be nearly a short at room temperature. As current goes through it and it heats up, its resistance increases.