Product review (1 stars): Poor Part or Dyer Sheet Build Up
Update to review 6/4/12 -- just got back from an official appliance part store and purchased this item.  Sure enough the ones this Amazon vendor are selling are knock-offs and not the real deal.  If it is an official part, it will have a stamp on it with the registered trademark FSP and show the watts, volts, and part number.  I also noticed that the real part is significantly better made in sturdiness compared to the two I received from this on-line vendor.  The part ran me approximately $53.

I first purchased this item in Mar 2011 from this vendor.  My original heater element lasted 22 years so my expectations were pretty high.  The replacement heater element last just under a year and died.  I contacted the vendor and explain that maybe I had a defective part since it should have lasted longer than 9 months.  The vendor was great and replaced my part free of charge.  Three days ago this new heater element died because of a break in coil.  I also noticed my dryer smelled a little over heated the last few weeks.  However, right after the dryer died I went on-line and goggled the question on why my heater element keeps breaking.  I discovered A LOT of documentation stating that if you routinely use dryer sheets, not only are you supposed to clean your link trap after every use, but once every 6 months you should scrub it with a toothbrush and very hot soapy water.  The dryer sheets leave an invisible film on the link trap which will in-turn trap heat and burn out the heating element.  To test and see if the link trap is full of the film, run it under the sink water.  The water should flow straight through the screen without any puddling.  When I placed my screen under the running water, I was appalled!  Very little of the water went through the screen and I almost poured a half cup of water off the screen!  Are the heater elements bad knock-offs?  I don't know.  What I do know is that I can't in good grace point my finger at the vendor right now, until I replace the part and have completely cleaned the screen off from all the gunk built up.