Cooking on Glasstop stoves

[lmcneil]

So many questions... I have viewed many sites about cooking with glasstop stoves but have not come up with any definitive answers. Can anybody help me with dispelling the myths... I am in the middle of a complete kitchen renovation and want to make sure I make the right purchase.

• Use of a cast iron skillet on a glasstop? Yes or No
• Need to purchase any special cookware?
• Can you set pans or casserole dishes out of the oven on the stovetop?

I would really appreciate anyones feedback..

Thanks!

 

[Caine]

The only professional cook I have ever seen use a glass top stove was Graham Kerr on his Gathering Place TV series on PBS a few years ago.

I'd go with the best quality gas stove I could afford, with an electric convection oven.

 

[jennyema]

Cast Iron Skillets -- yes. The reason stove manufacturers say not to use them is because they are heavy and can scratch or break the cooktop. Since the cooktop is usually under warranty, the manufacturer has to pay.

I've used cast iron skillets and Le Creuset dutch ovens on mine almost daily for 10 years without a problem. I have made only one small scratch in that time.

No special cookware is needed. Your cookware should have flat bottoms, but I have a cast iron skillet with a ridge that works fine, too.

Yes you can generally set anything on it. Assuming that your stove is under your cooktop, the cooktop will be warm enough from the heat of the oven to put hot dishes on safely. If the oven is not under it and your kitchen is really cold, I probably wouldn't.

I have no gas line into my house, otherwise I would have done exactly what Caine said.

Edited to add also that, like Gretchen, I do like this stove. It's a lot better than most electric ones I've had.

 

[Gretchen]

The flat flat bottom of the pans is important--mainly for efficiency of using the flat cooktop.
Jenny has covered it well. Cast iron is OK--it often sits on a little ridge, but it will cook fine.
We have one at the beach and I absolutely love it. We did buy new cookware because the other "stuff" (was awful--I had nothing to do with it!!) was the kind that has concentric rings in the bottom.
Yes, you can set things out on it.
The model we have at the beach is certainly not top of the line. It has one really nice feature--two ovens, but the top one is about 10 inches tall with one rack. Super for baking, quick toast/broil.
The bottom oven is full size and you do lose any storage drawer.
I find the elements vERy responsive albeit electric with carryover, of course.

 

[Robo410]

yup yup yup exactly as they say above. ...cook on my sis's all the time. she loves it, it works well, had no problems.

 

[NancyG]

I hated mine as there was no effective way to simmer. Maybe that's changed on the newer models. It came with the house we used to live in and even though brand new, I switched to a gas model as soon as we could afford it. The burners I had would heat up, than back off, then heat up, then back off...drove me bonkers!

 

[ella/TO]

Jennyema tells it all.....one thing though, if you have a good thick type of pad, put it on the cold stove top and you've got a place to do some ironing....LOL

 

[Constance]

Ditto on what the rest said...I love mine too. One thing you all haven't mentioned is how easy it is to keep clean. Sure beats taking everything apart to clean out the burners.
If you have sticky goo, I've found that leaving a wet dishcloth on a cool stove will soak it off.
Mine has red lights that show up if a burner is still hot, so you (hopefully) won't burn yourself. There are burners of different sizes, and one back burner that can switch from great big to small with the flip of a switch.
It has a great range of temperatures, and simmers very nicely. It even has a lo temp that just keeps food warm.

By the way, I also wanted a gas range, but we built our house way back from the road, and it would have cost about 2 grand to put in the line. We also got a deduction on our electric rate for having an all electric house.

 

[RPCookin]

I hated mine as there was no effective way to simmer. Maybe that's changed on the newer models. It came with the house we used to live in and even though brand new, I switched to a gas model as soon as we could afford it. The burners I had would heat up, than back off, then heat up, then back off...drove me bonkers!

Mine (Frigidaire) is the first range I've ever cooked on that WILL simmer properly. I can simmer a Swiss steak in a French dressing based sauce for 2 hours without ever having to worry about anything burning (our old range was horrible with this recipe). And that isn't even at the lowest setting!!!

I think it works better if you have good heavyweight pans that will hold the heat and distribute it evenly, but then that is true of most any range. With my range and my Emerilware (by All Clad) cookware, the heat is transferred to the food steadily without spikes, but the elements work like you describe, with an interrupted flow of power to them to maintain a proper AVERAGE level of heat to the pan.

I absolutely love my glasstop!!!

 

[Gretchen]

It had ONE downside to it. If you're making jam or other high-sugar products, and you have a spill, clean it up quickly, or it will burn on almost permanently.

Mine came with a little accessory for cleaning up burnt-on spills. A razor blade in a little gadget to hold it! Goes to show that glass stove-tops don't scratch as easily as you think!

Best of all, they are incredibly easy to clean. I envy you.[/quote]

I have found even if it sort of burns on, it is pretty easy to clean with something like SoftScrub and a plastic brillo pad. And then the razor. It isn't really hard, but don't let it hang around, as was said.
Ours simmers quite well, I think.

 

[Corinne]

We got one a couple weeks ago - I think I've finally learned that I don't need to touch it & feel how smooth it is when it's on. I've burned myself a couple times already because it looks harmless.

We got an Amana with an enclosed heating element in the oven - that is really taking some getting used to. It doesn't seem to be as hot as the one we replaced. And I'm not seeing a huge difference with the convection setting, much to my disappointment - maybe I was expecting too much.

 

[jennyema]

It had ONE downside to it. If you're making jam or other high-sugar products, and you have a spill, clean it up quickly, or it will burn on almost permanently. .

Oh yes. That happened to me last year and there is still a spot that won't come off no matter what!

 

[Michelemarie]

If you like cooking with gas but like the glass top - several companies now make "gas on glass" - which is what I am purchasing. I like the glass cooktop but prefer gas cooking. I have done alot, alot, alot of research - if you want to know the ins and outs PM me and I will fill you in. Good luck with your purchases!

 

[vickinbobyo]

Glass Cooktop

When moving to Nevada last year we did not have natural gas, so I bought a Wolf Glass cooktop. We was fantastic and believe it or not I liked it as well as my gas cooktop. Cleanup was great. It was a five burner with a 15" large burner that was adjustable, it was the greatest. Bought a new house in California a few months ago and has all Jenn Air appliances. The worst. Now looking for new ovens. Any ideas

 

[David Cottrell]

Glass top or no - I would

I use one from time to time when I'm at daughter's. Otherwise I have an old style electric at home. I don't have any poblem using her's eventhough I'm not good yet at setting initial temperaures and bringing temp down from a boil to a simmer. Sometimes have to move the pot "off the fire" for a few. Otherwise I would prefer it. In a past life a past wife and I had a glass top and I do think they have improved meanwhile. Cleaning is no problem and I do splatter and drip and all those things.

 

[bullseye]

Mom has a glass top stove and hates it, except for the cleanup. I have cooked there and find the response time to be better than conventional electric stoves, but not as good as gas. Hers is an Amana, I think. I could cook (have cooked) effectively with her setup, but would not choose it.

 

[bandonjan]

I hated mine as there was no effective way to simmer. Maybe that's changed on the newer models. It came with the house we used to live in and even though brand new, I switched to a gas model as soon as we could afford it. The burners I had would heat up, than back off, then heat up, then back off...drove me bonkers!

I'm with you Nancy, I would go to a friends house and cook on her
glass cooktop, I hated it. On and off, on and off. I wanted steady
temperature and couldn't get it. Maybe her pans weren't the best
but geez...... Her husband overcooked the tomato soup which
spilled over and burned. It wouldn't come off with the usual
cleaners so he tried to use a razor and scratched it. She fumed
and fumed.... he he Poor guy will never live it down. She liked
it because it was smooth looking and easier to clean than the
electric burners.

 

[Michelemarie]

I do not like the electric glass stoves either. However, mine is a GAS glass cooktop and I absolutely love it! Clean up is soooo easy, a wet paper towel followed by a dry wipe. That's it. I have the GE Gas on Glass 4-continuous cast iron burners. It heats up wicked fast-power burner is awesome!

 

[jennyema]

Wow. I love my electric ceramic stop stove. I have no problem at all maintaining constant temps, even very low ones. And it's probably 12 or 15 years old now.

 

[chrmur]

cooking - glass top stoves

Hi - I have had a glass top stove for 5 years now, first time for me. Although I love how easy it is to clean, and how quickly it heats up, there are some very specific caveats. (1) you definitley will need better quality flat bottom pans. We had to buy all new pans because you must have heavy flat bottom pans. Our old pans (copper bottom) were not effecient. (2) Be careful what you have near the stove top. I had a bottle of olive oil which I accidentally tipped over. It hit the edge of the stove top and, boom, it cracked. Once cracked you cannot use it until replaced. The cost at the time was 378.00 for the top not including the labor. (3) It is great how quickly it heats up but once you turn off the burners take care, it takes quite a bit of time to cool down. There is a red indicator light on my stove to remind you the surface is hot.

I like the stove but if I had a do over I would go with gas, (even though I would have to put in a propane tank to do it)