293777 Tue Aug 12 23:22:42 -0700 2003 14 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1609066 I've just put an offer on a condominium unit that has a pretty cool kitchen remodel. Unfortunately, gas is not an option in this building, and the previous owner put in one of those snazzy black glass top ranges (one element is infra red). It occurs to me that my favorite frying pans are pure cast iron, and my favorite pot is a Le Creuset. Has anyone had experience cooking on a glass top range with these? It seems like they might cause a lot of scratches... Tue Aug 12 23:22:42 -0700 2003 0 Zach Georgopoulos 1 1609069 I was in your situation two years ago when I bought a house that had a glass cooktop range in the kitchen. And my two favorite cooking pots are an old iron skillet and a heavy Le Creuset dutch oven. I am very pleased with the cooktop and have enjoyed cooking on it without any problem. Gas is better, of course, but the glass cooktop is next. I find that the surface is very hard and takes a lot. I do not, however, rotate the pots or jiggle them for fear that some scratching may occur. Spills clean up easily, but special cooktop cleaner is recommended and never use anything to clean the surface that you would not use on Teflon. Tue Aug 12 23:52:54 -0700 2003 1609066 0 Richard 2 1609071 Excellent! Exactly what I needed to hear. I was beginning to wonder if I had to withdraw my offer on the place if I couldn't use my cast iron (OK, maybe I would have thought to switch to a standard cooktop, but it would have changed the whole look of the cool new kitchen)... Wed Aug 13 01:42:55 -0700 2003 1609069 0 Zach Georgopoulos 3 1609249 By the way the cleaner i use is called barkeepers friend of something like that. Got it at fortunoff. Thu Aug 14 12:51:32 -0700 2003 1609071 0 Phantomdoc 1 1609078 I just went through a conversion, but got gas. For a time, it seemed that the conversion to gas would be too expensive, although I have gas in the house, but finally got things worked out. I cook almost exclusively with cast iron (not coated) so faced a similar problem with the ceramic or glass cooktops. You need to check your cooktop warranty and see if it still applies when using pots other than those materials that the manufacturer recommends. Wed Aug 13 08:00:51 -0700 2003 1609066 0 Sandy 1 1609080 Le Creuset works fine on my glass top infrared/halogen. Anything with a flat bottom works, have not had any scratches. You can, however, BREAK it if you slam something hard on it. A repairman fixing one of the elements dropped it hard when he replaced it and broke the corner...that's how I know. You will need the special cleaner. Try not to let sugar burn on the element or you will be using that special cleaner every day for two weeks! Wed Aug 13 08:15:18 -0700 2003 1609066 0 danna 1 1609086 There are several similar discussions happening at GardenWeb's Kitchen, Appliance and Cookware forums. I recommend checking them out for more info. Link below but here's the URL: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums Link: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums Wed Aug 13 09:45:53 -0700 2003 1609066 0 DeeS. 1 1609099 You should not have any problems at all. Wed Aug 13 10:59:05 -0700 2003 1609066 0 Natasa Sevoleva 1 1609147 Hopefully you will be happy cooking on this range. I would suggest to anyone before buying one, that they cook on one before purchasing, to see if you like it. I have found it difficult to use for high temp searing and reducing. My parents installed one to replace a traditional electric, they did not have the option of gas unless they paid for installing a whole new gas line into the kitchen, and as they are pretty minimal cooks did not want that expense. It is a black glass top, with elements that glow as they heat up to temp and then seems to modulate on and off. Maybe they have a inferior model, but knowing my dad it was undoubtably expensive and I am sure he researched brands to find the best available. This is my compaint: I have a terrible time adjusting the temperature. I am used to cooking on gas... with gas you have an range of flame size and once you have adjusted it to the flame you need it STAYS there. And when you turn it off it is instantly OFF. With the Glass top range it is impossible to get the gradiation of temps I need. The med high is either too high or too low. When you turn the element off it stays hot as it cools down, so you must REMOVE the pan from the burner or else it just keeps cooking. But worst of all, it does not heat HOT enought for searing lean meats. I can't tell you how many expensive chops, expensive free range chicken breasts, expensive diver scallops, expensive ahi I have attempted to sear, thinking this is the time I will get the hang of this range and wound up with tough rubbery results because by the time the outside has nice sear it has been cooked through. Last time I was home I literally had to restrain myself from slamming my all clad skillet down on the damn thing as another meal didnt come up to my expectations. I have told my Dad I give up and it's only braised and baked foods from now on. Wed Aug 13 15:18:09 -0700 2003 1609066 0 ciaolette 2 1609208 Unfortunately, I can't really shop around, as this is the range that will come with the place I'm buying. Since it's new, and since I'm going to spend every cent I have buying the condo, I was thinking I wouldn't replace it! Your perspective is interesting, in that you seem to have cooked exclusively with gas before dealing with a glass top. My guess is that the glass top is no different than wire coil ranges as far as the heat problem goes -- e.g., inconsistent temp., doesn't cool down immediately, never gets hot enough. This is exactly why I've taken to cast iron cookware, as I currently have a wire-coil electric stovetop -- the cast Iron seems to heat up, and keep getting hotter (to a point), making it possible to get some good searing action. From what everybody's posted here, it seems like I'll have no problem cooking in my cast iron on the glasstop, so I should be OK. Of course, I'd rather have gas, but it's not really an option in a highrise that has no gas lines (built in the '60s, when gas was out of fashion)... Wed Aug 13 23:40:00 -0700 2003 1609147 0 Zach Georgopoulos 3 1609248 I bought a house 3 years ago in a town that has no gas. Have a modern kitchen with a glass top range. The book and video that came with the stove says not to use cast iron because of scratching. I have used my cast iron to sear steaks and fish, but am very careful not to move the pan around. Have had no problems, pan gets super hot and i can smoke up the whole house with a skirt steak. For larger foods like 2 1/2" thick rib steaks I finish in the oven. I found my old Farberware pots very bad on this stove because the bottoms are not heavy and flat. Modern farberware is better, heavy flat disc on bottom. One thing that I dont like is that if you lift the pan to toss food you get no heat while the pan is off the glass. The heat control is better than gas, can simmer a stock for 10 hours. The coils turn on and off, not on a little bit to maintain the selected temperature. Good luck with the house. Thu Aug 14 12:47:29 -0700 2003 1609208 0 Phantomdoc 4 1609256 My complaint is precisely that, that the elements cycle on and off , causing the temp. in the pan to go up and down. I would prefer to cook on the old fashioned electric coil range. I never had a problem cooking on my parents old range, which once you set the temp would at least stay there, and you could heat a pan on high and it would get searingly hot. Thu Aug 14 13:27:19 -0700 2003 1609248 0 ciaolette 1 1609179 I've never cooked on a glass top range but my friends just had to buy a new one when their last one exploded. Nobody can figure out why, their best guess is that heavy use (banging lots of heavy pans) started a small crack in the cooktop and then high heat caused the whole range top to shatter like a windshield. Thankfully, no flying shards of hot glass, but it did collapse into about a zillion little pieces. As with anything, use caution... Wed Aug 13 19:34:55 -0700 2003 1609066 0 chococat 1 1609190 When my sister remodeled her kitchen, she got a glass-top Kitchen Aid range. My sister also has most of our mother's cast iron cook ware. Works beautifully. I have also cooked a mighty fine paella on her range using a traditional Spanish paella pan. Have no fear, you'll be able to use your favorite pots and pans. R Wed Aug 13 21:30:00 -0700 2003 1609066 0 Seattle Rose 1 1609209 Thanks everyone for the replies! I feel much better about buying this place knowing I can use the nifty glasstop range. As of today, my offer is accepted -- now I just have to qualify for the bank loan... Wed Aug 13 23:42:37 -0700 2003 1609066 0 Zach Georgopoulos