Thanks to their sleek aesthetic, glass stoves are an excellent addition to modern kitchens. And their benefits go beyond their appearance: They heat up quickly, provide even heat distribution, and are easy to clean. However, glass top stoves are also more likely to scratch and crack than their gas counterparts. For this reason, it’s important to put a bit more thought into choosing what goes on top of it—the most important of which is your cookware. Keep reading to discover tips for caring for your glass top stove, the type of cookware that you should use with it, and our top picks for glass top stove cookware. Tips for Using a Glass Top Stove A glass top stove is made from a glass-ceramic blend—the proportions of which might vary with the manufacturer. All glass top stoves are incredibly strong and handle extreme changes in temperature without cracking. However, it is still more fragile than a traditional gas stove. For this reason, it’s important to follow the proper instructions for caring for it. Here are some of our best tips for using your glass top stove: Because a glass top stove can scratch easily, it’s a good idea to avoid dragging anything on it. To help with this, avoid using cookware that’s too heavy (such as a cast iron pot), as this will help you avoid dragging your pots and pans. But even if you’re using lightweight cookware, it’s still best to lift and transfer it from your glass top stove to another area. Another reason to avoid heavy cookware? It can break under the right conditions. While a glass stove top could be stronger than our conceptions of glass figurines or glass jars, glass is still pretty susceptible to breaking no matter what. If you have a glass stove top, make sure to buy lightweight cookware. Don’t forget to account for the increase in weight when your cookware is full of delicious meats and stews. Exercise caution to avoid cracking and an expensive repair process. Certain types of cookware have a base that’s rough in texture, which can leave scratches on your glass top stove. For this reason, it’s a good idea to examine the bottoms of your current (and future) cookware and to stick only to those options that are smooth. In general, we’d recommend avoiding cookware made from cast iron or stoneware as these tend to have unfinished bases that can be too rough for the surface of your glass top stove. The way you In addition, it’s best to use cleaning products made especially for glass top stoves. As easy as this type of stove is to clean, it’s more sensitive to abrasive cleaning products and can develop stains as a result. Certain spills can lead to permanent discoloration on your glass top stoves. This could come from oil, sugar, or even Another common cause of staining on a glass top stove comes from cookware that has a build-up of grease on the bottom. When exposed to high heat, these oil deposits can leave large stains on your cooktop. Although you can remove them with special Because a glass top stove doesn’t use an open flame, you may feel a false sense of security and end up placing various items on top of it. However, this can lead to stains. For this reason, you should make sure that you have a separate area for placing your kitchen utensils while you cook. Make sure that your glass top stove cools down completely before you clean it. Which Cookware Should I Use for a Glass Stove Top? With a good overview of how to care for your glass top stove, let’s take a look at what type of cookware is best for it. Here are the three things to consider when choosing your cookware: Because of the way an electric stove top As a rule, all cookware that you use with a glass top stove should have a smooth base to avoid scratching the surface. For this reason, try to inspect the base before making any purchases. You want to make sure that your cookware conducts heat the proper way. To accomplish this, use cookware with a flat bottom and straight edges, as this will make for the most efficient heat transfer. The Cookware Essentials This eco-friendly A Sauce Pan is incredibly handy for cooking with liquids. A Dutch Oven is one of the most versatile pieces of cookware a chef can own. However, most options—which tend to be made of cast iron—are heavy and difficult to clean. Keep Your Gas-Top Stove Pristine A major part of caring for your home is using the right cookware. With Caraway, you can cook anything your heart desires while creating a visually stunning, minimalist kitchen. Our Sources: