Taking care of your glass top stove means using the right cookware for it. Wondering what cookware pairs best with this stove top? Read on to learn more!
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:
1. Avoid Heavy Cookware
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.
2. Use Cookware With a Smooth Base
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.
3. Clean Your Stove Gently
The way you clean your glass top stove can also lead to scratches. Using anything too abrasive, such as metal pads, can be seriously damaging to your stove top. Instead, it’s a good idea to stick only to soft sponges or microfiber cloths.
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.
4. Clean Up Spills Immediately
Certain spills can lead to permanent discoloration on your glass top stoves. This could come from oil, sugar, or even water with hard minerals. Be careful not to spill anything on your stove when cooking. And if you do accidentally end up spilling something, make sure to wipe it off as soon as you can.
5. Keep Your Cookware Clean
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 cleaning products, it’s still best to avoid them from occurring in the first place. To do this, periodically inspect the bottoms of your cookware and clean them entirely if you notice they appear to be oily.
6. Don’t Place Items On Hot Stove
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:
Best Material
- Stainless Steel: This is a smooth and durable material that’s perfect for use on a glass stove top. With a smooth base, it won’t lead to any scratches.
- Enameled Cast Iron: While cast iron cookware has a rough base, the enamel helps with coating and smoothing it out. However, take care not to drag this type of cookware—or worse yet, drop it on your stove.
- **Ceramic Cookware: **Ceramic cookware is an ideal material for stove tops of all kinds. The ceramic coating is non-toxic, eco-friendly, and non-stick, so you can ensure that no harmful chemicals find their way into your dinner.
Best Size
Because of the way an electric stove top conducts heat, it’s best to use cookware that has a base size and outline similar to your stove’s burner. You want to make sure that your cookware doesn’t exceed the size of your burner. Even a one-inch difference in size can lead to cold spots while you cook.
Best Design
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
Ceramic cookware is more popular than ever, and for a good reason. Ceramic cookware is a perfect choice for all stove tops, glass included. So, if you have a glass top stove and are looking for the combined powers of clean eating and beautiful design features, we have a few recommendations.
Best Sauté Pan
This eco-friendly Sauté Pan is lightweight, which makes it super easy to transport from the stove top to the oven (up to 550℉). With its flat bottom, you can expect perfect heat distribution that will allow you to braise, sear, fry, and even work with liquids.
Best Sauce Pan
A Sauce Pan is incredibly handy for cooking with liquids. Caraway’s Sauce Pan is small, easily handled, and smooth. Its straight walls cook a range of sauces, risottos, and soups perfectly. Plus, it comes in a variety of bright colors that will look gorgeous in your kitchen.
Best Dutch Oven
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.
Caraway’s Dutch Oven is a versatile option that can move around your kitchen as quickly as you do. And with just a dash of soap and warm water, any residue from your last dinner party will fall right off.
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:
How to Clean a Glass Cooktop | The Spruce
Hard Water and Soft Water: Differences, Advantages, and Disadvantages | Healthline
