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ceramic cooktop No-no's
Tim tfiks@msn.com 12/31/04	I have a GE ceramic/glass cooktop and just bought an aluminum griddle to cook pancakes, etc. Alas, the instructions for the griddle advise against use on a glass cooktop. There is a shoulder all around the griddle that would prevent direct contact between the underside of the griddle the hot portion of the surface. I'm thinking about ignoring the recommendation (the griddle is cheap). What's all this about?
ellen 01/01/05	Ignore the warning at your stove's peril! If you read the LONG ceramic cooktop thread, you will see how much it costs to repair a cracked cooktop- can be over $1000- and that is EXACTLY what you can end up with using this griddle. This top heats by conduction which is direct contact, and theburner keeps getting hotter and hotter if the sensors cannot "feel" the bottom of the pot getting hot. See the problem? A really good flatbottom griddle will only cost you around $20. Be good to yourself, and your stove top. Happy New Year.
jan mrsjan@prtcnet.com 02/04/05	I cracked the corner of my ceramic cooktop. it does not effect cooking, but looks bad. Is there any quick fix?
ellen 02/05/05	No, and it is not safe to use it if it cracks across the burner. (Sorry!) See the ceramic cooktop thread on this same sight.
louise 03/15/05	I have scatches on my ceramic cooktop is there anything I can do.
ellen 03/15/05	Please read through the ceramic cooktop thread for lots of cleaning info. The last few weeks are very informative.
sgtbob rrunion@cox.net 03/19/05	Can someone tell me why iron skillets can not be used on a ceramic top. Everyone says '...they can't be used...', but no one knows why. Does normal usage with minimal movement on the 'eye' scratch the surface, or are the iron products unsafe to use. If unsafe - unsafe how? If scratches are the only problem, then I could I use it until the unsightliness was to much for me and simply buy another?
bethhallead bethh49@earthlink.net 03/27/05	my clock fell and cracked my glass top s is it worth repaing a cracked glass top or would it be better to replace the stove.
bethhallead bethh49@earthlink.net 03/27/05	my clock fell and cracked my glass top s is it worth repaing a cracked glass top or would it be better to replace the stove.
ellen 03/27/05	2 problems with cast iron on these tops= 1 Most are ridged not flat on the bottom 2 sliding them, the iron can permanently discolor the glass. REPLACEMENT RUN 300 TO 1000 OR SO DEPENDING UPON BRAND, PARTS AVAILABILITY AND WHO INSTALLS IT THE LONG THREAD HAS SOME INFO ON REPLECEMENT, ALSO
Sarah Karstaedt sawah3@yahoo.com 04/21/05	Hi, how do I get to the thread regarding ceramic cooktops?
ellen 04/21/05	It is one the cook's talk page or go to: http://ellenskitchen.com/forum/messages/422.html
Lupe lupita_v72@yahoo.com 04/26/05	What types of pots and pans can I use with my ceramic glass stove top? I am afraid I may scratch the surface if I use the wrong one.
ellen 04/28/05	Check the thread referred to above for total info on this question.
Paul 05/02/05	Can I use Soft Scrub and a scouring sponge to clean my cooktop?
John jconnell@cfl.rr.com 07/27/05	I have a ceramic cooktop and a plate dropped on it and cracked the corner. While I had a hard time finding the glass top, due to incorrect Model Numbers, I finally located it on the Sears Parts Website and ordered it. It cost around $200 and I replaced it in 10 minutes. Turn off the Breaker, lift it out of the counter, slide it over, take out the 5 or 6 screws holding it, take off the glass top, replace it with the new one, and finish.. Very easy and I saved a bundle. P.S. GE Customer Service advised me to fix it but I cooked on it for a couple of months and just didn't use the burner closest to the crack.
Kim kacb03@yahoo.com 08/02/05	I have a ceramic cooktop that has been in use for little over a year and recently while cooking the bottom fell. I have called the manufacture about it and I have been told they have never heard of this happening. Has this happened before and what would cause it?
paula 08/26/05	I just bought a ceramic top and would like to know what are the best pans to use that don't cost a huge amout
ellen 08/26/05	kIM, i AM NOT CLEAR WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED AND THEY MAY NOT BE EITHER. gO BACK TO THE STORE WHERE YOU BOUGHT IT AND START WITH A SUPERVISOR OR OWNER THERE. Paula, go to the ceramic cooktop thread in the archives. Lots of pot info there. http://www.ellenskitchen.com/forum/messages/422.html
kc 09/14/05	Am I correct in understanding that you do not recommend a smoothtop cooktop?
ellen 09/15/05	Yes, KC, unless you have had the opportunity to cook on one for a week and LIKED it, I do not recommend a smooth top tange. As mentioned in the orifical thread, they are difficult to regulate heat, which is hard on serious cooks. Never mind the issues with pots and cleaning...
Coop 10/20/05	I don't know why everyone has so many problems. I have had my GE ceramic top over a year now, and I absolutely love it. I'm protective of it, and make sure there's never a chance of anything being dropped on it. I ran out of cerama bryte a while back, and just use a washrag on it most of the time and it comes clean. Takes some elbow grease sometimes, but that's fine! I use TFal pans, with no problems. My owner's manual says it RECOMMENDS stainless steel, heavy weight aluminum, copper bottom, or porcelain enamel covered cast iron. All it says as far as the bottom being flat is to check it with a straight edge. All it takes is some common sense, and reading the owner's manual. I love my ceramic top, and wouldn't trade it for the world. I hate electric coils, too messy! And I've used gas and will never ever have a gas stove. When we moved in this house, it had a gas hookup and I had an electrician come in and install an outlet for my electric!
ellen 10/20/05	Ehanks for a rare voice from the other side!
Jane 10/21/05	Like Coop, Il ove my GE smoothtop and I've had no problems in the nearly year I've owned it. My sister-in-law bought one of the first smoothtops that came out and loved it. Based upon a recent move, she bought the exact same smoothtop I bought and,three months into using it, she is having problems trying to get some spots off and is furious. She doesn't understand why she has spots on this stove. She wasn't good about cleaning her last smoothtop, but there was never an issue of getting it completely clean when she did. She admits that she doesn't remember having cleaned this new smoothtop with the cerama bryte before using it the first time and wonders now if that isn't her problem. I still love mine and haven't owned anything so easy to keep clean.
Kathy 11/06/05	Like others, I found this site only after buying a GE ceramic cooktop. I am trying to replace those cookware items that I can't use. I have a question and a clarfication... Clarification: Since I don't have a bridge element, does that mean I can't use a double burner griddle (or I risk having a hot pan over some portions of a cooler cooktop)? We have to replace our old cast aluminum griddle and I'm trying to figure out what to purchase. Question: (altho may be related to the above) With Thanksgiving approaching, how does one go about making turkey gravy in your roaster on top of the cooktop? I have the old blue enamel roaster (which I thought I'd have to replace), but either way, the roaster is bigger than the biggest round burner. Help!!!
Carmela lilreckster@yahoo.com 11/07/05	Kathy, Sorry to say you may not use a double burner grill pan unless you have the bridge element. Make sure your pots/pans have a flat bottom or you may damage your cooktop. I emailed the company that makes my cooktop for answers to these questions. You might want to check with yours as well for exact info.
Carmela lilreckster@yahoo.com 11/07/05	Kathy, Sorry to say you may not use a double burner grill pan unless you have the bridge element. Make sure your pots/pans have a flat bottom or you may damage your cooktop. I emailed the company that makes my cooktop for answers to these questions. You might want to check with yours as well for exact info.
marilyn burton lesspeewee@aol.com 11/24/05	what are the No-No!s
Audrey Porter littleredfarmhouse@comcast.net 11/29/05	I have no instructions in my manual for cleaning a glass top on my new gas range. Can I use soap and water. I am afraid of scratching it and there is food burnt on it.
ellen 11/29/05	marilyn, audrey, please go to the cooktalk archive, and read the ceramic cook top threads, it has all you want to know about cleaning or care.
Leigh soaw57@excite.com 11/30/05	Does anybody know if the Good Grips OXO teakettle is ok to use on a ceramic cooktop?
Stefanie 12/27/05	After less than a week, I disliked our new ceramic cook top stove as a result of the labor required to keep it clean. The comments on this site convinced me to trade in the stove for one with burners. For us, going back to the old style was the best choice. Thanks for honest comments!
Cindy cindylg8@msn.com 01/03/06	I searched and searched for a griddle to use on my bridge burner. I have a thermador glass top stove. I finally found one with a perfectly smooth bottom. It is a calphalon. However, when it heats up, the bottom "rounds" and doesn't have full contact with the stove! Very annoying after all the time and research to find just the right griddle. I also have a large, smooth bottom calphalon "saucier" and the same thing happens. These pans were recommended as being good for glass top stoves and ARE NOT. My main cookware, which I researched and purchased in '02 when we started with the glass top is Scanpan. There is a heavy disk on the bottom of each pan, and I believe it is made specifically for glass tops. It is non-stick and reliable. They don't make a griddle, though!
char charjoe@cox.net 01/04/06	I have an old cast iron skillet that has no ridges on bottom and is flat, can I use this on my glass top stove or cast iron is a no-no period.
Agmes jus2hapi@msn.com 01/04/06	Can I use a pressure canner on my glass top stove?
N. Kaywam 01/06/06	Can someone link the thread for ceramic cooktop cleaning. I can't seem to find it on the site.
Howard Bevan 01/09/06	I would like to know if anyone was advised by the salesman or manufacturer that you needed certain cookware or could not use certain cookware before you unpacked the stove in your kitchen. I was not and don't feel that this should be my expence. AM I ALONE ???????
ellen 01/10/06	Cast iron is fine as long as it is flat. Pressure cookers do not work very well on glass tops, and many manufacturer's do not recommend canning on these stoves. The threads are on the archiove page, the link is at the very top of the main index forum page. Yes it is irritating about the cookware issue. It is in the documentation, which most people do not read before purchasing. It is a HUGE problem and some new owners have returned the stoves during the first 30 days.
Ruth Harrington 01/23/06	We are buying a house which has a ceramic top stove. Can I use my Revere ware, copper-bottom saucepans and also my Corning ware pans ( the old white type with the cornflower pattern) I have had these sets for many years and do not really want to get rid of both sets, but I would not want to damage the stove top. Thanks for the help
FatFish FATFISHJEFF@GMAIL.COM 01/23/06	I bought a GE cramic stove in July and the top just chipped....Very strange as I had turned on the bridge element by mistake and then turned on the correct left front burner to level 6....When finished I removed the pot ( did not drag it) and now there is a big round chip and some scratch marks....just made an onlne apponitment with GE to check it out Thursady afternoon....has anybody had a similiar problem with the GE's.
ellen 01/23/06	Ruth, other readers have used both successfully. Jeff, this should be under warranty and the top should be replaced.
FatFish 01/25/06	Follow up...GE service called and said to try a razor blade and guess what it was a spill and cleaned up fine....sure looked like it was chipped......What a relief!
natalie 01/26/06	I left a copper bottom revere ware pot on my glass top and turned on a burner by mistake--copper burned onto the top, any solution short of replacement?
FatFish 01/26/06	natalie...Did you try a razor blade to scrap it?
natalie 01/27/06	I did, and some of it came off, but there is still a substantial spot that so far has resisted any scraping, etc.
LaJean 02/07/06	Can I use a pressure cooker on my cooktop without harming my ceramic cooktop?
ellen 02/07/06	Several readers have had problems with canners and pressure cookers on the stove top, including that they are too slow to adjust the heat when you need to turn them down, or just don't get hot enough. Some manufacturers say not to use them on the smooth tops. You may want to call your maker and check the specifics. If you do try, supervise very colely and watch the heat!
richandyoko 02/09/06	There is a commercial grade range top griddle from Cooking Enthusiast that states that their griddle will also work on flat surface ceramic and glass tops. Do you still advise using against using this type of appliance?
ww 02/16/06	I have a smooth top GE stove and a boy friend. I asked over and over that he respect my wishes about not using the top as he would a counter top. He used a manual can opener and left it on the stove, plastic handles down. Later he turned on the wrong burner, the one under the can opener, and the plastic started melting. When he removed the can opener it took 2 big gouges out of the glass top (one for each handle). Now the burner has these big gouges and looks ugly. What's the danger in using the burner and what would it take to replace this damage?
ellen 02/17/06	Richard, I only recommend that you NOT USE ATWO BURNER griddle on a ceramic top. unless it has a special built in bridge element, as you run the risk of cracking the top between the two burners. A single burner griddle is fine as lond as it has a perfectly flat, smooth bottom. ww, the only way to fix this is to replace the glass top, which part is 200-300 and up depending on the brand, plus installation. In the meantime, it is potentially risky to use this burner as you may either crack the top or make a direct connection with the electrical elements, or cause a fire as it heats unevenly trying to heat the areas which cannot touch the pan. Basically the dolt owes you a cooktop.
renee gowens 02/17/06	The people I live with just purchased a new GE ceramic cooktop and I hope that it will give all of us the best years of our lives,. as we start at age 61 and end at 75......so we think this will be the last of new ..I hope that I will enjoy it ,,,as I am the one who does most of the cookin""""""""
Mike Pate 02/21/06	Regarding pot selection for glass/ceramic top stoves. Did a bit of research (followed by purchases) after buying a GE Profile ceramic top: You can get into quality flat top stove cookware via Calphalon "Simply" cookware sets. We purchased an 8 piece set via an Amazon.com advertiser for about $123.00. VERY nice pieces, very nice purchase. Beyong this, I could not find a bridge compatible griddle for less than $120. (Calphalon 14" gridle). Works wonderfully well, but expensive. Do NOT used any cookware but those that are thick anodized aluminum or steel, with flat bottoms. You run not just the risk of damaging the cookware, but of cracking your stove top.
Kathie Wedge 02/22/06	what is a built in bridge element. I am looking for a new stove and am interested in a ceramic top one. At my age I feel that I cleaned enough burners and ovens so I thought that I'd get a self-clean oven with a smooth top treat for myself but I do like to cook and do a bit of canning. I also have stainless steel pots and pans with fine groves on the bottom, Can these be used? Yuk, it sounds like I might have to go back to cleaning burners.
ellen 02/22/06	Kathie, a big no to the stainless steel with ridges or grooves for the traditional smooth top. There is a NEW type which is also smooth, called an induction coil, which is great with stainless steel pans, but it is $$$$expensive. A built in bridge element is an electrical link between two burners so you can use a two burner griddle or roasting pan without cracking the top. For canning you could get a top quality electric hotplate
Laura 02/27/06	I have a glass top stove and received a 12 qt ceramic on steel cooking pot as a gift. There's a warning on the label that says "Do not use on glass top stoves" Why is that? I cannot return the pot so what should I do?
laura 02/27/06	Why do certain pots break glass top stoves and are manufactures doing anything to make them friendler?
Rose 02/27/06	I have to say that I ADORE my glass top stove. It's a Fridgedaire. Our previous stove made it about 7 years before a blob of food under a pan cemented to the top and caused a big chip, which eventually became a big crack. We were so dissappointed that there was no warranty covering this. But, I SO love not having burners to clean! I hated hated hated the burner mess. Now, when friends are over and we're chatting and the potatoes boil over, it's no big deal! No big mess. And it is so beautiful when it's clean. I use a double griddle every Saturday. I haven't heard this thing about it making the top crack without a bridge element. I wonder how many times that has happened? Yes, I miss using cast iron. And I'm currently struggling to find flat cookware that stays flat when heated (that's why I'm at this website!) I sure wish the manufacturer or the seller would get their act together and produce some cookware we can use! But it's all worth it to never see a crusty, burnt ugly burner again.
ellen 02/27/06	laura, use a hotplate for the pot- works great. The reason for the variation in pots- the best cooking pots don't work on the ceramic tops.
Deanna 03/04/06	Does anybody know if there is a grill pan made with a flat bottom to use on glass tops? We used to always use our calphalon grill pan to sear steaks, chops and fish. You can't get grill marks with a skillet. Also, we have had our GE Profile for about a week and I find that one has to be very careful not to scratch it. I would love the return it an either go back to coils for the convenience or get a dual fuel. Has anyone had luck in returning one to the place of purchase based on what a pain in the a** they are?
Angie 03/04/06	Deanna, I tried to return my KitchenAid smoothtop but would have lost over two hundred dollars to do so. I decided to keep it, and I've gotten used to it but I am now looking into an induction cooktop that would work similar to gas. It is a smoothtop but works on magnetic design so only metal pots can be used. They are much more efficient than gas or electric. I don't have access to gas so this is the next best if not better thing to get. Diva makes the cooktop and the web site is www.divainduction.com
Just ME 03/06/06	I have had my ceramic stove top since February of last year and overall I am happy with it. I do have one problem though. I make my own jams and jellies and I found that I have several spots on my burner area as a result of burnt on sugar. I have tried the Cerama Brite (Home Depot sells it for those who are looking for it)Soft Scrub, Bon Ami and the single edge razor blade that came with my stove. Nothing takes it off. It is in the little crevaces. It is a white top with gray around the burners. Three burners and their surrounding area are beautiful, but the fourth makes me want to cry. Any advice would be welcome.
BEERMAKER 03/08/06	I've had many of the same problems with electric smooth tops. ( can't find the right pans, Scraches, spots, poor cooking, and not much help from manufactures. ) I suggest you do as I did. Get a quality gas stove. Not much harder to clean , cooks great, and use any pan you wish!!! By the way LP gas can be had almost anywhere.
bookcook 03/09/06	I love my smooth cooktop! This is my third one (three different houses). Love the easy clean up and have never had a problem with crack or chips on any of them. I have been using Ultrex cooking pans which you can get from www.hsn.com They are very flat heavy bottom pans which work great on my stove (and you can put them in the oven too). I am looking to get a grill pan which they now make.
Brenda 04/07/06	I cannot believe anyone has problems with these ceramic top stoves. I bave owned once since 2001 and would not go back to the crappy burner type. Maybe I am not a serious cook but have never had a problem cooking anything. As long as your pots bottoms are flat you are find. My one question is this. They say do not used SOS pads to clean. I have been using SoS on mine since 2001 and it shines. No scratches and it takes off burned off anything burned on without spots at all. what are they talking about? My stove was a whirpool and now I have moved and have a brand new kitchen aid. Still using sos pads and still no scratches and the finish is great
ellen 04/07/06	You have been very lucky! The true steel wool pads will take the finish right off the ceramic top, causing increasing problems with burned on food. You must have a very light touch, or be using the plastic SOS pads.
Judy 04/10/06	Unable to remove cooked-on soil I have had a ceramic cooktop for three years and have found it very easy to care for. However, recently a black area appeared on one burner. I thought it was burned on, but I can't get it clean. I've used the normal cooktop cleaner, and resorted to a razor blade, but nothing touches it. It's a black top that has the porcelain look (little white specks) and I've been told that those spots are just surface and can be cooked away. Is this true/ or is there anything else I can try to get rid of this spot?
Lou 04/17/06	I have had a ceramic top stove for 2 weeks now, it came with the house we recently bought. Looks to be about a 1 year old used maybe 30 times GE Spectra. I hate it with a passion I did not believe is possible for an inanimate object. I loved to cook before I got saddled this contraption, now I see if I can use the BBQ or even use the nuker as a heat source. The oven however is good and the extractor fan is very quiet(not that you need it as you cannot get a rolling boil going for pasta let alone smoking heat for blackened chicken!). So does anyone know of a Gas conversion that fits onto these gizmos or even a spiral electric coil that can replace the ceramic stuff on top? Maybe a clip on type deal? What I am hoping for is something that will allow me to keep that oven and extractor fan. Its a pricey stove to just dump at maybe 30 uses and an elapse year of age. Resale on this thing is surely almost zero and not worth the effort or have I got that wrong?
ellen 04/17/06	Judy, they don't cook away. Try MAAS silver polish (Walmart, Ace). Also, clean the bottoms of your pots. Lou, for maybe 600 you can get a fine range with good ovens and top. Life is too short. Sell it for what you can get for it and get happy.
Jenny 04/23/06	Hi, My husband just dropped a jar on my cook top and it cracked all the way across. Is it safe to use?
Carol 04/23/06	I am on my 12th year with 2 black ceramic top ranges (2 houses) and I love both. I admit that gas is easier to cook with but not to clean up after. I don't clean it down to glossy often enough because I'm lazy- which is why I got it in the first place. Neither my husband nor I are careful cooks but I have never had a problem when I finally do clean, using just a razor blade and ceramic cooktop cleaner. We just used the old flat bottom cookware (Tramontina & Farberware Millenium) we had before we got the first range, eliminating only the warped-bottom one (I told you we weren't careful). I even use my flat bottom cast iron skillets, and am only approximate about the size of pot-size of burner thing, with no problems yet. The only thing we miss is a two burner griddle. My husband loves to cook pancakes for us and hates/distrusts non-stick coated pans. Since this range (Kenmore) came with the house, I don't have documentation and unclear about the bridge element. Is that built into the range or the pan? Is anyone aware of an uncoated griddle that will work? I can't even find an uncoated plug-in electric one to give him for Father's Day.
ellen 04/23/06	Do not use any element that has a crack across it. If you were lucky enough to have one or more elemnets that are not cracked, hey can be used until you replce the glass panel or better yet the stove. Carol, somewhere on that stove are a model and serial number. One thing Sears/Kenmore is good about is stocking the parts including the instruction books for appliances so you can get one. But the bridge element is built into the stove top (to protect the glass from breaking where the hot griddle rests directly on it between the burners, and it is a top of the line feature, so you probably don't have one... There are some really fine wide 2 burner hot plates that would let you use your dear old griddle.
Misha 05/05/06	I broke glass top of my GE cooktop. (Corner) Replasment part is going to cost me $1000. I pait for new one $1120. This is crazy.Is there any fix for it?
ellen 05/05/06	Is this a dealer installation? The part itself is usually considerably less and several readers have installed their own. Me, I would simply replace the stove. Is it still under warranty by any chance? If it is JUST a corner, not anywhere near the burner elements or electronics, you could consider patching with epoxy putty to smooth and fill it in(the kind of putty that is safe to use on engines and other things that get hot).
Jessica 05/10/06	HELP! We are in the process of trying to sell our house and there is a stain on one of my ceramic burners.. I have tried the Cerama Bryte, razor blades, every kind of cleaner you can imagine and tried cleaning in every way imaginable and nothing works. I think it is grease from the pan we use to make popcorn. Please, please, please help--I'm desperate!
ellen 05/11/06	If Maas polish (Walmart, EBay) doesn't work, I can only suggest you offer a few hundred dollars off if the buyer objects. One of our readers used a jewelry buffing head on his Dremel motor tool with the polish and was pleased with the results. One of the many hazards of the ceramic stove tps is the outside/ bottom of the pan has to be perfectly clean to avoid staining the top- nothing ever burns off, just on.
judith jones 05/22/06	I wish to change my regular stove top enamel, bug find that the width, from to back, are too small on the ceramic. Is there anything I can do to fix that. My stove top is 600 X 530 ml.
ellen 06/02/06	Judith, don't know what to suggest...
Jenny 06/03/06	We just bought a New GE Black ceramic top range. I have a set of Circulon Steel cookware . The first time I cooked on it, it scratched the top! I couldn't believe it was the pans. luckily since the range was only one day old, Ge is replacing the cooktop. I tried it again and again there were scratches. I previously had a whirlpool smooth top range, and I used these pots. On the Whirlpool, I dragged pots on the old cooktop. put things hot things from the microwave and oven on top of the Whirlpool. Basically used it as another counter putting plates on it.( I never read the instructions).Ad I never had a problem. But with this GE cooktop I have not done these things. I boiled corn the second time and was very careful not to move the pot at all. I don't understand. Could GE just have an inferior cooktop? I've read some other people who just love the cooktop.
ellen 06/04/06	Yes, there is a considerable difference in the sturdiness of the cooktops because they are produced from several different types of materials by different manufacturers- for example, a European reader noticed hers at home was much better than here. Thank you for the info and hope you can find a pot that works for you.
chris 06/05/06	I have a fridgidaire ceramic cook top. The edge has a chip out of it. Any idea how to repair it?
ellen 06/06/06	Some readers have used heat resistant epoxy putty (the kind sometimes used on engines) to repair out of warranty edge chips that do not affect the elements/ burners. This cannot be done for cracks.
Angela 06/11/06	Hello,I have a cast iron skillet from my grandparents but i havn't used it yet because i was told that it was not safe for my stove top.What is this diffuser?I love my stove I love to cook.We bought are house 6 years ago and it came with the house and I have never had a problem if anyone has an answer for me let me know.Thanks and I hope all of you have fun in the kichen.
ellen 06/11/06	Readers have had success using a flat bottom iron pan (the kind that does NOT have a raised ring) as long as it was truly flat and the whole pan stayed in contact with the element. I am not sure what diffuser you are refering to?
Brenda 06/12/06	Sorry to be a repeat commenter. But I cannot believe all you people with problems. Maybe you all have old stoves. But the new ones RULE!!! I couldn't imagine going back to those horrible coils again and GAS!!! Never. Mayble unless you cook for a living gas would be necessary. I love mine and I still say the SOS works. To the woman who is trying to sell her house and has the stain on her stove. TRY the SOS, I am positive it will remove it. What have you got to lose? Maybe sos is bad for the old stoves but I have told 6 people with newer stoves to try it. They all say the same thing. SOS works great!!
Sharon 06/12/06	First time writing...Well, me & my husband just bought a new GE Profile Smooth Cooktop, I love it!, but...I would just like to warn anyone who is getting a backsplash done...to take their cooktop out and put it in another room, until your tile guys are finished and the entire kitchen is cleaned! Any little specks of the sand in the grout that they use, if they are under one of your pans when you cook, and you move your pan any where on the surface it will scratch! BAD!! If anyone has a solution on how to get the scratchs out please tell me., my husband is driving me nuts on trying to fix it., and I don't think it can be.
Gabrielle 06/15/06	After ~ 4 months with a new ceramic stove top, we love it & so far it's trouble-free. We are about to relpace old unflat suacepans & have found copper bottom ones. After much searching I have found little info on copper bases except that they can mark the ceramic. Is there really an issue & if so what? Can anyone tell me?
Candy 06/16/06	flat bottom grill pan? I see that according to Ellen that a $20 flat bottom grill pan is easy to find, but i can;t seem to find one. Does anyone have recommendations? I am looking for a grill pan to grill chicken, beef, etc on stove top but can't find pans that don't have the ridge marks on the bottom. I've looked at the Circulon pans but they too have the ridges. Any suggestions? Also, what type of material should these pans be made of? I have a Whirlpool white Ceramic stovetop. Thanks!!
ellen 06/17/06	Gabrielle, if you have a black top it will probably not be an issue, if you have a white top it may be. Candy, the grill pans we were talking about are the ones for pancakes. I don't know if these would be any better than a saute pan for your purpose.
Carol 06/21/06	ceramic cooktop griddle pan to use with bridge We bought the Thermador ceramic stovetop 2 1/2 years ago and still love it. One of the Thermador accessories offered at the time of purchase was a griddle. It arrived with the stovetop. It is a Circulon (10x18). We subsequently have found this griddle pan at Macy's. So it wasn't exclusive to Thermador. It works great with the bridge. We, too use it every Saturday.
Kathie Wedge 06/25/06	Can a regular canning pot (not pressure cooker) the dark navy ones with white spots (enamel I think) be used on the GE ceramic smooth top stove. I hate to have to go to someone else's house to make my rhubarb relish!
ellen 06/25/06	Kathy, you need to remember that the bottom of the pan should be no more than about an inch bigger across than the smoothtop's burner- I have never seen a canning kettle that small. A good electric hotplate with a wide base is an option...
Wolly 07/03/06	ceramic/glass cooktop cracked I left a pot of water on the cook top by mistake and the water boiled and dried for almost 2 hours. WHen i moved the pot, the glas was cracked across the burner. what should I do. Everything worked fine before this. Should i get a hotplate or replace the glass or change the entire unit... i need help .. thanks Wolly
ellen 07/03/06	First, don't use that burner. If it works for you you can use just the other three if they are not cracked. You CAN replace just the glass if the stove is not too old, for several hundred dollars. Maye you want to buy a new stove and switch to gass or regular electric.
Mary 07/10/06	I have had my Jenn-Air ceramic cooktop for 6 years and have had no problems until recently. A lid containing plastic was on the stove and a portion of it melted when the wrong burner was turned on. I have tried soft scrub, a razor blade, and barkeepers friend to try to get it off. Nothing has worked at this point. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thank you. Mary
Gary 07/10/06	I have a four burner Thermador with gas stove with a gas grill. The grease from the grill has apparently moved towards the stove (underneath the burners). The burners are sealed and there doesn't appear (that I can see) to be any way to get to the area under the burners to clean all of the grease that has accumalated. The only reason I know it has accumalated is because it has now begun dripping grease onto the floor. How can I get this grease cleaned and removed from underneath these burners? Anyone have some suggestions please?
ellen 07/10/06	Mary, keep warming and scraping, and hope for further info. Gary, suggest you contact the manufacturer and start another thread- other owners won't find your question here ubder ceramic cook tops.
Ben 07/11/06	I have been looking for pans for a new ceramic cooktop. I finally bought some stainless tri clad pans from Sam,s Club. They appear to be good quality especially for the price, however they have a bow in them which leaves a 1/16-1/8 gap in the center where it does not touch the surface. It seems that many of the mfrs I checked out have the same design. Do you know if they design them like this for expansion of the steel. Will this affect the stove top or performance of the cookware? Thanks
ellen 07/11/06	Because the pans only heat where they touch on the cook tops, the bow can definitely interfere with cooking on the center of the pan unless it flattens out by expansion. If you mention the brand name, readers will let you know if they have had good or bad luck with the brand.
Jeris 07/22/06	I was doing a balsamic vinegar reduction and a little spattered on my glass stovetop. I tried soakig it with hot soapy water. vinegar, window cleaner and ceramabryte. Any suggestions?
Paul 07/24/06	I have a lot of Cooks Essentials pots and pans, and just bought a ceramic stove. Some of the pans have smooth ridges. Can I still use them.
Danita Banning 07/25/06	Dear Ellen Would like to use Le Creuset reversible meat grill on my ceramic rangetop. It is smooth on one side and ribbed on the other. Would the ribbed side down on the cooktop, harm the range or not heat properly to cook pancakes on the smooth side? Also since it is 9"x18", will it harm the range or cook properly, set on both the larger back burner and the smaller front burner? Thank you
ellen 07/28/06	No smooth ridges- no ridges at all! Griddle-The ridged side will fail on your ceramic top and may harm the range. Any griddle must be perfectly smooth, 100% contact. I would not use over 2 burners on a ceramic stove unless I had a bridge element.
Renee 07/30/06	I am trying to locate a boiling water canner (not a pressure canner) that I can safely use on my GE Profile glass cooktop. It must have a flat/smooth bottom. All the water canners I have been able to locate have ridged bottoms, which cannot be used on the glass cooktop. Any ideas or sources??
Marion 07/31/06	Is it harder to maintain and clean a black ceramic top or a Bisgue Pattern ceramic top?
ellen 07/31/06	looking over several threads, it seems that the black ones are a little prone to developing grey spots with heavy cleaning, If the bisque fits your kitchen, you might choose that-
stephanie 08/18/06	Is there such thing as a boiling water canner with a flat bottom for a cermic top stove? I would rather not have to haul out the old camping stove everytime I want to can some things.- Thanks
ellen 08/18/06	Look at restaurant supply stores for large flat bottom pots. They are not cheap.
G. Mayer 08/23/06	A little piece of aluminum foil got on my cooktop and it seems to be melted into the glass. I tried all the recommended cleaning methods but it is not coming off. If I have to replace the glass top, how do I go about it?
ellen 08/24/06	This has happened to others and no one has a solution. Some handy readers have done the replacement themselves after ordering the part- you MUST unplug the stove before working on it, or risk electrocution. Or the appliance seller or Sears can do the installation. However, it is costly. You might consider replacement.
ian 08/28/06	had a magnetic induction top for 10 yrs now, nothing but probs, now going back to gas
Rick 09/18/06	Have done some research in this area and found a brand of cookware that the expansion of the metal during the cooking process is taken into account during the manufacturing of the cookware, and upon heating the cookware actually becomes flat giving better contact with the cooktop, therefore giving optimum conduction.
Lisa 09/25/06	We just got our GE Profile ceramic cooktop this past weekend. I came home tonight, and my husband was all miffed that it was already pitted (he cleaned up). I cleaned it again with Ceramabryte, and it seems okay. I'm going to get one of those scrapers though. I'm afraid...I'm very afraid, almost, of even using it now. Especially after reading all the messages. I'll be really p.o.'d if it breaks. I really love to cook, and bake (haven't even used the oven yet). What are the issues, usually to return and exchange a major appliance. This is the first one I've ever bought.
Bev 09/27/06	ceramic cooktop Wow I do not understand what every one is complaining about. I have had my stove for over 10 years, and today I broke my top, well, as much as I don't want to, I have to buy a new one, the top will cost over $599.00!! Will I buy another? You Betcha!! Just like this one, Mine was a Kenmore, just to buy a top, is the price of a new stove, so I will go ahead and just buy a new stove. I have to say, I have cooked on mine almost every day for the past 10 years, it still looks new. (other then what I did to it today) I have always used my iron skillets on it, in fact one is used almost every day. Yes you are right in saying any pan with a ridge on it will not heat well, and I guess my old Griswall skillet is older then I am, and does not have a ridge. As far as keeping it clean, I have always used a razer blade for tuff scrapes and I have no scratches, used the cream that came with it most of the time, or just a all around grease cleaner. The trick is to try to wipe off your stove, just like you do your table, after each use, These stoves are soooo easy to keep clean, frankly I can't understand what all the fuss is about?
D'Anita-Kay Banning 09/29/06	hotplates Dear Ellen I purchasaed a Le Creuset cast iron griddle/grill. You advised against using it on my ceramic cooktop. Can I use this griddle on a double burner cast iron flat heating plates, hot plate or is a better choice a double coil burner hot plate? Thnx
ellen 09/29/06	If it has a completely flat side that covers a single burner, that can be used on the ceramic cooktop. Any of the other choices should be fine for it if it is not flat or needs a double burner.
alana 10/03/06	I had one at my house that i just sold, had that wonderful stove for just months and i loved it so much! but then maybe because the stove i had before would not even boil water. it was one of those with the solid plates vice the coils. i moved into an apartment complex for the next year or so, and they have a coil stove...i sure wish i could have taken my glass top stove with me. it was the best whirlpool stove i've ever cooked on, and so easy to clean, things dropped on it, it never cracked or scratched and i never had any problems with it. so when i do purchase another house down the road i will get another glass top stove and love it just as much as my first. my t-fal pots (which were 7 years old) cooked great on it. they weren't completely flat, but that stove just cooked sooo much better than any other stove i've cooked on before. but then it could also be that it was new, even if it was the floor model!
D'Anita-Kay Banning 10/04/06	clarification of elements in ovens Please clarify which elements (upper or lower), in a toaster oven, are supposed to be on when you use the bake setting, the broil setting, the grill setting, the toast setting and keep warm setting? Thank you so much!
ellen 10/04/06	Bake bottom Broil top grill ?? (mine did not have this) Toast both Keep warm bottom
Lisa 10/17/06	Well, it's been a month now, almost, that I've had my GE Profile. I have another scratch. I have about 6 on there now, and you would not believe how anal I am about using it. It seems it's scratches in the paint only, they are smooth and not pitted or ridged. But I'm still not happy. Unfortunately it cannot be returned, or even exchanged!
Bethany 10/19/06	Don't know if it is true or not, but I heard on a T.V. cooking show that sugar cubes rubbed gently on cooked on spills will remove same from glass top stoves. Just passing along the info.
ellen 10/20/06	Just be sure to clean the sugar off after!
Mike 10/22/06	I just bought a new GE profile range with a white ceramic cooktop. It is almost impossible to cook anything without burning it. I am using AllClad stainless steal cookware. Has anyone else had this problem with these stoves? Is the problem the cookware I am using? Turning the burner down doesn't seem to help. What cookware do you recommend for ceramic cooktops? I can't afford to replace the stove, so need to somehow learn how to cook on it.
ellen 10/22/06	If your All Clad pans are older, they may slightly warp as they heat up. If they are not sitting perfectly flat on the burner, it will continue heating hotter- they are thermostatically controlled, sensing the temp of the pan bottom, so if the pan is not touching, the burner "thinks" it is not hot enough. If the pans have scorched once, they are eternally more prone to scorch again. Consider that Christmas is coming and petit foursion Santa for some of the preferred pans discussed in the various ceramic cook top threads. The only other trick I can pass along, is to cook rice, etc where you turn down, set one burner on high to bring to a boil. Meanwhile set a pan of water on a second one and set to medium. When ready to turn down, instead move the cooking pan from the high burner to the medium. These burners cool off quite slowly, so the food may be held at a high heat for too long if you just turn it down.
Gayle 10/25/06	Lisa and Mike - too bad you didn't see Ellen's website BEFORE buying the GE Profile. I, too, did not find Ellen until after making the same mistake. About 50% of my All-Clad works OK on the cooktop. I've put the other 50% in a cabinet and will bring it out once I have successfully destroyed the GE and can purchase something else. I scratched my cooktop the first day I used it (with a brand-new cast iron pan from Williams-Sonoma. The pan is now on standby with the rest of my All-Clad). Why is the horror of these cooktops not more commonly known? Why are so many of them sold? Of course, who would believe you could buy a stove that can be ruined by some sugar or aluminum foil OR that you would have to take a ruler and level with you to buy cookware? What a disappointment. I feel like writing to Jeffrey Immelt... and maybe to Jack Welch while I'm at it. CAVEAT EMPTOR!!
Annika 10/28/06	I am so surprised! I have had my GE Spectra ceramic cooktop stove for almost 5 years and thought it was virtually indestructible. It is has black burners and the burners are outlined with greyish speck circles. I cook on it everyday and it is so easy to clean. It still lookes new and shiny until last week when I noticed a dark cloudy stain covering part of the grey circle that outlines my smallest burner. It is not food/dirt (it's smooth and clean) but it looks as is the burner outline has been "erased" or covered (it's faintly visibe). I don't remember spilling anything that could have burnt, but my cleaning lady came last week and I noticed she had not opened the ceramic stove cleaner I had put out for her to use. I am afraid she used some other cleaning solution that caused the stain, but I am not sure. Any ideas how to remove it? I have tried a chore boy pad and ceramic tile cleaner as well as denatured alcohol. Thanks in advance!
Densue 11/18/06	I have had a heating element go out on my ceramic top stove and I can't find any information on how to replace it. I would like to do this myself.
ellen 11/18/06	Densue, if you can get the part it is a fairly simple replacement- AFTER UNPLUGGING THE STOVE- do NOT just turn it off- you take off the glass cover, unplug the old unit, plug in the new one. Sears parts may be able to help wioth the part. You need the make, model, serial number and the diameter of the defective ring, which is usually 6" or 8".
Annika 11/19/06	Ellen-help! Did you see my post on 10/28??
ellen 11/20/06	Hi, Annika, Sorry to say, no advice on this. I am afraid your guess about the cleaning fluid is correct and the damage is permanent...
SUSAN 11/23/06	I have a kenmore glass top range. I was given a set of corning glass cookware. Can I use it on my glass top range. thanks
ellen 11/23/06	Some corning is safe on the stovetop, some is not. The clear glass flameware is safe if perfectly flat on the bottom, some pieces are, some are not. I don't use or recommend Vision cranberry or amber. The white with blue flowers is safe in the oven or microwave, but not stovetop.
mm457 11/29/06	We moved into a new home and chose a black GE Profile thinking it was the answer for some easy cooking and cleaning after raising 4 kids. Not so! Spaghetti water boiled over and wiping it up left white specks over most of the top. That was when it was a week old. They're still there. There are scratches also on the burners that don't come off with the nylon pad and ceramic bryte that came with it. Wiping up a few cranberry spills with force left gray spots/ Directions said must wait until top cools before cleaning. What's my recourse with these concerns, Ellen? Closing was Sept. 8, moved in the 28 of Sept and now it's 2 months later. Nov. 28. Thanks.
ellen 11/29/06	Usually tyhere is a 90 day warranty. Run, co not walk to the seller, especially if you want a replacment top.
Pati 12/06/06	Just purchased a Kenmore smoothtop range and am waiting for delivery today. Thank goodness I decided to go online and found your website. I have read comments from stem to stern and am now visiting the link. Have begun sorting through my pots and pans and have begun to eliminate possible offenders. I am praying I will be one of the happy users. Stay tuned!
nhdraper 12/25/06	A bottle fell on my cooktop and chipped the side- Is it really 1000.00 to replace the GE Profile Porcelain Top- This ruined my whole christmas- Do you know anyplace to buy a used one- Thanks
ellen 12/25/06	If it is far from the burners you can use engine epoxy. You can probably replace it yourself if you are handy.
Nancy 12/26/06	I have had a Kenmore ceramic cooktop (black) for about a year now. It does take more time to keep it clean than the old type. But I haven't had any problems cleaning up anything that has been spilled on it. Most of the time I just use a few wet papertowels to wipe the surface. If something doesn't clean up, then I use one of those scratchless Scotch Brite sponges. If that doesn't work I use a combination of either a wet papertowl/sponge with the cleaner they (Sears) supplied with the stove. I have yet to have to use a razor blade to clean up a mess. Also note I am still using a very old set of T-Fal and haven't had any scratch problems. A few times I thought their were scratches they turned out to be spills.
Marcela 12/28/06	We own a ceramic top Wirlpool freestanding range. The top cracked while cooking a couple of weeks ago. Do the tops tend to crack as the stove gets older? Our insurance says that we cracked it and I am trying to find some information to proove that it was something that happened as we turned the stove on.
ellen 12/28/06	If you look at the various active ceramic cook top threads and the ones in the archive, you will see that you are not the only person this has happened to. Yes, it seems to be more likely as it ages.
Crystal 12/30/06	I just recieved a brand new Whirlpool glass-ceramic cooktop stove. The first time I used it, there were a few deep scratches (I can feel them with my nail) where something must have been on the bottom of the pot (which was also new). Is there anything to make the scratches less noticeable? It is a black top.
ellen 12/31/06	Crytal, so sorry to hear of your accident. Nobody had come up with a good method for deep scratches.
Collette 01/10/07	My daughter put a plastic bag on a hot burner & it melted right to the surface. Any suggestions on how to get it off?
ellen 01/12/07	Start with the razor blade and plenty of patience. If it has noy fused, you may be able to get it off. So sorry to hear of this common accident.
Jim 01/17/07	Has anyone found a flat bottomed teapot for use on a ceramic stovetop? Every teapot we look at has circular groves or raised portions on it.
Betsy 01/18/07	I'm learning to use my Kenmore ceramic-glass cooktop range. It came with a griddle, but no instruction regarding WHERE to place the thing for safe use. Anyone have any clues, insights, or access to actual directions?
Vickie 01/19/07	Has anyone used the newer coated cast iron such as Le Creuset Cookware on their Ceramic-Glass top stove.
Robin 01/28/07	I let a copper bottomed, "Revere Ware", pot burn dry on my ceramic stove top and it's left a "white" looking ring. I used concentrated amounts of "Cerama Bryte" on it and scrubbed (like I would if I had made rice that boiled over...) and it just WON'T come off!! I want to know if anyone knows what I can do!! ?? p.s. The pot is also burnt black on the inside bottomand won't come clean with a scrubber.
ellen 01/28/07	Le Creuset makes a flat-bottom teakettle. Expensive.
zelda Zeh 02/07/07	le crueset on my kenmore white elite ceramic have been superb; so have my 50 year old revere wares but; i ta ke care when these items come out of the dishwasher, and before placing back on the clean shelf, i wipe the bottoms with a ceramic cleaner....no stains, no scratches, beautiful even reliable cooking. this is from a cook with 55 years of practice!!!! z.
Owen 03/02/07	I was looking at a stainless cookset by Farberware, and it says that the non-stick aluminum skillets that come with it "are not suitable for ceramic stove tops". Why do they say that?
ellen 03/03/07	Usually because they have had LOTS of customer complaints about not heatig correctly- both too slow and even fusing to the top!!! If it says don't, believe it.
Donna 03/06/07	GRAY AREAS ON THE GE PROFILE BLACK SMOOTH TOP We replaced our cooktop with the GE Profile black smooth top prior to reading all the difficulties others have had. I used it for the first time last night and had a repeat of mm457's situation with the pasta water boiling over when I left the kitchen for just a very few moments. I made sure to wait until the burner was totally cooled, which is way beyond the time the light goes off which indicates it is not hot, but is still very warm, before attempting to clean the spill. I used the cerama bryte with the cleaning pad that came with the smooth top and must have been too aggressive as I was left with two slightly grayish areas. I tried another citric cleaner and later silver polish with no luck. Then I thought of Kiwi solid black shoe polish. I rubbed just a very tiny amount of the Kiwi polish on the gray areas with a paper towel, and this brought back the sheen and black color in those areas. These were not deep scratches so will likely not work for that problem. I made sure I rubbed off all the excess polish before turning the heat back on. The grayish areas seemed to reappear after heating the burner so it may be necessary to reapply after each time the burner is used, or if I'm lucky maybe over time it will improve. To me, it's still better than looking at the spots or buying a new top! By the way, I'm using the Calphalon Tri-Ply SS cookware and had no difficulties when browning the meat with sticking. The key may be to start out with a lower temperature and increase as needed to avoid that problem. I also heated up the burner with food in the pan instead of heating the burner before putting the pan on, or heating the pan up and then adding the meat. Best of luck!
Tracy 03/07/07	Hi, My Aunt bought a radiant cooktop in the 1980s. The burners did not get hot. I remember her showing up you could touch them, leave a towel on themthen put a pot of water on top of the towel and the water boiled but the towel was only a tiny warm. Why are the burners now hot? I am looking to buy a low end GE model JBS56WLWW, we have Cuisinart pots and pans are these good for radiant?
ellen 03/07/07	These are not radiant heaters- different technology, If they are not warped or non-stck, those pans seem to work fine.
Liz 03/16/07	I have a Maytag ceramic top range. There appears to be a stain on one of the "burners" but when I rub my fingers across it I can tell that the "stain" is underneath the surface rather than on top. Therefore, no amount of cleaning makes any difference. What do I do?
ellen 03/16/07	Has anyone tried permanent black markers on the black ceramic tops? If so, let us hear the results.
Yang 03/21/07	Replacing surface element for glass top stove I have a GE Profile glass top stove, and recently one of the radiant ribbon surface elements under the glass top stop working. I'm trying to replace by myself. Can anyone tell me how to do it? Thanks
ellen 03/23/07	You remove the glass top and change out the element. Make sure before hand that you have a stove with replaceable elements (call the company).
Kim 04/25/07	I had some water boil over while cooking tonight. It left dark gray rings on the surface of the stovetop. Any suggestions on what works best to get it off?
ellen 04/25/07	Most readers have not been able to get this all the way off.
Ed P. 04/27/07	I have a Fridgedaire Cooktop in which the glass top became unglued from the base. Everything else is fine. Fridgedaire says it's not under warranty. Can I buy an epoxy or heat resistant glue to rebond the cooktop safely? It only had a thin strip of glue holding onto the base. Thanks!
ellen 04/27/07	There is an auto engine epoxy which is highly heat resistant, and the only suggestion I have for sticking it all back together again. Available at auto supply stores.
Mary 05/20/07	I know aluminum cookware is not to be used on a ceramic top. Does that include hard anodized pans? Thanks.
ellen 05/20/07	The problems with aluminum are markong the top and warping. Top quality anodized pans avoid both problems.
Jean 06/21/07	Can you set a pan of cooked vegetables that are still hot onto a cool burner til you serve them will it hurt the glass top to set the warm pan there thank you
ellen 06/22/07	Theoretically, a big really hot pot on the cold top could crack the top, but nobody has written in that that has happened. One option for these tops is to set a second burner on low and transfer the pot.
JJ 06/23/07	We have been using a copper bottom tea kettle on our Frigidaire cooktop and everytime we use it black spots/stains appear on the glass top and then we have to clean it off after every use. Can someone tell us what the problem might be an/or recomend a tea kettle that can be used? Thanks in advance for your advice/help. JJ
ellen 06/23/07	You need to polish the copper- it has to be perfectly clean- this might help. Or else, use an enamel flat bottom kettle.
JJ 06/23/07	Thankyou. I find your site helpful. We do keep it polished. Someone recently told us that it needed to be a perfectly flat bottom. Ours is indented along the outer edge. Is enamel better than stainless steel if we change? Any recomendations as to bran to look for? Thanks again.JJ
ellen 06/23/07	Yes perfectly flat is important. Either enamel or stainless steel is fine, if you boil your kettle dry, the enaml one can overheat and fuse to the top...
Jean 06/24/07	Ellen, Thank you so much for answering my recent question! I have had my new frigidaire ceramic stove top for one week and so enjoying it. have used the new oven, speed oven and all burners. Use claner that came with it after each use. Is the a type of burner cover that would be safe to use on this type stove top. thank you in advance, Jean
Jean 06/24/07	Ellen, Thank you so much for answering my recent question! I have had my new frigidaire ceramic stove top for one week and so enjoying it. have used the new oven, speed oven and all burners. Use claner that came with it after each use. Is the a type of burner cover that would be safe to use on this type stove top. thank you in advance, Jean
ellen 06/24/07	Not recommended, as they could theoretically at least fuse to the burner if it were accidentally torned on. I have seen the accidental turn on on my mom's stove, it just ruins the burner cover, but on the glass top, oh what a mess you could have! One lady made aquilted cover to match her curtains... By the way, you could put a countertop type hot pad down to hold those hot veggies.
Liz 07/08/07	I recently bought a condo with a black Kenmore ceramic cooktop. I already hate it with a passion. I used a pan that should have been fine for "ceramic," "induction" "gas," and "electric" (said so on back), and which I cleaned vigorously before using, but it spun around a bit while I was trying to turn the meat I was sauteeing and I think I managed to cause several new scratches. I'm going to try to buy new cookware now, but I am so nervous about more scratches. I see all these messages about people who love their Kenmores, and it seems weird to me that the cooktop was so easily scratched. (I did not drag any pots, etc.) Any similar experiences? Tips? I would replace the thing with a gas stove if I could, but there's not a gas line, so I'm stuck with electric.
Jeff Mixon 07/10/07	I have had a Whirlpool ceramic cooktop for about a year and a half. Today I boiled a large pot of peanuts on the highest setting for 2 hours, and the top cracked wide open. It cracked due to heat, because I did not drop anything on it. The warranty that covers labor is only good for 1 year.
Sandy Roberts 07/18/07	A spot of food burned onto the glass ceramic cooktop of our year-old GE range. My husband cleaned if off, but a small pit was left on the cooktop where the spot was. Is it safe to continue using the glasstop range?
ellen 07/18/07	Jeff, the ceramic cooktops are notorious for this when used at highest heat for a long period, especially if the pan is much bigger than the element. If you still have parts coverage, it is possible to replace the top yourself. Sandy, yes, you can use it, but so sorry!
Lynn 07/31/07	I was reading the above regarding how an enamel tea kettle boiled dry can fuse to the ceramic top of a stove. I had this happen. While the tea kettle did release from the stove top after it had cooled it did leave behind a small divot where it appears the glass has melted and flaked off. Is my stove (and that burner) still safe to use?
ellen 07/31/07	If the element itself is not exposed, you can use it till it cracks. I would stick to medium heat or lower on this burner.
billy 08/02/07	Anyone have a cure for burnt on aluminum foil on glass top ranges?
ellen 08/02/07	It is fused, you can turn to low-medium heat and CAREFULLY use a razor blade, but it is not coming all the way off. Sorry.
Billy 08/02/07	Thank you kindly!!!!!
carol 08/11/07	I was VERY nervous about using the razor to clean off my spillovers on my new glass cook top when I first used my stove. I've found using ordinary baking soda to clean off stubborn spots on my glass top very helpful. I then rinse it and use the ceramic cleaner such as Cerama Brite. What I'm wondering, by doing this, am I harming the service in some way? It seems to be gentlier then scrubbing with a plastic scrubby or using the razor blade. It basically does what our mothers knew to take stubborn stains,etc., off of casserole dishes.
ellen 08/11/07	Soda is just a very mld abrasive. If it works for you, keep using it.
Willena 08/14/07	Two days into using my brand new Frigidaire ceramic cooktop and the outline for one of the cooking element is smeared. Where there was once an outline of the pan size for the burner, now 1/6 of the outline has disappeared. It was once all black with dots; looks like when you paint something and wipe over it before the paint is dry. Only one element has this "defect." Wouldn't this be covered under the warranty?
Mitch 08/28/07	IT IS RELATIVELY EASY TO REPLACE THE GLASS ON A CERAMIC COOKTOP. I just changed the top on a JenAire and it should have taken about 30 minutes - it took me half a day, but that is another story. Here's how: 1. TURN OFF THE ELECTRICITY TO THE STOVE AND TEST IT BY TURNING ON A BURNER. 2. Get two wooden slats that are longer than the stovetop is wide. Get under the stovetop and gently push up one end - have your helper slip a slat under that end to support it. Do the same for the other end. 2. Take out the approximately 10 screws that hold the glass frame to the stovetop with a nutdriver. 4. Remove the glass top. 5. Replace with a new glass top and replace the screws. 6. Lift one end and remove the slat. Let the stovetop gently into the opening. Do the same for the other end. Voila! all done. Cost about $320. In my case I had used a sealant around the edge of the stovetop when installing it. The sealant had hardened and the stovetop would not come loose. It took me an 2 hours to get the stovtop out of the opening using leverage of various types and taking care not to destroy the stove. Then my wife decided that she would like the knobs on the other side (opposite the original). Couldn't simply turn the stovetop around as the downdraft blower assembly came down on one side. Looking at it (not too carefully) the part of the assembly that fit on the stovetop appeared to be symetrical which would allow me to detach it and turn it around 180 degrees by removing a few screws. I discovered on detaching the blower assembly that the attachment was not EXACTLY symetrical. All this. together with modification of the blower assembly with a hammer, cost another 3 hours. But it all works and fits nicely and looks good and, most importantly, my wife is happy.
Mitch 08/28/07	IT IS RELATIVELY EASY TO REPLACE THE GLASS ON A CERAMIC COOKTOP. I just changed the top on a JenAire and it should have taken about 30 minutes - it took me half a day, but that is another story. Here's how: 1. TURN OFF THE ELECTRICITY TO THE STOVE AND TEST IT BY TURNING ON A BURNER. 2. Get two wooden slats that are longer than the stovetop is wide. Get under the stovetop and gently push up one end - have your helper slip a slat under that end to support it. Do the same for the other end. 2. Take out the approximately 10 screws that hold the glass frame to the stovetop with a nutdriver. 4. Remove the glass top. 5. Replace with a new glass top and replace the screws. 6. Lift one end and remove the slat. Let the stovetop gently into the opening. Do the same for the other end. Voila! all done. Cost about $320. In my case I had used a sealant around the edge of the stovetop when installing it. The sealant had hardened and the stovetop would not come loose. It took me an 2 hours to get the stovtop out of the opening using leverage of various types and taking care not to destroy the stove. Then my wife decided that she would like the knobs on the other side (opposite the original). Couldn't simply turn the stovetop around as the downdraft blower assembly came down on one side. Looking at it (not too carefully) the part of the assembly that fit on the stovetop appeared to be symetrical which would allow me to detach it and turn it around 180 degrees by removing a few screws. I discovered on detaching the blower assembly that the attachment was not EXACTLY symetrical. All this. together with modification of the blower assembly with a hammer, cost another 3 hours. But it all works and fits nicely and looks good and, most importantly, my wife is happy.
sally 09/04/07	I bought a house 4 years ago with a Kenmore glass top stove. I was a die hard "gas only!!' cook, having lived with a professional chef for 10 years and I do a LOT of cooking and entertaining. I almost didn't buy the house because of it, but since I liked everything else, I bought the house and decided I would save up to put in a new stove and run gas into the house. After the first year I loved the stove so much I can't believe it. It was only a year old when I bought the house, so it is 5 years old now, I have All Clad stainless steel and copper clad and use both with no problems. It still looks brand new and I have used it for canning for the last 3 years with no problems. I use a boiling water bath canner and have done 6 quarts at a time. I plan to get a pressure canner this year but I will not get one of the "super size" ones and will make sure it has a flat bottom. I also am amazed at how quickly the burners heat up, it is as fast as any gas stove I have had (and I've had good ones, though not the fancy 6 burner Wolf or Thermidor ones). I clean with a damp sponge every time I use it, and a cleaner made for glass tops from my local kitchen supply store if I get overly messy. I love my glass top!
Chip 09/04/07	I recently bought a Kenmore ceramic top, and am concerned my cast iron skillet will scratch the surface. One web-site recommended using a heat diffuser. After doing some research...it looks like most diffusers are for gas stoves. Are there any made specifically for ceramic tops?
ellen 09/05/07	Sally, thanks for the rare happy story. Chip, as I understand it, a diffuser is NOT good for the ceramic top. It defeats the built in circuit that keeps the burner from overheating, risking cracks instead of scratches.
pauline 09/10/07	i bought a frigidaire cook-top at lowes 5 years ago.i enjoyed it and did everything as the manual called for to keep it in good condition.this past week i cleaned my kitchen after supper and went to bed and the next day i noticed that my top had crackd and split in 3 directions.the stove wasnt even being used when this happened.i called the fridgidaire and got the run around and found out that it wasnt under warranty and would be very expensive to fix.it was over 600.00 new and under 5 years old.this is something i could not have control over because it had to crack during the night while we were asleep.unfortunately i had to go out today and buy a new one from sears.i will never buy frigidare products again because this shouldnt happen in 5 years.if i caused it i could understand ,but i cant offord to buy a cooktop every 5 years.take my advise and dont buy the Fridigaire cooktops.after the heartache of having to buy another stove,fridgidaire personell actually had enough nerve to be rude to me .boy,dont they know how to treat their consumers....just for your info if youre planning on getting one.i seen several fridgidaire cooktops today while shopping for a new one,but im scared to buy this brand of any appliance again.thanks,polly
alexis 09/10/07	thanks for the information on this .i have been looking at cooktops and shopping around.but i hope i can find something that will last me for years to come.i take care of my appliances also and expect them to last longer than that.looks like you bought a Lemon and got stuck sucking the juice.seems like they would have worked with you to try and satify you even if the warranty was out that still isnt near the life expectany for a cooktop.and for your advise,kenmore is a good brand.and they do try to satify their customers.i guess they had made their money when you bought it.there should be some rules and regulations for manufacturers to make them stand behind their products.most companies covers their product with a warranty for the first year.because that is the leat likely time they will tear up and want the consumers to carry the 2-5 yr warranty for and additional cost which is expensive also.i think if we buy their products they should have to stand behind them,espicially when they are major appliances. did they even try to figure out what could've caused this? let me know.i will keep this in mind while shopping around
toolman 09/10/07	thats usually how luck has it.a short time after the warranty is up they tear up.thats how some companies figure they can sell more.too bad craftsman dont make cooktops.they stand behind their products
david c 09/10/07	i want to thank Ellen's Kitchen for making this page.people can see what is happening to others and learn from it.i want keep all of us safe,but will help some.i wanted to say also to polly dont replace the ceramic top that is cracked.the reason i say not to is because there could be something going on with the stovetop under the ceramic and if thats the problem ,it will only crack again.as for the manufactorer,they dont care what caused it,and sadly if you didnt have a warranty,you are the one suffering the loss.too bad they dont even care to find out what happened to it or even wonder if it could pose more of a danger to you and your home,such as a fire hazard or electrical shock.turn off all the power at the fuse box and get that junk out of your kitchen.and send this message to www.fridgidaire.com....there could be a problem with that paticular make or model or a defect in it.maybe you should post a blog and see if others like your style has had any similiar problems.there could be alot more in kitchens of our homes with the same problems.good luck..
Katie 09/10/07	Have had the GE Radiant cooktop in black for two weeks. Cooked stirfry tonight (in a flat bottomed pan) and some cooking spray got on the cooktop. After finishing the meal and cleaning up, it looks like much of the cooktop, with the exception of the burners are lightly pitted. Tiny specks that are smooth to the touch all over the surface. I tried the Ceramic cleaner and free sponge that came with -- I did not clean the cooktop with this before using the first time. Are these the pits I have read about above? Are there any other suggestions of how not to cook (i.e. sizzling oil/cooking spray) that you have compiled?
ellen 09/11/07	Kaie, because the cooktop heats up and the spray cooks on, you need to spray your pan away from the stove before you put it on the heat- a new habit. Also, as discussed on other threads, these tops do much better with medium and medium high heat, they really are not too good for wokking/ high heat, this is when a lot of people have appearance problems with their tops. Many folks use an electric hotplate for wokking, even if they like their ceramic tops. Keep polishing the dots, they may come off, they are not reallly smooth. Some readers recommend the Magic Eraser sponge.
chris 09/14/07	Ellen, do you know of anywhere that I can find "how-to" instructions for replacing a cracked GE cooktop. We want to replace it ourselves and I would like some step by step guidance. Thanks!
ellen 09/14/07	See Mitch's letter of 8/28 above for some help. Others have done it and written in on other ceramic cooktop threads.
susan 10/04/07	ceramic cooktop color Hi, I'm buying a stand alone range and it must be electric. I'd like to buy a smoothtop since I really never liked the coil maintainance. I'll need a white range for my kitchen but should I get a white or black cooktop. I'm thinking of getting GE profile. Is the white cooktop more prone to staining (or showing the stains). Must be electric - no gas hookup. Thanks!
ellen 10/04/07	Susan, if you have not cooked on one, PLEASE use for a week somehow before purchasing. Misery is about 9 of 10 or higher for folks who switch without experience. Black is better than white for cleanining. You need to deal with new pots and cleaning issues.
susan 10/04/07	ceramic cooktop color Thanks so much Ellen! Good thinking. I'll be trying out my neighbor's cooktop. It's a big investment and I so appreciate all the great expertise I've found here. Also, since my post I've discovered a few things that I thought I'd share. I spoke with someone: she has a GE black cooktop and her parents have a white one. Hers is 2 years old and her parents' cooktop is 4 years old. In terms of long term resistance to permanent stains black and white are both the same and pretty resistant. You use the Ceramabrite (spelling?) before the first time and after each later use. A little bit (maybe 1/8 teaspoon) is put on with a paper towel, let it dry to a haze (as was said here) and dry off with a dry cloth. No rinsing. Apply to cool cooktop. Big spills can be mopped up with a damp cloth/sponge on a hot surface but quickly and don't leave the cloth/sponge long on the hot surface. Sugar will corrode the glass permanently and must be cleaned up right away - hot or not. As everyone said your pots can't be warped. It is a good idea when switching from coils to the glass cooktop to clean the bottom of your pots with stainless steel cleaner (even if they look clean) because the residue can stain the cooktop temporarily and who needs the worry. No cast iron - the rust on the bottom stains. Beyond that, they won't stain I'm told. My neighbor's parents is still completely white - a couple of small scratches but fine after 4 years - and they use it. Of course just in the course of cooking white will show more spills after cooking dinner until it is cleaned later. And black shows more dust or scratches. Thanks again Ellen!
Cari 10/10/07	Induction griddle pan Hello, I have an induction cooktop and I am in need of a square griddle pan (to heat tortillas etc.) and with the exception of cast iron (which is too heavy) I have been unsuccessful in finding one. Does anyone know of a brand that sells griddle pans specifically for induction stovetops? Thanks, Cari
ellen 10/10/07	These are available, but hard to find the perfs is a good start.ectly flat on the bottom ones. A big factory outlet center with several kitchen store
Sue 10/19/07	I have a Kenmore electric range with a SCHOTT Ceran cooktop that is 6 years old. My problem is one element, my favorite that I use most, has turned black. ( My top is gray/white dotted look.) It seems to be underneath the glass and when the eye is on you can see the element clearly. Any idea what has happened or how to fix it? Thanks,
ellen 10/19/07	Hope our readers can help. The elements themselves are replaceable on most tops, but it sounds like that is not the issue here.
Linda 10/22/07	I am looking for a new smooth top stove. I have been cooking on a Whirlpool black glass cooktop electic range (called Designer Style) since Sept. 8, 1990.....and it has been a wonderful stove. I had one icident on 2/21/1995 when the glass cracked; it was a thermal crack, not from something dropped on it. The Company installed a new top and I paid for mil