Ellen's Kitchen

Keep Ellen Cooking!
Support New Pages!

ELLEN'S KITCHEN Cook Talk

cooktop scratches
Peter 02/21/06	Is there any way to remove or buff out small surface scratches from a black ceramic cooktop?
rosemary 03/13/06	Hi! I already replied to a March request for this same question but I'll reply to you, too. I thought I was going to give my new ceramic stove to my daughter because I couldn't get out the marks. I visited many forums but couldn't get an answer. I had some MAAS metal polishing creme that I bought at Meijer's and out of desperation I tried it. Just a dab on a cotton ball and if that doesn't work, try a speck on gentle scrubber. It seems that everything scratches or marks the top and this is the solution for me. My top looks brand new. Visit their web site to read about it. It's supposed to be very gentle. They also have a ceramic top cleaner which I haven't tried yet, but I will. Also, I don't think Meijers carries it anymore and haven't found it anywhere else so you might have to order it online. It's expensive but it works and it goes a long way. It's also terrific for polishing brass. Keeps the shine forever. I'm sure you'll love it. Think it has jewelers rouge. My stove is near a window which bathes my stove in sunlight and I can see every mark on it but I don't worry anymore because I can keep it spotless now. Hope this helps.
Angie 03/17/06	Just want everyone to know that MAAs metal polishing creme can be found at Wal-Mart. Just look where the stainless polish and other cremes are found, in the cleaning section.
Angie 03/17/06	Just want everyone to know that MAAs metal polishing creme can be found at Wal-Mart. Just look where the stainless polish and other cremes are found, in the cleaning section.
rosemary 03/17/06	Thank you so much for telling me where to buy Maas, Angie. I can't thank you enough. I've been telling everyone about it but didn't know where to get it close. Now I can email everyone and let them know. You can get a large - around 20oz - size online but people like to try it out first and now they can. It's also great for cleaning the stainless steel cookware you need for the smooth top. It's taken scratches out of it for me. This was the first time I have ever participated in any forum and it sure paid off for me. Thanks again. You wouldn't believe how happy you've made me.
Angie 03/21/06	Rosemary, You're welcome. Glad I could be of help. I love the Maas creme also, and was reluctant to buy they large size until I tried it. I wouldn't be without it now.
Steven 07/04/06	After reading about the wonders of MAAS metal polishing creme in this forum, I got hold of a tube in the hope it would remove some scratches on my Fridgedaire Gallery ceramic cooktop. I worked at it and worked at it. No result. I then got hold of an electric polisher and used that with the MAAS. All I succeeded in doing was creating a dull, greyish spot where the black of the cooktop was somehow buffed out. My scratches - some fine, some deeper - were unaffected. So ... either MAAS has changed their formula, or different ceramic cooktops have different compositions which may, or may not, respond favourably to MAAS.
ellen 07/04/06	Definite differences in composition between cooktops, and maybe with different colors, Sorry to hear of your troubles- I think the main use of the Maas is to get stains off, not to buff scratches out. Our readers have reported no successes with scratches.
ellen 07/04/06	With deeper scratches, I meant.
Becky 08/16/06	My ceramic cooktop has flat black spots on it. I've tried conventional ceramic cleaners and have scrubbed away with zero luck. Can anyone help/advise me? Thanks!
ellen 08/16/06	What color is the top and are the spots over the burners?
Donna 08/17/06	I just moved into a new home and until now have never cooked with an electric stove. In less than one week I have seen so many scratches on this thing that I am wanting to throw it out the window and find a spot for my old gas stove! I'm wondering not only if I can get the scratches out, but what can I do to prevent them from coming back every time I put a pot on the stove?
ellen 08/17/06	You probably need some new pans flat, flat bottoms, preferably multiple ply, preferably not aluminum. You can try cleaning the bottoms of your existing pots and pans. Never slide the pans- lift and place.
Chris 11/19/06	I have the dreaded the GE black ceramic cooktop! As has been said, what a nightmare. My husband uses it frequently and is not particularly careful, so I have lots of scratches on the one largest heat site. So far, I haven't been able to find out if there's ANYTHING that will help with them. But I am SO grateful for this site as I've learned so much from reading here. For all the "no-no's" that we've already done to the poor thing, it's really held up remarkably well. Still, what a disappointment!
ellen 11/20/06	Maybe you should put a cash box over the stove and make him kick in a couple of dollars every time he uses it, for the new stove...
carolyn 02/05/07	ceramic tile I live in Nicaragua and am trying to remove the dark scratches my heavy furniture left on my beige tile. I used a heavy duty soap and a green scub pad -like for dishes- with alot of elbow grease and now have semi white areas. I am sure the contractor used muratic acid as it is the common practice in cleanin tile here. Any hints. Also, they did not clean the tile well in the kitchen. Is there something natural I can mix up since shopping here is very,very limited. Please also send message to my email as I don´t want to miss my answer.Thanks a million!
linwood 02/15/07	i wanted to buy ceramtic stove top,but it has scratches on the top.is there a way to get those scratches out
ellen 02/20/07	Carolyn, if they used muriatic acid, you need to re-seal it when you get it clean- it is hard to realize, but tile is porous. You did not post an email adress... Linwood, basically, no. What you see is what you need to live with. Unlessyou want to replace the glass top, $200-$1000 depending on brand.
keith Taylor 02/22/07	iron pots on ceramic cooktops Is it all possible to use my Lodge iron pots on my Fridgidaire ceramic cooktop? Lifting not sliding perhaps..using a ceramic heat difuser underneath or one of those bent steel type difusers? Also, would my copper pots and pans be okay? Thanks for help!
ellen 02/28/07	DO NOT use a diffuser on the cooktop. Lodge pots that are smooth work, With rings, no.
NYN 03/07/07	Thanks for all the info - I think I will just wait until it gets so bad I can't stand it any longer. The reason for a good many of my scratches is from the razor I was using to scrape, it was way past the time to through it out and put a new one in.
sunshine 05/01/07	black marks on ceramic cooktop Hello, I have black marks on my cooktop ( it's that speckled gray one) & those seem to be underneath the surface! I've tried lots of things but nothing works..If somebody has a solution, and would like to share, I'd really appreciate it.. thanks
cjai 06/07/07	I need help with the black marks on my gray specled ceramic stove. If you have a solution let me know alo like sunshine. Thank you so much (the repair person said we need to replace the top $500 --- wow)
sharpie 06/16/07	cooktop pitting I just purchased a 1 1/2 yr old GE black ceramic glass cooktop stove.It has minimal scratches, BUT...after reading about problems with these tops,we realized one burner is pitted. It is smooth to the touch, but can't be removed...definitely under the surface.The manual said if pitting occurs, the top has to be replaced. Not doing that, since we only gave $300.00 for the $700.00 stove. I need to know if I'm going to do further damage by using it with the pitting?It's not even hooked up yet and still on the trailer.Thanks for any knowledge shared!
ellen 06/16/07	Usually the pitted one is the one that got used most... Anyway, the safe and easy/cheap solution is to use the other burners. Eventually, it will crack and you will be replacing the top, or the stove, depending on your frustration level.
judy ingrasin 09/14/07	I also have a fridgedaire black glass top stove. I take meticulous care of it and live alone so I dont do a great deal of cooking but all of a sudden my large burner has multiple clear spots and black spots. They are flat and not from a spill. I have no idea where they came from and have tried almost everything to get them out. I have been so careful with this stove. Any idea's from you all would be wonderful Thanks
Linda 09/16/07	Can I use copper based pots on my ceramic stove top ? Thanks
ellen 09/17/07	Yes, but the bottoms have to be completely flat and very clean.
jackie 10/17/07	I just dropped abowl on my smooth top and it cracked it. Can I still use it??
ellen 10/17/07	You can use burners which are still intact and completely covered, not if the crack goes near or across. Just be aware it will eventually have to be repaired or replaced.
Pat 10/19/07	I just bought a new GE Profile slide in range with a ceramic black top. It already has some small scrathes on the big burner. Sears will take it back but I'm in a delima what to replace it with so the problem doesnt repeat itself. My cookware is SS, flat and clean and we've been might careful. Don't want to go back to coils and getting a new gas line to the range is prohibitive. Any suggestions. Thanks, Pat
ellen 10/20/07	You might find it helpful to look at epinions for the stove top reviews, especially sealed and flat top elements, no coils bu not ceramic top. You all, you will be using it 20 years... will do best if you don't have a tight budget. Don't want to buy from brown box, though!: www.epinions.com/Kitchen_Ranges
Kay Stark 11/13/07	cooktop chips I am purchasing a house and the appliances were included. The stove was a black ceramic topped electric range in very good condition.However,when the former tenants were cleaning out the house, they apparently dropped something on the stove and ther is now a chip about the size of a nickel on one burner. How will this affect the performance of the stove, and will it need to repaired?
ellen 11/13/07	Don't use that burner, you can crack the whole top. It can't be repaired: they should have replaced the top, you may have recourse under buyer protection regs in your state.
Denise 11/25/07	I had a lot of (and I mean A LOT) scratches on one of the burners on my one-month old ceramic cooktop, which were made by my brother, who was invited to the Thanksgiving dinner. I was so upset because it was expensive for one thing, hard to clean for another and now the cosmetic problem, which I had a hunch was almost impossible to fix. I had googled all night and the only "solution" I could try was of Rosemary's MAAS creme. I didn't keep my hope up because the feedback didn't look good but I really didn't have any other options so I bought a tube for $3.59 and guess what, it really worked so well. Maybe most of my scratches were not deep (I do have a couple of deep ones.) but they were ugly enough to make me cry. ( and believe me I'd tried everything I could think of to remove them.) Now they were all gone. Thank you so much Rosemary for sharing the information and thanks to Angie for letting us know where to get it. It really works wonders. I am SOOOOOOOO relieved but I don't think I want to cook a big mael on that cooktop ever again. It is really a pain in the neck.
Cindi 11/27/07	I'm the proud owner of a new range with black glass cooktop and I love it. But I've seen references to using a silicon mat on the top to prevent scratches? Does this mean I can use one like a Silpat directly on the glass burner surface to prevent scratches? Even if I have the burner on high? I just wanted to check beforehand so I don't ruin my range!
ellen 11/27/07	NOT WITH THE BURNER ON!!!!! Only in between uses.
Cindi 11/28/07	OK! I'm glad I checked beforehand. I've seen heat diffuser pads and thought this might be the same sort of idea since Silpats are rated up to 580 degrees. So all I can really use on the burner while it's on is the protectant/cleaner cream. Guess I'll just have to teach my teens to be careful about sliding pans around ;^) Thanks!!!
ellen 11/28/07	Don't have the cream on the burner when it is on. Anything on the burner, even a spray of nonstick spray, or even any film on the bottom of the pot can burn onto the top and cause cleaning grief. And the deal is, don't be careful about sliding, DON'T slide, period. And spray cooking spray away from the stove.
denise 11/28/07	Gosh, the more I read about the cleaning tips and the more I cooked on it, the more I regret buying the cooktop. It's absolutely miserable!!! I just wished that I had checked this websibe before I totally made a fool out of myself.
frankie 12/03/07	I have a black ceramic Whirlpool cooktop. I was cleaning some burned on food recently with a razor that was recommended by Whirlpool. But I must have pressed down too hard and now there are some swril scratches on the top I was cleaning. Is there anything that will take these out?
ellen 12/03/07	Frankie, try the MAAS metal cleaner.
Tammi 12/25/07	cracked stove top I have a crack running from the center of my large front burner to the middle of my stove top can I still use my stove
ellen 12/25/07	DO NOT use any burner that the crack runs over and be aware that you will eventually be replacing the top. Keeping the heat at medium high or lower and using only pots that exactly fit the burners will preolong the life of the remaining burners.
qwerwt 12/27/07	cooktop scratches on frigidaire ceramic oven I have some DEEP scratches on my frigidaire ceramic top. heard a MAAS metal cleaner an heard it works. Hope so. taks mika bror qwerwt.
ellen 12/27/07	Nothing takes out deep scratches. You may be able to reduce them some.
qwester 12/31/07	I have just removed a severely broken ceramic cooktop (white Sears corian). I used it for years with cracks with no cooking problems. I am replacing the entire electric top with a drop-in plain gas cook top. I am a techie do-it-your-self-er. The project is not for the typical householder. An adapter plate must be made to fit into the ring that held the ceramic top. I found the drop in gas cooktop in the local classified ads for $30.00. I put in the gas line to the stove myself previously. Your stove manufacturer my have a dropin gas unit for your stove. My stove is far too old for that now. I love its large Kenmore Electric continuous cleaning oven with its accurate temperature control so I did not want a gas oven. If anyone is interested in the details of this project please contact me by email.
Kavya 01/04/08	Hi, Could you please let me know if there is any way i can remove scratches from a black glass cooktop? Thank you.
ellen 01/04/08	Kavya, if you read through this thread and the others on ceramic cook tops, you will see what has worked and what hasn't Basically, deep ones are there to stay.
Jackie 01/08/08	My GE oven has a (black) glass/ceramic stove top, and I have hated it since day 1. It looks as though the top has burned/melted from spills of boiling pots etc. I would not consider these "stains"...Does anyone have a similar situation? Or at least know what I mean? Help!
ellen 01/09/08	Some pitting is not unusual, especially with sugary spills, and you can gouge the top with careless scraping. You can also melt plastic into the top. If you think a lump is removable, you can turn to the very lowest heat and when it is warmed carefully scrape with a new razor blade or scraper. But Jackie, life is short. Even in a rental house, you should consider buying yourself a new range, a good used one is NOT that expensive.
Jackie 01/09/08	The marks I have are not pits, nor are they scratches...I have never scraped it with anything and nothing has melted on it. Spill- over from cooking pots and pans is the extent of it. They are more like a circle around each burner that looks dull...like it is burnt. Yes, life is short, but this range is only 3 years old...and beautiful (with the exception of the cook top's marks)...I would just love to know someone else has experienced this...and what they have done about it. Thanks.
Marie 01/11/08	I just purchased a new Kitchenaid Convection Range - had it two months - for Christmas got a new set of Kitchenaid pots (rated for glass top) guess what - yep - scratches, and they keep comming. It will be replaced but my problem is do I get the same stove - which I loved until this happened - or should I just go back to the coils (which I hated due to cleaning)? Your input would be appreciate. Thanks
ellen 01/11/08	Sounds like you need the same stove and a different set of new pots?
Reay Wallace 01/13/08	I have been researching smooth top counter top stoves and am really doubtful I want the headache. Our Sears store doesn't even carry the coil top, which I don't want again anyway BUT If I do decide to buy a coli, will I be able to get parts when I need them? It seems all there is is either Ceramic top or Black top and all have the disadvantage of scratches, breakages, chips and the necessity of particular pots. Is there anyone out there that has an alternative? What about induction, any comments appreciated. Reay
Janiece 01/15/08	Jackie, That is exactly why I came here, to find out if there is anything Ican do to remove those rings. Mine were on the stove when we bought the house in 1999. Nothing I have tried has worked. I haven't tried the Maas Metal Polishing Creme, but I have tried their glass cooktop cleaner and was not impressed. A wet sponge would have worked the same. I do have some of the other Maas creme as I odered both from a magazine ad and will try it out tonight. I'll let you know if it helped. I was also wondering if a heat diffuser would work on the glass cooktop as I have a problem with food sticking in my Teflon pans when I use it. It is impossible to adjust the heat from high to med or low.
ellen 01/16/08	Heat diffusers are a definite NO on these tops. The only thing I have found for getting from high to low quickly, is to set a pan of water on a second burner at the second heat, then move the whole pan from the high burner to the preheated low burner. You can't heat these coils without a pot on them, and NEVER use an empty pot.
Carole 01/23/08	vision cookware (glass) Can I use glass cookware on my Whirpool ceramic stovetop? Thanks for responding
ellen 01/23/08	It is specifically NOT recommended for these tops. I suggest to my readers not to use it at all, there are some shatter dangers; you can read all about this on the visionware threads on this site.
Catherine 02/18/08	Pyrex Flameware I have an old Pyres Flameware pot.. can I use it on my Ceramic stove top?
ellen 02/18/08	If iy is a glass pot, it is NOT recommended for use on these tops.
christine 03/07/08	griddle for glass top range? We have just bought a new LG smooth top (schott-ceran) range..due next week. We have an aluminum griddle we used on the previous smooth top range (Matag...the top cracked and stove was replace under store warranty). PLEASE advise if we can use our aluminum griddle and if not what kind? It is a rectangular griddle than covers two burners. Actually a camping griddle. But I would be prepared to buy a new griddle for the stove, just want to know the RIGHT kind of griddle. It needs to be big, as we have a large family and use it a lot. thanks
ellen 03/07/08	You need what is called a bridge element, an option on ceramic top stoves. You were VERY lucky they replaced that top under warranty if you were using a two burner griddle on a top without a bridge elenment. If you do not have a bridge element in the top, my only recommendation is a double-size electric griddle- delightful to use, frees up the stovetop and lets the cook join the table.
john 03/13/08	brushed steel splash back how can i get the scrtches out
ellen 03/13/08	Try Maas metal polish or a restaurant supply level polish.
Greg 03/20/08	We bought Kitchen Aid range and fridge about 3 weeks ago and have used all the elements etc. I've tried so far to be Extremely careful, (ie, not having the element on with nothing over it, not sliding the pots) and cleaning it after its cooled after every use. All of my pots and pans are flat bottomed TFal Stainless (very heavy and thick flat bottoms by the way) Still to my frustration, some minimal scratches have appeared. Now, to the benefit, you cannot see them unless up close with the microwave light on, but its not good with the precautions ive taken to see this result. I suppose some scratches are inevitable. To which extent I guess is to the precautions taken. However, how can you expect to not move a saucepan at all, when cooking a stirfry for example. Even when I hold the pan as still as possible while stirring with the other, I notice that its still sliding a half inch around.
Greg 03/20/08	Perhaps the minimal sliding I'm getting is the coat of wax that the Cerma-clean or whatever its called is providing
ellen 03/20/08	No, Greg, you are doing everything you can; the minimal scratches go with the nature of the top. You are lucky to be able to stir-fry at all; most ceramic tops will not heat hot enough or even enough to do a good job on this.
Gail 03/20/08	partial burnt out burner on ceramic top Ceramic top (Maytag) right front large burner has three setting -- one coil,two coil. or three coils Smallest coil is not heating up. Any suggestions on how to repair. Model #MES5875BCS.
ellen 03/21/08	You have to replace the whole burner. Check with Sears appliance or Maytag.
Rita 03/21/08	Thanks you sooo much for all the info on ceramic stove tops,i was about to buy one, you saved me a lot of problems.
marjorie 03/23/08	I came across this very interesting and informative page while looking for an Australian supplier of Maas products. I do not have a ceramic cooktop and probably never will after reading of all the problems you folk have had. Best wishes to you all
Ann D. 04/08/08	I just purchased a GE Profile Range with a black ceramic top. I specifically got the model with the bridge element so I could use a griddle plate with it. However, I am having trouble finding a griddle plate that can be used with a ceramic top. Farberware makes a unit with a nice flat bottom, but when I read the fine print, it said not for use with ceramic tops. Williams Sonoma has a griddle plate, but it has a raised edge (which won't work, either). Any suggestions?
ellen 04/09/08	The ones I know of are very pricy; cuisinart, circulon. etc.
Kathy 04/15/08	I have a "whirlpool" ceramic top stove, I was hoping there was a way to get out a couple of scratches. But the situation looks grim, reading these posts. But as for the grey spots that look like they are worn. If you use the little razor blade (made for ceramic stoves) and gentle run the blade over it a few times they will eventually come off. I just about freaked when I saw the ones on mine. I also use the ceramic top cleaner it works well I think. I purchaced both at Home Depot...
Roger 04/15/08	I have a 2 yr. old Viking black ceramic cooktop and have learned a bit about caring for it. One tip for minimizing scratches is to check all your pan bottoms for rough or nicked spots and to eliminate these. For some rougher cast iron skillets and for deeper nicks I use a very fine emery sandpaper and sanding block. Wash the pot well so no grit goes near the cooktop. Edges along the bottom of some pans may need smoothing. Also, periodically check pan bottoms for any cooked-on deposits and scrub these clean.
Wanda 04/18/08	I have a new Whirlpool ceramic cooktop. I wouldn't call my marks scratches. After trying to clean cooking spots(with a ceramic cooktop cleaner) it left marks that look like the surface was marred from rubbing too hard. I had a cooktop prior to this one and never that this problem. Whirlpool suggested I try a polishing compound. What do you think?
ellen 04/19/08	Yes, there are some specific recommendations for brands in this thread. Be VERY careful what you use to apply the cleaner; the wrong scrubbie or sponge can cause just this kind of difficulty.
Karen 04/23/08	Good morning all: While I haven't found a cured silicone product that can withstand temperatures greater than 500F, this problem kept me rather perplexed. I am a mechanical engineer and quite intrigued by this question. I thought "Hey, I could get rich on this one!". I think like that a lot, but alas, I am still not rich. Anyway, as I was searching a materials database (matweb.com) I think I did find a viable answer. It was so obvious that I stood up and kicked myself! You see fiberglass is not an exotic material, it is readily available at your local retailer and is CHEAP. The melting point you ask? Get this: 2970 degrees Fahrenheit. It is pliable, like cloth so it will not scratch your stovetop and it is inexpensive. If it gets soiled just pitch it out. And, by the way, if you decide against this recommendation, make sure that you purchase a cleaner with silicone in it. The residue will lubricate the cooking surface. Cheers, Karen
Karen 04/23/08	Sorry, I forgot: I have two tips. If you decide to scrape with a razor blade (which I have done) follow two simple rules: 1. ALWAYS use a brand new blade. The sharp edge will reduce the chances of scratching. 2. Scrape in a straight line only. Hold the blade firmly and try to keep the angle between the blade and surface as small as possible. Cleaning and polishing are totally different animals than scraping. You will want to use a circular motion when performing these tasks. Karen
ellen 04/23/08	Ah, Karen, I love that engineering mind! Thanks for the great idea- I can see ceramic tops all over the country sprouting fiberglass covers.
fran 04/23/08	griddle for electric range I just bought a glass cook top range. A griddle came with it. The sales person at Sears told me it went on the glass top. I know it does not. The book only shows a picture of it with a rack that says convection rack. Does anyone know how to use the griddle in the oven
Mike 04/24/08	I just bought the Ge Profile double stove convection 2 weeks ago atleast thats how long I have been using it. Anyways all I can say is JUNK, JUNK and JUNK. I clean that glass top religously and today it wouldnt clean period. Looks like water stains and a big scratch, chip or whatever looks between the glass or something. Now this stove looks like it is flat and no longer glossy on the big burner with swivel marks trying to clean it. I bought at sear, you think I can return it and get a gas stove. Plus one more thing bought a lg dryer with the steam function. It is worthless and doesnt do anything but dampens your clothes. What a joke as these two appliances alone costed me $3500.
ellen 04/24/08	Good for you, Fran, your read the directions! Hope a reader can help. Mike, you have to clean the outsides and bottoms of your pots with these stoves, and that, my mom says, is not a guy thing. Get on the phone with Sears. The under the glass thing may entitle you to a replacement top. Here is info from another reader: I have had my black GE radiant downdraft cooktop for two and a half years. I use all of my cookware, although the curved bottoms of some pans may slow down cooking time, and warped bottoms allow the pans to spin around, it is all good. I also use a pressure cooker. I do try to remember that it is glass and will scratch if pan bottoms and glass top are not free of abrasive bits. I accidentally heated an empty teakettle, and fused it right to the surface, causing it to crack when it cooled. My one year warranty was up, but GE will cover "thermal shock" for five years - and the example they use is that of a pot boiling dry.They also cover discoloring or the pattern wearing off. Of course the customer service rep did not volunteer this information when I called. The rep told me that my one year warranty was up, and I said "but it says in the manual that thermal shock is covered", and he said "Oh, ok, the technician will be out next week to replace it." I can tell all of you who want to replace it yourself, that it took the guy about ten minutes tops.
Karen 04/27/08	Hi Ellen: It's me, the engineer again. It was my pleasure to contribute! FYI: Thermal shock occurs when a material is subjected to a large thermal gradient. Shock is a type of stress. It occurs when something happens suddenly, like when you drop an object. The object and the surface it hits experience a shock load. Brittle materials break very easily under a shock load while ductile materials do not. Glass and ceramic are in a category of materials called "refractories". These materials are can tolerate extremely high temperatures but are, unfortunately very brittle. Some ductile materials around the kitchen include copper, stainless steel, and most plastics. So, you ask “How can a hot pan cause a shock load?”. Good question! Refractories are not very good at conducting heat. That’s why you can have a burner on and the rest of the top doesn’t get hot. If you place a cold pan on a hot glass or ceramic top, the surface in contact with the pan will coo very quickly while the surrounding area will still be hot. The temperature difference is called a thermal gradient and, if large enough, can cause thermal shock. Likewise if you place a super-hot pan on a room-temperature top the same shock occurs. You get the idea. A dry pot can become much, much hotter than the surrounding surface. Since refractories do not conduct heat, the surrounding surface stays cool resulting in a thermal gradient and causing thermal shock. One more thing to keep in mind. Inspect your cook top very closely, especially around the edges. Look for small cracks or imperfections that may be due to material defects. Any type of defect in the material can propagate under thermal cycling and cause cracks. By the way Mike, what did your dryer instructions say about the waterline connection? Is there a possibility that you can connect your steam dryer to the hot water line? dateach
janie 04/28/08	I have a ceremic whirl pool black cook top. Over the weekend my maid has used a steel wool to clean the stainless steel part of the burners and it has left ugly scrtch marks. This stinless steel parts have nice grooves,but because of the scratch marks, they look really ugly. My husband was saying may be we should try compound. Is it safe and will it work
ellen 04/28/08	Do you mean buffing compound? Are the scratches in the glass or on the burners under the glass? More info, please?
Janie 04/29/08	Hi Elle The scratches are not on the glass. The cook top i have is black ceremic glass with cast iron burners. The stainess steel part I am talking about is just underneath the cast iron burners, it is removable to clean. Stainess parts are like rims around/above electric ignitions. They are (4) sitting on the ceremic cook top. And yes I mean buffing compound.
ellen 04/29/08	You can try the buffing compound, but be sure that they are removed- so you do not take any chance of scratching the ceramic. Since they are removed, they could be bought new and replaced if you are not satisfied with the results.
Janie 04/30/08	Hi Ellen I just realized that these parts that are also cast iron(polished cast iron) not stainless steel.
Earlene 05/07/08	Just wanted everyone to know that I have a brand-new KitchenAid Black Smoothtop Ceramic cooktop that is less than 6 weeks old and it looks so beautiful; however, after boiling water to make some rice in a stainless steel 18/10 guage flat bottom pan, it still scratched my cooktop!!! I was so upset!! And as I always do when I have a problem or a question, I started doing my research on the Internet to see if I could find a way to get the scratches out, and I found this blog! Thank goodness! Anyway...after I ran my hand across the "scratched" cooktop burner, I noticed the scratches appeared to be "raised," and my husband even said that he thought it was food burned out, but I had not boiled anything over with the water or the rice. After getting some ideas on how to clean the cooktop, I went to Home Depot and bought a bottle of the "Cerama Bryte" cleaner, the scraper, and some "Wright's Silver Cream." First I cleaned the area with the scratches with the "Cerama Bryte" making sure it was nice as dry. Then, I applied some of the silver polish and swirled it around in circular motions on the burned. Being very careful I then took the scraper (used as directed)and begin slowly "scraping in a straight line. You use the scraper like you were using a paint scraper using a small movements left and right. It took a few times to work on each of the scratches, but it worked beautifully! Now for the bad part...having just finished my kitchen remodeling..new granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances, I would not buy another black ceramic cooktop again! I'm not even sure that I would go with the stainless steel appliances since they are so hard to keep from scratching too, but I have to live with what I have now, so I have to make the best of it. I know so many people face this same problem with their new cooktops, and I just wanted everyone to know that the ideas posted here realy do work. I'm so glad that I found this site. Thanks!
Judy 05/12/08	Has anyone tried Karen's suggestion to use fiberglass on the cooktop? Where can I get it and what size does it come in. I have a Kitchenaid cooktop and called the company about the suggestion but they would not comment on using this since it is not part of their product.
John 05/17/08	We bought an Sears Induction Cooktop over a year ago and don't have any scratches in the glass. The key is that the glass does not get hot and soft. Food that spills do not stick and burn into the glass. If you want the glass cooktop without the hassle I would recommend it.
ellen 05/17/08	Thanks for the info, I have not had the opportunity to use one of these.
Cathy 05/19/08	I have a GE black smooth cooktop. I accidentially let one of my Revere Copper bottom pots boil dry yesterday and as a result I have this silver mark on the burner. Can this be removed with Cerama Bryte and the scraper?
ellen 05/19/08	Probably not. The copper bottom pans are notorious for problems on these tops.
Janet 05/22/08	I'm buying a new GE profile ceramic glass cooktop. All my appliances are white so I'd like to get white but I'm worried about scratches being more visable than the black - I've had a black for years and love it. Any ideas on white vs black?
ellen 05/22/08	Except for the scuffs from soft (non-anodized) aluminum, more readers have complained about the BLACK tops, so get what matches your fancy.
Margaret 05/24/08	We are in the market for a new stove and thought that a glass cooktop would be so easy to look after. After reading all about all these problems I believe I will get another coil top. I don't want to have to be so careful. Am I wrong?
ellen 05/25/08	No, the glasstops do require care every time they are used. You could look at sealed coil- more expensive, but easier to clean than the regular old-fashioned open coil.
Jamie 06/05/08	I've had a new black GE Profile cook top for a month, and if I'd had any idea how much work it takes to prevent scratches (which seem to be inevitable, despite all that effort), I'd never have bought it. My old coil burner range cooked just as effectively, with no ridiculous creams, special rubbing scrubbers, etc. All my cookware is top quality, with flat bottoms, and this cooktop has been 'babied' to an absurd degree. It made no difference. Trust me, if you're reading this to get ideas for a kitchen renovation: DON'T BUY THE GE PROFILE COOKTOP! Whether other ranges have a better quality glass top I can't say, but this GE Profile is simply junk. I'm not exaggerating.
Brad 06/05/08	Don't know what everyone is doing wrong. I've got a Frigidaire smoothtop, just over a year old, and sees daily use. I've spilled, boiled-over, splattered and burned-on every type of mess imaginable with the exception of sugary spills(no big deal since I'm not into making candy or confections). My range still looks brand new with nary a scratch, scar, or smudge. I use Cerama-Bryte after EVERY use. Wiping it on with a damp paper towel, letting it dry to a paste, then buffing it out with a microfiber cloth that I only use for cleaning my stove. Following this regimen has given it a showroom-like appearance. For what it's worth, I have soft water. It's my understanding that most of these mysterious "spots" and stains people complain about are actually hard-water deposits easily removed with vinegar or Bar Keeper's Friend. I've also used the blue 3M No-Scratch sponge with great success. Mine's a "EuroKera" top--made in Europe. Temperature control has never been an issue for me. I've got Lagostina pots and pans, T-Fal skillets, el-cheapo aluminum pans, and a cast-iron skillet for my fish fry's, and NEVER had a problem so as long as the range is cleaned and polished according to the instructions, USING THE CREAM after EVERY use is the secret here folks... I'll NEVER go back to gas or old-fashioned coils.
ellen 06/05/08	READERS, DO NOT use powder cleaners on your stove tops, it has caused grief for many fellow owners. Brad, you deserve good results with this good care. However, readers with European-made tops have specifically written that they do not have the same problems as US-made tops; according top a German engineer reader, the tops are made of a somewhat different composite, and it just does better. So you also made a better original choice.
Lana 06/05/08	I have a question...I just bought a home with a Frigidaire Professional Series black ceramic top. It's in great condition, but upon closer inspection, it looks like around two of the burners, there are marks that DO NOT come up. Looks like the ceramic has chipped away. Yet, it's totally, totally flat and smooth. So I'm not sure if this is defined as "pitting." I just know nothing will bring it up. It's completely as flat as the stovetop. It can only be seen when the over light is on and I'm a 1/2 inch away, but still! Also, (one more!) can I place a hot pan from the over onto a cold stovetop of burner? thanks!
Lana 06/05/08	Sorry, I meant OVEN down at the bottom...a hot pan from the oven. thanks!
ellen 06/05/08	No advice on the top. The makers specifically say not to do the hot pan on the cold stovetop; although many people do it without bad results, it is a GLASS top, and it is a thermal shock- get a hot pad for the adjoining counter.
Lana 06/06/08	So can you define pitting for me? Thanks! :)
ellen 06/06/08	Lana, if you just bought it new, harass the seller into giving you a new top installed under warranty.
patti 06/29/08	My college-graduate son used an abrasive pad on my cooktop today. I have a Kenmore and is 3+ years and looked beautiful until today. I just love mine and would never trade it in. When he gets his first job, he can help me purchase a new replacement top!
ellen 06/30/08	So sorry to hear it! While it is a hopeful sign that he tried to clean up, I expect you can improve his domestic skills before he inflicts them on an unsuspecting domestic partner.
charlene 07/01/08	I just bought a home with a used GE Profile downdraft cooktop. (1990's) I have new pans and none of them will work. They are flat bottom except for some fine logo's pressed into the bottom. The only ones that will work are some old heavy black bottom ceramic things that came with the house. What else will work on these stoves? It just beeps for a minute or so and then shuts off.
cynthia 07/10/08	i have a maytag black with gray spots smooth cooktop. after boiling ribs over the 4th i now have abig shiny smooth black spot on my burner. i have tried everything and to no avail. do you think it is permanet. it of course was purchased in sept 06 so the warranty is over. i havent tried the maas polish its my only hope.
ellen 07/10/08	Charlene, it may not be the pots, the life expectancy on these stoves is only about 15 years. Sorry! Cynthia, This is a chronic problem on the black tops. Do try the Maas, but you may be stuck with it.
BoschDad 07/23/08	I just got a brand new Bosch smooth cooktop and it is the easiest thing to clean...and it cools down in a matter of seconds.
Marilyn 07/28/08	Boiling pans dry I have boiled a Farberware stainless steel, aluminum core saucepan dry - very dry. The exterior bottom has dark discolorations and the inner surface has odd ripple patterns - a lighter color than the rest. Only color, no ridges or pits. Scrubbing has had no effect at all. Is it safe to use the pan again? Is there something I can do to remedy this? (other than pay more attention in future)
ellen 07/29/08	This is a typical reaction to the burn. Stainless steel discolors permanently under high heat. Some people including me do not use them after- they never seem to cook as well, and are even more prone to scorching. But I do not know a "safety reason" why not...
Bonnie 08/26/08	I just bought a Maytag Gemini flat top oven from a lady that told me she used a steam cleaner on the top to get it clean. I called her and said apparently the black marks on top do not come off and that is what she told me. I bought one and now am scared to use it and break the top. Anyone can help please?
ellen 08/27/08	A new one on me. Steam cleaner for your stovetop? How not-easy is that?
Bonnie 08/27/08	Sorry, I should have clarified that I bought the hand held steam cleaner. The little one for cleaning windows, bathrooms, etc. Being one can clean windows, do you think the Ceran top can handle it?
ellen 08/27/08	The tops can handle 400 plus degrees, so the heat should not be the issue. Just don't drop it onto the top. Let us know if it works on the back marks.
Bonnie 08/29/08	Just to let everyone know that the steam cleaner did not work on the flat black marks on my stove top.
Jay 08/29/08	Hi. Is there any type of cover, heat diffuser etc that I can place on the caramic stovetop so the pan/pot doesn't touch (and scratch) it? I know Sur La Table sells some kind of heat diffuser...why isn't this recommended? Thx
ellen 08/29/08	Because the heating element and its thermostat are controlled only by the direct contact with the metal pot bottom, that's why it has to be perfectly flat and why enameled pans and kettles can be fused onto the top as the heat goes out of control. NEVER use a diffuser on one of these tops.
Wendy 09/28/08	I used BLUE MAGIC (brand)metal polish to take out two small scratches on my black cook top and it worked.
Dee 10/17/08	cooktop cracked I have a GE black ceramic cooktop which we purchased a couple of years ago FINALLY replacing an old GE cooktop from the 70's. I think my husband dropped something (a can??) and a piece of the cooktop cracked off of the edge. Now tonight I found a "huge" crack running from the cracked edge through the large back burner to the smaller back burner. HELP!!! Will I have to replace the cooktop now?? If so, will it be covered under warranty?? Can a crack like this be repaired instead of replaced?? Any advice will be greatly appreciated. I am not very happy with my husband right now.
ellen 10/18/08	Yes you need to replace, but the glass only, and a handy person can do this job. No, cracks from dropped things are NOT covered by the warranty. No, cracks over burners cannot be repaired, and DO NOT use the burners that have cracks while you await replacement. You need to move things that can be dropped out of the cupboards over the stove.
Ashley 11/20/08	I just got my Maytag black cooktop about 2 months ago. I used the cleaner that came with it. As I was rubbing the cleaner up with a washcloth.I noticed a couple of marks that looks like I rubbed to hard to get the cleaner up. Is there something that I can do to cover these spots? Please let me know.
ellen 11/20/08	Probably not. Read through the various cooktop threads and you will see how common the problem is.
Ashley 11/20/08	I was thinking about using a permenant marker and coloring them in. That way they are not that noticable. I'm just disappointed in the product I guess. This is my very first stove of my own and I heard nothing but good things about these cooktops. So I decided to get one. I used the cleaner that came with the stove, and followed the directions. Personally I don't think I was rubbing that hard to do that to the surface. I guess I can see if the warrenty will cover this and see if they will replace the cooktop for nothing.
Henry 12/26/08	I have a new Kitchenaid cooktop. I had what appeared to be pretty bad scratches on the black cooktop. As it turned out, my hubby was able to remove all the marks with the cerama bright and alot of elbow grease. He used a soft cloth to apply the creme. It looks brand new again.
ellen 12/26/08	Good job, husband!
Lisa 12/28/08	best cookware for glass cooktop I just want to know by brand name what is the best type of cookware to use on my new FCI glass cooktop. It is made in Italy, anybody used one? I am going to buy new pots and pans and have no idea what to buy.
Tammy 01/01/09	I have a black cooktop surface and I recently used a Vileda sponge--supposedly specifically designed for ceramic cooktops--to remove a sugar stain (cooking lemon filling for pie). It left a little dull spot where I scrubbed. Would the MAAS remove that, or am I pooched?
ellen 01/01/09	Try the Maas and elbow grease, but don't hold your breath.
Brad 01/03/09	I am amazed that people are having such difficulty with these ranges. I honestly don't know what everyone is doing wrong. What can I say except that my Frigidaire has performed flawlessly and looks just as good as the day it arrived. The secret is using the Cerama Bryte creme on a regular basis, and making sure the bottom of your pots/pans are kept clean, and free of ridges or grooves. Obviously, there must be different compositions and types of glass being used in these things. I would advise that when shopping for a smoothtop, look for GENUINE Ceran or EuroKera tops. The other "generic" substitutes may not perform or hold up as well. That's about the only advice I can offer. Other than that, I absolutely LOVE mine and would never go back to old coils... Good luck to all of you.
Barb 01/17/09	the only glasstops I see say, Schott or k. Mine is a Kenmore and has a k, which I am guessing is not the best; however, I have also read where the Schott glasstops will also crack unexpectedly.
Barb 01/17/09	the only glasstops I see say, Schott or k. Mine is a Kenmore and has a k, which I am guessing is not the best; however, I have also read where the Schott glasstops will also crack unexpectedly.
Dianne 01/22/09	I boiled a copper bottom pot completely dry -- with the control set on HI. I don't know how long the pot was dry, but it left a large silver metal stain on the glass cooktop and ruined the pot itself. I had no luck cleaning it with the cooktop cleaner that I purchased at Sears, which usually cleans off anything. However, I completely removed all the stain with a product I use in my dishwasher called "Lemi-Shine". I can buy it locally at Walmart because it is used extensively here in West Texas because of our very hard water. I sprinkled this product liberally over the entire stain, wetted with a little hot water and let it sit for awhile. Then I sprinkled more of the product on a terry cloth and scrubbed until it all came off. The website for this product, in case you can't find it locally is: lemishine.com I hope this helps someone.
Barb 01/22/09	Wow, I'll have to remember this. I'm hoping this won't happen, but I keep hearing it happens to others. Thanks
Barb 01/22/09	Wow, I'll have to remember this. I'm hoping this won't happen, but I keep hearing it happens to others. Thanks
Gloria 01/29/09	I have a 6 month old GE black smoothtop/stainless range that I am also very disappointed with. I cook a ton, and it is really terrible to have to be so, so careful while using it. Afterall it is a STOVE and should be able to take what my old coil type could take. I also found a small scratch and am really worried about what it will look like in years to come. Wish I had found your reviews sooner.
Barb 01/30/09	My next door neighbor's smoothtop is so scratched up, it is an eyesore in the kitchen. It came with the house and was like that when they bought it. They have never been able to get off the scratches. My husband place of work has one and it is also scratched up. I think if people know how to use it, it shoud stay okay. I do dread when my college kids come home for a visit. I have two pages of instructions written out for them! Actually, I tell them to use the old stove in the basement!
Barb 01/30/09	Brad, I am wondering, how can you look for a genuine ceran or EuroKera top? All of the stove's I saw had either a Schott Ceran or a "k" on it. I wasn't looking at anything high-end though, but are these two the ones you consider to be ok? I agree about using the Ceramic cleaner on a regular basis (daily). I had a couple of scratches on the first time I used it ( I was heartbroken), but after using the cleaner - I use the one from Sears-about 2 weeks, I could no longer see the scratches without searching.
Tara 02/01/09	hot pans on cold cooktop HI I just got a LG glass range. I have a question. When I take a pan of food out of the oven can I put it on the glass top like I normally did with the coil top. I must admit that if I cant do that, it will be a big pain. I mean where to people put their roast pan or cookie sheet or whatever when it comes out of the oven? I want to put it directly on the top of the stove, is this going to damage or crack my glass top? Thanks
ellen 02/01/09	No, the directions specifically say NOT to put a hot pan on the stove top, thermal shock, increased breakage risk. You can get a heat proof pad for the counter.
Elaine 02/05/09	I am sooooo upset. My husband decided to clean our Black Miele Gas cooktop with an abrasive sponge. Now I have small scratches all over the cooktop.I am sick about this! Is there anything I can do to any product that will help. It is not a ceramic electric cooktop or stainless steel so I never used the ceramic cleaner on it. Would the ceramic cleaner have worked. HELP!
Kevin 02/06/09	I am getting ready to but my wife a new stove. I am looking at a Whirlpool. You guys have kind of scared me about the glass tops. She will insist on being able to use a cast iron skillet. It seems to me I should probably just buy her the old style electric coil. She will be very upset if her new stovetop scratches. With all the work going into cooking the meal what a pain to have to baby the stovetop in the manner described above. What would you guys recommend?
ellen 02/06/09	Unless she has cooked with a glass top and LIKES it, don't go with that. They really are high maintenance and you really can't use all your old pots on them. At the high end there are sealed coil electrics (no drip pans) that cook like regular electrics, look nice and are easy to clean. You might consider getting one with a convection option on the oven. Nice for roasting and baking.
Kevin 02/12/09	Thank you for the advise.
Pat 03/13/09	Hi: Re question about ceran or EuroKera. I googled and found Schott ceran so maybe that is the same? Made by German co. and sales people I talked to said it was the better cooktop. Don't have Ceramic cooktop yet? Trying to decide between different slide in models. So far looking at a Maytag MES5875BCS or a KitchenAid YKESS908SS. Both have the Schott Ceran symbol. Obviously KitchenAid more expensive (almost $ 1,000 more). Worth the extra money? Any opinions on either model appreciated. Thanks.
Eddie 03/28/09	peeling black from inside Visionware glass pot How to remove peeling black coating from inside bottom of 5 qt pot? Afraid to continue use because peeling is probably harmful. Thanks Ed
ellen 03/29/09	This is probably peeling nonstick coating. Te pan needs to be discarded if so.
vs 04/15/09	Hi.. I just scratched my 15 day old black gas stove yesterday..:( I needed to know how i can use MAAS polish or blu magic polish over it..
ellen 04/15/09	Sorry, but that is for the ceramic tops- not regular enamel tops.
Danielle 04/16/09	I use a non-scratch scotchbrite pad made by 3M to clean the top of my ceramic top range. They are the blue non-scratch pads and work like a charm for taking burned-on stuff off before I use the cerama-bryte to polish it.
vs 04/17/09	Thanks for the reply... Do you have any idea what I can use to polish the enamel.. Would turtle wax help?
ellen 04/17/09	No, you have to be aware of how hot the top gets- most waxes and enamels don't hold on these tops.
Jaime 05/05/09	Does any one know were I can buy the MAAS cleaner in Canada? I live in British Columbia and have a Whirlpool glass top stove that was has some minor scratches I want to try to remove.
Jaime 05/05/09	By the way, I wanted to mention that after doing a lot of searching for ideas on how to take care of scratches, this is the most helpful site I have found. Thank you for creating it.
ellen 05/06/09	Glad to help. Do you have Walmarts? They carry it. It is also stocked in hardware stores. Also, you can check online.
Anne 05/21/09	I have a 10-day old Miele black glass INDUCTION cooktop. Marvellous in every way, BUT after unsupervised use by husband I have found small scratches on one of the heating surfaces/burners. The usual recommended ceramic cleaner fails to remove them and I am understandably upset. TEN DAYS! 3 months & I might have been able to bear it........ I was encouraged by your stories of Maas metal polish, but induction surfaces as such are never mentioned. Are these surfaces different from 'ceramic' cooktops in this regard? I hesitate to buy and use this product for fear of causing a sudden disaster of discolouration, pitting, cracking, or (God forbid!) explosion (!) Has anyone any advice?
ellen 05/21/09	induction surfaces are different from regular ceramic tops. I bet he slid a pot around on the burner, you just cannot do that with any of the smooth tops. Try the regular Mr. clean sponge, just rinse the top very well after using.
ellen 05/21/09	By the way, you can just be filled with gratitude that it is over with and yo9u don't have to keep waiting in dread for the first scratch...
Laura 05/28/09	Does anyone know if Wal-Mart still sells MAAs? I noticed that the post informing everyone about its availability was from 2006... Thanks.
Laura 05/28/09	Also, just for clarification, is it okay to use MAAs on the actual flat-top burner? And for those interested, Barkeeper's Friend works WONDERS on spots left from boiling over, etc.
ellen 05/28/09	Still had MAAS in March, and yes it is used on the whole top. If you use Barkeeps Friend be careful- it sometimes is gritty- and also rinse very well with both these products.
robin 05/31/09	Hate my glass cooktop. Ready to throw it in the woods across the street.Tried it all to remove scratches
Courtney 05/31/09	I just bought a condo that came with brand new appliances. The stove is a Frigidaire and has a black ceramic cooktop. I was just finishing making supper and had the burner turned off but noticed that I had spilled a little of the milk that I was boiling. So I grabbed a cloth without thinking and wiped the burner (while it was still hotish)and it left marks. I waited for the burner to cool down completely and used a specialty ceramic cooktop sponge to clean it, but the marks didn't go away, and if I look at it closely the marks look like scratches all across the heating element. What do I do?
ellen 06/01/09	If it was a microfiber cloth, not all cotton, you may have melted some onto the burner. Use the Maas metal polish or the Mr. Clean sponge as discussed above and see if that helps. These tops are a whole new experience in kitchen maintenance...
Laura 06/04/09	Any other suggestions of where to by MAAs? I've been to 2 Wal-Marts and neither one had it....
ellen 06/04/09	Have you considered ordering online? And did you ask at customer service? Last time it was in automotive not household polishes and cleansers.
Craig 06/15/09	Any way to polish black enamel after lemon juice splashed and was left on leaving a dull mark?
ellen 06/15/09	Lemon juice, being acid, etches permanently. If it is NOT on the burner area, after cleaning/polishing as above, you could touch up with a little appliance polish. DO NOT USE on or very near the burner areas.
Craig 06/15/09	Lemon juice The spot is not on the burner area. What kind of appliance polish can you recommend? I didn't know lemon juice could be so damaging.
ellen 06/15/09	Johnson and Johnson makes one called kitchen wax or some such. You can find these in the cleaning section of large supermarkets , some hardware stores and many home depots.
Pat 07/07/09	help finding parts for 15 yr old GE Profile Dwndrf Help. I can't find the entire part # due to age/wear and I would love purchase new inserts for my GE Profile. I have to coil insert / cartridges. Any help
mrs. buttons 07/08/09	I bought a paula deane pot (her name is "painted" on the bottom at Walmart..anyway, it was on the whirlpool stove top burner on high, without liquid - did not burn or anything _ I grabbed it really fast, but it stuck to the top and left a number of little above or at surface scars....help! the usual ceramic scrub I use did nothing, the razor my husband used did nothing...the bottom of the pot looks the same..I don't see anything that the pot left on the top of the burner - I think I made these marks when I lifted it off the burner while it was still hot....thanks in advance...
ellen 07/08/09	You probably melted some finish onto the top, it makes the burner not as good forever. You can try turning it to the lowest possible heat and then scraping with the razor when it has warmed. NEVER heat an empty pot or pan on one of these tops.
ND 08/08/09	I have scratches on black kitchen aid cooktop- some are dents, some are just scratches. Windshield repair is often done where they somehow fill in small dents and such in auto windshield glass- can these sames services be performed on a glass cooktop?
ellen 08/08/09	Unfortunately, no. The issue is the repeated heating of the glass, which does not occur with windshields. The entire top can be replaced- $200-900 depending on the brand and whether or not you do it yourself.
Stephanie 08/17/09	Arrrggghhh... Kitchen Aid Superba- has scratches from me NOT realizing that you can't be "gourmet" and shake your pans on the surface. Will this MAAS help remove some of the smaller scratches?
Stephanie 08/17/09	BTW- the top is black. I am SO paranoid from reafing this link- will I ever cook again?
ellen 08/18/09	Yes, it does help with small scratches. Buff gently but persistently. There are always hot plates... Good for wokking and rocking- so shake it up baby, twist and shout, but not on your stove top.
Amy 08/19/09	What is the best cookware to use with a EuroKera black glass cooktop in order to avoid scratching it? Will enamel on the cookware present a problem? Thanks for any advice you can provide.
ellen 08/19/09	There is a real but slight risk that if a pot cooks dry on high heat the enamel can melt and fuse to the cooktop. -Basic cookware rules for smooth tops; perfectly flat bottom, no rings, ridges etc. Take a ruler; some SMOOTH pots are not flat -Pot bottom no more than 1 inch bigger than the element you are heating on -use medium high heat or lower -NEVER heat an empty pan, even "for just a moment" - Several brands that people have liked are discussed in this thread.
Tanis 08/24/09	I have a brand new glass stove. I'm really upset because some guests staying at our place scratched up one of the heating elements...the frying pan may have been moved back and forth on the stove. There are quite a few silver scratches. I've read the posts here and am thinking of using the MAAS cleaner. Does anyone have any other suggestions? Will these scratches come out over time? I'm really hoping I won't have to replace the stove.
ellen 08/24/09	That was disappointing, wasn't it? The scratches will probably not come out, but may become less noticeable. Maas is a good choice. As with the other cleaners, make sure the cleaner is completely removed before heating the burner after. The scratches do not affect how well the stove works, there is no reason to think about replacing the stove (other than aesthetics; or the fact that they don't cook too well, IMO).
julie 09/11/09	Thanks for all the help. I'm going to find maas. My GE black cooktop is almost three years old and has a "melt" mark from where my son had some catastrophe while I was gone. The expensive stove top cleaner helped a litel, with ALOT of work. Overall, my top looks good, but it IS truly high maintenance.
Eliza 09/14/09	I found the best thing to clean my black glass cook top is Bar Keepers Friend. It is a powder and does NOT scratch. It will take off almost anything. My top I just found this morning looks like the paint came right off. Hubby was canning some pears and I think he must have pushed the canner around on the top. I am just sick. Is there any paint that can be used to cover this? These are directly on the burner and about the size of a quarter and nickle. The stove is only a few months old. You can see the paint was basically scratched right off.
ellenI 09/14/09	Unfortunately, it may also have been a sugar spill, which causes etching and is permanent damage. There is no paint or other cosmetic rescue for this.
Deanna 10/02/09	I have a black stove top from whirpool and I hate it. I got really mad one day because I couldn't get it clean so I took a scrub to it and it came off with some scratches. I am going to try the MAAS. I am starting to figure out how to clean it now. I use Get Clean Scour Off Heavy-Duty Paste from Shaklee (Shaklee is a Green company that people join and sell the product through consultants, it is not sold in stores. I use the microfiber dish sponge, it takes some scrubbing, but it doesn't scratch. Then I use the magic eraser that you can buy in any store (I think it is by Mr. Clean), the magic eraser takes out the stains, marks, water spots or whatever you call them. I use the eraser for everything, it takes stains out of coutertops, ceramic floors, fridge, and the stove. My son broke a pen and got ink all over everything in my kitchen. I used the magic eraser and it took all of it off. After the magic eraser I use a Super Microfiber Window Cloth by Shaklee which takes out all the streaks and smears. I tried the Super Microfiber Cleaning Cloth by Shaklee, but it didn't work as good as the window cloth because the window cloth is much finer. Now it is a beautiful black shiny finish except for the scratches I put in it. I wish I would have been a little more patient to find a solution instead of using that scrubber. I hope this helps! If you want to try the Shaklee, just e-mail me with a subject of Shaklee for stove tops, otherwise I will delete the e-mail because I don't open e-mail from unknown senders. This is not an advertisement for Shaklee, I have not sold to anyone, I only joined because I love all the products and I can order online and have it shipped right to my house without getting it from someone else. You might be able to find a very fine microfiber window cloth in the stores to take away the streaks, just make sure it is very very fine. I have not looked in stores for one, but I will make a point to check.
Nancy 10/05/09	Ugh! I just bought a pressure cooker yesterday and was so eager I used it last night. I didn’t realize until I was done using it that it had raised concentric rings on the bottom that completely scratched up my kitchen aid ceran touch cooktop! I did a live chat with KitchenAid this morning and they were completely useless and told me to replace the glass top. Thankfully I found this forum and I will be going out to get some MAAS ASAP! Hope it works and thanks for the tips!
ellen 10/05/09	WARNING! WARNING! Use microfiber cloth on COLD tops ONLY!!! It will melt and fuse to a hot burner.
Nancy 10/06/09	Ok, so I went to 2 Walmarts and they didn't have the MAAS. I guess it only sold in the US?
ellen 10/06/09	If you go to customer service and ask, they will probably be willing to special order it for you, since it is in their inventory. You can also google for an on line seller.
Amy 10/13/09	Has anyone had experience with Calphalon cookware on a EuraKera black glass cooktop? Thanks.
Amy 10/13/09	One other question -- Will the MAAS creme work even if the stovetop has white speckles on the black glass? Thanks.
ellen 10/13/09	Yes on the Maas, we will wait for readers to help on the EuraKera.
Don 10/23/09	There is a Maas Metal Polish and a Maas Cooktop Cleaning Cream, do both work the same? Sounds like most folks got the Metal Polish?
Pat 11/08/09	I'd like your comments re: using a heat diffuser as recommended in my pressure cooker cookbook when cooking rice. I googled and found one on shopping.com called IMCG SMOC2 simmer mat. In the discription it says it is safe to use on all cooktops including ceramic. I consider myself lucky as my Kitchen Aid (2002) cooktop is in near perfect condition in spite of daily use so I'd sure hate to cause any damage. All I've ever used is Cook Top Cleaning Creme which I purchased when I got my stove, so you can tell I don't use it all that often - mostly a wipe with the dishcloth.
ellen 11/08/09	Check with the maker of the cook top, not the maker of the diffuser. Most do not recommend either a pressure cooker or a diffuser for these tops.
Kathy 11/09/09	Another victim to the GE Profile smoothtop stove. Had the stove for only 1 week and there are at least 8 scratches! Had my old Kenmore smoothtop for 10 years and not one scratch! Using the same pans that I used with my old stove. Sears is letting me exchange for a new one. I will stick with Kenmore in the future for smoothtop stoves.
Mark Reader 11/18/09	Hi, I have a 3-month old Electrolux range (EW30ES65GS), which has a black glass top. My cookware is primarily stainless steel All-Clad. In general - they are well cleaned but I'm sure there have been times where I missed a tiny spot or two! I have several different types of marks on the glasstop. The first are these 3 tiny silverish marks - maybe 1-2 cm long that are in the center of one of the radiant burners. Will these come out with Maas? If not, what do you recommend? Second, I have these darkish marks, primarily around the expandable rings on some of the more frequently used radiant elements. Will these greasy, spotty, and sometimes smuudgy marks come out with Maas? So far, cleaning has been primarily with a very mild scouring pad, Weiman products (their scouring pads, their glass cook top wipes), bar keeper's friend and on one occassion - cerama bryte. So - do you think Maas would work on those tiny silver spots and/or the spotty marks around the more frequently used rings - or should I stick with what I've got and accept that the glasstop won't be picture-perfect? Mark
ellen 11/18/09	Either would be great, but it sounds to me like you are Maas-inclined. You could also do the bottoms of the pots. And remember to keep the heat at medium high or less and to keep the diameter of the pan within 1 inch of the diameter of the burner to protect those outside rings.
Mark 11/18/09	Thanks Ellen - A couple of other questions. Paula Wolfert has some recipes that require a terra cotta cooking pan (cazuela). Those recommended are "flame proof" (www.latienda.com) and can go from the stove to the oven. I think it was on her website that I saw that she was recommending using a heat diffuser on a glass ceramic stove. Do you think I should do this or should I just put the pan on a very low setting? Again, I am using a new Electrolux. Mark
ellen 11/19/09	ARgh. I never use a diffuser on these tops, it drives their thermostatic control crazy. I would use a hotplate with coils with the diffuser. But you will have quite a difficult time trying to control the temp cooking directly on the stove top in this type dish.
Mark 11/19/09	Wow, thanks for your help! Close call on my part - I'll take your suggestions and report back. Out of curiosity, why or how does the diffuser wreak such havoc with the thermostat?
ellen 11/20/09	As I understand it, the sensors work by sensing the heat of the item on the burner. Of course with the diffuser in place they are not sensing the pot, but the diffuser. So there are a lot of different materials for diffusers and the heat transfer to the pan is quite variable and rather uneven, especially with these non-metal pans, causinf off-on-off-on etc.
KC 11/21/09	Thought I'd offer some advice for cleaning a black ceramic cooktop. I have found that daily cleaning with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is the best way to get boiled over spills and spots off my cooktop. The erasers seem to clean and polish all in one easy step and I've never had one scratch my cooktop. Up until today my 3 year old cooktop has never had a scratch. Though my DH did decide today after boiling over some sugar water he was using to make sweet tea that he should turn up the stove top to High heat and scrap off the sugar substance with a serrated icing knife. So now I have piting and two or 3 deep scratches. Ugh. I'm a little peaved to say the least since I've taken such meticulous care of my stove top. Anyone know if there is any risk involved with using the affected burner in its new less than perfect condition?
ellen 11/22/09	Boiled over sugar all by itself is the worst single spill on these tops for pitting, never mind the acute stove abuse after! Dope slap to DH. You can safely use the burner.
cynthia 11/25/09	I have a Kenmore Black Ceramic cooktop. I have only cooked on the stove top range 2 times and I have scratches that will not come out. I have not tried the MAAS metal polish yet. Is there anything else that will work like brillo pad. I am very unhappy as I do alot of cooking and when I called Sears they told me that you cannot move the pan and/or pot at all while cooking. Sears should know that this is very much unrealistic for anyone that cooks daily. Sears advised that you can remove the lid from the pan and/or pot and stir the contents, however, the pot and/or pan cannot move at all otherwise it will scratch. If you move the pot and/or pan and then call Sears your Kenmore range is not covered because you made the scratch on your ceramic stove top. Thank you for listening to my frustration.
ellen 11/25/09	Yes, Cynthia, it is frustrating, and it is covered in the manual. You can't move the pots at all. NEVER use Brillo or any scouring powder on the top, it will make the scratches much worse.
Donna D 12/08/09	I have had my whirlpool stove for over a year. I have marks on my flat top stove. Can my old pots be the cause of the marks on my flat top stove?
Joanne 12/13/09	I am so glad to read all this kind advice. I have a brand new Kitchenaid black ceramic glass top and just noticed scratches today and spent the whole day trying all different things. I now have a perfectly clean stove top and can still see some scratches or metal emboided in the glass. I cleaned the grease off with the little steamer I got with my h2o mop and thats when I noticed the metal streaks. Also I have a circle around one of the burners. I went out to walmarts to buy the MAAS metal polish but didnt seem to find it. I did buy the silver polish and it seemed to work a little. I also bought the Paula Dean black enamel cookware and thought black won't rub off. But its a risk to cook on high with the enamel. My stove top is turning out to be quite a project
Joanne 12/13/09	I am so glad to read all this kind advice. I have a brand new Kitchenaid black ceramic glass top and just noticed scratches today and spent the whole day trying all different things. I now have a perfectly clean stove top and can still see some scratches or metal emboided in the glass. I cleaned the grease off with the little steamer I got with my h2o mop and thats when I noticed the metal streaks. Also I have a circle around one of the burners. I went out to walmarts to buy the MAAS metal polish but didnt seem to find it. I did buy the silver polish and it seemed to work a little. I also bought the Paula Dean black enamel cookware and thought black won't rub off. But its a risk to cook on high with the enamel. My stove top is turning out to be quite a project
Dar 01/25/10	I have a brand new (one month) Kenmore ceramic cooktop stove that already has scratches & what appears to be water spots. I'm going to try the MAAS metal polish that everyone seems to be happy with. Does anyone have any idea what the water spots could be? The scratches are one thing the spots are driving me nuts. This thing is a lot of work, thanks goodness it is a self cleaning oven or it woould be out in the driveway! ~dar~
Simon 02/23/10	I was cleaning my glass cook top with a sponge because I thought I would go to town on stubborn food items. I know have small scratches on my 2000 dollar glass top stove. Any solutions to get rid of this guilt?
ellen 02/24/10	Were you using a scrubbing sponge? Sorry! It is glass and the scratches don't go away.
Jaimi 03/16/10	I have a GE Black glass top range and I accidentally touched one of the burners with a norwex cloth while it was hot, which left a bad burn mark. I immediately shut off the burner and as soon as it cooled I applied cerama-bryte and tried to get out the burnt mark with paper towel and a cloth. This didn't work so I used a slightly abrasive sponge which worked after scrubbing continously for 5 minutes or so, this worked; however, no I am left with a dull grey spot. Would MAAS Metal Polishing Creme get the grey spot out, if not, is there anything else? Should I call the GE Manufacturers and check with them? Any advice would be muchly appreciated.
ellen 03/16/10	I would have suggested turning on to the lowest warm and using a razor blade. Once you have abraded the glass, it is very unlikely you can polish it back up...

--- Printable version of page

What's New? Check Out the New Pages Page

Click Ellen's Kitchen Updates to request updates, suggest new topics or report a broken link, comment, or question. Put "updates" in the subject line if you are requesting updates. PLEASE send questions separately from update requests.
E-Virus alert: messages over 120K or with attachments are deleted unread.

This site maintained by Galaxy Website Design