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We moved into a rental several years ago that had one of these glass-topped stoves. I had cooked with gas and the typical electric coil-type ones, though preferred gas. We learned to hover around the pots when cooking on that glass top. I cannot tell you how many times I turned away after adding something to boiling water only to have it boil over. What a mess! Hubby didn't like it because he could not maintain the proper heat level. You adjust and find a way to make it work, but give it time and pay attention.
This!^^^^^ Experiment with a few foods, keep an eye peeled. The electric cuts on and of intermittently instead of keeping steady heat.. So low is really high for 4 seconds-then off-then high for four seconds....
I love my glass top stove. I just make sure the pans I buy are compatible.
I clean it with a damp microfiber cloth that has been heated to steaming in the microwave. It easily removes stuck on food and I don't have to use any chemicals or cleaners. Just be careful not to burn yourself with the hot cloth.
So, as a VERY poor college student I taught myself to cook rather decently on an old gas stove. It had no markings for high or low settings but I learned based on the flame and my cooking went from Hamburger helper to Julia Child in a couple years.
Now, out of college and in a new home, I have a (GE Profile) glass-top electric stove for the first time and I'm rather intimidated. None of the cooks in my family have an electric stove top so I desperately need your tips, tricks, and advice! Cooking is my 'thing' and I'm worried I'll burn everything I try on this new stove. On top of that, I also have a convection oven instead of a microwave, so that just adds to my not feeling up to the task of preparing a meal.
Have you switched from a gas to an electric over the years? What were your experiences? What would you like to share with an electric newbie like me? Thanks soooo much!
I was raised in a electric friendly home (dad was an electrical engineer for the Dept of Water and Power). I hated every minute using the range. When we got married I was thrilled to a gas range. Now, many years later, we do have the glass top electric and we have had 3 or 4 of them. I don't think I would use anything else. The newer ones are easy to control the heat, they heat and cool faster and are easy to keep clean. After a very short time you will adjust to your new cooking friend. I think you are being concerned because of the stories about old electric stoves. Good luck and enjoy.
We have no natural gas lines where I live, so when I had this little house built, I spent extra for a dual-fuel stove (propane cooktop and electric oven). I'm thinking of relocating in a couple years and plan to rent an apartment for a year before deciding in which neighborhood to buy, and when I see a photo of an apartment kitchen with a gas stove, it gets Bookmarked on my browser! I want instantaneous temperature control under my pots.
Ideally your combination is a good one. Electric ovens do cook more evenly than gas. As I have said in my last post, now that I have adjusted to the glass top, electric range and they are improved since introduction many years ago, I am very happy with ours.
They're kind of a pain in the butt - cleaning them, being the biggest pain. Other than that, there's not much too it. Use the dials to the best of your ability. Not all glass stoves heat the same, as others have mentioned. Just test and tweak as you go. You'll adjust and be back to your Julia Child status soon enough.
Thanks for the encouragement wideworld.
Quote:
Originally Posted by momtothree
I would look at the glass stove with a flashlight and ensure there aren't any spiderweb cracks/chips from previous tenants. If it's perfectly smooth and no cracks, then use your heavier cookware. I would just place it on there carefully. I always used all clad and never had an issue on the glass tops. Now with my gas, I am using my chantal dutch ovens and cast irons with glee.
I did this as soon as I read your post and I can't find any cracks or chips. I'm just going to be extra super-duper careful and hope that's enough.
Quote:
Originally Posted by raindrop101
I love my glass top stove. I just make sure the pans I buy are compatible.
I clean it with a damp microfiber cloth that has been heated to steaming in the microwave. It easily removes stuck on food and I don't have to use any chemicals or cleaners. Just be careful not to burn yourself with the hot cloth.
I have a ton of microfiber cloths already so I'll definitely give this a shot. Thanks!
I HATE our glass topped electric stove, but it came with the house and to change it to gas would cost a lot of money that I can spend on things that are a lot more fun.
Just watch things closely, and when they boil over, emotionally prepare yourself for a cleaning hassle. You will probably have to get some of those pads they sell to clean these tops, but when something boils over, I've found that it helps a lot to put a wet washcloth over the dirty area after the burner cools off. They're possible to keep clean and looking new, but it takes some work. Hate it, hate it, hate it and I will never have another one if I can help it.
I HATE our glass topped electric stove, but it came with the house and to change it to gas would cost a lot of money that I can spend on things that are a lot more fun.
Just watch things closely, and when they boil over, emotionally prepare yourself for a cleaning hassle. You will probably have to get some of those pads they sell to clean these tops, but when something boils over, I've found that it helps a lot to put a wet washcloth over the dirty area after the burner cools off. They're possible to keep clean and looking new, but it takes some work. Hate it, hate it, hate it and I will never have another one if I can help it.
Hmmmm, mine is super easy to keep clean and looking new with very little work. I wonder if different brands are harder to clean.
I love my glass top stove. I just make sure the pans I buy are compatible.
I clean it with a damp microfiber cloth that has been heated to steaming in the microwave. It easily removes stuck on food and I don't have to use any chemicals or cleaners. Just be careful not to burn yourself with the hot cloth.
I never thought about cleaning it that way. I just use a cloth and yes, I do use the glass top cleaner.
Kathryn, I wonder if yours is an older one? We have had one in our house in NM and now here. I have loved both, partly because they are easy to keep clean and partly because they do adjust the heat well. No, they might not be quite as satisfactory as gas, but I still love mine.
When I first moved to this apt complex we all had electric ranges with the round coils; didn't care for them since the heat is not consistent, which is typical of any electric range. And of course being older model stoves, the coils were worn out and the heat was not even.
The owners switched out the coil type stove with glass top stoves. Same problem with consistency of heat; definitely not the same as cooking on a gas range. And since the heating element heats up and shuts off constantly, you'll never get even heat while cooking. Some may claim that it makes no difference, but it truly does.
Cleaning the cook top is not difficult, and you don't even need to buy the expensive cook top cleaner, just a washcloth with some dish soap on it works just as well. It was the people who installed the glass cook top stove that informed me about using dish soap and not spending a lot of money on the glass top cleaner.
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