GLASS COOKTOP

RECENTLY MOVED TO APARTMENT THAT HAS A GLASS/CERAMIC COOKTOP. FLAT BOTTOMED PANS ARE "RECOMMENDED". MINE ARE 30 YR OLD COOPER BOTTOM REVEREWARE. ONLY 2 OF 6 ARE FLAT ENOUGH. WHEN I BOILED EGGS IN ONE OF SAUCEPANS THAT WASN'T EXACTLY FLAT (BUT CLOSE) I HAD A ROCKING ACTION HAPPENING. MY QUESTION IS-IS IT OKAY TO USE ALL OF THE EXISTING PANS OR AM I HARMING THE COOKTOP, THE PAN, THE FOOD OR WHAT? DOES "NOT RECOMMENDED" MEAN DEFINATELY DO NOT USE THOSE PANS OR CAN I USE THEM AND JUST PUT UP WITH QUIRKY ROCKING MOTIONS.

Posted by: mcd2
December 2, 2014

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10 Comments

10 Comments

mcd2 December 3, 2014

thank you to all of you for your help! i feel better about using the glass cooktop in general and will take out my frustrations with a rubber mallet on my pans soon. i'm so happy to hear that i don't have to buy all new.

piano13 December 3, 2014

Oops!! Sorry for readability problem, the note would not scroll, so I was having problems with typing. Pardon my silliness.

Susan W. December 3, 2014

It's okay piano. We've all wished for an edit button. If you are posting from a smartphone, you have to click away from your last sentence to be able to scroll.

Love the rubber hammer trick and I have a pot I am going to try it on.

Susan W. December 2, 2014

I had a glass cooktop for two years a couple of years ago. The owner of the condo said the flat bottom pans work best, but that doesn't mean you have to use them. You will, however find yourself dealing with uneven cooking. As time went on, my not flat cookware just went to the back of my cupboard. Mine never rocked.

I would just go by what the manufacturer says. The manager may go overboard and be unnecessarily cautious.

bigpan December 2, 2014

I used to have reverware in the 60's and the bottoms were flat. (I now use copper ware)
I also have a glass cooktop in my cabin and never experienced your problems since I have not ever used a pot that is not flat on the bottom except for a copper sabayon bowl.
Perhaps you need to take a hammer to your pots to make the bottoms flat.
(AND PLEASE DONT USE CAPITALS - IT IS THE SAME AS YELLING)

piano13 December 3, 2014

I've had my Revere ware copper bottom 2qt. Saucepan that I still use--it was my grandmother's. I have glass, tho not invection. The saucepan still works well, for sauces, boilin

Justg making rice-a-robo. When the bottom is becoming out of round, or warped, I take a rubber hammer to the bottom and hammer gently but firm. It really has flattened the bottom!!.and no hammered dents (using a rubber hammer. I usually do this on my driveway, not for the surface but more for the noise this makes

Just my two cents.

mcd2 December 2, 2014

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO BUY-AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO. SO IF ANYONE ELSE WHO'S GOT EXPERIENCE USING THIS KIND OF COOKTOP CAN ADD SOME INFORMATION AND SUGGESTIONS, I'D BE VERY APPRECIATIVE.

mcd2 December 2, 2014

I JUST CHATTED WITH SOMEONE ON THE GE WEBSITE. I DON'T HAVE INDUCTION BECAUSE MY COOKTOP GETS HOT. INDUCTION COOKTOPS STAY COOL. I WILL TRY THE MANAGER OF THE APT BUILDING TOMORROW.

mcd2 December 2, 2014

HOW CAN I TELL IF IT'S INDUCTION COOKTOP? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM JUST GLASS/CERAMIC COOKTOP? I HAVE A BOTTLE OF CERA CREAM FOR CLEANING THE SURFACE. DOES THAT INDICATE ANYTHING TO YOU?

Diana B. December 2, 2014

With the disclaimer that I don't have such a cooktop, this link suggests that flat-bottomed pans are best for these cooktops: http://www.ehow.com/info_7957683_glass-top-stove-problems.html This makes sense to me because if the pan bottom isn't flat, you will experience uneven cooking. I would also be concerned that the rocking action might scratch the surface.

Also, are you sure it's not an induction cooktop? If so, your pans have to have to be made of ferrous materials (iron or steel, and even then, not all stainless steel works with them). If your copper pans don't have a layer of steel (pretty sure Revereware does), they won't work on an induction cooktop.

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