clay pot cooking on glass top electric stove?

I have a glass top electric stove (not induction) and I love cooking with clay pots on the stovetop. Several years doing this and I had my first pot crack on me last month (possibly from being dropped, possibly from being heated too quickly - I wasn't there so I don't know which). Would a heat defuser work on this kind of stove? Is it necessary as the glass does even out the heat fairly well?

Considering I cook with clay pots several times a week, and this is the first crack, maybe nothing needs changing. But I thought I would check just in case something can be improved.

If I need a heat defuser, what kind would work for my stove?

trampledbygeese
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3 Comments

Sam1148
Sam1148 April 21, 2017
It's going to depend on the clay. Emile Henry flame ware will work on a stove top. I have a tagine I use on the stove top sometimes.
http://www.emilehenryusa.com/Cookware-cat411.html

But my new/old favorite is clay cooking in the oven with 1970's era
Romertopf.
http://www.roemertopf.de/english/
 
Sue S.
Sue S. April 21, 2017
I would not suggest using a heat diffuser on your glass cooktop stove. It will scratch your stove and also potentially create problems with the elements. They are meant to be used with all of the pots' surface area covering the burner - the idea is to have your pot the same size as the burner (not really practical in all instances). My understanding, for the stove I had, was that the burner had to actually be touching the entire bottom of the pot - no pots with hollowed out areas on the bottom like some canners, either.

I damaged my glass cooktop stove by ignoring the instructions when I used a cast iron frying pan on it. It both scratched and MELTED!!! part of the surface of the stove. I do fear that using a heat diffuser could cause a build up of heat in areas unless you can find one that is flat on the bottom side so there are no cavities between it and your glass stove top. (I have not used a heat diffuser and do not know exactly how they are constructed.)

These stoves usually come with some instructions or you may be able to find a manual for your stove online. I would follow these instructions to avoid damage to the cooktop.
 
trampledbygeese
trampledbygeese April 21, 2017
The stove came with the house so no instructions. Good idea looking it up online.
 
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