Glass Top Electric Range

[Sarah in SC]

molder, mine looks just like yours! But it is a Kitchen Aid. That's weird. Mine's top is darker, though, but I have the same knobs and display.
I think you need to just ignore it more, like I do.

 

[Ally]

Ours is a black glass top electric Hotpoint and I love it. I hated those coils and bowls. We really don't have trouble cleaning it. We just soak it and use bar keeper's friend (I think that's the name.)

 

[Walt34]

Like W2R I had thought all the glass top needed was a damp sponge. Note to self: Don't buy glass top stove.

A major selling point of the house was the availability of natural gas. Heat, hot water, stove, clothes dryer, all natural gas.

 

[MBAustin]

We had traditional glass top in our previous house and I found it a pain to clean and, like imoldernu, prone to stains after a few years. But the worst problem for me was the heat retention - I burned things all the time on it after having used electric coil or gas all my life.

Put induction in the new house and I totally love it. I don't burn food and cleanup is much easier. And after 5 years, the bottoms of the pans I've bought are still almost like new because stuff doesn't burn on. Fortunately, most of what I had was induction-capable already so I didn't have to buy a lot.

 

[BBQ-Nut]

I think everything just has to have a flat bottom


I like my ng cooktop

What Cookware Is Compatible with Induction Cooktops?

Not all cookware will work on an induction stovetop.

I guess if the bottom of the pan passes a magnet test it should work ok.

 

[H2ODude]

Not sure if this will help out, but...when I used to volunteer at the Legion breakfasts, the solid top metal grills got pretty ugly and sticky. One of the guys would put ice cubes on the still hot surface, and the gunk would essentially "boil loose". When the ice was all melted, he would then use a heavy duty metal scraper (not a razor) to dislodge the gunk into the side drains of the grill unit. Picture below.
I don't know if the glass tops have a lip on the front and side edges, but perhaps a single cube dropped with a pair of tongs would have the same effect. There will be a fair amount of steam produced with many cubes, so turn on the exhaust fan. Wear protective gloves so the steam doesn't hit your bare skin.
I own a gas stove. I wash my grates and 2 burner catch basin plates in the dishwasher before they get too bad.

Something about dropping ice cubes onto hot glass seems like an invitation to a big "POP" and a crack! I know ceramics and glasses can be made pretty resilient these days, but I'd sure hesitate to try this...

 

[EastWest Gal]

I love gas cooktops. Had electric all my life until I moved out of CA 16 years ago. The first month I nearly set the house on fire though...

My dad had one of the flat tops when he moved to be near me. It was a total bear to clean. I was afraid I would scratch the top by scraping. Of course cleaning his house was my job, due to his age and health. He learned to like the stove better than the coils.

My sister had her kitchen redone (it was a necessity--it was a bad kitchen.) She had a gas cooktop and an electric oven put in. That makes the most sense to me.

 

[someguy]

+1 on induction. Can't stand anything else now (coming from high-end gas). Boils a smaller pot of water in about a minute flat and large pots in 2-3 minutes. But it has fine and instantaneous control of gas. It's also much safer than traditional electrics or gas because if you remove a pot and forgot to turn it off it turns itself off. No danger of a kid (or errant adult) turning on the gas but not igniting the flame. Also, almost all the heat goes into the pan so the surface isn't nearly as hot.

Really, the only two downsides I can think of are minimal. One, you may have to get new cookware. And two, in a power outage, it's useless (versus gas).

 

[M Paquette]

molder, mine looks just like yours! But it is a Kitchen Aid. That's weird.

Guess who makes Kitchen Aid?

Oddly, I have a Maytag range that looks very similar.

I'm easily entertained, I suppose, but it can be interesting to look at who makes what brands, and then look at who actually owns the 'many' manufacturers.

Amana, for example, makes Amana, Caloric, Danby, Econowash, Glenwood, Imperial, Litton, Maytag (SAV, NAV series washers) Menu Master, Modern Maid, older domestic Speed Queen, Sunray, and Viking.

Maytag makes Admiral, Atlantis, Crosley, Dynasty, Gaffers and Sattler, Gemini, Hardwick, Jade, Jade Range, Jenn Air, Magic Chef, Maytag, Neptune, and Norge.

Whirlpool makes Admiral (canada), Chambers, Coovert, Crosley A/Cs, Danby, Estate, Inglis, Ikea, Kenmore, KitchenAid, Kirkland, Maytag Epic, Roper, Speed Queen (Canada), Sub Zero, and Whirlpool.

Oh, and Maytag and Amana are both owned by Whirlpool, along with some others. Whirlpool has been consolidating parts sources and production facilities.

If you find that nice high end KitchenAid fridge looks a lot like that cheap Kirkland fridge you spotted at Costco, there's a reason.

 

[Chuckanut]

Something about dropping ice cubes onto hot glass seems like an invitation to a big "POP" and a crack! I know ceramics and glasses can be made pretty resilient these days, but I'd sure hesitate to try this...

+1

I don't have the problems some seem to have with the flat glass top, but putting ice on it seems to be tempting fate

 

[Sojourning]

Like I said, my wife was amazed at how 'backwards' people were in N. America when it came to this stuff. I don't get it, the picture you show imoldernu is the same design (other than the glass top) that my Mother had back in 1960. That's 55 years ago!

The same people buying these same old designs wouldn't be caught dead without the latest iPhone. Why are they using 55 year old design ranges when far superior products exist?

Look at those knobs on the back of the range, they're ridiculous. You have to reach over a boiling pot to reach them. Yeah I know, you reach from the side. Doesn't that strike you as dumb? Spills and splatter run down the sides of the range and you have to pull it out to clean up. They're just a lousy design.

You don't have to remodel your entire kitchen to solve the problem imoldernu, look at a 'slide-in' induction model. The unit slides in to your standard 30" gap in your countertop that you now have. The glass should overlap the edges of the counter at both sides, eliminating that gap for stuff to fall into. then just apply a bead of clear silicone to seal it. And yeah, no more knobs on the back to reach for. The only thing you will still be stuck with using a slide-in unit is having to bend down to use the oven. Here are 2 examples but there are plenty of others:
2 Masterpieces Of The Slide In Induction Range Options | Induction Cooked

Also note, they are convection ovens which is also superior to your old fashioned existing oven.

Try this on your range:

Or this:

Read here for why boiling water is faster in Paris, France than in Buffalo, NY.
5 Benefits of Induction Cooktops - HowStuffWorks Answer: Because they aren't using old technology in Paris. Be sure to click through the 5 reasons they give. Wake up people and get with the program. While you're at it, get a convection oven.
Convection vs. Conventional Oven | eHow

Using an outdated range like yours oldernu is like doing everything by snail mail instead of e-mail; looking things up in a 26 volume enclopedia set instead of using Google; having only a land line vs. a cellphone; using paper maps instead of GPS; etc. etc.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Putting that Dale Carnegie training to good use, sojourning?

always a fan of hearing how we are doing it all wrong and are backwards. I'm okay with my outdated technology, lol. Imolder and I have the same stove.


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[freebird5825]

Something about dropping ice cubes onto hot glass seems like an invitation to a big "POP" and a crack! I know ceramics and glasses can be made pretty resilient these days, but I'd sure hesitate to try this...

+1

I don't have the problems some seem to have with the flat glass top, but putting ice on it seems to be tempting fate

You are absolutely correct about that hazard. My bad.

My post indicated this process was used on a metal grill, no danger of cracking.

 

[Sojourning]

If you're OK with what you have Sarah, that's fine. But if someone complains about what they have, that's another thing don't you think?

If someone complains, 'my encyclopedia set is out of date and I can't find answers to my research questions in them', do you say, 'be happy with your old encyclopedia'? Or do you say, get with the program and learn to Google.

When you write, "always a fan of hearing how we are doing it all wrong and are backwards.", I take it to mean you do not think you are. But in fact, if what someone wants is an easy to clean glass cooktop which is what this thread started out asking about, then YES you are doing it all wrong in that there is no easy answer to keeping a glass top cooktop clean EXCEPT when it is an induction cooktop.

Freebird, if you look at the second video I linked above, you will see ice cubes on the glass top of an induction unit and there is NO danger of cracking. The glass is never really 'hot'.

 

[ERD50]

Like I said, my wife was amazed at how 'backwards' people were in N. America when it came to this stuff. I don't get it, the picture you show imoldernu is the same design (other than the glass top) that my Mother had back in 1960. That's 55 years ago!

The same people buying these same old designs wouldn't be caught dead without the latest iPhone. Why are they using 55 year old design ranges when far superior products exist? ...

I'm not following you (maybe I'm just a 'backwards' N. American?).

You say "the picture you show imoldernu is the same design (other than the glass top) that my Mother had back in 1960. That's 55 years ago!", but the "glass top" means it is induction cooking doesn't it (and not a 55 year old design)? And your youtube vidoes of 'superior technology' just show the advantages of induction cooking - which is what he has.

Are you focused on the knobs being in back? That may be a bad design (or maybe not - keeps them away from where small children can reach - did you ever consider that?), but bad design sure isn't limited to age. Practically every product I buy has poor user design issues, including the latest iPhones.

-ERD50

 

[Sojourning]

ERD50, because a cooktop is glass does not mean it is an induction cooktop. Read here: Buying Guide: Induction vs Ceramic Cooktops | Harvey Norman Australia
Imoldernu has an electric coil range, not an induction range.

Re knobs at back safer for kids, that old argument is also 55 years old. Does your range not have a 'lock out' feature? That feature has been around for many years. Also re kids safety, how do you keep them from putting their hand on a hot burner? If they could reach a front knob they could reach a front burner. On the other hand, an induction cooktop has NO hot burners. Which is safer for kids?

I agree bad design occurs regardless of age but you might agree that better design tends to happen over time. They take an old design and make the next generation a bit better in some way. They have done that in this case but people keep on buying the same old design. Whose fault is that? If the consumer doesn't bother to take the time to educate themselves as to what is available and thinks for example that if it is a glass top it is induction, then the consumer has only him/herself to blame.

 

[NW-Bound]

My cooktop is of a darker color than imoldernu's, and my wife never complains about it being difficult to keep clean. She just uses baking soda to clean it, and from searching youtube I see that is all that most people do. This thread makes me go out to look at it, and I see that ours is quite clean despite being 20+ year-old.

No way I would go back to coil burners! And about induction, I thought about it, but when my wife saw the heavier steel pots and pans that my sister-in-law used with her induction cook top, she said "no thanks!".

 

[ERD50]

ERD50, because a cooktop is glass does not mean it is an induction cooktop. Read here: Buying Guide: Induction vs Ceramic Cooktops | Harvey Norman Australia
Imoldernu has an electric coil range, not an induction range.

...

True, but from the comments and links/references that imoldernu made, it seems that his is an induction cooktop. He specifically mentioned stuff getting burnt on if it was between the pot and the glass top - that sounds like induction, an element glass top would also be hot near the pot.


I won't disagree with your observations on product improvements, I just think you are being a bit closed-minded (and a little insulting) with the idea that there is one and only one 'right' type of cooktop. There are pros/cons to just about everything.

For example, I use two 5 gallon aluminum pots for brewing beer. Getting the right kind of stainless pots (I thought maybe some forms of SS are not so good with induction, I could be wrong about that?) would be a not small expense. I'll stick with NG, thank you.

-ERD50

 

[Sojourning]

NW-bound, it is not necessary to use 'heavy' pots on an induction cooktop. Why would your wife think that what your sister-in-law uses was the only thing everyone could use? Fred wears a hat, Fred is a man, therefore all men wear hats. That is the classic example of false logic.

If someone wants to consider upgrading to induction cooking, then they need to do the homework, not just look at what their sister-in-law does.
https://www.google.ca/?gfe_rd=cr&ei...w&gws_rd=ssl#q=lightweight+induction+cookware

ERD50, imoldernu does not have an induction cooktop. I didn't say there is only one 'right' type of cooktop, I said there is an answer to the probem imoldernu describes. The answer is to use an induction cooktop and eliminate the problem altogether.

I have no idea how much a 5 gal pot would cost but I see the 'buy new pots' argument as a bit of a red herring. For example, my wife's existing 20 year old stainless pots and pans work perfectly well. Have a look here, sets from $55.
Induction Cookware | eBay

I realize not everyone can even afford to buy an induction range ERD50, they're expensive. But if someone is looking for a new range, what I am saying is there are better choices out there than the same old design. You just have to know to look.

 

[Katsmeow]

I won't disagree with your observations on product improvements, I just think you are being a bit closed-minded (and a little insulting) with the idea that there is one and only one 'right' type of cooktop. There are pros/cons to just about everything.

There are pros and cons on everything. I've had natural gas (grew up with and it is what I have now), coil electric, smooth top (glass) electric, and induction. (I have gas now because

By far and away, the best (and not even remotely close) was induction. This truly is something where the US is just backward compared to some parts of the world. Induction is a little more expensive, but is way more functional and much better quality of life. When we bought induction I did have to replace some pans, but frankly it was a small cost and just wasn't a big deal at all. (I took a small magnet with me to the store and if the magnet stuck to the bottom of the pan then I considered buying it. My total cost to replace the few pans I needed to replace was very small).

I talk up induction simply because most people are just ignorant about it. They literally don't know what they are missing.

 

[NW-Bound]

...
I realize not everyone can even afford to buy an induction range ERD50, they're expensive...

I have not looked to see how much a residential induction stove would cost, but did look into getting a single induction burner to use in my RV. The cost as I remember was minimal, something like $50 to $100. So, I did not think a full-size oven would be that prohibitively expensive.

 

[Katsmeow]

I have not looked to see how much a residential induction stove would cost, but did look into getting a single induction burner to use in my RV. The cost as I remember was minimal, something like $50 to $100. So, I did not think a full-size oven would be that prohibitively expensive.

There are some Kenmore induction cooktops in the $1250 to $1300 price range. The induction cooktop I had a few years ago was a Kenmore and worked fine. There are other brands in the $1300 to $1600 range. Of course, you can spend more.

 

[NW-Bound]

I paid close to that much for my glasstop double oven 20+ years ago. Perhaps things are less expensive now.

 

[samclem]

There are some Kenmore induction cooktops in the $1250 to $1300 price range. The induction cooktop I had a few years ago was a Kenmore and worked fine. There are other brands in the $1300 to $1600 range. Of course, you can spend more.

Or get an electric coil or NG cooktop for 1/4th of that price and use the saved $1000 to buy a lifetime supply of Barkeepers Friend and have $900 left. (Or, learn to keep the food inside the pots ).

Aside: It's interesting how a standalone range is about 1/2 the price of separate cooktop and an oven with the same features/capacity. I guess people don't mind paying for "the look" or to avoid bending over to put something in the oven.

 

[G8tr]

I know there wasn't a request for cleaning tips or products, but I can't resist. As someone else mentioned, a magic eraser works well. For stubborn burned on stuff, I use Bar Keeper's Friend liquid, which is apparently designed for use with glass cooktops. You have to constantly use a clean part of the towel, but it takes up pretty much everything. The powdered version cleans steel pans (like All Clad).

I greatly enjoyed gas when I had it, and DW is considering it as part of our kitchen renovation.


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