"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
...
> I'm agitating about replacing my stove - a 22-year-old GE electric. I'm
> considering one of these two GE electric slide-ins:
> http://tinyurl.com/m8459 (I hope that link works)
> The smooth top is appealing, partly because of ease in wiping spills,
> cleaning and partly because it's the newer thing. I have big concerns
> about it, though, because I do home canning. I spoke with the GE rep
> who happened to be in the appliance store yesterday and he assures me
> that I should have no problems assuming my canning kettle has a flat
> bottom (they do) and that I wouldn't be using the burner for 4-5 hours
> at stretch (something about that tricking the sensors or something into
> thinking it was overheating and would, thus, shut off). That's not an
> issue. He didn't seem concerned about the weight of the kettles.
> What I want more than anything is to borrow someone's range for a couple
> hours and put up a batch of jam and see how it goes. :-/ That's not
> likely.
>
> My questions: Do any of you who currently have smooth-top ranges wish
> you had a coil burner range?

NO!
>
> Have you ever canned using one?

Yes but not the batch sizes that you indulge in:-)
>
> Anything you hate about it?

You have to be extra careful with rough-bottomed, cast iron pots & pans,
even Le Creuset.
>
I have a Bosch. It has a super fast halogen "plate" and three "ordinary"
ones that are not a lot slower, it seems. I have found that temperature
control is better (faster to react) than with the old ring types.
Graham