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Donald Tsang
 
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Default Ceramic (glass) cooktops--Which pots can be used?

Lew > wrote:
>We are considering installing a GE electric ceramic cooktop range, but
>some of the useage instructions have us worried. [...]
>The instructions say not to use either of these. The ones without
>enamel bottoms could scratch, and even the enameled ones could heat up
>too much and trip the heat-control mechanism in the cooktop.
>
>Does anyone have experience with this situation, or advice on whether
>these pots can be used safely?


Glass is pretty hard. Pretty much the only thing you have to worry about
scratching it is aluminum oxide (aka corundum, aka sapphire, 9 on the
Mohs hardness scale), which forms irregularly on the surface of bare
aluminum (anodized aluminum is the same, but it's usually really smooth,
so as long as you're not dragging heavy pot edges across your stovetop,
you should be okay).

If you do anything like stir-frying, I would highly suggest you get
something that heats up and cools down quickly, like an Induction
cooktop. I bought my wife a Sunpentown "Mr. Induction" (the higher-end
one... SR-1881W, with a nonstick pan included), and have since bought
several carbon-steel pots, a carbon-steel wok, and a small induction-
compatible stainless-clad saucier I bought at Target for $14 (not
Kitchenaid, but the cheaper Silverstone blue label).

That said, I've never really scratched my glasstop with any of my
pots (mostly anodized aluminum, figuring the darker surface would
absorb the radiant heat more efficiently).

Donald

Donald