Kitchen

[Mj12]

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@Regal Bee wrote:

I had a glass cooktop for several years. It was okay but not easy to clean as I had heard from many people. We changed out to gas when we remodeled our kitchen....so much happier with the control I have. Easy to clean.

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Same.  We converted to gas last year. I'd never go back to an electric stove.

[house_cat]

Thank you for taking the time to post such honest, detailed feedback. It really helps.

If I had the choice, I'd stick with gas, but the area in which we're building is not set up for it. I can pay more to run gas lines, but I don't think it's worth the cost. 

I did have an electric stove for 12 years in one of my previous homes and it wasn't ideal, but I adjusted to it quite easily.  That one had coils and I remember replacing the pans quite often. All of my cookware is heavy, so I'm concerned about the glass top. I may just wind up choosing the coils.

I've done a bunch of research about induction ranges and i understand there are many benefits. However, at this stage in my life, I'm not sure if it's worth the investment.  I think I'd rather replace the whole range in ten years, than be stuck with a $4000 aging appliance.  

In any case, I'm not sure, but your posts have helped greatly.  I always get such good advice here on the forum.

Thank you.

@author 

I watched a gazillion YouTube videos from different manufacturers and they said that the cycling on an off of the burners is intentional to keep the temp controlled.

@Janey2 

May I ask which make and model you have?

@Carmie 

@Still Raining 

@Sammy Jo 

I am very concerned about scratching. I'm not a skilled enough cook to do that frying pan shaking thing, lol, but all of my cookware is heavy and one slip up could cause a lot of damage.

[author]

@house_cat 

Thank you re: the cycling on and off.  I had a hunch that was it - if you lift the pan it starts getting red hot again!  I only notice the slowness of it on the one burner, the one I used all the time when it was new.  I now use the back burners most often and they are super.  No issues at all.  I use that slower front burner for simmering.

The induction ones do sound amazing but at this point in my life I am satisfied with mine, or a similar replacement one should it fail.  

I do not have cast iron pans, all modern non-stick or stainless steel which work wonderfully.  My pans are heavy and good quality, and you learn right away to lift them, not slide, and not to shake them while cooking, which I hardly ever did anyway on the coil burners.

If I want to shake a pan, e.g., whilst toasting nuts in a small fry pan, I lift it and do it, then set it back down.  It's not really a decision, I just do it naturally on this stovetop.  

Good luck with whatever you choose!

[Sammijo10]

@house_cat, don't be too scared of using the glass top, it's not as prescious as I've made out!  I think the folks that have trouble with clean up have white ones.  My black one looks (well, it CAN look!) as mirror - like as the day it was installed.

In fact, early on I accidentially dropped the lid of one of my Le Crueset pots and it hit the corner of the cooktop on its way down.  The glass cracked, but it wasn't in a burner so I've lived with it for over 11 years now!  It's only noticable to me because the top is black.  

I know you've done a lot of research, but you might want to take another look at the induction.  It's the closest thing to cooking with gas that I've found. After all those years of cooking on a gas stove, you won't be happy with those coils.  I actually have what's been called a 'hybrid' cooktop - they don't make them anymore - with some regular burners and two induction burners.  I use the induction burners way more than the others.  

Mine is just a cooktop - I have a wall oven - but every so often I check on prices in case I have to replace mine and I was pleasantly surprised by the prices.  $4000 seems a bit high but if I remember correctly you're in CA and there might be extra things your state requires that add on extra dollars to the cost.  

Anyway, if I may be so bold, I think you cook like I do from your various posts that I've had the privilege to read, and I think you'd enjoy it. The clean up alone was worth it to me.

Like I said, the thing I had to get used to the most was the traveling pots when I stirred them one handed!  I fixed that by slowly replacing my cookware with cast iron!  My Le Creuset doen't move when it's stirred!  

Good luck with whatever you choose!  I'm sure your new home will be stunning!  

[Skyegirl21]

Pros, if you are flame-phobic like me, they are good. That's it for pros. Cons: they don't get as hot as gas, and tough to clean. Mine is fairly new, Fidgidaire, guessing about 2 yrs old  (we just moved in) . It is not easy to clean and any or every small tidbit left on the glass seems to burn on it.  The only thing that works is specialty stovetop cleanser. It's annoying.  In my prior house, I also had one, a Kenmore, and it seemed easier to clean.. I would love an induction stove but not likely!  

[sissel]

My development has no gas lines so I am stuck with electric, glass top for me easy clean up, remember buying those metal saucers to hold the electric coils then would use aluminum foil so the saucers wouldn't get dirty? LOL If the coil burnt out just replace it so far haven't had that with glass top but wonder do just get new stove when a burner stops? Don't think you can open up the glass top to replace one burner. 

[Puppy Lips]

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@cantdrive55 wrote:

@Puppy Lips  Cerama Bryte with the razor blade tool will clean your glass top without scratching. Available at Amazon, Lowe's, and even the Q!

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@cantdrive55 Thank you.  I actually have the Cerama Bryte, not sure where or why I got it, but I don't have the scrapper tool. I guess that is the trick.  I will try it.  Thank you again!

[DeeJoyce]

I've had a black glass cooktop for about 10 years.  I'm a little careful with it, but it has just a few MINOR scratches.  After cooking on it, I can usually wipe it down with a soapy dish rag and then dry with a microfiber towel.  If that doesn't do the job, I use a cleaner specifically for cooktops and that takes care of it.

[brandiwine]

Would never have anything other than glass.  I have a black one and after 7 plus years it still looks great.  Easy to keep clean.  Cooks evenly.

[CamilleP]

@house_cat   I'm in the same boat as you, we can't get gas where we live, we are just past a river that the gas company cannot run a line under.  Houses just the other side of the river have gas, we don't.  We've lived here over 30 years, so I've used both electric coil and glass cooktops for a long time, but I'd go back to gas in a minute if I could, as I grew up with it. 

IMHO, no electric cooktop can replace gas, but I have not used induction, so perhaps it comes close.  When our last glass cooktop stove died, I wanted to go back to coils, but could not get an oven with yeast dough proofing capacity and coils in the same machine, so I had to settle for a glass top again.  This newer one has a super-powered burner that does boil water pretty quickly, so I live with it,   I don't like it, it does burn food on from a spill, you can't clean up the spill immediately because it's sizzling hot.  Then when it does cool, you wind up scrubbing.  The clay "BioKleen" stuff the Q sells does a pretty good job, but it still takes elbow grease.  I have to clean my cooktop every day, even if I don't cook on it, as, just like a TV screen, the thing attracts dust like nobody's business, and we have a whole house filtration and air cleaning system!  I have to be super-careful with any of my cast iron due to the cracking risk.  All in all, I hate this glass cooktop almost as much as the last one, and now I never bake bread any more because DH has become diabetic and won't eat it, so I wish I'd bought the coil model stove instead.  I can live with putting the little under-burner pans in the dishwasher now and again!

Since you are building where you can get gas lines run, I urge you to do so, in the long run you will be happier.  In addition, a gas water heater is superior to electric water heaters, and your home heating cost may be less over time with a gas furnace, even if you are using a heat pump.  Also, the re-sale value of your home may be increased by the fact that it is hooked up to gas, that might be a big selling point in your region.  All things considered, I think you will get your money's worth in the long run by hooking up to gas while you can.  There may even be gas company financial incentives, I'd urge you to investigate that.  Good luck in your decision!