# glasstop stove



## Guest (Oct 4, 2010)

can cast iron be used on glasstop stoves?


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

It shouldn't be. You'll very likely scratch it up leading to cosmetic and possible heat stress failures. Just another strike against them in my book. They're generally poor performers with slow heating and cooling.


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

phatch said:


> It shouldn't be. You'll very likely scratch it up leading to cosmetic and possible heat stress failures. Just another strike against them in my book. They're generally poor performers with slow heating and cooling.


I presume you're referring to "glasstop stoves" and not "cast iron cookware"? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Yes, to the stoves. I love my cast iron cookware and is one reason I wouldn't go with a glass top.

I'm having some conundrum with that conviction and the rise of induction stove tops though. Lots of those are glass topped too and I like induction cooking.


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

Hm, anybody ever tried, or though of, "polishing" the bottom(s) of cast iron cookware so there would be less "scratching"?


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## gobblygook (Aug 26, 2010)

Don't listen to these guys.  I love my ceramic top stove.  Of course, the assumption is that you're going with electric.  For gas, I think I'd want an open burner (if they even make ceramic top gas stoves).  Don't stand on it and you'll be okay.  They should last a good 5-10 years in a home environment with no blatant abuse (standing on top of them).  You cannot do the "flip and slide" action with the skillet to flip the pancakes, nor should you be shaking them like the iron chefs do. 

Yes, you will get some cosmetic scratches over time.  But these guys are professional chefs, and NO, you shouldn't put one in a commercial kitchen (which they aren't designed for anyway).  For home use, I prefer them over any other electric style.


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## missyjean (Nov 5, 2009)

I have a ceramic top and use cast iron a lot. I don't have any scratches but I am careful not to drag it across the stove top.

I have a skillet, grill pan and a porcelain lined dutch oven.  The grill pan is used several times a week.


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## kcz (Dec 14, 2006)

LeCreuset, Staub, etc now put enamel on the bottoms of their cast iron pieces, I think for exactly this reason.  They can slide across ceramic top stoves without scratching it.

PHatch, I just bought an Electrolux induction range.  I would never go back to a conventional electric or gas top.  Besides heating more quickly, its ceramic top is much easier to clean.  (Having trouble with the oven thermostat though...since I bake a lot, it's been a real issue and E'lux is trying to fix it.)


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## missyjean (Nov 5, 2009)

Do you have to adjust the baking time and temp?



KCZ said:


> LeCreuset, Staub, etc now put enamel on the bottoms of their cast iron pieces, I think for exactly this reason. They can slide across ceramic top stoves without scratching it.
> 
> PHatch, I just bought an Electrolux induction range. I would never go back to a conventional electric or gas top. Besides heating more quickly, its ceramic top is much easier to clean. (Having trouble with the oven thermostat though...since I bake a lot, it's been a real issue and E'lux is trying to fix it.)


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## kcz (Dec 14, 2006)

Missy,

We're well beyond merely adjusting the baking time/temp.  The oven temps have a swing of >125 degrees around the set temp, and the preheat signal doesn't work right.  E'lux has replaced the control panel once already, and I've recalibrated the oven multiple times.  Still working on a solution here.  I can't adjust the oven temp 30-40 times while baking a cake.  So while I like the induction top, the oven is making me crazy and we'll see if E'lux can fix it.


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

missyjean said:


> I have a ceramic top and use cast iron a lot. I don't have any scratches but I am careful not to drag it across the stove top.
> 
> I have a skillet, grill pan and a porcelain lined dutch oven. The grill pan is used several times a week.


I'm with you. Cast iron pans heat up great, hold the heat and work well on glass top stoves. The manufacturer even sends along those single edge razors for easy cleanup.

Perhaps.......not all glass top stoves are the same.


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