How to Protect Glass Top Stove from Cast Iron?

How to Protect Glass Top Stove from Cast Iron? A glass top stove is one of the most beautiful kitchen items, which is also a great alternative to the open electric burners. Unlike the traditional electric burners, which take almost a minute to start glowing, a glass top stove takes a few seconds to get warm.

On the contrary, a glass top stove can be tough to manage when you’re working with cast iron cookware. Although cast iron pans work great for some recipes, if you’re not careful, these heavy pieces of cookware can severely damage your stovetop.

Are Glass Top Stoves Good?

Actually, there is no precise answer to this question. Since glass top stoves have both benefits and drawbacks, the answer to this question varies from person to person concerning their expectations, needs, and conditions.

For example- the contour of glass top stoves is smooth and level; therefore, you will find it easier to clean. But people who usually need to use cast iron cookware for their cooking will face the challenge during regular use to protect its smooth surface from uncertain damage.

In addition, these expensive glass stoves are very useful to enhance the elegance of your kitchen, but they can easily get scratched or crackdown anytime due to unaware uses. And, its replacement will cause a bit of high cost for you.

You can purchase another top stove if you need to use your cast iron cookware a lot. But, if you don’t want to invest in a new one, you can take simple precautions before cooking or follow our recommended steps to keep your glass top stove safe.

What are the disadvantages of a glass top stove?

Glass cooktops are popular because they make a kitchen look modern and sleek. Although glass top stoves are elegant to look at and easy to clean, their design demands meticulous care all the time. Due to any uncertain cause or unawareness of use, they can be cracked down or scratched suddenly. You can tear off the glass top easily due to an unconscious move.

Breakage

Like all glass items, glass top stoves can break. The most common causes of breakage are placing a hot pot or skillet on a cold cooktop, dropping a heavy or sharp object on the cooktop, dry-boiling a pan and trapping food particles between the cooktop and the pan.

Scratching

Scratches can occur on a glass cooktop as well. It may scratch the cooktop surface if you move a pot from a hot burner to a cool one. Cast iron pans, for example, have a rough surface and can scratch the glass when used on them. For the same reason, stay away from abrasive cleaners and metal scouring pads. The cooktop can shatter as a result of scratches.

How to Protect Glass Top Stove from Cast Iron? – 8 Recommended Steps to Follow

You may have spent a lot of money on a new, shiny glass top stove. Perhaps, you’re also feeling confused about using your cast iron cookware on this stove for fear of cracking or scratching. If so, then you need to concentrate on the following reminders. Let’s check them below.

1. Wash Your Cast Iron Pans before Heating

For washing your cast iron pan before heating, you need to use a sponge or scrubber with a small amount of dish soap to remove any leftover food. You have to focus on the bottom of the pan that can have built-up carbonization or black marks. If you don’t clean the black marks, they can stain your stovetop.

2. Choose Cast Iron Cookware That Comes with a Smooth Bottom

When it comes to choosing the right cast iron cookware to use on a glass stovetop, you should check your cookware to ensure that there are no cracks in your pan that could scuff the glass surface. Check the bottom of your cookware if it’s smooth. If you can detect any bumps or uneven edges, replace the cookware with a fresh one.

3. Lift the Cast Iron Cookware Carefully

Don’t skid or slide the cast iron cookware when you’re making a dish. For avoiding scratches, you can use both your hands to lift the pan and move it safely somewhere. You shouldn’t drop the cookware because it’s quite heavy and may cause cracks on the surface. So, you need to be more careful when using a glass stovetop.

4. Use Cookware That Matches the Dimensions of Your Stove

When the top stove is off, you have to use a measuring tape to check how wide the burner is. Now, see the dimensions of your cast iron pans and pots if they fit on the stove properly. There is a general rule of thumb that you shouldn’t use any cookware that is 1 inch larger than the width of the stovetop. For example, a 12-inch wide pan shouldn’t go on a 10-inch wide glass top stove.

5. Choose a Heat Diffuser That Fits Your Glass Top Stove

A heat diffuser helps you to control the amount of heat that the cookware gets from the stovetop. You can select an aluminum diffuser or a diffuser made with wire coils for your glass top stove. Choose one that fits your stovetop and suits your cooking requirements.

6. Set the Flat Side of the Heat Diffuser on the Stovetop

A heat diffuser has two sides: one of them is curved, and another is flat. You have to set the flatter side on the stove. As a result, it can hardly move when you’re cooking something on the stovetop. And your top stove will be safe from scratches.

7. Put the Cast Iron Cookware on the Center of the Diffuser

As we know, a heat diffuser helps to minimize scratches or other damages from your cast iron pans and pots. You have to put your cookware in the center on the diffuser so that it can get heat evenly. You shouldn’t put any food in the cookware until the diffuser and cookware remain in place.

8. Wash the Diffuser by Hands if It Gets Dirty

If your diffuser gets dirty, you need to put it in the sink and rinse it with dish soap and warm water. Then, set it on a rack to dry for a day. Once it’s dried, store it in a place where you can easily grab it.

How to Protect the Glass Top Stove From Scratches?

Here are some measures that you can take to protect your glass top stove from scratches:

Use a stovetop protective mat and replace it whenever it indicates signs of wear and tear. Cleaning these covers once a week is also essential.
Don’t slide your pots and pans along the stove. To remove them, gently lift them and place them on the floor.

When possible, use lightweight pots, such as stainless-steel cookware.
Get rid of any fat or food crumbs stuck to the bottom of your pans through a gentle wash.
Never use steel wool or metal sponges on a glass cooktop to clean up spills.

You should not use aluminum foil on these stoves since it can damage the cooking surface.
Prepare a mixture of baking soda with water, and use it to wipe out minor scratches.
Do not use any glass cleaner. The ammonia in the glass cleaner can prove harmful to your glass top stove.

Use and clean your stove and cookware following the manufacturer’s guidelines.
You should use cast iron skillets with smoother bottoms.
You should avoid cookware with a rounded bottom since it can scrape surfaces. Instead, use smooth, flat-bottomed pots and pans to avoid scratching surfaces.

What Is a Heat Diffuser for a Glass Top Stove?

Heat diffusers are little devices installed on top of glass-topped stoves to spread the heat evenly from the stove. It has a metal base and a ceramic surface that evenly distributes heat. Besides, this device adjusts the cooking temperature on the stove to a more safe level. Therefore, it prevents hot spots and saves the stove from exploding by distributing heat evenly across the ceramic surface.

What Should You Not Use on a Glass Top Stove?

Even for minor reasons, glass top stoves have a greater chance of being cracked or scratched. Therefore, it is always necessary to pay attention and take proper care of your glass top stove. We have already shared some advice to protect the glass top stove from scratches. From this discussion, here we have made a list of goods that you shouldn’t use on a glass top stove:

Steel wool

Scrubby sponges
Heavy cookware
Glass cleaner

Aluminum foil

1. What pans should not be used on a glass top stove?

If you have a glass-top stove, you should only use glass, stoneware, classic ceramic pan, cast iron pots, and glass-top stove pans that have been specifically designed for use with glass-top stoves.

2. Will a cast-iron skillet damage a glass top stove?

Yes, a cast-iron skillet can cause damage to your glass top stove.

3. Why do glass top stoves explode?

Glass top stoves explode due to creating a strong vacuum seal by trapping heat between the glass stove top and the lead. It is the most common reason of happening glass top stoves explode.

4. Can you use Clorox wipes on glass top stoves?

No, Clorox contains harmful chemicals; therefore, it is not recommended to use on glass top stoves.

5. Can you use a cast-iron skillet on a glass top stove?

Yes, you can use a cast-iron skillet on a glass top stove. But you should be more careful and aware while using it.

6. Can copper bottom pans be used on glass top stoves?

No, you can’t use it. A copper bottom pan can permanently stain your glass top stoves.

Conclusion

If your glass top stove gets scratches, you can still cook on it like before. But, you should immediately stop cooking on the stovetop if it’s cracked. Since most glass stovetops have a warranty, so you need to contact the manufacturer.

Unless you have a warranty, you can purchase a new one or fix the old one yourself. Instead, you can talk to an appliance repair company for repair or replacement. However, keep your glass stovetop protected by following the above steps.

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Sheila Garcia