Buying Cookware for a Ceramic Glass Cooktop

Your stove is one of the more expensive items you buy for your home and with gas stoves on the out, ceramic glass cooktop stoves are in. This electric stove features a unique, even layer glass cooktop that uses ceramic elements to heat the areas on the cooktop where you want to place your pans and pots. The following article will help you choose which pan styles and pot types are best for use on your ceramic glass cooktop.

General Cost of Cookware

The price of good cookware isn't exactly cheap. You can buy pots and pans at discount and dollar stores but you get what you pay for. The most expensive brands can cost in the thousands but, in the end, you are paying for a name and not always quality, let alone the safety of your cooktop. The best cookware is in the $40 to $75 range per pot or pan.

Any pot or pan can be used on the ceramic glass cooktop. If you take care in preventing boil-overs (wooden spoon across the pot or adding oil to the water for example); or something as simple as lifting the cookware instead of sliding it will stop damage from occurring.

The Different Types of Cookware

There are many types and styles of cookware you can buy which makes shopping more confusing than it should be.

Typical non-stick pans are generally poorly constructed with plastic handles and the one thing that can kill your cooktop: ridges. These ridges are meant to distribute heat evenly but on a ceramic glass cooktop, they scratch the surface when you move them. Their lightweight construction also means they move on their own as water or oil begins to get hot.

All-clad cookware consists of one type of metal. These are usually aluminum or stainless steel. Aluminum is much lighter than stainless and, even though they usually don't have ridges, they can still scratch the surface of your cooktop. The scratching typically comes from pots more than pans as when you are boiling water the pot can shake and wobble because aluminum is light. Stainless steel is heavier and generally doesn't move around on the cooktop.

Cast iron cookware is a favorite of many cooks as it creates rich flavors and is, over time, the best non-stick surface you can find. The bad thing about these pans is that they are alarmingly heavy. An 8-inch skillet typically weighs nearly 8 pounds. Sliding these beats over the cooktop or dropping them can easily destroy the ceramic glass cooktop.

The Best Cookware for Ceramic Glass Cooktops

All-clad stainless steel cookware is the best cookware you can buy. There is a particular style of cookware best suited for this cooktop which consists of a separate metal disc that is attached to the bottom of the cookware. These discs are heavy, prevent the pots and pans from wobbling, are completely flat, and create even heat for your food. You will pay a small fortune for a full set of this cookware but will be well worth the money.