DU chefs I have a problem and I need advice!!! re: glass cooktop

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

K - here's the deal. My fiance and I are finally moving in together. i found a great apartment - big, bveautiful, all the room we need and more - a dream come true....but.

It has one of those electrical gleass cooktop stoves.

Now I've been living for three years in my humble little bachelor pad with my pride and joy - my gas stove. Gas - you turn it on and *poof* its on - instant heat. Now I sadly have to look at what to do about this. Its bad enough its electric but its got that lame ass cooktop. Most of my pans are somewhat warped at the bottom which never freaking mattered with gas and wouldn't matter that much if they were sitting right on the electrical element but now - SHIT! What do I do?

My biggest fear is that I cook most of my food in my trusty stainless steel wok. It is a flat bottom wok - in theory! How am I ever going to get my peanut oil to the smoking point?

Am I being overly paranoid, will it work fine and I just need patience or should I get all new pans or, God forbid, buy a new range with electrical elements? Or take my life in my hands and use propane burner inside? HELP!!!!

[Liberal Veteran]

1. I have no problem with a wok on my glass oven top.

It is a little different, but it works fine.

I did invest in a set of good cookware I ordered from HSN of all places.

It was a nice Wolfgang Puck branded set of stainless steel.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

4. Do you use cast iron ever?

I want to start my Le Creuset collection, but not if it'll suck on this stove


OH WOE IS ME!!!!

:(

[Liberal Veteran]

5. No...I only use cast iron for cornbread in the oven, but....

...my understanding is that cast iron works fine.

[SW FL Dem]

8. I have professional Calphalon and they worked great on the glass top.

They don't work as well on the elements because the elements are never level.

[spinbaby]

27. I use cast iron all the time

on my glass cooktop. works just fine. works nicely with my carbon-steel wok, too. The only problem I've got with the glass cooktop is that it eventually develops these baked-on rings of black crud around the burners no matter what you do to clean them. We just ignore that.

[ironflange]

28. Take a really really sharp knife, or even a razor blade

Carefully scrape the black crap off. It works for me, and believe me, I really let it build up.

[molly]

2. There is a huge difference between electric and gas top

after years of electric top and years ago the flat-top electric, my new stove has gas top and electric convection oven. Temperature control is a must in fine cooking.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

3. OH MY GOD - YOU'RE SCARING ME!!!

Answer me this - if we have gas heat, then there must be a hookup for a gas range, no?

[Robb]

6. Not really

First of all, try your pans first. You may survive yet. :)

But just because you have gas heat doesn't mean that there's a gas line that goes anywhere near the kitchen. Gas is a relatively easy plumb -- you measure where you want it to go, buy pre-cut and pre-threaded iron pipe at Home Depot, goop it up, and tighten the pieces together with a couple of pipe wrenches -- but if you've got any fear, get someone who knows how to do it if you've gotta have gas.

If you wind up wanting to plumb the gas yourself, PM me and I'd be happy to talk you through it. But first, see if you're miserable with your pans and the electric.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

15. Will do. I checked and there is a gas line behind the stove

I'll check to see how my pans fare since I'll have to save for the stove anuway. Thanks Robb!

I'll definately be in touch!

[molly]

11. There was not for my stove - I paid to have a line

I had gas into my house and insisted on a gas line for the new stove - it was well worth it.

[SW FL Dem]

7. Keep the cooktop!! I would love to have one

Where I live, we don't have the option of gas stoves. I miss cooking with gas! I have used both the glass cooktop and one with electric elements. The smooth tops are far superior!! When we redo the kitchen later this year, we will be getting a smooth top, I can't wait to get rid of the piece of crap I have now.

[Kali]

9. Do what Robb says

try it for a while and see if you are adaptable they get good and hot just slower - should be ok for the wok. warped pans may need to be replaced - but not always - depends. Careful with heavy cast iron on the cook top but actually the combo for slow cooking is probably great.

If you decide its just awful, do the plumbing - its easy, Or even one propane burner might be a compromise available in restaurant supply etc.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

16. Is a propane unit a CO hazard?

My science is terrible :)

[Kellanved]

10. maybe the control unit can manage an induction cooktop

That's what I'm considering: glass top, variable size spots, but instant-on/instant off - just like gas. The downside is that special pans and pots are needed.

And it is more energy efficient than a classic Ceran cooktop.

[Nlighten1]

12. Mine works great

And it heats up immediately.

[Rabrrrrrr]

13. Glass tops are of the devil himself

Eelctric is bad enough to cook with - absolutely frustrating to work with - but the glasstop BS. Forget it. My sister has one, and I have to use it when I visit her, and I'll tell ya, I'd like to throw the *%@&% thing out the window and just use a coleman camp stove.

Good luck to ya! I'd never, ever have electric if there was a gas line coming into my house.

[Kellanved]

14. well

Generally you're correct - I can't help it.

However there are several kinds of glasstops:

classic: basically the same technology as with the old electric ones. The only difference is the heat-transparent glass, which is supposed to be easy to clean. Well, it is not easy to clean and shows fingerprints...
The cheap and/or old ones ones tend to be incredibly slow - without being energy efficient. The better ones are OK; but nothing like gas. The main advantage are variable size cooking spots and low-heat modes.



Halogen:
An attempt to emulate gas by what amounts to a strong light under the glass. Uses energy like crazy, but changes temperature faster than conventional glasstops.

Gas:
Yes, there are glasstops using gas. I've never understood what the advantage is...

Induction:
The best: not the top gets hot, but just the pot/pan. Instant-on, instant-off, variable size spots, energy-saving (no pot = no consumption),...

[jmowreader]

30. Induction has one itty-bitty problem

It uses a magnetic field to heat ferrous pans. Your Le Creuset pans (enameled cast iron) will be fine. Your Calphalon (anodized aluminum) will not work at all. And since my wife has the hots for Calphalon...Calphalon makes one stainless-steel line; I fear to think what they want for that.

The only advantage of a gas smoothtop would be that spills wouldn't clog up the holes in the burners.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

18. It seems there is a gas line right behind the stove.I'm gonna start savin'

for a gas stove today!!!

I agree with you - again!

[Rabrrrrrr]

26. Woo hoo! I have you back!

But of course, make sure your landlord doesn't mind (unless you bought the aaprtment?)

Good luck!

[SoCalDem]

17. Pull the stove out from the wall.. see if there is a gas connection

KIf there is, look for a used gas stove, have it installed, and store the corning topped one in a friend's garage until you move :)

Gas is cheaper too.. If there is no gas connection, you might ask the landlord if he objects to having to get one installed..(He might)..

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

19. THERE IS A CONNECTION!!!! WOO HOO!!!!

Gas is really cheaper? That'll be a selling point for the future Mrs CStheT. (Actually, not hearing me whine and complain plus not being able to cook her her favorite meals the way I used to could will be the main selling point! :) )

[SoCalDem]

20. Look in the want ads.. People move all the time, and have stuff to sell

You can probably pick one up at a good price..or check with some local appliance stores.. Sometimes they have trade-ins or repos..

Stoves last a LONG time, and you can get a good used one.. Our "first" one was one we paid $15.00 for and it had 2 ovens, 6 burners.. It was one of those 1950's Big ole stoves :).. We had that thing for 10 years and sold it for $50 ....

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

21. Thanks SCD - I'm on it!!!

:hi:

[Robb]

22. another place to check

...are building material consignment stores. Mostly doors and windows, but a lot of used major household appliances as well. Also a great place to "store" the top you don't want. :)

[GOPisEvil]

23. Yep...Habitat for Humanity Re-store might be an option.

Hell, they might trade ya.

Of course, since you are renting, you'll have to have landlord approval.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

25. I'm probably going to have to basement the unit that's there so its gonna

be out o'pocket for me. But that's ok! It'll be worth it

[Tsiyu]

24. I am so sorry

If you're not cooking with gas, you are not cooking. I have had to settle for the coil-type burners lately and I hate them. There is so much less control with electric. And the wok? Phew.....Not to bum you, but look on this as a challenge and a reason to get some new cookware...

[chaska]

29. I just hope you don't have one of those where ...

the element turns on and off to maintain a certain temp. My mother has one of those. An absolute moran must have designed this thing. You're doing a stir fry and the element turns off and suddenly you find yourself steaming instead of frying. Worse yet, you're trying to cook something on low but the dumb beast don't know that, so it's turning on and off and on and off, and you find yourself with a charred but raw piece of whatever, and a scortched pot. Maddening.