Choosing cookware for a glass cook top

Glass cook tops are increasingly popular.  However, care is needed in selecting cookware in order to insure that the cook top provides maximum benefits.

Some Advice

Look for heavy weight pots with flat bottoms. Don’t select pans with colored bottoms; in case of overheating the color “paint” can fuse with the glass top and damage it—something not covered by your cooktop’s warranty. You want to look for fairly heavy aluminum cookware—brands might include Calphalon, Analon, and Circulon in anodized product or cast product such as Renaissance by Regal. Heavy duty stainless includes brands such as All-Clad, Cuisinart. Stay away from house brands/store brands. They often are cheaply made and can warp under heat.

All pots and pans should be flat on the bottom for heat conduction and smooth on the bottom to not cause scratching. Many glass cooktop manufacturers include instructions saying not to use cast iron cookware, but modern cast iron, without the "raised ring" on the bottom will work fine. The cookware bottom should be smooth so as not to scratch. Move anything across the glass top – cookware or otherwise – by lifting rather than scooting. Lastly, if a pot or pan is heavy – which any can be if it is full of food – take care not to drop it on the glass cooktop. All these rules apply whether the cookware is aluminum, cast iron, or stainless steel.

We do not recommend step-cut bottoms since they scratch the stovetops.