Flat top stoves...good or no?

[libnnc]

We're thinking about getting one when our old (very old) range bites the dust.

Flat tops stoves, love 'em, hate 'em?

Curious minds want to know...

[flvegan]

1. When mine goes, I'm going with a flat top.

I use my mom's at her house. I like it quite a bit. Seems SO much easier to keep clean (rangetop area).

[pnutbutr]

2. not a fan

Surface is prone to scratching, you can't use canners and are not supposed to use non flat bottomed cookware. You're not supposed to use cast iron on many of them also. I don't know what I would do without my cast iron.

[libnnc]

3. oooh that may be the deciding factor right there

I must have my cast iron. That's a deal breaker.

[pnutbutr]

4. I'd do some checking

on the different models. I think only some do not recommend using cast iron. Some cast iron is also not flat bottomed so that may be an issue for you also.

[KitchenWitch]

5. I use cast iron on ours all the time.

Yes the surface is prone to scratching, but is much easier to keep clean. There are special cleaners for the cooktops that do not scratch and work really well.

[pitohui]

17. i use cast iron on mine

i never heard you couldn't

had it a few years now, no problems

[SacredCow]

6. Not a big fan, either...

I think they're OK for people who don't cook very often and are more interested in a neat and clean kitchen.

If you've had your current cookware (cast iron or no) for very long, you may have to replace it. Over time, the bottoms of pots and pans change shape from repeated heating, and they have enough of a convex surface to impede even heating. Sometimes, they'll even "dance" on the burner if there's not much weight in it.

But I'm a gas devotee, so take my opinions knowing that I'd throw ANY electric stove out the door in favor of gas!

[carlyhippy]

15. haha, I have watched my pans doing the stove top dance across the burners

I was using copper bottomed pots and pans, but they became so distorted it would take forever just to boil water, so I ended up tossing them out.

[frogmarch]

7. I love mine.

I've had this one for 4 years and it still looks brand new, even though I cook a lot. I had another one before this one, but we left it when we sold the house.

The secret to keeping the tops nice is to use the cleaner especially made for smooth-top ranges, and to use a razor blade to remove really bad burned-on messes. My husband once accidentally laid a plastic bowl and a large black plastic ladle on the stove while the top was still hot. With little effort he was able to scrape the cooled melted plastic off. He then went over it with the cleaner and voila! no hint that there'd been a mishap.

[dgibby]

8. I love mine, but

next time, I'll get one with the controls on the back instead of the front. They're easily turned on (just brushing up against them will do the trick), so I took the knobs off and only put them back on when I'm cooking. Other than that, I highly recommend them. Sure beats having to clean burners and the wells!

[PeaceNikki]

9. I love mine!

:bounce:

I hated having electric (no gas service at my house), but I love love love my new flat-top stove!

[Shell Beau]

10. I like mine a lot. It is very easy to clean. But I would also love a

gas range.

[undeterred]

11. Aren't they all flat top???

[Blue Diadem]

12. I went from having a 20 yr old Jenn Air electric

with coil burner inserts to a smooth top frigidaire convection range. It took me a while to get used to it, I think they heat differently than coil types and I actually scorched a few things before getting used to the settings. Now I absolutely love it although I do miss using cast iron...but I still use that on the gas grill side burner.

It's convenient to have a burner that can be used for a small pan or a large pan. I also have a warmer burner in the center back that works really well for keeping things at the right serving temp.

As others have said, smooth tops clean up easily. Just make sure to use the proper cleaner and a non-scratching cloth. I use a damp micro-fiber cloth to wipe mine off a couple times a day and use the cleaner for anything that may have burned or scorched onto the surface.

[DS1]

13. I'd rather have gas

[Rabrrrrrr]

18. I think you have enough already.

[carlyhippy]

14. I just bought a new one, black flat top stove

easier to keep the stains to a minimum..I love mine, but if you get one, make sure you use only heavy, very flat bottomed cookware on the burners for even cooking..and remember that the top stays hot for a very long time after you turn off the burner, if you forget and have a dishtowel or potholder on the cooktop it will become scorched, as will hands.

[pitohui]

16. i like mine

much easier to keep clean

[TommyO]

19. Flat tops, better known as smooth surface cooktops can be very good

Especially if you go for Induction - they have the convenience of electricity, and the control of a gas cooktop. Instead of using electricity or gas to produce heat which then gets transferred to a pan, it heats the pan directly with an induction current. The downside is that the pan has to have a ferrous metal base (like stainless steel or cast iron) to work.

I have a small electric induction hob that works well, and as soon as somebody comes out with a freestanding induction range, I'm there.

[harmonicon]

20. I had one in the last place I rented

I guess it was ok, but I don't think it was really any better than the normal kind. Either way, I'd rather have gas burners.

[libnnc]

21. Thanks everyone

I think I'm going to stick with coil burners when the time comes.

I'd end up being to anal about scratching the stove top.

Thanks for all the input :hi: