Need opinions on flat top stoves

[Bridget]

We need to buy a new stove. My husband wants a flat-top stove. I do think they are nice looking, but my concern is the cleaning. I have seen some that look absolutely terrible once they have had stuff boil over and all. From folks who have them, I am asking if they are difficult to keep clean, especially if something gets burned on, etc.? How do you clean them? Can you use abrasives, such as a Brillo pad? I asked my friend these questions and she said her mother has one and it is easy, she just uses a razor blade to remove burnt on stuff...well if you have to go after it with a razor blade, that doesn't sound "easy" to me!

[charliebbarkin]

There's a cleaner. Cooktop magic I think. Works great.

[BaconsMom]

There's a cleaner. Cooktop magic I think. Works great.

Just look for glass cooktop cleaner. We dont use abrasives, just either a sponge or towel. Spread on the cleaner, let it sit, then wipe away.

[Molly41]

I've had one for almost ten years now and it still looks beautiful. A couple of things go into keeping it that way. The main thing is that you never let it get a build up of gunk. Always start with a clean burner. Before putting anything on the stove, I use a towel to do a quick swipe the bottom of the pan and the top of the stove to be sure anything abrasive, like salt, is removed. It's just become a habit to do that now.

Once the burners cool down, I will use either a damp cloth (sometimes with a little dishsoap) to wipe it down. If stuff gets burned on - like in a boil over or spill - I will follow up with Weiman Glass Cooktop cleaner. A little squirt and rub with a paper towel until the stuff is gone and the cleaner is buffed out. It only takes a minute or two to do. Not really something that occurs often.

Never use anything sharp for any reason. You will ruin your cooktop. Check the bottom of your pots/pans to see if they have sharp edges. If so, just be careful when moving them around on the stove.

It might sound like a lot of care but really it isn't. It's just part of cleaning up after a meal. Like anything else, if you give it regular care, it should keep looking great.

Good Luck!

[smartrock]

You're talking the stoves with porcelain enamel or ceramic tops? I've had 2, each in different houses. I like them, better than electric coils or gas elements which I find a total pain to clean when a pot boils over and the stuff gets all down under the heating element. In fact, one stove was in a vacation rental property that got heavy seasonal use and I can tell you, many renters do not give a rat's a$$ about caring for the items in a rental- cooking knives used as screw drivers, pots bent way out of shape (what the heck were they doing with them?), stains on upholstery and carpeting, dog pee on sofas and draperies, cabinets in total disarray, yet the cooktop still looks nearly new and the stove is at least 10 years old.

There are some things you need to be careful about, not dragging pots across the top- it can scratch. Not letting something in a cabinet above the stove fall out and hit the cook top-> breakage. I have not used a razor blade to get burned on stuff off, but the instructions with the stove I have in this house says you can use one on heavy, burned on residue. I try hard to clean up spills as soon as possible, use a polish specifically designed for this type cook top, and it's really not any more work than a different type top, I think it's actually easier to keep clean looking. I'm certainly no professional chef, my chef child would not want one of these, but they have met my needs very suitably.

[Waylons_Mom]

I have had them for about 8 years. I recently just bought a new GE hearth collection. You can buy glass top stoves cleaners(I buy mine at my grocery store) wait until the stove cools down and the hot surface light goes out spread the cleaner on with a soft towel let haze over just like waxing a car and rub off again with a soft clean towel. I polish my entire cook top about 3 or 4 times a week and then in between i use warm soapy water and dry off. Never use a razor blade or abrasive cleaners on them.

[JenC]

I don't like electric at all, so while I think the flat top is pretty for a kitchen, I would never consider it.

[Lauranj]

I am in the minority, I absolutely hate my glass cooktop. My dh also was the one who wanted it and it was marked down (from over a thousand to eight hundred something) and I loathe it. I polish it everyday and it takes so much longer than the regular finishes. I wanted stainless, what was there, and it was easier to clean than the glass (and stainless also has to be polished but it was less streaky and faster). I am really fussy about no streaks so I polish and then check it from all different angles and if I see any streak I re-polish. I can easily spend 30 minutes on the stupid cooktop. I am actually considering replacing it when we redo the kitchen just because I dislike it so much. If anyone touches it, a smudge appears which also bothers me. Ours is on a peninsula so it is in a high traffic area and is next to the landing spot for the fridge so things get set down next to it and people (dh and kids) will touch the edges sometimes. Sometimes I think they do it on purpose to see if I notice.

[voodoo]

is this what you are talking about?




its 10 years old and reasonably clean. The wife and I arent clean freaks and I dont see the challenge in keeping it clean.

[doubledip1]

Weiman cook top cleaner and a razor blade for really burnt on stuff. I LOVE my glass cooktop. I much prefer them to electric coil. I'm in the minority also of hating gas... and I cook a lot. Yes, it's easier to control, but I really worry about gas leaks.