David asked: This question is related to the Cleaning of 2011 Glass Stove Tops. I’m reading posts from upset owners of several of the top brands of stove tops. They are saying that they no longer work properly only after a year’s use. Scratches have damaged their ability to transfer heat and microwaves in order to heat up the cooking pots and pans. These are not deep scars, but scratches that have happened by putting these pots and pans down onto the surface and moving them around. Is this true and are these scratches repairable?
Glass
top stoves, although attractive, are notorious for scratching. Worse, many of these scratches occur during routine use. While you can often reduce the appearance of the scratches, the best solution is to prevent them altogether. Here are some tips.
- Never move a pan back and forth over the burner. Pick it up instead.
- Only use pots and pans with smooth bottoms while cooking on a glass top.
- Periodically scrub the bottoms of your pans. Any burned on food will scratch and/or damage the stove.
- Clean spills as soon as they’re cool enough to safely wipe away. Sugary spills, in particular, are infamous for causing pitting.
- Avoid contact between your glass cook top and aluminum foil. Foil can leave dark gray streaks and marks that are especially noticeable on white cook tops.
- According to GE Appliances, the best type of pans to use to avoid scratches are ones with stainless steel bottoms.
- Keep the surface clean, even when not in use. The stove doesn’t have to be hot for an item to scratch it.
- There are glass stove top covers you can get to help protect the stove while it is not in use.
- One site user has just written in (Thanks Mark!) to let us know that there is a new product called a LoMi mat, which can be placed on the cooktop while cooking to prevent the pans from scratching.
In the event that your glass cook top is scratched, you can still cook on it and it should perform as well as it did before the scratch. The same is true of mild to moderate pitting. If the stove is cracked, however, you should discontinue use of the cook top immediately. Contact the manufacturer, as a relatively new stove may still be under warranty. If not, you can order a replacement cook top and fix it yourself (a fairly easy chore if you’re at all handy) or otherwise, call an appliance repair company to discuss repair or replacement.
For information on removing scratches, see our guide How to Remove Scratches from Glass Stove Tops.
How to clean oven racks after they were left in the oven during self cleaning process? Have I ruined my oven’s racks after leaving them in while self cleaning? I was told the change of color is toxic and should be scoured or replaced. Is this true?
Jane,
There are a variety of reasons why the racks could have discolored in the high heat of the self clean cycle, such as the coating on them discoloring or the metal itself discoloring, etc. In terms of knowing if they are unhealthy to continue using, it would bebest to contact your oven manufacturer to determine what type of racks you have (coated, uncoated, etc.) and as about the health concern. To remove the discoloration, you can try using the method in the guide How to Remove Discoloration from Oven Racks. Good luck!
Source: SF Gate – What If You Leave the Racks in During Oven Cleaning?
Source: HHGregg – Why You Should Remove Oven Racks Before Self Cleaning
I can not believe someone has not invented a glass top that will not hurt the cooking, but could protect it from pots. They can fly a man to the moon, but not do this small thing.
I know you can buy a piece of tempered glass to place on top of a glass stove. You can cook on the glass instead of ruining the expensive glass stovetop. I know because I’ve seen it advertised before. I’m trying to find that again and I cannot…instead there’s all this useless crap they’re suggesting to ‘protect’ the stove, which is all just a gimmick. Please tell me where to buy the glass you can place over the glass stove top.
Hello M,
Have you found out where you can get the tempered glass to put over a glass cooktop to protect it? If so, please let me know that information. I would greatly appreciate it.
Hi. I also just bought a glass stop stove the second day I got a little scatch on the glass, something must have been under the pot, and I also have been looking for a way to not have this happen again so I’ve been on every site I can find, but as you said, just silly clothes or covers that dosen’t help me, so if you have found where I can get the glass I would so appreciate it. It’s just a little scratch, but its already bothering me. My husband says you can’t really tell, but he’s a man; I can tell and I don’t want it to happen again, lol. Thanks.
Hi, I just bought a electric glass top stove, not induction. There is a company in Canada called LoMi. I bought a LoMi mat.
Simply place the mat on the stove and place your pots and pans on top of it. It discolors and only comes in white. Apparently you can clean it with bleach if it really bothers you. It’s not meant to look pretty; it’s just meant to work.
Those lomi mats are terrible. They come apart after 2 months; made of as estos so there is some dust when woven parts come apart or easily rip.