How to Protect Glass Top Stove From Cast Iron

Glass is glass and it can break pretty easily. Glass top stoves are no exception. You’ve got to be careful because placing a hot pot on a cold cooktop could cause the glass to break. Or dropping something heavy could cause it to shatter. Learn how to protect glass top stove from cast iron cookware in this article.

Glass top stoves are gaining in popularity for their sleek and sophisticated design. The biggest disadvantage of glass top stoves is how fragile they are. They can be easily scratched or shattered by cookware. It’s recommended that some types of cookware not be used on a glass top stove. For example, glass, stoneware, and cast iron should not be used on glass stove tops.

If you want it to last you’ve got to know how to take care of it. Among other things this guide will cover how to protect glass top stove from cast iron, how to clean a glass top stove and how to protect a glass stove top. Lets take a look.

Can Cast Iron Pans Be Used on Glass Top Stoves?

Glass top stoves can be easily scratched or damaged. They are costly to repair if they shatter. There are three main reason why cast iron is not recommended to be used on glass top stoves: uneven bottom surface, size and weight of the pans, and the finished surface of the pans. Lets take a look at the reasons why you should not use cast iron on glass top stoves.

Uneven Bottom Surface

Glass top stoves work best with pots and pans that have a flat bottom. A flat bottom allows for even cooking and heat distribution. If the bottom is not flat, heat can built up under the pan which could cause your glass top to shatter.

The bottoms of cast iron pots and pans are not completely flat, which is why they are not recommended for glass top stoves.

While it may not be recommended, you can use cast iron on glass tops if you are really careful. Keep in mind if your glass top does break, you will need to spend between $150-$200 to replace it.

Size and Weight of Cast Iron

Cast iron pans are heavy and when you add a lot of food, they become even heavier. Despite being designed to hold a lot of weight, this weight could cause the glass cooktop to break if the pan is dropped on the surface.

Most manufacturers do not recommend using cast iron cookware on glass tops. Many cast iron pots and pans are extremely large compared to the burners. As a general guideline, pots and pans should be about an inch bigger than the burner. If your cookware is too big, it will take a lot longer to cook your food since a large amount of the pan is not resting directly on the heat source.

Finished Surface of Cast Iron

Cast iron that has not been treated with an enamel coating, may scratch the glass top. Most cast iron pots and pans have a rough finished surface. This surface, along with an uneven bottom is what can cause damage to a glass stove top.

Recently, manufacturers have started to make cast iron cookware with a porcelain enamel finish. This type of finish will help prevent scratches to your glass top stove.

How do you keep cast iron from scratching on a glass top stove?

Protecting your glass top stove from cast iron doesn’t have to be difficult. Now that we’ve covered how cast iron can damage your glass stove top, lets take a look at two ways to keep cast iron cookware from scratching or shattering our glass top stove.

Wash Your Cast Iron Before Each Use

You should wash your cast iron after each use, and again before each use.

Cast iron pot and pans can collect food, oil and other debris inside and outside. As a result, when you go to use your pan, this food and oil will start to heat up and quickly burn. These burnt stains will ruin the glass top surface of your stove.

In addition, burnt stains are really hard to remove from a glass top stove. If you wash your cast iron pots and pans after each use and before cooking, you can prevent damage to your stove top.

Avoid Sliding Your Cast Iron

As previously mentioned, cast iron is not recommended for a glass top because it can scratch the surface. To help avoid this, you should not slide your cast iron cookware on your glass top. Instead of sliding, lift up your cookware.

In addition, always be careful lifting up and setting down your pan, especially when its full of heavy food. Cast iron is extremely heavy and can shatter your glass top, if you’re not careful. The best practice is to use both hands to lift and gently set down to avoid scratching and shattering.

Protector for Glass Stove Top

When your glass stove top is not in use, a protector can be used. After your stove top has cooled down, simply place the protector on your stove top. These protectors completely cover your stove top protecting the glass from dust, scratches, and stains. You can even leave the cover on the stove top while using the oven.

Most of these protectors are made of quilted fabric. As a result, they can be easily cleaned by throwing it in the washing machine.

Cast Iron Heat Diffuser – How to Use

A great solution to safely using your cast iron cookware on your glass top is to use a heat diffuser. A heat diffuser is designed to fit on top of a stove burner. As a result, it is flat, round and usually made of metal. A heat diffuser can reduce the amount of het that comes in contact with the bottom of a pot or pan. In addition, it provides even heat distribution and protects your glass stove top from the weight and rough uneven bottoms of cast iron cookware.

A heat diffuser acts as a buffer between the pan and your stove top surface.

Heat diffusers are easy to use. Simply place the diffuser on your glass stove top directly over the burner. Next, you place your cast iron pan on top of the diffuser.

Heat diffusers should be used at medium heat level. You should also be careful with the heavy weight of your cast iron pan. Make sure the pan doesn’t shift the diffuser off the burner.

Another thing you want to watch out for is the temperature. Make sure you use it at a medium to low temperature. If you use high heat, it may damage the glass top surface. In addition, make sure you’re using a pan with the heat diffuser at all times.

How to protect glass stove top from scratching?

Glass stove tops can scratch easily. However, with a with simple precautions, you can prevent unnecessary damage. Below are seven tips to prevent scratches on your glass top stove.

Consider your cookware carefully. Cast iron as well as stoneware and ceramic can scratch glass tops. It is important to lift up the cookware instead of sliding it on your stove top. Sliding can cause scratches. Always lift up the pan and gently set it down.
Cookware should have flat bottoms, not round. Flat bottoms are more stable and don’t allow air to be trapped under them. If you’re pans are stable, there are less likely to move and scratch the surface.
Spills should be cleaned up immediately. If food is left on the surface, it will burn. If food burns on a glass top stove, it will be even more difficult to clean later.
Keep your glass top stove clean and your cookware cleaner. After each use, make sure you are cleaning your pots and pans thoroughly including the bottoms. Cast iron pans are notorious for collecting dirt on the bottom. when that dirt and grease heat up, they cause burns and stubborn marks on your glass top.
Avoid putting hot items on a cold glass top. When you remove items from the oven, they should not be put directly on the glass top. Instead, place them on a wire cooking rack on the stove top. If you put something hot on the cool surface it can leave marks and discoloration or even worse could shatter the glass top.
Always use a utensil holder to rest your spoon or utensil on when not using it. If you place a metal spoon or whisk directly on the glass top it could scratch.
Don’t sit or stand on your glass stove top. Glass stove tops are not meant to hold a ton of weight. If you need to reach something above the stove, use a step stool.

How to Clean a Glass Stove Top

Glass stove tops are very sleek and sophisticated, however they can get dirty really fast. We’ve gathered some tips and tricks to keeping your glass stove top clean.

Clean Daily

Your glass stove top should be cleaned daily. Make sure to wipe off any food or residue off the surface while the stove is still warm. After it cools, spray a combination of water and vinegar on the surface and wipe gently with a soft cloth.

General Cleaning Tips

Always check with your manufacturers instructions before cleaning with any thing other than water and vinegar. These guidelines will give you the best advice and tips to help you keep your stove clean.
If you spill on the surface, clean it up immediately to avoid burns. You don’t need anything special other than a soft cloth to clean up spills. If you’ve got a burn on the surface, you should wait until the cooktop has cooled down before cleaning.
Check all chemical cleaners before using them on your stove top. Chemical cleaners can be harsh so you only need to use a little bit along with warm water to clean it off.
If you have burnt food, use a very soft scouring pad to help scrub the surface without scratching it. Check with your manufacturer to see if they recommend.

Deep Cleaning

Deep cleaning should be done on a monthly basis. The process is simple, Once the stove top has cooled down, spray vinegar on the top. Sprinkle baking soda over the vinegar and let it work its magic for a few minutes.

Soak a soft cloth in warm water, squeeze out the excess water, and cover the stove top. Let is sit for about 15 minutes. Next, remove the cloth, and with a new clean cloth, wipe off the vinegar and baking soda mixture.

Finally use a mixture of vinegar and water to remove any leftover mixture and streaks. This should bring your stove top back to looking brand new.

How Do I Clean Burnt On Food?

Regardless if the type of cookware you use, there is always going to be burnt on food. The good news is there are tools that can help remove stubborn burnt on food.

Start by spraying the burnt area with a warm water and vinegar solution. Let is soak for a few minutes to soften the burnt food.

Next, gently angle a razor blade to scrape the burnt food . This should be done at a sharp angle so that you don’t scratch the surface of the stove top. Finish by wiping off the residue with a soft cloth.

What not to use on a glass top stove?

There are a few things you want to avoid with glass stove top. For example, abrasive cleaners should be avoided since they can scratch the surface.

Spills should not be allowed to sit on your glass top. Spills can leave a white or yellowish coloring which are impossible to remove.

People should not stand or kneel on top of a glass top. The stove top cannot handle that type of weight and will break.

Utensils that are metal or could scratch the surface should not be used. In stead, us plastic or even better a spoon holder to prevent contact with the surface.

Finally, never put a hot dish from the oven on your glass stove top. Hot items on a cool glass can cause it to shatter.

Conclusion

Cast iron cookware is great for cooking, but they aren’t the best option to use on glass top stoves. With a little care and consideration you can make it work. Let us know how you care for your glass stove top.