Ceramic/Glass Electric Cooktops

[lizzie]

After living in a rental house with a less than desirable stove for over a year and half, I am ready to move in to my rebuilt home with a fabulous kitchen that includes a KitchenAid smooth ceramic (electric) stovetop. I am not sure what cookware will give the best results on this type of stove - does anyone have experience with and recommendations for cookware for a ceramic/glass cooktop?

[Sthitch]

Since my neighborhood does not have gas, when we bought a new range we went with a glass cook top. I have not had any issues with any of my All Clad, or Le Creuset. The one annoying thing about this and all electric element cook tops (coil or flattop) is that they cycle on and off.

[mdt]

Since my neighborhood does not have gas, when we bought a new range we went with a glass cook top. I have not had any issues with any of my All Clad, or Le Creuset. The one annoying thing about this and all electric element cook tops (coil or flattop) is that they cycle on and off.

Yup. No problems with mine either. The only issue that you might have is with old pots and pans that don't have flat bottoms anymore.

[lizzie]

I have nothing old - we had a fire more than one year ago (in which even my cast iron and Calphalon were destroyed) and are just getting back in our house - everything will be brand new -we own nothing having relied on a full house of Aaron-Rent-a-Center supplies including everything down to the vegetable peeler and spatula. So far we have only purchased some paring knives and dishes. I am restocking the entire kitchen (actually the whole house) - it is like getting your first apartment, but with a much better budget than I had when just starting out. That is the only bright side of this experience.

[legant]

I am restocking the entire kitchen (actually the whole house) - it is like getting your first apartment, but with a much better budget than I had when just starting out.

Can I go shopping with you? Kitchen shopping with a decent budget: I'd be like Tom Hanks in that movie where he gets a job at the toy store.

[bookluvingbabe]

Check the manual on your cooktop--some will say what kind of cookware is best.

I HATE the cycling on mine, hate how long it takes to cool down, but otherwise am pretty happy with it. I haven't had any problems with my Le Creuset--though the oval one doesn't fit very well on any of the burners.

Jennifer

[Jacques Gastreaux]

What a luxury, being able to restock a kitchen from the ground up. The first question to answer is whether your cooktop requires anything different than other types of cooktops. As BLB says, look at the owner's manual. I suspect that your cooktop can be used with most any type of cookware. If this is the case, I would follow the conventional advice and avoid buying a "set" of cookware. Look around and get best of breed for each piece. For instance, a Le Creuset french oven, a cast iron skillet. Egullet has a culinary institute on cookware that's worth reading. I've found that I like the De Buyer blue steel skillets that are available at La Cuisine in Old Town.