Quick Answer: Which frying pan should I choose for my electric stove?

In the kitchen, instead of stoves with gas burners or traditional cast-iron “pancakes,” elegant glass-ceramic hobs have appeared. They are convenient, practical, safe, and heat up quickly.

You will have to replace all existing utensils, purchase special frying pans and pots for glass-ceramic stoves, but the cooking process will be qualitatively different.

We will tell you which manufacturers offer cookware for such hobs, what the features of the products are, and approximately how much the purchase will cost.

Which pans are suitable

There is no need to worry about the difficulties of choosing cookware for glass ceramics. Modern manufacturers produce entire series of kitchen utensils for cooking, designed specifically for such hobs. If you think that the range is limited to stainless steel, then you are mistaken, but we will start the review with it - as it is ideal for technological panels with a ceran surface.

Stainless steel

The utensil is durable, easy to use, and does not pose a health hazard. It is distinguished by easy care, elegant appearance, and a variety of models.

Prohibited use

A glass-ceramic stove is an expensive unit, so the owners’ desire to extend the life of the panel and avoid breakdowns and repairs is understandable. They choose dishes responsibly and follow a number of rules. Having figured out which utensils are suitable, you need to understand which ones are strictly prohibited from being used:

dirty and rusty. Pots or pans for glass-ceramic stoves must be clean, without stains or rust marks;
with a concave and uneven bottom;
the old one, which was bought for a gas stove;
with roughness on the base. They scratch the panel and also slow down heating;

from soft materials. Aluminum and copper are not suitable, as they soften when heated and leave marks on the panel. Subsequently, the slab becomes unusable;
with a small bottom diameter. It is not recommended to place small containers (for example, a Turk) on the panel (the stove may not work), but if necessary, use an adapter;

wok-type frying pans and fryers. The bottom of such products expands upward, there is no tight fit, so uniform heating and rapid cooking are excluded.

Characteristics of the ideal pan bottom for glass-ceramic cookers

There are important requirements that apply to the surface of cookware that will be used on a glass-ceramic surface. The most important thing is that the bottom is level. This is precisely the main requirement. Therefore, in order to use pans or pots on a glass surface, they must have a flat bottom, with a dark or matte tint.

It is better that there is not even a small engraving on the bottom, then the grip will be maximum. It is worth considering that the diameter of the bottom should be exactly that which will ideally fit the heated surface.

Use of cast iron

This cookware is suitable for cooking on induction cookers. The disadvantage of cast iron products is their large mass, which requires more energy to heat the containers. Electricity consumption increases.

Place kitchen utensils on the hob carefully. Otherwise, the metal may scratch the electrical appliance. If you place the pan too sharply, the stove may break. Since the bottom is often not very smooth, the product will not heat up instantly.

Which dishes are not suitable?

Do not use cookware on a glass-ceramic hob that was previously used on a gas burner. Uneven bottoms of these pots and pans can damage the coating. There may be stains on the hob that cannot be removed. In addition to old dishes, it is also prohibited to use the following types:

Pots with rough or damaged bottoms.
Frying pans with welded seams or patched damage.
Do not use aluminum cookware made of copper, brass or ceramics. These materials leave stains on the surface of the hob that cannot be removed.
It is not recommended to use heat-resistant glass containers. The surface of the heating element will take too long to transfer heat. Thus, energy consumption increases.

It is important to choose the size of kitchen utensils for a glass-ceramic hob and match it with the diameter of the heating part of the panel. It is not recommended to use containers whose diameter is smaller than the hob. Such pans and pots are not suitable as there is a possibility that the glass-ceramic hob will overheat. You can use enamel cookware, but only if the bottom is smooth.

Tips for choosing

To select the right kitchen utensils, it is recommended to use a magnet, which should be placed on the bottom of the utensil when choosing. If it sticks, the container is suitable for use on an induction hob.

In addition to the above rule for an induction hob, other rules for choosing a suitable container are followed:

Kitchen utensils must have a perfectly flat bottom. Concave, damaged shapes are not allowed.
It is worth using kitchenware with a minimum bottom reflection coefficient. Thanks to this, the container heats up much faster, distribution occurs systematically. It is better to choose models with a dark or matte bottom. The glossy surface can reflect heat.
The bottom must have a thickness of 3 mm. If it is thinner, the cookware runs the risk of becoming deformed during the cooking process. Models that are too thick take a long time to warm up.
It is important to choose the correct bottom diameter. It must match the heating elements of the stove.
When choosing aluminum containers, it is recommended to choose models with a painted or steel bottom.
It is prohibited to use glass-ceramic containers on these stoves. In addition to the weak thermal conductivity of such an element, when using a plate and a container made of the same material together, the likelihood of scratching the surface increases.

Choosing kitchen utensils for a glass-ceramic panel is a labor-intensive and responsible task. But by choosing the right kitchen utensils, you can extend the life of the heating device. At the same time, food is prepared quickly, and energy consumption is rational.

What materials are safe

There are a number of materials that can be used on glass ceramic surfaces. Often, the instructions for the equipment contain a list of materials that are suitable for this type of slab. There are special markings on the dishes, which can be used to recognize compatibility with different types of surfaces.

Enameled cookware

This type of kitchen utensil must have a perfectly flat bottom, without scratches, gouges or damage. And the fact that modern manufacturers produce enamel dishes of different shades and textures will be a tangible plus.

Enameled frying pan.

Stainless steel

This is the most convenient and practical choice of materials. Pans and pots are very easy to clean, hold temperatures well and look stylish. Most often, there are special marks on the boxes or even on the samples of the dishes that indicate the possibility of use on this type of panel.

Stainless steel frying pan.

Aluminum with Teflon or ceramic coated bottom

Aluminum utensils in their original form are not suitable for glass-ceramic surfaces. But if it has a decent layer of non-stick coating made of Teflon or ceramic, then it will be quite useful.

Aluminum frying pan.

Heat resistant glass

Although it looks quite stylish and unusual, there are also some disadvantages. This material conducts heat rather slowly, so the dishes will heat up more slowly. Although heat-resistant glass utensils can be used for cooking, in order to save energy and speed up the cooking process, it is better to avoid them. On glass ceramics, a pan that is not the right size will get very hot.

Heat-resistant glass frying pan.

Cast iron

Although cast iron can be used to cook food on a glass surface, it is not advisable. This is due to a number of features of the material itself. It is heavy, so it takes quite a long time to heat up. The large format may cause scratches or damage due to careless movements. If the cookware is made of cast iron, then most often it is porous and not perfectly smooth, which complicates the heating process.

Cast iron frying pan.

Criteria for selecting cookware

Why are ordinary pots for electric stoves not suitable for glass ceramics? It's all about the heating features - the heat transfer from the heating elements goes strictly vertically to the bottom, which fits tightly, without gaps, to the surface of the stove.

In addition to a perfectly flat surface, consider the following:

no cracks, chips;
bottom thickness. It is desirable that it be more than 0.3 cm, otherwise, when quickly heated, the surfaces of the containers will become deformed;
compatibility of the materials from which kitchen utensils are made with glass ceramics.

For better interaction with the panel, it is recommended to choose products with a matte or dark bottom.

Separate requirements apply to pots, frying pans, and stewpans that are purchased for an induction glass-ceramic panel. They must have a bottom with magnetic properties, otherwise the stove will not heat the contents (we talked in detail about choosing cookware for induction in this article). For other types of burners this requirement is not necessary.

Some more tips on choosing cookware for glass ceramics (including induction hobs)

Whatever glass-ceramic hob you have - induction or standard, you need to use it carefully so as not to accidentally drop utensils on it or scratch it when moving it from place to place. Therefore, when choosing your frying pans, pots, cauldrons, cauldrons and stewpans, remember the following recommendations:

All fastenings on the handles of dishes must be reliable, ideally screwed and not welded.
It is advisable that the handles of the utensils have protection from heat to reduce the risk of burns to a minimum.
Also, containers must have stable and suitable-sized lids.
If you are about to buy a new hob, but because of your favorite cookware collection you are still unsure which stove to choose, then we advise you to think about combination stoves with conventional and induction heating zones.

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Additional requirements for dishes

When choosing kitchen utensils, consider the size of the hob. The diameter of pots and pans must match the burners.

The thickness of the bottom should be 3-4 mm. Thinner pans may warp during cooking. If the thickness exceeds 5 mm, the cooking process will be delayed and energy consumption will increase.

Glass ceramic cookware will not fit on a stove made of the same material. Using such utensils increases the risk of damage to the cooking surface and scratches.

It is better to take products with a matte black bottom - they hardly reflect heat. It is not recommended to purchase glossy ones due to their high reflectivity.

Check the container with a magnet before purchasing. If it sticks to the bottom, the pan is suitable for use on an induction cooktop.

Features of hobs

There are 2 types of glass-ceramic plates:

with simple heating elements;
with induction coil.

The tighter the bottom of the pan adheres to the cooking surface, the better the heat transfer. Because of this, woks and cauldrons cannot be used for cooking. Since there is an air gap between the bottom and the burner, heating the food will take a long time.

With an induction heating element, it is necessary to take into account the magnetic properties of the containers. Sensors installed in the stove will not respond to unsuitable cookware, and heating will not be activated.