Best Cookware for Electric Smoothtop

[Laker14]

Well, looks like we finally did it. Haven't closed yet but have an agreement to purchase a home. I love cooking with gas, but the house we are buying has a nearly brand new smooth top electric.
We've been renting a few years, cooking on smooth tops, with crappy pans that are warped, so only a small portion of the pan is actually touching the surface.

What is a good product that will cook well, not warp, and not destroy the range top?

[retiredguy123]

I like cast aluminum pots and pans. But, make sure your cooktop is not an induction type. Those require a special type of cookware.

[bluedivergirl]

I like cast aluminum pots and pans. But, make sure your cooktop is not an induction type. Those require a special type of cookware.

I doubt the Villages installs induction routinely. An induction range is around $3,000. I have one and love it.

The only requirement for induction is the pan needs to be magnetic. The stronger the magnetic attraction, the better the induction.

My pans are All-Clad, and I love them. They are very heavy, though. A person with weak or arthritic hands would have a hard time with them.

[Sweatman]

We’ve used a smooth-top stove since the 80’s. Any flat bottom pan will work. Warped, not so much. Pans will warp if taken from hot to cold quickly, like placing hot pan under cold water. Even cast iron will work on smooth top, just be careful not to slide the cast iron on the glass top to avoid scratching. We inherited an existing gas stove when we moved here. We found the heat from the open burners warmed the kitchen excessively so we bought another smooth top. Hope you enjoy.

[karostay]

Been using my Lodge cast iron 10 years no issues love it

[OpusX1]

We used strictly cast iron on our electric smooth top. Always worked great. Keeping the top very clean is very important.

[Cupcake57]

Well, looks like we finally did it. Haven't closed yet but have an agreement to purchase a home. I love cooking with gas, but the house we are buying has a nearly brand new smooth top electric.
We've been renting a few years, cooking on smooth tops, with crappy pans that are warped, so only a small portion of the pan is actually touching the surface.

What is a good product that will cook well, not warp, and not destroy the range top?

All-clad. after 10 years look brand new. Would not recommend cast iron-can scratch the cooktop if slid across the top.

[retiredguy123]

We used strictly cast iron on our electric smooth top. Always worked great. Keeping the top very clean is very important.
I agree with keeping it clean. I thought it would be easy to clean a glass cooktop, but it is very difficult to get baked on food off of it.

I am afraid to use cast iron because, if you drop it, you could break the glass cooktop.

[Carla B]

All-clad. after 10 years look brand new. Would not recommend cast iron-can scratch the cooktop if slid across the top.

And if the cast iron pan has a ridge on the bottom, it can etch the smooth cook top permanently. How do I know? That happened to me.

[John41]

Well, looks like we finally did it. Haven't closed yet but have an agreement to purchase a home. I love cooking with gas, but the house we are buying has a nearly brand new smooth top electric.
We've been renting a few years, cooking on smooth tops, with crappy pans that are warped, so only a small portion of the pan is actually touching the surface.

What is a good product that will cook well, not warp, and not destroy the range top?

My wife uses good quality stainless steel pots with a clad bottom and also cast iron. We use Ceramabrite to keep the cooktop clean , which is my job.

[dtennent]

We have used All Clad for several years and have found that it is worth the cost. Despite an earlier comment, there are induction cook tops in TV homes. Also, even though the glass surface has been strengthened, it can be broken if you drop a heavy pot from a high enough surface. So I would be careful to clean the surfaces quickly with a non abrasive cleaner. Good luck - I hope that you have a great time here.

[Jazzcat]

Well, looks like we finally did it. Haven't closed yet but have an agreement to purchase a home. I love cooking with gas, but the house we are buying has a nearly brand new smooth top electric.
We've been renting a few years, cooking on smooth tops, with crappy pans that are warped, so only a small portion of the pan is actually touching the surface.

What is a good product that will cook well, not warp, and not destroy the range top?

We recently sold our relatively new electric smooth top range for a professional brand gas range and couldn't be more pleased! There's no comparison. It was nearly impossible to adequately control the heat settings on the electric range, while the gas range allows for infinite heat settings. As for cookware, I have used my Lodge cast iron skillets, as well as Calphalon and Circulon pans on both ranges, with success.
Best of luck with your new home!

[Mrmean58]

I doubt the Villages installs induction routinely. An induction range is around $3,000. I have one and love it.

The only requirement for induction is the pan needs to be magnetic. The stronger the magnetic attraction, the better the induction.

My pans are All-Clad, and I love them. They are very heavy, though. A person with weak or arthritic hands would have a hard time with them.

Our home in Pine Hills was built with an electric induction stove top. We love it. We can barely tell the difference between it and our prior electric stove top. We bought all of our cookware from William Sonoma with ceramic lining on sale. Would definitely buy them again

[geobet]

When we purchased a new electric range we were told to clean the top before the first use. 7 yrs later it still looks great. We use clad aluminum pots.

[sdeikenberry]

I've used Calphalon non-stick on my smooth top with good success for some 10 years now. The lifetime guarantee with Calphalon as been a very worthwhile benefit also. I've used the guarantee numerous times since first purchasing my set in 2003. When the non-stick coating gets scratched or starts to wear off, I get a new pan for the price of postage. Calphalon also doesn't warp if used correctly.

[skippy05]

You should highly consider changing your range to an Induction, smooth-top glass because:

-The glass surface gets extremely warm but not hot, induction heats the pan and not the surface. Therefore less burnt-on residue on the glass-top to clean. (this is a big problem with ceramic style glass tops. Also, less escaped heat...because none of the heat goes around the pan like most of it does with gas. (Therefore you heat up your house less when cooking on the surface.)
-Induction can rapidly bring to a boil in less than 10% of the time it would take you with gas or a ceramic heat style range. You'll be in and out of the kitchen faster. It even boils water faster than in a microwave if need be using the power-boost feature.
-Induction heat is faster "on" and "off" than gas. I have found it far superior than cooking with gas (which I had done for many years)
-Induction low simmer heat is far superior to gas and maintainable. You can even melt chocolate without a double boiler because the low heat is so controllable.
-All glass tops will scratch if you slide the pan across it. Never do that.
- buy from webstaurantstore.com the "vollrath tribute" series pots, pans, and flat style lids with "L" shaped handles. They are far less expensive than al-clad, less heavy to handle, excellent for induction or any cooktop, actually. They are not over priced and you can buy only the individual pots, pans, and lids that you think you'll use instead of some "set" that contains items you'll never use in the wrong sizes.

[Beanze]

Well, looks like we finally did it. Haven't closed yet but have an agreement to purchase a home. I love cooking with gas, but the house we are buying has a nearly brand new smooth top electric.
We've been renting a few years, cooking on smooth tops, with crappy pans that are warped, so only a small portion of the pan is actually touching the surface.

What is a good product that will cook well, not warp, and not destroy the range top?

My husband loves Blue Diamond, I have bought two other brands & he does not like them. Good luck, there are so many choices
Welcome to The Villages

[ruralgoddess]

Calphalon

[SFSkol]

Use Barkeepers Friend to keep clean. Gets everything off with a little elbow grease.

Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/s?k=barkeepers+friend&ref=nb_sb_noss_2)

[gwenhwalker@yahoo.com]

I like cast aluminum pots and pans. But, make sure your cooktop is not an induction type. Those require a special type of cookware.

I have induction type pots and pans. Best ever for even heat and no warping

[woderfulwendy1]

Had a smooth top. After buying new cookware and having to constantly clean the stove top, for every little spot. I would suggest, if your home has gas, sell the electric smooth top and get gas. No matter what enjoy your new home.

[karostay]

All-clad. after 10 years look brand new. Would not recommend cast iron-can scratch the cooktop if slid across the top.

10 years no scratches chicken little thinking

[BeckyH]

You are going to love how easy it is to clean vs the heavy grills
on the top of your gas. I had mine for 17 years, and it still looked like brand new when we sold our home. Happy to say our house in TV has glass top as well!!! Any pan works on them. Pitch the warped one. Have fun living in TV!!!

[Windguy]

Before you spend a lot of money on a new stove or even new cookware, try flattening your old pan first. I haven’t tried this myself, although I need to, but this was easy to google:

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/flatten-skillet-31924.html

[MandoMan]

Well, looks like we finally did it. Haven't closed yet but have an agreement to purchase a home. I love cooking with gas, but the house we are buying has a nearly brand new smooth top electric.
We've been renting a few years, cooking on smooth tops, with crappy pans that are warped, so only a small portion of the pan is actually touching the surface.

What is a good product that will cook well, not warp, and not destroy the range top?

Here is the top-rated collection of non-stick cookware for smoothtop ranges. I have this set and love it. I bought it from Amazon. Cuisinart Green Gourmet. I also bought a heavy-duty Cuisinart rack from Amazon to hang the cookware. Setting that up took quite a bit of work, as I had screw it into studs, and the house has steel studs in that spot that don’t match the holes in the rack. So I screwed pieces of 1x4” red oak into the studs, then screwed the rack to the oak. Worked well, and now I have a lot more room in the cupboards.

[greenflash245]

go to Macy's. they have numerous brands of quality sets. get stainless for best results.do not get aluminum. it will warp in no time.

[greenflash245]

is this a new Brand of cookware? maybe re read the post. I think you missed the question

[Merrills]

Pop for good pans like those from Williams and Sonoma. I have several of those including my favorite saucier and never ever a problem

[Merrills]

Had a smooth top. After buying new cookware and having to constantly clean the stove top, for every little spot. I would suggest, if your home has gas, sell the electric smooth top and get gas. No matter what enjoy your new home.
Use Mr Clean magic erasers to clean your stove top easily

[bjp1673]

At my home in PA we replaced the electric smooth (which I hated) to an induction cooktop and I love it. It’s much easier to control temperature and cooks more like gas. You do need cookware marked induction, but so worth it.

[Jerseyborn]

Tramontina pans and pots are perfect. Not too pricey and available on Amazon.

[jbrown132]

I agree with keeping it clean. I thought it would be easy to clean a glass cooktop, but it is very difficult to get baked on food off of it.

I am afraid to use cast iron because, if you drop it, you could break the glass cooktop.
I agree about cast iron, you have to be very, very careful or you will scratch the top. With regards to baked on food. I use a razor, similar to a painters razor but with a different handle, to remove the baked on food. I have bee using this for about 5 years and have had no problems with scratching. After using the razor I use a cleaner specifically made for glass top stoves. When done looks brand new. My cookware is all Calphalon.

[Barkriver]

All Clad is great!

[Dean67]

You could get a propane tank buried in your yard and cook with gas. A lot of people do that

[wjones53]

My husband and I also prefer cooking on a gas stove top and actually started to look for a new home in the newest parts of The Villages. Eventually I looked into having a propane tank put in (underground) and we were able to buy a duel fuel range (gas stove/dual electric oven). We love it and now I don’t have to move.

[paulajr]

My husband and I also prefer cooking on a gas stove top and actually started to look for a new home in the newest parts of The Villages. Eventually I looked into having a propane tank put in (underground) and we were able to buy a duel fuel range (gas stove/dual electric oven). We love it and now I don’t have to move.

Same here! Since I didn’t have to move...I splurged and bought a Wolf Stove!

[airstreamingypsy]

All Clad stainless cookware here, this is my first electric stove and after 6 years I still hate it..... but I'm used to it.

[RICH1]

I read no cast iron on electric flat tops , but I also met people that do use it! I have gas, talk later ...

[daveac83]

Well, looks like we finally did it. Haven't closed yet but have an agreement to purchase a home. I love cooking with gas, but the house we are buying has a nearly brand new smooth top electric.
We've been renting a few years, cooking on smooth tops, with crappy pans that are warped, so only a small portion of the pan is actually touching the surface.

What is a good product that will cook well, not warp, and not destroy the range top?
Good quality pots and pans with the solid metal bottom. Check Bed Bath and Beyond after you get some of their 20% coupons.

[La lamy]

I've always had electric stoves and I've had my Lagostina pots and pans for decades. No warping. They also have Lagostina scrubbing powder to clean them, which is truly remarkable. It's astonishing what comes off the pans with that product, even after having cleaned them with normal dishsoap.

[popbaby2]

I doubt the Villages installs induction routinely. An induction range is around $3,000. I have one and love it.

The only requirement for induction is the pan needs to be magnetic. The stronger the magnetic attraction, the better the induction.

My pans are All-Clad, and I love them. They are very heavy, though. A person with weak or arthritic hands would have a hard time with them.

They are not that expensive. But wont be installed by villages. Most of my pots worked and they aren't heavy. Had to buy a couple of frying pans - they are clearly marked if work with induction. iMO much better than gas! And much much better than regular electric.

[rothbear]

I have cooked on a smooth top since 1974. Regular smooth tops (non-induction) you can pretty much use anything that is flat on the bottom. I even used my Corning Ware. If you wipe up spills as soon as they happen the cleaning is easier. Razor blade to get off the heavy stuff and then a cooktop cleaner. I have even used Soft Scrub with some water added and then a cooktop polish with no damage. Be aware that the top stays hot for awhile when you are done. I have had Sears Kenmore, GE and Whirlpool brands over the years.

When they built this house they had gas (propane) already piped in and I was going to go with gas. But then I had found out that they had started making induction ranges (not just cooktops) and I decided to go that direction with a Fridgidaire and I have never regretted it for a moment! I have found it cooks pretty much like gas. Only heats up the area where the pan is and once you turn it off it cools down fast. Also has controls in the back, which is good since we have a new granddaughter and when she visits I know she won't be messing with them. I already had a set of Cook's Essentials stainless steel pans with bonded bases from QVC and they worked perfectly. Of course I could no longer use my CorningWare, but that's ok. The non-stick on my pans has started to go so I have purchased Calphalon and Circulon both working fine. Just make sure that it says it's induction compatible. Swiss Diamond also makes an induction compatible pan. I had one of their frypans that my neighbor in SC gave me (she worked for them) and I loved it but unfortunately it wasn't one of the inducton ones and I had to give it to my daughter. I am currently looking at AllClad (expensive), LeCruset (heavy and expensive), Swiss Diamond for my saute pan because I can't find the one I want in others. Still trying for Circulon as I've been happy with that pan.

[jump4]

Check out TJ Maxx! They have an aisle with a nice variety of pots & pans; most at excellent prices. Better yet, most of them are induction ready!

Regardless of whether your stovetop is induction or regular glasstop electric, induction-ready pans will work very well for you. They come in both non-stick and regular.
Induction-ready pans must have extremely sturdy, flat bottoms and be magnetic; they will work on all types of cooktops. Unfortunately, store websites don't do a good job of identifying which cookware is induction-ready, and even in the store I often have to look very closely at labels and boxes to see if it says induction ready. Note that most brands (e.g. Circulon, Analon, etc.) make both regular and induction-ready pans, so you have to check each style carefully.

In addition to TJ Maxx, I bought a set of induction-ready ceramic skillets at Costco, and Anolon Nouvelle Copper Luxe Sable Hard-Anodized Non-Stick Skillet Set from Macy's. Although Bed Bath and Beyond has a wide selection of cookware, most is not induction-ready. I don't think you can beat the value at TJ Maxx and Costco.





Well, looks like we finally did it. Haven't closed yet but have an agreement to purchase a home. I love cooking with gas, but the house we are buying has a nearly brand new smooth top electric.
We've been renting a few years, cooking on smooth tops, with crappy pans that are warped, so only a small portion of the pan is actually touching the surface.

What is a good product that will cook well, not warp, and not destroy the range top?

[Carla B]

Agree that TJ Maxx has good buys on cookware. Years ago I collected Circulon pots and pans, all from TJ Maxx. Unfortunately, my husband hated them because he claimed that food stuck in the grooves on the bottom and he couldn't get them clean. Since he does some of the cooking and all the dish washing, and I didn't want to disturb that protocol, we gave them away.

[Tsalla Apopka]

I agree with keeping it clean. I thought it would be easy to clean a glass cooktop, but it is very difficult to get baked on food off of it.

I am afraid to use cast iron because, if you drop it, you could break the glass cooktop.

A razor blade scraper works well and safely.

[JC and John]

Well, looks like we finally did it. Haven't closed yet but have an agreement to purchase a home. I love cooking with gas, but the house we are buying has a nearly brand new smooth top electric.
We've been renting a few years, cooking on smooth tops, with crappy pans that are warped, so only a small portion of the pan is actually touching the surface.

What is a good product that will cook well, not warp, and not destroy the range top?
Love my All-Clad pots and pans. I use them on a smooth top electric stove and can control the temperature a bit better with these pans than with cheaper pans. They are heavy and a bit pricey but the cooking results and clean up ease are worth it. I love my pans so much that Santa brought me the All-Clad 7 qt. Electric skillet. It certainly lives up to all the great reviews. I am waiting for the day I can replace my smooth top stove with an induction stove. For the person that said the smooth top was hard to clean, I use Cerama Bryte and a safety razor blade (recommended by stove mfg.) to get the stubborn stains off. Use the razor blade just like you were removing paint from a window. Works great and NO scratches. BTW, Bar Keepers Friend will keep the insides of the All-Clad stainless steel pans looking like new.

[graciegirl]

Well, looks like we finally did it. Haven't closed yet but have an agreement to purchase a home. I love cooking with gas, but the house we are buying has a nearly brand new smooth top electric.
We've been renting a few years, cooking on smooth tops, with crappy pans that are warped, so only a small portion of the pan is actually touching the surface.

What is a good product that will cook well, not warp, and not destroy the range top?

I use all of the regular pans I have had for years and a few new ones coated with stuff. They all work just fine.

You will need to remember that it takes a few seconds for the heat to hit and it stays hot after you turn it down or off. That said, please don't be afraid of your smooth cooktop. I clean spills off of it with a Brillo pad and it has never scratched. I wash the ordinary grease spatters off with a wet cloth using a solution of dishwashing soap...It keeps it sparkling for things that don't get cooked on. I don't think that you need to worry about destroying the range top. I cook every day and my cook top is ten years old and looks great and is not marred.

[PaulUnderwood]

Tramontina Gourmet Tri-Ply Clad 10 Piece Cookware Set
TramontinaModel: 80116/248DS
Best bang for the buck check America Test Kitchen sold at Walmart.com

[Finchs]

Just don't make the mistake I did and buy Gotham cookware; you don't always get what you pay for! I bought an entire set about 3 years ago and not only did they warp (and I don't put cold water on hot pans!) but the supposedly non-stick surfaces revert to sticking after about a year's use. I returned a couple of pans during the first year, then just gave up and am replacing the lot of them.

[laboutj]

Well, looks like we finally did it. Haven't closed yet but have an agreement to purchase a home. I love cooking with gas, but the house we are buying has a nearly brand new smooth top electric.
We've been renting a few years, cooking on smooth tops, with crappy pans that are warped, so only a small portion of the pan is actually touching the surface.

What is a good product that will cook well, not warp, and not destroy the range top?

We just purchased a home in October and it has a Whirlpool glass cooktop. We purchased Calphalon cookware from Macy's for it and it works well. For our house up north we have gas and that is a mix of Green Pan, All Clad and Calphalon. All work well with the exception of the Green Pan, those are supposed to be non-stick and that wore off after a while. We did use induction while on vacation in Italy and France. Have to admit it's pretty cool. If the Whirlpool in TV goes it would be a choice of putting in a propane tank for gas or going induction. Either way the Calphalon will still work.

[jump4]

We closed on our new house in Fenny in April 2020. Induction cooktop was available from the Builder. It took some getting used to, but we now really like it and it's so easy to keep clean.

[Laker14]

Thanks for all of the responses. After I posted this question I did a search on YouTube, and one video was made by a man who sells stoves in an appliance store. He said don't worry about cast iron, and proceeded to put a cast iron pan on the smooth glass top of a brand new showroom unit, and with force, drag the cast iron all over the top. He said it looked like it scratched the glass, but in fact it was the bottom of the pan coming off on the top of the stove which he cleaned off easily. Gave me the willies watching him do that though.

[MiNana]

I have a set of Farberware pots and fry pans, that I've had for about 25 yrs and they work just fine on my glass top electric range.

[jump4]

Well, looks like we finally did it. Haven't closed yet but have an agreement to purchase a home. I love cooking with gas, but the house we are buying has a nearly brand new smooth top electric.
We've been renting a few years, cooking on smooth tops, with crappy pans that are warped, so only a small portion of the pan is actually touching the surface.

What is a good product that will cook well, not warp, and not destroy the range top?
Here are some links to good reviews of pots & Pans:
Sets: The Best Cookware Set for 2020 | Reviews by Wirecutter (https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-cookware-set/)
Non-stick: Best Nonstick Pan 2020 | Reviews by Wirecutter (https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-nonstick-pan/#also-great-all-clad-b1-hard-anodized-nonstick-fry-pans-set)

[retiredguy123]

Thanks for all of the responses. After I posted this question I did a search on YouTube, and one video was made by a man who sells stoves in an appliance store. He said don't worry about cast iron, and proceeded to put a cast iron pan on the smooth glass top of a brand new showroom unit, and with force, drag the cast iron all over the top. He said it looked like it scratched the glass, but in fact it was the bottom of the pan coming off on the top of the stove which he cleaned off easily. Gave me the willies watching him do that though.
I would like to see him drop a cast iron skillet a few inches onto the glass surface.

[DAVES]

Well, looks like we finally did it. Haven't closed yet but have an agreement to purchase a home. I love cooking with gas, but the house we are buying has a nearly brand new smooth top electric.
We've been renting a few years, cooking on smooth tops, with crappy pans that are warped, so only a small portion of the pan is actually touching the surface.

What is a good product that will cook well, not warp, and not destroy the range top?.

I too prefer gas but have electric. You will learn to cook on electric.

You state your pans are warped. That is not gas or electric, they were poor quality pans.
Probably not worth the effort and it seems like you wish to start you new home with new pots, but, you can put a warped pot on a flat surface and play auto body repair to again flatten it out.

Our electric stove and I think any of the ones with what you describe as a flat top have a step-less heat control knob. At say medium setting unlike gas where you turn down the flame and thus the heat, it is on at full high and then turns off and then back on again.
I suppose it averages as half. It however is far more likely to burn your food.

If,you are used to olive oil, beware it is a low heat oil and thus, far more likely to burn on an electric stove. You can buy a disc to put under a pan to better distribute the heat and prevent burning. I have cut the bottom out of old fry pans for the same purpose.
I've never done it but you can use a cast iron fry pan under a pot. You will heat up your kitchen and risk burning yourself as it does not fit under the pot very well.

There will surely be posts, my pot is better than your pot. I prefer stainless with a thick copper or aluminum bottom. I would avoid unknown cheap stuff from China. Not all stainless steel is truly stainless. I avoid aluminum pans rumor is it is not good health-wise. I avoid non-stick pans. Is the coating good for you? Remember when Teflon was and now it is not-it never was but we all bought it.

Brand names? I still have and occasionally use a Presto pressure caner. It was my grandmother's the company supplied instructions were printed in 1945. It still works fine
and you can still buy parts for it.

[DAVES]

I have a set of Farberware pots and fry pans, that I've had for about 25 yrs and they work just fine on my glass top electric range.

We do too. Ours are close to 50 years old. I'm not sure they are still made the same. Thickness of the metal etc.

[DAVES]

Thanks for all of the responses. After I posted this question I did a search on YouTube, and one video was made by a man who sells stoves in an appliance store. He said don't worry about cast iron, and proceeded to put a cast iron pan on the smooth glass top of a brand new showroom unit, and with force, drag the cast iron all over the top. He said it looked like it scratched the glass, but in fact it was the bottom of the pan coming off on the top of the stove which he cleaned off easily. Gave me the willies watching him do that though.

All these demos. Remember the cowboy movies and the guy selling snake oil?
Cast iron? I have a friend who regularly uses it. Instructions in plainspeak, don't clean it gets better as more char piles up. The stove heat I'm sure kills the germs but..........

[Shimpy]

I agree with keeping it clean. I thought it would be easy to clean a glass cooktop, but it is very difficult to get baked on food off of it.

I am afraid to use cast iron because, if you drop it, you could break the glass cooktop.

Baked food comes off easily with a razor blade. Single edge blades are the easiest to use.

[Carlsondm]

I have All Clad and cook mostly on an induction stove top, located next to the installed Samsung gas range. I wanted cookware that would work on electric smooth, gas, and induction because we RV'd and used a variety of cooking sources. Keep pots and pans flat on the bottom for smooth surface electric and magnetic on the bottom for induction and you should be fine much of the time.

Induction is very fast, clean, and more easily controlled than gas, so my gas stove sits until I need a broiler or oven. The surface gas burners are rarely used because they get dirty fast and are a pain to clean. We had a burner cover made to increase our work surfaces - that's how often it is used. The gas range may be useful after a hurricane.

[Jimmy Lee]

We spend 10 1/2 months a year in The Villages using a glass-top electric range and 1 1/2 months up north using a gas range so get to compare every year and have done so for years and we've had plenty of experience with gas ranges in previous homes. Neither my wife nor I see a significant advantage for gas. We are able to fine tune the temperature with our electric range very well. I know the celebrity cooks on TV use gas so gas has snob appeal factor going for it. As for cleaning, boil over a pot of spaghetti sauce on a gas stove and you'll get to take it apart and scrub all the parts and you'll wish you had a glass top electric. We clean our glass top electric with a singe edge razor blade to get the big stuff off and use Weiman Cook Top Cleaner to finish the job. We use Circulon Momentum cookware (Circulon makes 5 or more different lines of cookware with different names). It's aluminum so it's light weight and easy to handle and the handles are covered with a soft material that give you a good grip and doesn't get hot like a metal handle (but you can't put it in an oven). It's non-stick but you still need to use some butter, oil or PAM when cooking sticky foods and the nonstick surface will degrade after 3-10 years depending on how much you use it. Our Circulaon Momentum 11 1/2 inch fry pan is not flat but I've not been able to find an aluminum 11 1/2 inch fry pan that is. I'd take a straight edge into a store, find flat pan, buy it, take it home, heat it on the stove and would become convex or concave until I let it cool when when it return to being flat. I'd take it back and try another brand all to no avail. Aluminum has a coefficient of expansion of 13 compared to 9.5 for 304 stainless steel and 6.0 for cast iron so Il just accept that a large aluminum pan will not be as flat as a steel of cast ion pan.

[Nevermore]

Well, looks like we finally did it. Haven't closed yet but have an agreement to purchase a home. I love cooking with gas, but the house we are buying has a nearly brand new smooth top electric.
We've been renting a few years, cooking on smooth tops, with crappy pans that are warped, so only a small portion of the pan is actually touching the surface.

What is a good product that will cook well, not warp, and not destroy the range top?
Stainless steel. Does not warp. Easy to clean.

[b0bd0herty]

I use Saladmaster Stainless steel. The pots & pans all have smooth bottoms. My black electric range is still scratch free after 3 years.
There are other benefits as well if you wish to check out their web site.

[mlmarr1]

I use whatever pan I need even iron skillets..have for years.. conduction pans..etc

[Nanny32162]

Any flat bottomed cookware will work well. I am using my same stainless steel cookware that I used with my gas stove. I have found that I like the residual heat of the e,ectric smoothtop.

[Nemcfo]

Be careful of cast iron. They will scratch your cooktop if you are not very careful.

[dyendell]

Cuisinart. Flat bottom and much lighter than All Clad.

[John41]

The popularity of this thread dispels the rumor I heard that people in The Villages dont cook, rather eat out most of the time.

[stadry]

i use cast iron but only griswold,,,, all the other pieces of cast iron are very coarse,,, wouldn't use lodge or any other brand on top of a glass cooktop