As a chef, I was taught to be extra cautious with cast iron pans on glass top stoves. It sounds simple, but most of the time, your instincts to drag your pan across a stove kicks in. That’s when damage occurs.
If you want to protect your glass top stove from scratches and any other damage, follow along with this guide. I’ll show you four easy steps you need to know before using cast iron on your glass top stove.
Here’s what you can expect to find below:
- How To Protect Glass Top Stove From Cast Iron
- Can You Use Cast Iron On a Glass Top Stove?
- How Can Cast Iron Damage Glass Top Stove?
- Use Ceramic Coated Cast Iron to protect glass top stove
- Can You Repair Scratches On A Glass Top Stove?
- How to Clean Glass Cooktop
How To Protect Glass Top Stove From Cast Iron
Follow the four steps below to prevent damage to your glass top stove. And remember that glass top stoves are fragile. Not only cast iron but other materials can be damaging if you don’t use it with care.
Here are the four steps on how to protect a glass top stove from cast iron:
Use heat diffusers
Using a heat diffuser is an excellent way to protect your glass top stove. A perfectly flat and smooth bottom of a diffuser creates a barrier between pan and glass stove. Place your cast iron cookware on top of the diffuser, and don’t worry about scratches anymore.
Keep in mind that heat diffusers reduce heat efficiency. It may take longer for cookware to heat up or to cool down. If that is something that bothers you, I suggest you not use it. Other than that, a heat diffuser will help to maintain your glass cooktop scratch-free.
Lift and Don’t slide cast iron cookware
Do not slide cast iron cookware on the glass top stove. This part is essential if you want to protect the cooktop from scratches and cracks. Cast iron has a rough surface, and it’s heavy, which, when sliding, can cause some nasty scratches.
Keep your cookware clean
Keep your cookware clean. Dirty cookware is not only unsanitary but also damaging to the surface of the glass stove. Any food that stuck to your cast iron cookware can scratch against the glass surface. So make sure you clean it properly, especially the exterior of your cookware.
Here’s an article on how to clean a cast iron skillet. Follow this guide to keep your pans and pots in mint condition.
Season cookware’s interior and exterior
Season cookware’s interior and exterior to create a carbonized non-stick layer. This layer will help you to protect your glass cooktop from scratches.
Well-seasoned cast-iron cookware creates a smooth and even layer; however, most people tend to season only the pan’s interior. I highly suggest you season the entire pan or pot.
And if you wonder how to season your cast iron cookware. Rub a small amount of vegetable oil both to the exterior and the interior of your cookware. Place it in a preheated 400 Fahrenheit oven upside down for an hour. Repeat the process three to four times. This seasoning method should create a smoother surface that will prevent your cooktop from scratching.
Can You Use Cast Iron On a Glass Top Stove?
Yes, you can use cast iron on a glass top stove. However, keep in mind that it’s not recommended. Some types of cookware like cast iron, glass, and stoneware can easily damage your glass stove. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use it. All you need to do is be extra careful and take extra precautions before using these types of cookware on your stove. But let’s take a look at why many glass cooktop manufacturers recommend you to avoid certain types of cookware?
How Can Cast Iron Damage Glass Top Stove?
The Surface Finish of Cast Iron Can Easily Damage Glass Top Stove
Cast iron pans, skillets, and pots have a rough surface which is not ideal for a glass top stove. But as we will see later, a heat diffuser and ceramic coated cast iron can help you save your stove top from scratches.
Uneven Bottom of Cast Iron Cookware Can Scratch Glass Top Stove
Most cast iron cookware has an uneven bottom. It’s damaging to your glass top stove if you decide to slide it across the surface. The best cookware is the one that has a flat bottom. Again, you can prevent any damage caused by cast iron, like deep scratches, by simply not sliding it around.
The Size of Cast Iron Cookware Can Cause Damage to Heating Element
Most cast iron skillets and pots are too big for the glass top stove burner. If your skillet, pot, or pan is more than one inch bigger than the burner, it can substantially reduce the heating element’s life span. If you don’t use your large cookware for way too long on a smaller burner, it should not cause any issues. Whenever you use it for too long, that’s when you should be concerned.
The Weight of Cast Iron Cookware Can Damage The Surface Of Glass Top Stove
Cast iron cookware is heavy. And when you add food to your skillet or pot, it gets even heavier.
But don’t worry about all of that weight resting on top of the glass cooktop. Most glass cooktops are designed to handle weights up to 50lbs. Problems can happen if you drop all of that weight. It can easily crack the stovetop, and the damage is permanent most of the time.
Use Ceramic Coated Cast Iron to protect glass top stove
You can use ceramic coated cast iron cookware without worrying too much about scratching the glass cooktop. These ceramic coated pans are designed in mind for users who have glass top stoves instead of regular gas ones.
Why is Ceramic-coated Cast Irons cookware better for glass stovetop?
Ceramic-coated cast iron cookware is better for the glass stovetop. It prevents the glass cooktop from scratching. But still, I don’t recommend you to slide your ceramic coated cast iron cookware. The glass can still scratch or break if you apply too much pressure.
So keep in mind if you tend to forget things and find yourself sliding instead of picking. Go for ceramic coated cast iron instead. The ceramic coating should help reduce the possibility of your glass top stove scratching.
Can You Repair Scratches On A Glass Top Stove?
Yes, you can repair scratches on a glass top stove; however, it depends on how deep the scratches are.
It’s no surprise, but scratches on your glass cooktop don’t look appealing. Not only do they look bad, but these scratches could disrupt a heat distribution to cast iron cookware. Inadequate heat distribution leads to uneven cooking when one spot on the pan is hotter than the other.
But let’s see what can we do about these scratches:
Light Scratches
Light scratches are easy to fix. All you need is to have baking soda.
So here’s what you need to do. Mix two teaspoons of baking soda with a splash of water to create a paste-like consistency. Before applying this paste to your glass top stove, make sure it’s clean. Take a damp cloth and use this baking soda and water paste on your glass cooktop. Do it gently. This paste will remove light scratches. Trust me. It’s going to look like a brand new glass top stove.
Deep Scratches
Unfortunately, you can’t remove deep scratches from your glass top stove. You can either live with it or replace your glass cooktop entirely. My main concern will be if these scratches cause uneven heat distribution. If not, keep your cooktop until it becomes visually disturbing.
How to Clean Glass Cooktop
I was taught to use white vinegar and baking soda to clean a glass cooktop in the restaurant. The main reason for that is that your traditional cleaner from your local supermarket can damage the glass cooktop’s surface.
Take a couple of teaspoons of baking soda and a small amount of white vinegar. Use a cereal bowl to mix it. Take a damp cloth and apply gently to your glass cooktop. Gentle moves are going to remove any burnt foods, sugars with ease.
Keep in mind if you will use cleaners from your local supermarket, then go for a product made for glass stovetops. Your regular window cleaner contains chemicals that can damage your cooktop.
Bottom Line
Again yes, you can use cast iron cookware on your glass top stove even though manufacturers suggest you otherwise. Honestly, glass top stoves are fragile; after all, they are made from glass. Any heavy cookware can cause you stress when you use it on top of your expensive glass cooktop. Make sure to follow these steps to avoid any damage caused by heavy cast iron pans or any other heavy cookware, for that matter.
