Good Stovetop Habits

While no one can argue that a smooth top electric cooktop is more stylish than the traditional coil element type, it does need more care to prevent discoloring and scratching. Here’s a list of things to avoid if you have a smooth top electric cooktop range or built-in counter cooktop. While there’s no guarantee that these tips will protect your cooktop, they do help considerably.

Do not use cast iron cookware on a smooth top cooktop or range. The bottoms of cast iron cookware are usually very rough, and any movement of the pot on the cooktop can leave scratches.

Never use abrasive cleaners or metal pads which can scratch; instead, use a soft sponge or cloth and cream cleaning solutions made for ceramic or glass cooktops.

Avoid dragging heavy pots on the cooktop; rather lift and transfer to another area of the cooktop to reduce the risk of scratching.

Keep the bottoms of skillets and pots very clean. A build-up of grease on pan bottoms can leave aluminum-looking rings or cause marks on the cooktop.