Onebyone

The cast iron can leave marks on the smooth burner area that will not come off , more so if the cast iron is slid on hot burner. I had a gray smooth top and the burner I used the cast ion on became black. The cooktop was still under warranty but since is was only cosmetic Maytag wouldn't honor it. It made the whole cooktop look ugly. I replaced it with a regular cooktop.

Iceblossom

My mother's flat top came with the warning that you shouldn't use cast iron or the heavy Club aluminum type pans.

The only people I know who like flat tops are clean freaks who don't actually cook much. I admit, they look great in the kitchen remodels but are not what I want from a use/heat standpoint. There are some things positive about the induction type surfaces, but more negatives than I want for the basic flat top.

Snooze2978

Good to know we can use cast iron as I was told we couldn't all these years. My sister has a gas stove and that's one reason why she picked it from the glass top style. I'm still using the stove that came with the house which is glass top and was seriously considering getting a gas type though it would cost more to add the gas line, etc but now I may stick with the glass top. I realize you have to be careful but then you have to be careful with any type of pan you use on the glass top type. Mine already had scratches on it so just waiting for it to die so I have an excuse to buy a new stove.

Cheshirepat

You *can* use them...but are they the greatest? No. They do leave scratches, especially if you are unlucky enough to have a 'cupped' pan that turns easily. Using a pan with a heavier base though is usually better due to the high temperature changes a glass top stove sends out each time it regulates. It's horribly abusive to pans that can't withstand that kind of large temp change quickly. Bottom heats up, and sides don't get as hot.
No matter what I've used on my glass top, it's never even going to be as easy as the coil top I had before. I cannot stand the thing.

leonf

heaven knows I am a poor typist. but I had to laugh at QuiltnNan's image. Hope she laughs at mine.

mopec

I have had smooth tops for years and have used my pressure cooker and cast iron skillets on them. I would never go back to coil unless I HAD to. I am a messy cook and smooth tops clean so much easier. We farm and I do some heavy duty cooking at times. Iceblossom I just read your post after posting mine. Believe me I am not a clean freak and I do cook, I almost found this offensive Everyone has his/her own preference on what is liked and serves the needs.

Stitchnripper

I will agree that everyone has their own preferences - I love my smooth top. I use my cast iron in the oven. My friend has a white smooth top and uses her cast iron on it and says as long as she doesn’t slide it, it’s fine. A smooth top induction range easily tolerated cast iron but can’t take some other pots

Iceblossom

I'm sorry Mopec, no offense was intended but I guess I see how it could come out that way. Different people like/want different things and that's ok. And they do look beautiful -- when they are clean and shiny and not dusty or covered with crumbs or if the finish is scratched or it bubbles or does the other things I've seen. I can appreciate how they can be swiped clean.

But really, the only person I know who really loves her flat top doesn't cook a bit. Ever. Never did, for 30+ years it's been out or take out. I had an aunt like that too. She didn't like to wash dishes either so it was paper plates at home.

A couple people are completely satisfied with them, they do minimal cooking. But most of the cooking types found out it wasn't really wasn't they wanted to use and are going to be looking at other options, whether that meant changing their current type of pans or whatever or replacing the units. The way you cook and the type of pans you like to use makes a big difference in the satisfaction as well as your budget. I've cooked on a number of friend's cooktops and they are completely adequate/good for most things with the proper techniques and pans.

What I want is gas, and preferably an upgrade for a wok ring so super hot. I'd have to connect the gas about 20 feet from the furnace, through the foundation and under the house to the kitchen and do a full remodel and unfortunately, that's not going to happen anytime until I win the lottery.

Stitchnripper

have you considered propane?

Iceblossom

Sadly anything I do with my kitchen pretty much requires a full remodel. This is original 1963 (my house is three years younger than me...) and is a basic Seattle ranch house of the era except my wall oven was an upgrade with a rotisserie in it, a great huge stainless thing that is not the standard size of today. Nor is the separate range top, it is not just a matter of cutting them out and replacing, would need new counters and/or trim work. Both are hard wired into the wall btw, no plug outlets so even if I was willing to have an oven wobbling around in the opening, I'd still need to have it connected because I'm respectful of electricity! (That's funny because I did payroll for electricians, but that's the thing, they do what they do I do what I do). The cabinets are all custom, no stock sizes here, and all one piece each side without supports in the proper places to just cut them out. I had it laid out, products chosen, was choosing contractor when the last financial upheaval combined with my vision issues pretty much took me out of the job market so been living with this for the last 10 years or so.

Anyway, propane is an option, the corner of the kitchen next to the range is a deadspace, originally there was a half-height water heater in there. With very little effort you could install through the outside of the house and connect through the cabinets. I'd rather have that be usable storage, so a lazy susan there would be preferred.

But I wanted to clarify part of the dis-satisfaction some of us not so great housekeepers have and that is crumbs and dust on the black tops. Easily solved by not getting a black mirror finish! It's like stainless looks so great until you get the stuff that gets fingerprints. You end up wiping it down all the time which defeats the purpose for many of us (I love stainless -- but want that satin type finish and not shiny).

My mom's top looks horrible. Really bad, and she has problems with one of the burners only work on high. But she loves using her cast iron and club aluminum more than she loves her stove, so it is working for her.

It's one of my vision things, I think, but I like having that height separation to help keep me from putting my hand down on something that looks cool (the proper thing is to train yourself to never put your hands on the burners of any sort).