How to Protect Glass Top Stove from Cast Iron

Last Updated on January 6, 2023 by Claire

Glass top stoves are a visually appealing kitchenware, they add a layer of sophistication to your kitchen. Using cast iron and glass top stoves together can be really tricky and one needs to be careful, else you can do a lot of damage to your glass top stove.

Do you want to learn how to protect your glass top stove from cast iron equipment? Keep on reading.

This article will guide you on how to protect your glass top stove from cast iron equipment and provide answers to any other frequently asked questions you might have about using your glass top stove and cast iron cookware together.

Will cast iron cookware damage a glass top stove?

Cast iron cookware is safe to use on ceramic-glass stoves and cooktops and wouldn’t cause any damage to them provided you are very careful and follow the right tips.

How to protect glass top stove from cast iron

These steps will help you safely use cast iron equipment on glass top stoves or any other surface without scratches or damages.

1. Take proper precautions

a. Make sure you wash your cast iron cookware before using it

Use a scrubber or sponge and a tiny amount of dish soap to get rid of any food residues. You need to focus more on the bottom of the pan, as this area is more likely to contain built-up carbonization, or black marks. Then let your cast iron cookware air-dry completely before using it on your glass top stove.

Failure to clean off the black marks can result in them smearing and staining your glass top stove.

b. Make sure the cast iron cookware you choose to use has a smooth bottom

You need to check and make sure there are no chips, cracks, uneven edges or bumps and the bottom of your cast iron cookware is smooth, else there is every tendency that the top of your glass top stove would get scratched more easily.

c. Season your cast iron cookware entirely

Most people only season the inner part of their cast iron cookware as they feel that’s the only important area which is a big ‘no, no!’.

Cast iron seasoning is the application of a thin layer of cooking oil to the surface of your cast iron pot, pan or skillet to fill the tiny pores that are naturally a part of any cast-iron cookware. This is done in order to make it easy to clean and get food off its surface while also promoting its longevity and durability.

You must season every part of your cast iron cookware to prevent any uneven surfaces, rough parts or bumps from forming as these will wear away your glass top stove faster than you can think.

You must note that the kind of oil you choose to season your cast iron cookware will go a long way in determining its durability and lifespan.

d. Lift your pans carefully

Due to the smooth surface of glass top stoves and the fact that cast iron is heavy and a little cumbersome to lift especially when hot, it’s quite tempting to want to slide or skid your cast iron pan across the glass cook top once you’re done cooking.

Don’t do this, instead use both hands to lift the handle, which allows you to move the pot or pan safely, and be careful not to slide or drop them on the glass top stove to prevent damage or in extreme cases shattering.

e. Use lightweight pots and stainless-steel cookware whenever possible.

f. Use cast iron pans or pots that match the dimensions of your glass top stove

Make sure your top stove is turned off and completely cool to the touch, and then use a measuring tape to get the width of your main burner. Next, check the diameter of your cast iron cookware to see if it fits snugly on the top of the glass top stove.

Don’t use cast iron cookwares that are an inch or larger than the width of the burner to avoid uneven heating—Yahoo!

To put this into context, don’t use a glass top stove that is 12 inches wide on a glass top stove that is 10 inches wide.

g. Avoid using aluminum foil on glass top stoves as they can leave marks and scratches on the delicate cooking surface.

h. Always adhere to manufacturer’s instructions when using and cleaning your glass top stove and cast iron cookware.

2. Use heat diffusers

Depending on your kitchen needs and budget, you can choose a perforated aluminum diffuser, a diffuser made with wire coils, or a flat steel item.

Heat diffusers help to control the amount of heat from your stove top and dispense it throughout the bottom surface of your pot or pan. Just think of the diffuser as a buffer between the glass top stove and the things you put on it.

Using a heat diffuser is one of the cheapest and most convenient ways to prevent your glass top stove from cracking or scratching.

Here’s how to use a heat diffuser:

1. Choose a heat diffuser that fits on your glass top stove burners perfectly
2. Set the flat side of your heat diffuser on the glass top stove: Look on both sides of the diffuser for a curved and flat edge. The flatter edge should be set on the glass top stove as less likely to shift while you’re cooking.
3. Don’t put any food into your cast iron cookware until you have the pot or pan and diffuser in place, and your pot or pan is properly centered on the diffuser so the stove’s heat can spread evenly.
4. Turn your glass top stove burner to a low temperature or heat setting: Cast iron doesn’t heat up evenly, so it’s best to maintain a balanced temperature whenever you cook over a glass top stove.
5. Hand wash your diffuser when it gets dirty and leave it to air dry completely for a day or more before using it again.

3. Get a glass cooktop protector

Glass/ceramic cooktop protectors are thin, easy to clean and foldable covers made from rubber or silicone. These protectors are anti-slip and heat resistant and are a cheap and easy way to prevent damage(s) to the surface of your glass top stove.

A glass cooktop protective cover is another buffer between your glass cooking surface and cast-iron cookware. A ceramic stove top protector will work just fine if you can’t find one meant for glass cooktops.

How to clean glass stove tops

Materials needed:

• soft cloth or rag
• spray bottle of white vinegar diluted with water
• Baking soda

Instructions

1. Spray it with vinegar solution
2. Wipe the liquid away with the soft cloth or rag
3. Clean out any streaks out with a dry cloth
4. Spray some vinegar and a little baking soda over the surface for a deeper clean
5. Dip a towel into some hot water and squeeze out the excess water.
6. Then lay the towel over the cooktop and leave it there for about 10 to 15 minutes
7. Lastly, wipe away the baking soda/vinegar mixture with a cloth and make sure you clean out any streaks

A few precautions to keep in mind when cleaning glass top stove surfaces

1. Use a cooktop protector mat and change it when it is worn out. It is important to clean these covers once a week, or after a major cooking session
2. Only clean your stove tops when it is turned off and completely cool
3. Clean up any spills immediately and never use steel wool and metal sponges on your glass cooktop.
4. To fix small scratches, you can use a mixture of baking soda and water to make a paste and gently buff away the scratch with this mixture. Keep in mind that you need to make sure the paste is wet as rubbing dry baking soda will only make the damage worse.
5. Don’t use too much of the cleaning mixture or products
6. To keep your glass cooking surface looking new, use glass cleaner to keep things clean and shiny
7. Use a soft cloth or rag instead of steel wool or scouring pads
8. Follow manufacturer’s instructions when using and cleaning your glass top stove and cast iron cookware

What is the best type of cookware to put on a glass-top stove to protect it?

Stainless steel is the best type of cookware to use on glass stove tops because of its smooth surface, plus it has enough weight to keep it stable during cooking. This doesn’t mean you won’t sustain any damages or scratches when using stainless steel, but it will generally be kinder to the surface in use.

You could also use heavy-weight aluminum cookware or copper bottom pans, they only caveat is they can leave a residue on the cooktop that appear as scratches.

That said, What types of cookwares don’t work well on glass top stoves? The types of cookwares that don’t work well on glass top stoves are cast iron, stoneware, and other glass or ceramic cookware. These materials are typically heavy, rough and can very easily cause scratches and irreversible damages, especially when dragged across the smooth surface of the glass top stoves.

FAQs

What are the disadvantages of a glass-top stove?

Glass top stoves are a beautiful addition to any kitchen, but since they are primarily made of glass, a disadvantage is that they are very fragile, delicate, and prone to scratches.

Any sort of carelessness will result in scratches to the surface or even worse shattering of the glass and ruin your glass top stove.

How do I prevent stains on glass cooktops?

The best way to prevent stains on glass top stoves is by cleaning up spills and oil splatter right away to prevent them from ‘hardening up’ and becoming difficult to get rid of.

Conclusion

This wraps it up for the topic “how to protect glass top stove from cast iron”.

Using cast iron cookware with your glass top stove is not a big deal, the most important thing is that you need to be very careful and follow the precautions mentioned in the article and you will surely have a stovetop that’s free of cracks and scratches or any form of damage.