No More Glass Top Ranges
Many of you may remember back in July 2019 I did a review on my new glass top range. This is what happens to it when you drop a glass jar of sauerkraut on it. I have feared breaking the top since I bought this range. I have seen so many people showing pictures just like mine and thought that wouldn’t happen to me. One person even said they put a hot lid on the range top and it created a vacuum and broke it.
At first I thought I would like this range. I could use a razor blade to clean the top instead of the ugly drip pans. Then I got my first scratch about 2 months in and I have no idea how. I had to be very careful when using my cast iron pans too.
This came with a convection oven and the regular oven. I hated the convection oven and never used it, total waste! However, I loved the regular oven with it’s 3 shelves and accurate temperature and cooking time. One out of three isn’t bad right?
Can you guess what I am going to do? Buy a replacement glass top? Hmmm that would be cheaper than a new range but what if I spend $200-$300 for a new top to be installed and a month later drop something else on it. I could be paying for this range over and over again let alone the inconvenience.
My husband and I talked about it and we decided to junk this range and buy a new one without a glass top and convection oven, similar to all the other ranges I have had most of my adult life. This was an expensive accident, but in the end I will be happy to have my old style range again.
Now for my dilemma, I will not have a cooktop as my new range will not be delivered until May 4th. I do have my two Ninja’s to cook with as they have a sauté function, air fryer and my oven still works on the range. If you notice a difference in my recipes for the next two weeks, please stick with me as I will be back to normal soon.
Has this happened to you? Did you replace the broken glass top or did you buy a new range like me? Will you buy another one with a glass top in the future?
http://www.InDianesKitchen.com
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Categories: Reviews
Can’t stand glass tops – yes get rid of it!
Expensive lesson but I was trying to upgrade a bit. Turned out not to be an upgrade at all and whoever thought of glass range tops should be fired. I can not fathom why we spend our money on these! I have hated being so careful with my cast iron pans and refuse not to use them. I am looking forward to having my old style back again.
No problem,I shall wait eagerly for the next recipe.Till then take care.🌹🙏
Thanks I can’t wait for my new range!
My pleasure.🌹🙏
I’ve never owned a glass topped stove and after reading this I probably never, at least not on purpose. Hope your new oven works out better when you get it.
I will never own another one either Ann! I promise I will love my new range…lol
I did exactly the same thing. Well, my HUSBAND did it, I should say. We just refinanced on my dad’s house here and bought it from the reverse mortgage company so the glass top was not my choice, it was his, many years ago Luckily, Dad had one of those contracts for appliances and they replaced it for nothing. However, I HATE cooking on anything but gas, so I will replace it with a cafe style 32″ dual fuel double oven, GE. Maybe this fall. Not horribly pricey and besides wanting the gas stove top, I really need that other oven. I have one of these are our camp (which was our full time home) only all on propane, and I really love it. Not to mention cleaning glass is really a bigger pain than the gas burners! I feel for you.
Thank you! I would love a gas range and when I remodel the kitchen in about 3 years I may have them run a propane line from the basement and get a gas range. How wonderful a cafe style would be and double oven…..I’m so jealous! Lol
Well, my husband is angling (so to speak) for a used boat which might preclude my getting the oven this fall. Grrr. We will see how things work out, though. But yes, it would be heaven.
I would wait for a gas stove if I could have a boat! I love fishing and used to have a boat.
Sorry to hear of this unfortunate accident but glad that you will replace it with something that will be worry-free! And May will be here before you know it 😉
I’m just happy I can still use the oven and that I have another means for the cooktop. Thank you for your kind words!
You are most welcome!! Yes, thankfully it is only the hob that is out of action!
Ha, well, it’s not a real expensive boat, but he can fish with it. He put down a deposit today and we’ll see if it floats, etc.! My family always fished salmon here in Grand Traverse Bay.
So he catches the fish now you need the right stove to cook them on!
That sounds great! Happy fishing! 😉
I just googled – it looks a beautiful area!!
1. Never any interest in a glass cooktop.
2. Installed propane cooktop in uncluttered top alongside usual prep area of kitchen cabinets.
3. Already had decent standalone std. electric oven in corner cabinet … and we extended cabinet upwards and added a convection oven on top. Though I mostly use it in both modes [starting with std…finish off with convection] it does a heckuva job on my weekly bread baking. That alone is worth it … uniform crustifying a loaf baked in a cloche to size and finish time … then 5 minutes in convection at same temp, rotating it once … always makes a gorgeous loaf.
I’m sure if I had good advice using the convection oven I may have used it. However, after almost 50 years cooking with the standard oven I have that down to an art. I can see your point with bread baking but maybe you should send me some bread to taste to see if you are right? Hahaha
Oh, Diane! I’m so sorry this happened! When we remodeled our kitchen in 2015, we got a glass top stove top. It has been hard to keep clean and one burner has stopped working. I thought it would be easier to clean, but it’s a real pain to get all the film from the glass stovetop cleaners off. I don’t think I want another one when this one has to be replaced. With our luck, they’ll stop making the old-fashioned kind!
I’m glad I’m not the only one. There are very few old-fashioned ones to pick from. What were they thinking when they made these glass tops? You can’t can on them, they are terrible to keep clean and they break! Then there is the convection oven I never wanted but comes with it anyway. I would have rather paid less since I didn’t want it in the first place.
Oh no! It’s no fun not having a oven 🙁
I also have a glass top that I loved in the beginning but I, too, have always had a fear of breaking it. I have lots of scratches too 🙁 Last year I cooked with a cast iron pan for the first time and fell in love with it so I know even more scratches are coming.
Now you’ll have a new oven to play with though, so that’s exciting!
I think scratches are inevitable but I never thought I would break it. My new stove is almost identical to all the others I have always cooked on for the past almost 50 years so I am definitely excited. I hope you always have better luck with yours than I have had.
Thanks for the review. I love gas ranges but know that gas is toxic. I don’t like regular electric ranges but seems like those are the only two choices if not a glass top. I stayed at a house with one, and never was warned about what could go wrong and I loved it for how easy it was to clean the top of it. But after reading your review I certainly wouldn’t want one. Is a glass top the same as a ceramic top? I stayed at another house that had a ceramic top and again, they weren’t careful of that top in that household either.
Yes Katelon I believe a ceramic top is the same thing. With as much as I cook I am looking forward to not worrying about the top anymore.
What kind of stove are you getting? It’s weird that the two ceramic stove tops I used were not treated with white gloves but kind of abused yet were not cracked at all.
They would if you dropped a large glass jar of sauerkraut from the top shelf of your cupboard onto it…lol It was totally my fault but I use to drop everything on the other stoves and never had an issue as they weren’t glass tops. My new one will be a 30” GE 5.3 cubic feet electric with self cleaning oven. It will have the coil burners with drip pan and comes May 4th. Nothing fancy or expensive, just basic that works.
Hope you enjoy it.
Thank you!
I am so sorry!!! They’re good until they break… then they’re disposable….
Awe thank you and disposable it will be! Lol
Have had a Gaggenau for 15years+ and there is barely a scratch on it. Mind you, I haven’t dropped anything on it. You’ll be fine for next few weeks Diane. I cooked for 2 years in a microwave and a grill.
I won’t have any problem cooking Sheree with all the gadgets, air fryer, microwave and grill it will just be harder with my posts.
You’ll manage
Oh wow I’m so sorry that happened. I have a glass top and love it. I’ve had it for about 17 years. My fear has always been scratching it with my cast iron pans so I’m so careful about not sliding them. They do have draw backs like the pan drippings burning and sticking to them. But I’ve learned over the years for me the best way me clean it is I use the razor that came with it and use Bar Keepers Friend and place a hot steaming towel on it.
I hope when you finally get your new range you love it. 😀
Thank you Christy I’m glad you have had good luck with yours!
I have had my glass range top for about 20 years, when we first moved into this house. I loved it, although boil-overs do burn and can’t be completely removed as a residue, or stain, remains. I use the razor blade thing that came with the stove when it was new, but haven’t had any trouble with scratches…excepting the discoloring around the burner outline.
We are due for a new range, and decided to go for gas this next time around. I purposely had both gas and electric connections for hook-up installed when the house was built.
Very smart idea! I want to run a propane line when we remodel our kitchen in a few years too. I’m glad you have had such good luck with your range.
Fortunately I haven’t dropped anything heavy on my range top, although I consciously think about it every time I use the stove, even now 20 years later. (fingers crossed) My top dishwasher rack is held in place with some good twine and duct tape; a piece of 2×4 props up the crisper drawer on the refrigerator 😉 I keep thinking I’m on borrowed time with my 20-year old appliances.
Oh I LOVE the way you think! The problem is, 20 years ago these appliances were built to last that long. Today they are only made to last 10 years! So hang on to them as long as you can.
I just can’t see junking a working (even if that’s sort-of working) appliance. I did have to buy a new dryer recently, but as long as the shelf in the dishwasher works with the plastic string holding it together…I can use that four hundred bucks somewhere else. My kids are appalled.
As long as it works and isn’t a safety issue what does it matter? Lol
exactly! If it works don’t fix it…
My grandma had an old ice box that she loved; the ice man would bring it in his wagon. Then some well intentioned family person decided Gram needed a fancy new electric refrigerator, so she wouldn’t have to go up and down the basement stairs.
I know of ice boxes as in our city they went out to the bay and cut the chunks of ice for them. I have never seen one though. What I liked was the old natural gas refrigerators. They had very few parts, rarely broke and lasted over 25 years! I used to be a service person for the gas company and loved when I came across them.
My grandfather worked in the ice house in Cleveland when my mother was a child. Gramps would take his four kids one at a time to spend the day in the ice house, where it was wonderfully cool. Then there was an ice wagon which would deliver blocks of ice…25 pound blocks I think. I think there was a horse that pulled the ice wagon delivery truck.
How fun that would have been as a child. Cleveland is close to where I live.
Grampa took one of his kids at a time…wise man. lol
Most definitely!!!
Now that I think about your ice chunks coming from the bay, I bet that’s where our ice house got at least some of the ice.
In February we have an ice festival and one year the fire department demonstrated how they did it back then. It was fascinating but a lot of work.
They didn’t have chain saws back then, I think, which could have expedited the cutting of blocks out of the lake. I did some work on an ice sculpture show years ago when I wrote for the CT.
What a fun job that must have been!
We have a glass top and it’s still doing good. However, my fridge has about had it so we are thinking of getting a new one and a new stove also. Not sure about glass top again, I can’t decide!
Good luck it’s a big decision for both of them.
We’ve had glass-tops since they came out with no issues. My next one will be an induction top so I can boil water in a minute rather than wait for it to heat up. With as bad as we treat stuff in this house, I’m really surprised we haven’t cracked it.
Wow I didn’t know they had the induction burner on the range tops. We have a portable induction burner and I thought that was the only way you could buy them. You taught me something new Patti!
Never had one, but I don’t think I was ever lured away from gas! However, we lived for two years in an apartment with no stove, I used a one-burner hotplate, an electric frying pan, and a toaster oven, and it worked great! Good luck with your new, old-school stove!
It’s amazing how you can adapt when you need to isn’t it? I’m excited because I can start canning food again. I was told not to do it on the glass top range because of the weight and extensive heat. Thanks Dorothy!
I never knew that, but it makes sense. There’s your silver lining!
Yes, had exactly the same problem with a glass topped range like yours as well. In the end we decided to ditch it and go for a whole new range as well. Those glass tops look very stylish and nice, but are a nightmare to keep scratch free, and as we’ve found out very fragile as well.
Exactly Paul! They do look stylish until something boils over, spills or scratches.
I just bought a new cooktop and oven. It is a Frigidaire. It has a 5 burner gas cooktop and the oven does convection as well as air frying. What won be over was the airfryer. I am sure anything you come up with will be excellent. Good luck.
You will have fun with yours I’m sure Bernadette! I love my portable air fryer but although it is an 8 quart I can’t always cook everything in one batch. You won’t have that problem, enjoy!
Awww Diane! I am so sorry about this. Glass ranges may look nice but I always prefer a regular one. We got a new apt and it came with a glass top. I am so nervous 😬
That’s how I was every time I use it. This was an accident, me trying to get something off the top shelf of the cupboard instead of asking my tall husband to get it! 🤷🏽♀️ Regardless, I’ll be happy not worrying about it breaking anymore.
Thank you for the info.
You’re welcome.
Oh dear me! We had one for 20 years (and now, after reading your post, it seems we were very fortunate to sell our house with that same glass top without any accidents 😲). But then, I don’t think we’ve nearly used our stove as much as you do … you will have to convert to grill (or ‘braai’) 😉.
I’m looking forward to your recipes until the new stove arrives …
I will probably use my oven (glad I can still use it) or air fryer. Hmmmm or maybe the slow cooker…decisions-decisions. Lol
Oh wow, that sucks Diane. I hope you have better luck with your new one.
Thank you Frank!
Oh yes, we here can relate unfortunately. Broken glass=new stove.
I will never understand the reasoning behind a range top that breaks. It won’t happen to me again..lol
Wow! I’ve never used a glass top range or convection oven before. I would definitely have cracked that range top in no time at all. Thanks for the heads up! – Neek
Isn’t it crazy! I am sticking to the traditional range and top that doesn’t scratch or crack from now on.
I have often wondered about those glass tops. Our Mom has one, but by then she wasn’t really ‘cooking’. I’m sorry for your mishap—boo! BTW, I made your Sautéd Portabella mushrooms—yummy, yummy, Diane! So easy too!
Blue Rock Horses Frederick County, Virginia bluerockhorses.com
Thanks for you kind words Mitzy and I am so glad you enjoyed the mushroom recipe. Now I want to make it again…lol
Oh no! That is an awful accident. Boooo. Sounds like your made a rationale decision about your next purchase. I look forward to two weeks or so of Air Fryer recipes!!! 🙌
Yes it was pretty devastating since it wasn’t even 2 years old yet. I will have a fish air fry recipe coming up soon. My son gave us some walleye he caught out on the lake.
Oh, that’s horrible Diane! My mom did not care for this glass-topped stove and we got it a few years before she passed away as something happened to our glass-topped stove, an element or something and the repairman said to remove the top, replace the part was a big task, costly and the stove was then about 20 years old, so we got a new one. She wished she had her electric coil burners.
That’s what I just bought, back to the coil burners! I can’t wait.
My mother was no fan of the glass-topped stove and her former stove with the coil burners had two ovens – one up top that looked like a microwave and the traditional bottom oven. She stored pots/pans there as she only used the top oven. It had four burners but it pulled out like a drawer so only two were visible if you just wanted to use the front two burners. My grandmother had a gas stove and every time we went to visit, her, I worried about my long hair catching on fire … she sometimes turned the burners on to warm the kitchen!
Oh wow Linda why did they get rid of them! How wonderful to have an oven over the range too!!! That would be awful if your hair caught fire, how scary!
I don’t remember what the problem was but I think the element. In fact, the coil burner was replaced on the front two burner many times, but it seems like my father could just do that. My mom only used the four burners and had to pull out that “tray” to use all four for some meals … otherwise, just use the two front burners. My mom did not like either of the glass-topped stoves.
See she was a very smart woman!
Thanks for posting this. I lived with a friend who had a glass top and I swear it made her personality disorder (borderline) even crazier. I now am positive I won’t own a glass top. They are pretty when they are nice and clean but, the downside seems really down. You ever cook with gas? It’s supposed to be the best way to go. I’m interested in your opinion on this.
I worked for the gas company for 20 years and I worked on gas stoves. In my opinion they are the absolute best way to cook. I don’t have a gas range hook up in this house, however, in about 3 years when we remodel the kitchen I am putting in a line for gas. Then the next range I get will be gas.
I’ve never even thought about that happening. Have had mine for a long time, but it probably doesn’t get as much use as yours. I do find the glass tops hard to keep clean however – that shiny new look doesn’t last for long.
It sure didn’t last long on mine either Joni. I have seen so many posts about people breaking their glass top too. Unfortunately I never paid any attention until after I bought mine.
Oh oh thats not good……
We have a stove but one with real fire and gas….
I wish I had gas, it’s the best!
😮 Wow! And I was planning on getting one like yours because it’s easier to clean but I think I’ll reconsider. Thank you so much for the information, Diane!
You’re welcome and in my opinion, it can’t be cleaned to look spotless like my old one did. Once something gets spilt on the burner I have to scrape it off with a razor blade and the spot just doesn’t seem to go away. I will never again buy a glass top!
You have a point. I was thinking of drip pans when I made that statement. Lolol
OH….at least the drip pans can be replace and they are inexpensive. A lot cheaper than a new glass top! 🤣
You got that right! 💯💯💯
Good morning!
I bought a induction burner a couple years ago when I was doing some catering out of my home kitchen (😬) and used it for some gigantic pots.
It works with Dutch ovens, cast iron and special stainless pans.
It has saved the day for friends remodeling their kitchens and helped me when 5 burners weren’t enough.
They cost around $100.00-$150 and they’re worth it! Great for keeping food hot on a buffet or cooking on your island.
Oh my gosh Cathy! I used one today that my husband bought 2 years ago! I had no interest in them back then and since I don’t have a burner now, I asked him to bring it up to try. It was amazing!!!!! We have two of them and they were just sitting there, brand new. Thank you for letting me know CI works on them I didn’t know that! Have tons of CI. Have you ever used a heavy extension cord with yours? My island doesn’t have an outlet and I would love to use it there. I am so excited about using these more that I will be doing a review on mine soon.
Amazon has them for under $60!
I hit an age in my life that I am not doing repairs. Every time I try to fix it myself I create more work…lol My kitchen faucet was dripping so I googled the cause and it said to replace the stems in the handles. I still had my manual and it had the part number. I ordered one for the hot and cold water handles. We put the new ones in with no problem, drip stopped. Now it drips under the hot water side under the sink. We have a bucket under it until I feel like taking it apart again to see why it didn’t seal. I just hired a person to replace our shower valve/handle in our bathroom. He finished the work and 2 days later I went in the basement and noticed a small drip. I put a bucket under it and texted him to come back on Friday, in 2 days. I went to bed and the pipe completely broke loose and flooded my basement. This is the kind of luck I have with repairs. Lol
You know, I never really considered that that could happen! But now that I see it, I wonder why it doesn’t happen all the time! I’ve never liked glass, because I was always sure I would ultimately scratch it. My mom used to have a ceramic (I think) stovetop, and she would never let anyone else touch it. I’m currently re-doing my kitchen, and I seriously considered stand-alone, portable, induction burners instead of a stovetop. I figured they could sit on the counter, but also be moved around, or put away. Ultimately, I decided that when it comes time to resell the house one day, people would probably insist that the kitchen had no stovetop, even if I sold the induction burners with the house. People can be so close-minded. Anyway, my second runner-up, a used commercial range from a restaurant that had gone out of business, made me forget all about those induction burners.
How ironic you mentioned the induction burners. My husband brought two of them two years ago and I never had any interest in trying them. He put them in the basement and there they sat. Today I asked him to bring one for me to try since I don’t have the stovetop burners. I used one TODAY for the first time ever and it is amazing!!!! I told him to bring the other one up and leave them up. I will use it a few more times and then do a review. A commercial range would be awesome Jeff!
I have the exact same range at the lake house! I’ll be ever so careful when opening jars. I’m sorry this happened to you Diane! What a frustration especially when you have mouths to feed! Hang in there, I’m looking forward to your creative cooking endeavors without a stove! It might be sandwiches for a while! C
Well the oven still works so that’s a plus. I used the induction burner my husband bought 2 years ago for the first time today to cook onions…amazing!!!! Then there is the grill, crock pot and air fryer so the family won’t starve! Hahaha
I glass cooktop hate it but came with house. Clean use SprayAway. Home Depot or Lowe’s aerosol can. Replacing with gas cooktop. Electric cooktops have a sensor to regulate temperature and canning with it is more difficult plus weight of canners make coils sink. If you need all in one stove oven get dual fuel gas cooktop electric oven. Need a burner buy a Cadco hot plate which works for canning as well
Thank you DiAnne! Have you ever canned with an induction burner? We have had 2 for a few years that my husband bought but I wasn’t interested in using it. Now that my range top is shot I pulled them out…amazing!
I thought I would love a glass top, I was wrong. When we purchased our new home I told my husband all I wanted was my gas stove back. Best decision I’ve ever made.
You are right!!!! I wish I had a gas stove too.
Oh no! That’s not good.
Yes was quite a shock!
Absolutely. I think I would have jumped out of my skin if it happened to me!
I always felt that glass top aren’t very safe. I don’t have glass top stove and neither do I have glass top tables.
Well it’s funny you should say that. Not only did I buy the glass top stove I also bought 3 end tables with a glass top. 🤷🏽♀️ I’m sure they will break one of these days between the grandkids and my husband….lol I had wood before that so I guess with age doesn’t come wisdom in my case!
I just don’t like the sound of something against glass, like cups, spoons.. makes me edgy.
Then you should heat the cast iron pans! Lol
Lol
They worked great on the induction burner. My new stove came today…woo hoo!
Yayyyyy that’s awesome!
Ouch– sorry for the unexpected expense, but it’s good you’ll have a range you’re happy with.
Years ago we were in the market for a range and were looking at the kind with glass tops. I remember the salesman looked at us like there was something wrong with us when we asked about the top breaking.
I have feared breaking it from day one. It is a pretty thick glass but things happen. No more worries after Tuesday!
Something made to take daily use with heavy objects shouldn’t be breakable. Pretty sure these stoves were designed by someone who didn’t cook.
I agree!
I never had a glass top stove, and after reading your story, I may never have one. In the meantime, I am looking forward to the next recipe, without the glass top stove.
I am happy to be back to a basic stove and looking forward to being able to cook on it again. Thanks so much Rachelle!
I am always so afraid of glass breaking. Just any glass. It’s terrifying!
I know what you mean Jess!
I had several glass top ranges (in different places) – the only one that broke was in a rental when our tenant dropped something on it (she got dents in the fridge, too). I would never go back to regular cook tops – I love the easy clean up.
I wonder about your dislike for convection ovens. I used it almost exclusively, for my home-based micro-bakery I could never have baked several loaves of bread on two tiers at the same time without convection. After downsizing and moving into a condo, the convection function in my range doesn’t work properly, and I have to use the regular baking mode.
Like you, I found out that repairing a damaged range costs more than a new one.
I am so happy to have my old style back again. I think I love this style because I have cooked on this type my entire cooking life and that’s a long time..lol
do they even make electric stovetops without glass any more? I am needing to replace my 40 year old JennAir electric stove top that has coils AND a down draft. I’ve not found anything with a downdraft that isn’t glass.
I hate the new electric stove with the coils too. They have incorporated some sort of electronic sensor and when I cook it shuts the burner off so it doesn’t get too hot. I will be boiling something and need it to be continuous and it shuts down, so frustrating. I will be remodeling my kitchen soon and I am having a gas line installed and buying a gas stove! Nothing is simple anymore, they have to mess up even the most basic things. So yes, they do make them but with these sensors.
In the past 10 years, we have had 2 glass topped stoves and eventually 2 broken glass tops. They look nice, but a total and utter waste of money, when the inevitable accident happens. Pretty sure these were invented, because they break much more easily, and will result in replacent purchases and generate repeat revenue.
Not only that, keeping the glass clean is a pain too! I can easily purchased the burner drip pans but with the glass top it’s special cleaning. I am remodeling my kitchen in May and I am buying a gas range!