Smooth Top Electric Ranges

[Regina]

My coil top range is giving me trouble. It's 17 years old and not worth fixing.

Years ago, I had a smooth top cooking range. I loved the easy maintenance, but I had a real problem getting my Revere Ware pots to heat up. (They're slightly concave on the bottom so they don't lie flat to the surface.)

I'd love to get another smooth top, but I'm reluctant. Does anyone have experience with the newer models?

Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Pin Wizard]

I haven't had one, but my husband's parents did. They had problems with even distribution of heat. I was just glancing at some of them in Brandsmart yesterday while I was there looking for a dishwasher. At least I finally found one! Yipeeeeeeeeee! It comes next Friday!

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

We have had one for 5-6 years and love it. The only thing we don't like about the smooth tops is that you cannot get two large burners.

It would be worth investing in new pans if you still have those old ones!

 

[NHAnn]

We just got one, and I do NOT miss those electric coil thingies AT ALL! It does seem to take a tiny bit longer to heat up my tea kettle, not sure why, but I really have no complaints! Ours is a Whirlpool and it has 2 small burners, one large burner, and one in between size burner. I also saw a very fancy (expen$ive) one that had a two-zone extra large cooking area (the large burners burners on the left kind of joined together) for griddle cooking!

 

[marlasmom]

I had one - sold with the house. I miss it. I loved it. It had two large and two small burners. Took a longer time to heat up and a longer time to cool down than the coils. Had an indicator to tell you when the surface was hot - even if no burner was turned on.

 

[lynxstch]

and it has 2 small and 2 large burners..got it at Lowe's..it heats all kinds of pans very quickly and evenly..cleans like a dream, and I love it..would highly recommend replacing the old "coil type" stove with one of these..the cost isn't as prohibitive as it used to be..in fact we didn't pay much more for this one that we would have for the other kind!..good luck!

 

[KaterBell]

This wasn't my OP, but I want to say thanks for the opinions on this, as I'm about to do a major upgrade on my kitchen, and this was a question we had with the new stove ...

I think I'll go for the smooth top!!

 

[RitaZ.]

We bought one last year and I'm very happy with it. Ours has one large burner, two small ones and the fourth one can be expanded to a large or small burner (flip a switch and you're set). I also have an area to keep foods warm, it works nicely.

The oven can also be used as a convection oven, just turn a switch and you're set. I have the Revere copper bottom pots and haven't had problems.

 

[4greatboys]

I have had one for about 3 years now. Its a Frigidaire--2 large burners and 2 smaller one. Ours is hot the minute you turn it on. I do really like it. I have Wearever pots and pans and they heat up great. We alos got ours at Lowes and it was one of the cheapest ones I found it was about $350.

 

[deirdrefitch]

I have had my Whirlpool for three years, and I love it. I have one large, one medium, two small burners, and a warmer in the middle. I use cook essential cookware most of the time, and it does a wonderful job. The top is easy to clean. I would never go back to a regular electric range.

 

[Marla Hellwig]

I have a GE model - 2 large burners and 2 small burners - I haven't noticed things taking longer to heat - and love the ease of clean up

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

I had one when we lived in Omaha and LOVED it. Then we moved to New Orleans, and I had to make do with a gas cooktop with a separate double oven. Don't get me wrong, I adore my double oven, especially at holiday time, but I missed my ceramic cooktop. When we redid our kitchen counters, DH and I were in Lowes, and he asked me if I wanted to get a new cooktop. I was not real excited about it becasue I assumed I had to keep a gas cooktop, and a ceramic cooktop would require electricity. Then he asked me if I wanted a ceramic cooktop again. As soon as he told me that converting the cooktop from gas to electricity would be no problem, I had my new cooktop picked out . Which by the way is a GE with two large and two small burners!!

 

[dandave]

I really wanted one of the smooth tops for our new house, but my sis talked me out of it. She said that I couldn't use cast iron on the smooth top, and that it scratched very easily.
Did I get some really poor advice?

 

[TIdoublegaER]

We love ours. I would never go back to a regular cooktop again. We do have one pan that is slightly concave on the bottom, but I just went out and bought a new pan. We've not had any problems with scratches on ours and I'm pretty sure my mom has used a cast iron skillet on hers (but I could be wrong). I do know that you can't cook Jiffy Pop on them. Don't know why, but when I bought some for the kids, the instructions specifically stated not to use with ceramic cooktop.

 

[laceemouse]

We have a maytag smoothtop and love it! We had the old revere copper bottom pots when we first got it and we had problems with the pots not being flat on the bottom also. They were very old so we replaced them with new, heavy duty professional type pots and pans. It was worth it, they cook great on the smoothtop. For the previous poster, the original smoothtops had a lot of problems, they stained and scratched easily as I remember it. The new ones are much more sturdy and easier to clean. I'm not sure about cast iron pots but you can ask the manufacturer which pots and pans work best!

 

[Gone Disney]

Some years ago we replaced the kitchen appliances. I wanted the smoothtop but had concerns. I was told all sorts of stuff, like you can only use certain pans on it and no glass cookware. Well 4 years later I am so happy I did it. I almost always use cast iron and glass cook wear. I don't bother with revere wear at all. I found it to warp and the nonstick surfaces almost always flakes after a period of time. Although I did have revere wear at first because I was told that was all you could use on it. Which is not true in my case. I have also cooked JIffy pop on my stove. My husband and I use to get this popcorn long time ago and thoght it was neat. For the longest time I could not find it then at Wal-Mart one day there it was. I bought some and went to popping when I got home. I never considered that I wouldn't be able to do this on my stove. I popped 4 pans with no harm to my cook top. Not at once mind you. I was also told that sugar would pit the cook top. Again not true for me. I have several times had sugar on the cook top, mostly because I can get messy while cooking. It again just wipes up an is as smooth as before.
Mine heats up right away, I do not have to wait for it to get hot. It's really about the same as a coil top for that matter, I guess. It takes a few minutes maybe for it to cool down and there is a light that lets you know when the top is hot. If you need instant heat/ cool down then you want gas.

Go for the Smooth top you'll be glad you did! Just think no more burner pans to clean or replace. Gosh I do not miss that.

Good Luck

Gone Disney

 

[dandave]

Well, poopy! It's too late for me to get the smooth top, but thanks for the info!

 

[Gone Disney]

I'm sorry to hear that DanDave. There's always next time. You never know when oppportunity will present itself. Hey when your sis needs a new stove tell her since she talked you out of it then you get the new smooth top and she gets yours. Works for me!

I don't know what I'd do if I had to choose between my cast iron and the smooth top. I don't even want to think of it.


Gone Disney

 

[dandave]

Great idea, Gone Disney!
She did talk me into the over-the-stove microwave, though. I guess I won't pound her...this time.

 

[Regina]

I really appreciate all of the advice.

We went looking at Lowe's, Best Buy and Sears today. I've narrowed it down to a GE Spectra and a Kenmore.

I can't believe all the bells & whistles the new ranges have! It's so hard to choose what features I want.

I'm definitely going with a smoothtop, now I just have to decide which one.