ceramic range tops

"Pennyaline" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

I've been told that many of the newest gas ranges have supply shut off to
all burners in the event of power outage.

I wonder what the mechanism would entail to physically
cut off the gas supply, especially with the electricity off.

At any rate, I don't know what you mean by newer, but mine
is a year old and you can light the burners with a match.

Quoted message said:

Why on earth anyone installed electric appliances when gas lines were
already there is beyond me. The neighbors tell me the previous owners laid
out scads to electricians for appliance service lines to their blessed
water heater and kitchen range. Idiots!

I have no idea. I have a 220 line in my utility room for the
electric dryer that came with the house. Right next to the gas
furnace. I had to pay to run a gas line when I replaced my
dryer with a gas fired one.

nancy

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Phred) said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Omelet

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Phred) said:

However, another friend also has one of these gizmos, but hers has
some sort of residual illumination that stays on until the temperature
of the cooking surface above the element has dropped to 60C (IIRC).

Mine has a little orange light next to the burner knob that stays lit
until the top cools to a reasonable level.

Hah! That starts to ring a bell. I think that's what she has too.

I think it's standard for some modern glass tops.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I've gotten into the habit of sliding a pan over the burner as a heat
sink to cool it off faster after it's turned off. I keep two pans on the
stove. My cast iron skillet and my pressure cooker. I rarely use both at
the same time so alternate between them to cover the hot spot.

I do things like that to cool the coil elements on my antique stove
too, so I don't inadvertently burn or melt something. (Especially me!)

Cheers, Phred.

Exactly. ;-)
--
Peace, Om

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"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]" -- Jack Nicholson

In article <[email hidden]>,

Karen AKA Kajikit said:

On Mon, 3 Sep 2007 14:44:00 -0400, [email hidden] (Dolores JUDD)

Quoted message said:

Hello ,
I would like to know what all the cooks think about the ceramic ranges
compared to the coil type range. I also am confused as to what type of
cookware to use.At this time I have a ciol type range, but soon will
need a new range.

Our landlord replaced our coil electric stove with a ceramic one... I
thought I'd hate it but they're much improved from a few decades ago!
(my aunt had one of the old glass ones, and it chipped, scratched, and
the paint wore off...) After six months I really like the ceramic
stove it's very easy to clean and I like that you can sit hot stuff
like oven trays on it without worrying about balancing them... the
only negative is how long the plates hold the heat. It takes about
half an hour to cool down all the way after you switch it off, so it's
not very safe around children (there's a little red light that says
'I'm hot' but kids might not notice it.)

One more good reason for my practice of putting a cool pan over it.
I worry more about the cats. They don't jump up onto the stove very
often, but I have seen pawprints up there when the stove top was left
polished.

They are subtle, but visible.
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]" -- Jack Nicholson

In article <[email hidden]>,

Pennyaline said:

Omelet said:

The price of LP has also made it difficult for some people in recent
years with gas appliances.

Note please, if you DO have gas appliances, especially a hot water
heater or furnace, please please PLEASE install a carbon monoxide
detector! They are not expensive and well worth having.

If I have a power outage for any long period of time, I do have a wood
pile and a backup propane camping stove to use outdoors. So far I've
never had to resort to it, but we no longer live in Colorado where we'd
have 7 day power outages so I can see in some areas where gas would be
good to have, or at least a good wood stove.

I've cooked on one of those too in the past. <g>

I've baked bread in the oven of a wood burning kitchen stove. Lemme tell
ya, I never complained about oven temperature control again, gas or
electric!

<grins> I'll bet! Temp control in a wood burner is iffy at best! I never
tried baking anything other than canned biscuits in one. I take my hat
off to you for doing bread!

Quoted message said:

I also got good at baking bread. Most of my appreciation for the
mechanics of good cooking was acquired banking and tending that monster.

Learning to bank it properly is invaluable, especially for cold winter
nights in the North when you really did not want it to go out.

Quoted message said:

I've been told that many of the newest gas ranges have supply shut off
to all burners in the event of power outage. If they told me wrong, I'm
relieved. Many times, manually lighting the burners has saved the bacon,
as it were.

I understand.

Quoted message said:

We already have CO monitors upstairs and down because of the wood stove
in the living room, so when I replaced the old piece of [censored] electric
water heater with an sparkling-new gas one, we were covered. Why on
earth anyone installed electric appliances when gas lines were already
there is beyond me. The neighbors tell me the previous owners laid out
scads to electricians for appliance service lines to their blessed water
heater and kitchen range. Idiots!

Heh! Someone might have been paranoid about gas appliances... ;-D

We had a couple of small gas fires due to leaking lines in our house
when I was growing up. I have a serious fire paranoia from when I was a
kid.

<shrugs>

Funny, I'm ok using a wood stove or fireplace, but gas appliances and
gas lines running into my house scare me. I won't have it.
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]" -- Jack Nicholson

Omelet said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] (Phred) wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Mine has a little orange light next to the burner knob that stays
lit until the top cools to a reasonable level.

Hah! That starts to ring a bell. I think that's what she has too.

I think it's standard for some modern glass tops.

On mine, the light by the knob means that the burner still has power to
it. There's then a light along the front edge of the cooktop that lets
you know something is hot there, but not specifically which burner.

Brian

--
If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
won't shut up.
-- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)

In article <[email hidden]>,

Default User said:

Omelet said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] (Phred) wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> Mine has a little orange light next to the burner knob that stays
> lit until the top cools to a reasonable level.

Hah! That starts to ring a bell. I think that's what she has too.

I think it's standard for some modern glass tops.

On mine, the light by the knob means that the burner still has power to
it. There's then a light along the front edge of the cooktop that lets
you know something is hot there, but not specifically which burner.

Brian

That sounds interesting...

With mine, the light is only lit when it reaches a certain temp (hot),
even if the power is on or off. But, it's generally hot within a few
seconds once it's on. ;-) It just does not shut off until it's cool.
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]" -- Jack Nicholson

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Dolores JUDD) said:

Hello ,
I would like to know what all the cooks think about the ceramic ranges
compared to the coil type range. I also am confused as to what type of
cookware to use.At this time I have a ciol type range, but soon will
need a new range.

Thank you Dee

I've a GE smooth top that I like a lot. I do home canning on it, too,
without problems.

Rec.food.equipment would be a good place to ask for more opinions.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
For your listening pleasure: http://www.am1500.com/pcast/80509.mp3 --
from the MN State Fair, 8-29-07

Pennyaline said:

Omelet said:

The price of LP has also made it difficult for some people in recent
years with gas appliances.

Note please, if you DO have gas appliances, especially a hot water
heater or furnace, please please PLEASE install a carbon monoxide
detector! They are not expensive and well worth having.

If I have a power outage for any long period of time, I do have a wood
pile and a backup propane camping stove to use outdoors. So far I've
never had to resort to it, but we no longer live in Colorado where we'd
have 7 day power outages so I can see in some areas where gas would be
good to have, or at least a good wood stove.

I've cooked on one of those too in the past. <g>

I've baked bread in the oven of a wood burning kitchen stove. Lemme tell
ya, I never complained about oven temperature control again, gas or
electric!

I also got good at baking bread. Most of my appreciation for the
mechanics of good cooking was acquired banking and tending that monster.

I've been told that many of the newest gas ranges have supply shut off
to all burners in the event of power outage. If they told me wrong, I'm
relieved. Many times, manually lighting the burners has saved the bacon,
as it were.

We already have CO monitors upstairs and down because of the wood stove
in the living room, so when I replaced the old piece of [censored] electric
water heater with an sparkling-new gas one, we were covered. Why on
earth anyone installed electric appliances when gas lines were already
there is beyond me. The neighbors tell me the previous owners laid out
scads to electricians for appliance service lines to their blessed water
heater and kitchen range. Idiots!

There was a time (at least here in Illannoy) when the power company was busy
promoting electricity for appliances and home heating. Those that "took the
bait" got a REAL rude surprise when electric rates went through the roof
here in downstate IL earlier this year. In some cases their monthly bills
quadrupled...here in Chicawgo the rate increase was not as bad, but still
major. After a huge outcry folks will soon be receiving some relief via
credits or "rebate" checks...

--
Best
Greg

In article <[email hidden]>,

Gregory Morrow said:

There was a time (at least here in Illannoy) when the power company was busy
promoting electricity for appliances and home heating. Those that "took the
bait" got a REAL rude surprise when electric rates went through the roof
here in downstate IL earlier this year. In some cases their monthly bills
quadrupled...here in Chicawgo the rate increase was not as bad, but still
major. After a huge outcry folks will soon be receiving some relief via
credits or "rebate" checks...

Here it's just the opposite.

Those who can are converting to electric due to the price per gallon for
LP.

When it costs $600.00 (or more) to fill a 50 gallon tank, those that
live on minimum wage can't do that.

I've given away more than one length of conversion cable...
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]" -- Jack Nicholson

I, too, will be replacing my range top sometime in the next few years or so.
As far as gas vs electric is concerned, I'm in the middle. I like both, for
varying reasons. Currently, I have electric, and it's an inexpensive coiltop
with which I about 4 years ago replaced the original push-button coiltop
that was sparking and mostly not working after 35 years.

We've replaced all the appliances in the kitchen, one by one, over the last
5 years or so. We might replace the original Formica counter after another
few years, and if we do, will probably replace the cooktop as well. My
concerns about the ceramic surface is, can you slide cookware over it for
years on end and still have it looking nice? I seldom use cast iron, but I'm
betting if you do, you shouldn't be dragging it around on the glass.

I suppose what I like about my inexpensive coil electric top is, replacing a
coil is a very simple and inexpensive operation. And, if I drop a pan on it,
no harm done. Which also means that I don't have to worry about it when my
children come home and want to cook on their own. If I had a glass top, I'd
be always wondering what will happen to it when the kids come home, and when
their kids are old enough to cook, etc.

Ah, well. That's what life is for, I suppose - the uncertainty of the
future.

EZ

In article <[email hidden]>,

Melba's Jammin said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Dolores JUDD) said:

Hello ,
I would like to know what all the cooks think about the ceramic ranges
compared to the coil type range. I also am confused as to what type of
cookware to use.At this time I have a ciol type range, but soon will
need a new range.

Thank you Dee

I've a GE smooth top that I like a lot. I do home canning on it, too,
without problems.

Rec.food.equipment would be a good place to ask for more opinions.

Mom canned on ours too with no problem. :-)

GE Profile "Spectra", double Laminate.

Worth every penny.

Don't get the cheapest one you can find.
Get the best you can afford.

While we have found that it's often easy to over-pay for some stuff,
We've rarely found it to be true with appliances.

Too much competition.

The overall annual costs will save you in the long run. Mom's front
loader washing machine that lasted for 25 years is a good example.
It lasted 25 years. We just replaced it with a similar one for $800.00
10 years ago.

Most cheap washing machines are about $250.00 and last 5 years, max.
Some last only 3.

Do the math. ;-)
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]" -- Jack Nicholson

In article <[email hidden]>,

EZ said:

My
concerns about the ceramic surface is, can you slide cookware over it for
years on end and still have it looking nice? I seldom use cast iron, but I'm
betting if you do, you shouldn't be dragging it around on the glass.

We have had ours for between 7 and 8 years.
I use Cast Iron all the time and am _not_ careful about "sliding".
Granted, we DID pay a lot and got the "double laminate", but here is our
stove top after 5 minutes cleaning efforts:

http://i11.tinypic.com/4hlib0p.jpg

Closer:

http://i13.tinypic.com/4c95bhz.jpg

Yeah there are a few scratches but nothing horribly noticeable or in
danger of cracking the top.

GE Spectra Double Laminate.
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]" -- Jack Nicholson

In article <[email hidden]>,

EZ said:

I, too, will be replacing my range top sometime in the next few years or so.
As far as gas vs electric is concerned, I'm in the middle. I like both, for
varying reasons. Currently, I have electric, and it's an inexpensive coiltop
with which I about 4 years ago replaced the original push-button coiltop
that was sparking and mostly not working after 35 years.

We've replaced all the appliances in the kitchen, one by one, over the last
5 years or so. We might replace the original Formica counter after another
few years, and if we do, will probably replace the cooktop as well. My
concerns about the ceramic surface is, can you slide cookware over it for
years on end and still have it looking nice? I seldom use cast iron, but I'm
betting if you do, you shouldn't be dragging it around on the glass.

I suppose what I like about my inexpensive coil electric top is, replacing a
coil is a very simple and inexpensive operation. And, if I drop a pan on it,
no harm done. Which also means that I don't have to worry about it when my
children come home and want to cook on their own. If I had a glass top, I'd
be always wondering what will happen to it when the kids come home, and when
their kids are old enough to cook, etc.

Ah, well. That's what life is for, I suppose - the uncertainty of the
future.

EZ

You can replace the stove top if they break it, but it's not cheap. ;-)

TEACH your kids and grandkids! Even a regular coil top enameled stove
can be damaged by dropped pans and stupidity. <G>
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]" -- Jack Nicholson

Thanks for your two replies, OM!

Omelet said:

TEACH your kids and grandkids! Even a regular coil top enameled stove
can be damaged by dropped pans and stupidity

That's why I replaced the enameled top with a stainless one. They might dent
it, but they won't chip it!

EZ

On 4 Sep 2007 17:46:11 GMT, "Default User" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Omelet said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] (Phred) wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> Mine has a little orange light next to the burner knob that stays
> lit until the top cools to a reasonable level.

Hah! That starts to ring a bell. I think that's what she has too.

I think it's standard for some modern glass tops.

On mine, the light by the knob means that the burner still has power to
it. There's then a light along the front edge of the cooktop that lets
you know something is hot there, but not specifically which burner.

Brian

On mine, that is are 4 circles at the center front that turn orange
when the burner is over 125°F. If I see that a burner is hot, I look
to see if it is turned on. If so and no one is cooking, I turn it
off.
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)

Melba's Jammin said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Dolores JUDD) said:

Hello ,
I would like to know what all the cooks think about the ceramic ranges
compared to the coil type range. I also am confused as to what type of
cookware to use.At this time I have a ciol type range, but soon will
need a new range.

Thank you Dee

I've a GE smooth top that I like a lot. I do home canning on it, too,
without problems.

I also have a GE smooth top and I also like it. Mine has been used 3
or 4 time a day for various types of canning this summer. Right this
minute it looks horrible, but will not take but a few minutes to
clean. My coil type used to take forever to get the drip pans clean.

--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)

In article <[email hidden]>,

EZ said:

Thanks for your two replies, OM!

Omelet said:

TEACH your kids and grandkids! Even a regular coil top enameled stove
can be damaged by dropped pans and stupidity

That's why I replaced the enameled top with a stainless one. They might dent
it, but they won't chip it!

EZ

I never once damaged mom's stove top while learning how to cook.
They'd have eliminated the privilege. ;-)
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]" -- Jack Nicholson

<sf> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Mon, 03 Sep 2007 20:58:47 -0500, Omelet <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I use any type of cookware on it except you are not supposed to use a
round bottomed wok on it.

Why? It seems like if you use a ring, it should be ok.

Aside from the fact it will not heat well with only a small contact point,
you are putting a lot of pressure in one spot.

Karen AKA Kajikit said:

On Mon, 3 Sep 2007 14:44:00 -0400, [email hidden] (Dolores JUDD)

Quoted message said:

Hello ,
I would like to know what all the cooks think about the ceramic ranges
compared to the coil type range. I also am confused as to what type of
cookware to use.At this time I have a ciol type range, but soon will
need a new range.

Our landlord replaced our coil electric stove with a ceramic one... I
thought I'd hate it but they're much improved from a few decades ago!
(my aunt had one of the old glass ones, and it chipped, scratched, and
the paint wore off...) After six months I really like the ceramic
stove it's very easy to clean and I like that you can sit hot stuff
like oven trays on it without worrying about balancing them... the
only negative is how long the plates hold the heat. It takes about
half an hour to cool down all the way after you switch it off, so it's
not very safe around children (there's a little red light that says
'I'm hot' but kids might not notice it.)

Cats neither.

With my gas stove the cast iron grates stay hot a good while too but
I'm in the habit of either leaving the pot, it's lid, or placing an
empty pot that I leave on the stove at all times.

I'm not comfortable with any form of electric stove, not since my
uncle's house burned to the ground because they were in the habit of
using the stove top as sort of a catch all table. One evening after
dinner the entire family left for a movie, someone must have forgot to
turn off a burner and someone tossed a magazine on the stove just as
they were leaving. They admitted to doing this previously but always
when home, someone would see/smell the smoke and the smoke detector
would go off.

Omelet said:

Quoted message said:

Don't get the cheapest one you can find.
Get the best you can afford.

While we have found that it's often easy to over-pay for some stuff,
We've rarely found it to be true with appliances.

Too much competition.

The overall annual costs will save you in the long run. Mom's front
loader washing machine that lasted for 25 years is a good example.
It lasted 25 years. We just replaced it with a similar one for $800.00
10 years ago.

Most cheap washing machines are about $250.00 and last 5 years, max.
Some last only 3.

Depends on whether it's used or abused. Many people do many loads
every day and typically overload the machine. I do on average three
washes a week and am careful not to over load. The washer I'm using
now is an ordinary top loading Whirlpool, cost $330 nine years ago...
has never needed a repair and still works just fine. Of course I
shouldn't have said that, hehe

Quoted message said:

Do the math. ;-)

Really not fair to compare $250 washers to $800 washers. But the
lower end units are more likely to outlive the top of the line
washers, because there are less bells and whistles on cheaper machines
and those are what seem to die first, and are expensive, and often
incapacitate the entire machine if not replaced.

And the main reason your mom's machine lasted 25 years is because even
though they didn't have all the high tech electronics back then
everything else was built to last... and in most all cases when later
model washers are tossed in the trash its because the very expensive
high tech electronic computer modules die. The module on that $800
washer can cost more than $500 to replace, what would you do when the
machine is like one week past its three year warranty... most normal
folks would opt for a new machine, no sooner than they replace the
module the transmission will need to be replaced too.

Sheldon