Over the past couple of years, you will agree with me that glass top stoves are slowly replacing traditional coiler cookers in most kitchens. Being amazingly subtle, stylish, easy to clean, and flat-faced, these cooktops add an extra touch of class in every modern kitchen.
Their elegance notwithstanding, caring for these stove tops takes a lot of effort. If you have kids around who are often prone to accidents, then you need to take extra caution to keep them from spoiling the stove tops. Similarly, you must make sure that your cooking ware is flat bottomed to work well with these stove tops.
One of the measures you have to take to effectively use such a stove is buying the best cookware for glass top stoves. A key requirement for these is their flat, smooth bottoms that won’t scratch the surface of your glass stove top and impede its functionality in the process.
Unfortunately, the wide spectrum of cookware makes it difficult to decide on a specific one based on its benefits and features. But since I always got your back, don’t even worry about these brand and model choices. I have included how to go about the selection process and 6 of the best cookware brands you can choose from.
How to Choose the Best Cookware for Glass Top Stoves
Before you set out to buy the best cookware set out there for your glass top stove, there are a couple of things you need to consider. Here are the significant things you should be well conversant with before you purchase a particular set. I also used the same criteria for selecting the best 6 products for this review.
1. Flat Bottomed
It may not seem like much to consider, but a flat bottom goes a long way in increasing the efficiency of your cookware and stove. First of all, glass top stoves have a smooth and flat surface. This means that any cookware placed on them must have the same properties.
It is this interaction between the bottom of the cookware and the cooking surface that determines how fast, slow, or inefficient your cooking would be. To ensure no heat is lost during the heating process, choose a piece of cookware with a flat base.
Also, keep in mind the warping properties of the base as it would affect future performances of the set by reducing the amount of contact between the plate and the cookware bottom. Moreover, most of the flat-bottomed pieces of cookware have smooth surfaces that do not scratch the glass cooking surfaces.
2. The Material the Cookware is Manufactured from
Always keep in mind that not all of the pots and pans you see around are compatible with glass top stoves. There are those that would work great, but certain choices would simply reduce the speed and functionality of both the cookware set and stove top.
The best materials for a glass top stove are titanium, stainless steel, carbon steel, and anodized (weighted) aluminum. Apart from their properties, these often have flat bottoms that are a key requirement for a glass top stove.
Other materials, such as cast iron tend to scratch the glass top with their coarse outer surfaces. Materials such as glass cookware and porcelain enamel have a higher probability of melting when exposed to the high cooking temperatures on a glass top cooking surface. When that happens, it may be impossible to remove the molten metal from the surface.
Also, on this list are pure aluminum and copper. While these two have an excellent heat transfer capability, they tend to leave stains on the cooking surface. Alternatively, the residue left behind also makes for an untidy cooking surface.
3. Contact Area (Sizes)
If you look closely on your glass top stove, you will notice the presence of burner markings. These often mark the outline of the burner underneath the glass surface. As such, you would always want to have pieces of cookware that do not exceed the outlines of those markings.
When a piece of cookware is within the confines of the marks, then heat transfer to the cookware becomes more efficient. A smaller size would lead to wastages while a bigger bottom would require more energy to bring the contents to a boiling point.
However, since finding the exact matching dimensions can be hard, there is an allowance provided to meet the needs of almost all the users. For example, a rule of thumb requires that the cookware size shouldn’t exceed an inch of the diameter of the stove.
Thus, the size can be larger or smaller than the cooking surface diameter by an inch, but not exceeding these for stove energy efficiency. Similarly, small pots will heat up rather too fast, while large-sized pots develop cold spots in the parts of the cookware outside of the marked circle.
4. Cookware Weight
The best cookware for glass stoves is those that are heavy at the bottom. However, the weight shouldn’t also be too much to make the piece of cookware hard to handle when full. The heaviness of the cookware is to keep it in place on the top of the smooth glass tops.
Heavy pots and pans are more likely to stay still as you cook, without moving around in the process in comparison to light cookware. Pieces of cookware that are considerably weighty also act as better conductors as they create a firmer contact on the cooker surface.
Balancing between maneuverability and staying in place on the cooktop is important. Since the food that you add will contribute to the total weight, your cookware does not have to be excessively heavy. This creates another problem of denting the glass top.
5. Non-Colored
You will notice that most of the products in this review are either non-colored or the color in them is heat treated at high temperatures. While this may be bad news for those of you who love bright colored cookware for their stylish nature in your kitchens, it is good news for your glass top stove.
Compromising on pop color for the longevity of your cooking appliance is a decision that I think is worth it. The reason why colored cookware is not ideal for glass top stoves is the probability of the colors leaking onto the stovetop and making it impossible to remove the stain.
Not all of the colored cookware would leak or melt when exposed to elevated temperatures such as in the oven. Since you aren’t always sure of which one to avoid, I stay clear of this type of cookware altogether.
6. Deep, Steep Sides
When using a glass top stove, you have to minimize boil overs as much as possible. Unnecessary stains on the delicate surfaces are problems you shouldn’t have to deal with on a regular basis. That is why I think it would be appropriate to have deep pots, especially for your sauces.
Smaller pots would boil too soon and spill over, giving you extra work to take care of. Thus, get around this problem by avoiding buying small sized pots.
7. Dishwasher, Oven, Freezer Compatibility
These features have nothing to do with the suitability of being used on a glass stove top, but on how versatile and flexible your cookware is. If you opt for nonstick cookware, then dishwashing may be a bad idea. Nevertheless, they are still very easy to clean as nothing sticks on them.
The other choice of oven will depend if you normally complete your cooking processes in the oven or not. Stainless steel is the best option for oven, broiler, and freezer usage. They are able to withstand the high and low temperatures without discoloring.
6 Best Cookware for Glass Top Stoves 2019-2020
1. T-fal E765SC Hard Anodized Cookware Set
For homeowners looking for outstanding high quality yet an affordable set of non-stick pots and pans, then the T-fal E765SC is one of the best choices. And since it easily works with glass top cooking ranges, you will have a contemporary set of kitchen accessories. Also, it packs a host of great features to accompany its modern looks.
By having the bases reinforced, this Teflon cookware holds up well to warping when subjected to uneven heating/cooling or sudden temperature changes. In addition, the flat base maximizes on the contact surface area between the pot, pans, and the cooktop range. Surprisingly, despite being lightweight, E765SC stays on top of cooking ranges, albeit with the added food weight.
This piece of cookware is fitted with a unique heat indicator that lets you know when the pans have been pre-heated to the right temperatures. Preheating the pans to the right temperature is valuable in two ways: it prevents cooked food from sticking onto the surface of the pans and seals in the natural tastes of fish, meat, and poultry juices.
Featuring an aluminum construction, this cookware set offers exceptional heat transfer. Of course, the aluminum is hard anodized to make it sturdy and more resistant to warping than pure aluminum. A nonstick interior coating is both durable and scratch resistant. To some limited degree, you can use metallic utensils on the pots.
The nonstick interior makes the cookware easy and straightforward to clean. When you want even a more convenient way of cleaning, then you can safely use a dishwasher. For handling, the ergonomic silicone handles are comfortable and provide a sure grip even when your hands get greasy and oily. You can subject the handles to a maximum of 3500 F.
A TechnoResist Anti-Warp base not only offers resistance to warping but also makes the cookware compatible with almost all cooktops. The only exception is the induction cooktops. At times, it is hard to believe the authenticity of the pieces since some of them are delivered with warped bottoms. It makes it impossible to have the pans and pots sit flat on glass cooktops.
Recommended for: Those who are looking for an outstanding high quality yet an affordable set of non-stick pots and pans.
Pros
- Thermo indicator
- Cooking surface is nonstick
- Affordable pricing
- Great aesthetics
- Silicone handles usable at considerably high temperatures
- Lightweight for quick cooking
- Anodized aluminum is sturdy and inert
- In and out easy to clean
- Healthy cooking as less oil is used
- Nonstick surface usable with metallic utensils
Cons
- Some pans and pots arrive with warped bottoms
- Food can burn quickly because of the lightweight nature
- Not dishwasher safe as indicated
2. Cuisinart MCP-12N Multi-Clad Pro Stainless Steel Cookware Set
Even from the first looks, the Cuisinart MCP-12N promises to be a great piece of cookware set for your glass cooktop. Of the cooking sets that you will come across, this set is up there with the best in terms of versatility. It can be used for a wide range of surfaces and cooking techniques, making the 12 pieces all-rounder in taking care of your cooking needs.
The Cuisinart MCP-12N is compatible with glass stove tops, can be used in the freezer, washed in the dishwasher, and used in the oven. However, note that these applications are subject to certain terms and conditions for efficient functionality. For example, the oven resistance is only plausible up to 5500 F. Beyond this, you risk melting the stainless-steel metal.
Similarly, the dishwasher washing should be discouraged as it degrades the polished surface when used continuously. The polished interior and exterior are easy to clean by hand, resists discoloration, does not alter food flavors, and is inert to acidic foods such as tomatoes. When transferring food from the pans, the tapered, non-drip rims eliminate spill-overs.
The stainless-steel handles are an extension of the 18/10 stainless steel used to make the pans themselves. These handles stay cool most of the time as you cook. However, you should have mittens at hand as the handles may heat up on occasions. Lids are also made from stainless steel with handle loops for easy handling.
Featuring 3-ply construction, this cookware offers users an unrivaled performance in terms of heat conductivity and durability. The cookware engineering combines a robust outer and cooking surface stainless steel sandwiching an aluminum layer in between. Aluminum is renowned for its unrivaled uniform heat conduction, eliminating hot spots as a result.
Apart from your glass stove top, this cookware set works on all the other ranges, including induction. Like any other stainless-steel cookware that’s highly polished, you will have to take extra care to prevent the surfaces from scratching. Another downside, with the amount of money you would be paying for this set, at least you should get extra accessories in the package.
Recommended for: Those who are looking for a great piece of cookware set for your glass cooktop.
Pros
- Flat bottoms
- Exceptional heat distribution
- Dishwasher safe
- Oven compatible
- Effortless cleaning
- Great looking mirror finishing
- Does not scratch delicate surfaces
- Usable with metallic and non-metallic utensils
- Heats up fast and even
- Excellent versatility
- Drip-free pouring
Cons
- Can easily burn food
- Might not give you the best value for your money
- Polished surface requires extra care
3. Calphalon 1767952 Tri-Ply Stainless Steel 8-Piece Cookware Set
The Calphalon 1767952 is crafted from 18/10 stainless steel for a polished, mirror-like performance. Resultantly, the pieces look great in your stylish, modern kitchen alongside the glass stove top. The individual pieces are made to be used regularly for every cooking need from searing, boiling, simmering, browning, sautéing, deglazing, and many others.
Apart from the essential kitchen accessories provided, this cookware’s secret performance attribute is the tri-ply construction. It combines the beauty of polished stainless steel and the superior heat transfer capabilities of aluminum. These three layers ensure a consistent heating every time you use any of the pieces in the set. The tri-ply extends from the bottom to the walls.
The inner inert cooking surface creates your ideal surface for deglazing for pan sauces, sautéing, searing, and browning. As your food is cooking, you are able to effortlessly monitor the cooking process, all thanks to the see-through lids made from tempered glass. Whereas these are great for timing your cooking adventure, the lids limit the permissible cooking temperature that’s possible.
While the aluminum consistently distributes the heat throughout the cooking surfaces, the stainless-steel outer layers offer a substantial amount of heat retention. As such, any of the pieces in this cookware set stays oven-safe up to a temperature of 4500 F. Additionally the stainless-steel construction makes it compatible with all cooktops and dishwashers.
On the pots and pans are long stainless-steel handles that use cool V-handle technology to stay cool. There is no guarantee that the handles will stay cool at all times since they get warm from time to time. This tendency is especially true for the loop handles on the stockpots. However, you should comfortably handle them when moving the pots too and from the stove.
From the first look, there is an appeal about this cookware set with the satin finish. It appeals to homeowners looking for complimentary kitchenware to their stylish glass stovetops. Also, since they are made from stainless steel, you can use them in the oven and broiler. Even though the construction shouldn’t allow for warping, there are reports of the bottoms warping.
Recommended for: Those who are looking for pieces that look great in your stylish, modern kitchen alongside the glass stove top.
Pros
- Heat quickly
- Cleaning is easy
- No food sticks when properly preheated
- Great quality
- Looks great
- Well-balanced
- Reasonably priced
- Consistent heating eliminating hot spots
- Tri-ply layer stays intact when in service
- The pot has 2 handles for effective handling
Cons
- The pans warp at the bottom
- Handles still get hot
- Glass lids explode
4. Cook N Home 15-Piece Nonstick Stay Cool Handle Cookware Set
This Cook N Home 15-piece cookware set comes highly recommended for use with glass stovetops. In the course of my research for the best cookware for glass top stoves, this set popped up severally, which to an extent alludes to how well it is regarded among homeowners and chefs. Plus, heavy-duty aluminum construction makes for quick, uniform heating as you cook.
It is delivered in a package consisting of 15 pieces comprising of pans, pots, cooking utensils, and an instructions booklet on how best to use the set. First off, the packaging box, you might love the glass lids. There are those of you who prefer them over the regular types of lids because of the ease with which you can monitor the cooking progress.
Moreover, every piece features a nonstick coating, making them extremely easy to clean. Since no food sticks on the surface, cleaning afterward is no uphill task. Actually, most of the time, a simple wash would be just fine. I have seen people wash the pots in a dishwasher without any problems. However, you should stick to hand-washing if you want them to last you for long.
Each of the pieces is crafted from heavy gauge aluminum. Therefore, the heat conduction is pretty outstanding for fast cooking. The stay-cool handles are wrapped in silicone for a non-slip cooking experience. These are comfortable to hold as they stay cool for quite some time. A drawback of these types of handles is the low-temperature resistance as the silicone melts at high temperatures, more so in the oven.
One of the positives about this cookware set is the nonstick coating. It requires little to no cooking oil, thus contributing to your quest for healthy cooking. These coated surfaces are also resistant to chipping or scratching even when frequently used. Nonetheless, I think this is no license to “abuse” the pans and pots or using metallic spatulas on them.
Despite their apparent drawbacks, I still remain a huge fan of the glass lids as I don’t have to lift the lids off to see how far my cooking is coming along. What I do is remove the lid when cooking high-temperature foods to prevent the glass from cracking. The black color also adds to the overall cookware appeal, making it possible to transfer the cooked food to your dinner table while still in the pots.
Recommended for: Those who are looking for the best cookware for glass top stoves.
Pros
- High-quality construction
- Excellent pieces versatility
- Dishwasher safe
- Easy to clean nonstick coating
- Well-prized
- Convenient see-through glass lid
- Handles stay cool
- No hotspots
- Pot lids fit on fry pans
- Vented lids for efficient steam release
- Comfortable handles
Cons
- Not oven safe
- Difficult to drain water from the pots
- Still pricy in comparison to other cooking sets
5. Duxtop Whole-Clad Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Cookware 10-Pc Set
Another top cookware brand that is recommended for glass top stoves is the Duxtop Whole-Clad stainless-steel cookware set. For beginners, you may find stainless steel cookware hard to figure out more so on how to make them nonstick. At first, everything might stick, but when you get to learn to preheat them on medium heat (not high heat to save time), then these will be worth the money you spend on them.
This premium cookware set features a bonded triple layer consisting of aluminum and stainless steel. One thick heavy gauge aluminum layer is sandwiched between the two outer and cooking surface stainless steel layers. The whole cladding extends all the way from the bottom to the sides of the individual pots and pans pieces. Heat transfer is, therefore, guaranteed throughout the cookware.
The good thing about this whole cladding feature is its durability. It substantially increases the lifespan of the cookware in comparison to when an encapsulated bottom is used instead. Also, the use of stainless steel eliminates any limitation in terms of the cooktop that you can use. Apart from glass tops, it’s also possible to use halogen, electric, gas, and induction stovetops.
Drip-free pouring rims inhibit messy pan content transfers that give you extra work of cleaning the exterior of the pans and the table tops. Cool-stay handles made from stainless steel ease gripping. They also allow one to properly balance a full pot and pan in your hand even when full. These handles are then double riveted onto the pans to keep them intact throughout the life span of the pans.
In place of the glass lids, the ones on these pieces are made from stainless steel and have loop handles on them for lifting. In terms of practicability, stainless steel lids are stronger and more robust than glass. The only problem is that you have to lift the lids to check up on the food, putting your hand at risk of getting burnt by the gush of escaping steam.
The pots together with the lids are safe within an oven for up to 5500 F. Desirably, they can also be used to keep cooked food in the freezer. Thus, you do not have to throw away leftovers from last night’s dinner. Simply keep them in the freezer and warm them up the next day.
While these pieces are dishwasher-safe, hand-washing is the most suitable care routine. Resist from using scouring pads and tough detergents that scratch and discolor the surfaces respectively.
Recommended for: Those who are looking for a top cookware brand that is recommended for glass top stoves.
Pros
- Versatile for a variety of cooktops
- Metallic lids provide a tight seal
- Lids usable in ovens
- Comfortable handles
- Durable handles
- High quality 18/10 stainless steel
- Nothing sticks when pre-seasoned
- Gorgeous designs
- Smooth non-scratching exterior
- Shiny appearance easy to maintain
- Lasts for years
Cons
- Requires seasoning once washed with soap and water
- Lids are too light and pop up and down as food cooks
- Food still sticks on the inside on occasions
6. Duxtop SSIB-19 Stainless Steel Cookware Set
Made from commercial grade 18/10 stainless steel, the SSIB-19 is part of the SSIB range of cookware products line form Duxtop. These are known for their high quality, durable impact bonding technology. Also, their warranty is another indicator of the quality of these cooking pieces. It assures you that the products are built to last for long while in use.
This set comes with an array of 19 pieces consisting of pots, pans, casseroles, and a set of kitchen utensils. I particularly love the steamer that allows you to prepare your favorite veggies in the refreshing greenness. The pasta basket is another useful one too for a comprehensive list of kitchen accessories alongside the 2-pronged fork, spoons, and spatulas.
Unlike the previous Duxtop model, this particular product does not have the cladding throughout the surface. It only has an encapsulated stainless steel, aluminum bottom to reduce the cost of extending the aluminum to the sides. The effectiveness may be reduced, but it still makes the heat transfer as efficient throughout the bottom as it should be. Thus, cold and hot spots which lead to unevenly cooked meals are eliminated.
For those who frequently use glass top, ceramic, radiant glass, induction, gas, electric, and gas cooktops, this cookware set is one you might want to consider. It has a very high-temperature resistance of up to oven temperatures of 5500 F. With such a high limit, I don’t think there is any limit to the cooking possibilities you can attempt. Also, the set is freezer-safe, especially when you need to store extra food.
Stainless steel handles on the cookware are ergonomically shaped to make handling as less strenuous as possible. Moreover, their satin finish acts as a mechanism for stopping your hands from slipping. These handles are then riveted onto the pans for increased durability. Better still, these handles stay cool for almost an hour of cooking.
Beyond that, they start to get a little warm, which you can still handle without getting scorched. This product scores big in terms of ease of cleaning, ease of use, and durability. However, the ease of use is subjective, depending on the experience the user has with stainless steel products.
If you have been using nonstick before, you may find it hard to make the adjustment at first. Apart from the poor quality control on some items, this cooking set should be just fine if you need a piece of cooking set with a wholesome composition of pieces.
Recommended for: Those who frequently use glass top, ceramic, radiant glass, induction, gas, electric, and gas cooktops.
Pros
- Cool touch handles
- Evenly cooked food
- Includes a steamer basket
- Includes a list of useful utensils
- Impressive mirrored finish
- Gentle on the delicate glass tops
- Does not discolor when washed in the dishwasher
- A unique pasta basket comes in handy
- Requires low to medium heat
- The perfect weight that neither light nor too heavy
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Too many pieces that you may not get to use
Conclusion
Because of their excellent heat distribution, elegant, smooth designs, and their ease of cleaning, glass top stoves are slowly becoming a hit among the modern homeowners. Since they are special in a way, they necessitate a similarly high-quality cookware.
By taking into consideration the individual features, versatility, cooking style provided, and variety of pots and pans in the set, I can comfortably settle on the T-fal E765SC Hard Anodized Cookware Set as my top pick for the best cookware for glass top stoves.
Their unique thermal indicator lacks in all the other cookware brands, making the set an ideal one for beginners. Also, the 12 pieces make a good number of items that you are likely to use. The aluminum used is hard anodized for strength and weight to fit on the glass top stove. Also, the outer surfaces are smooth so as not to scratch the top of the stove.