Solid Disk Element Questions and
Q. May I can foods and preserves
on my solid disk elements?
A. Yes, but only use containers
designed for canning purposes.
Check the manufacturer’s instructions
and recipes for preserving foods,
Be sure canner is flat-bottomed and
fits over the center of the solid disk
element. Since canning generates
large amounts of steam, be careful
to avoid burns from steam or heat.
Q. Why does the solid disk
element smoke when I
turn
it on?
A.
This initial smoking is both
normal and necessary. A rust
preventative is applied to each
element at the factory. When the
unit is turned on for the first time,
the coating will burn off the
element areas. This takes
approximately five minutes and
should be done without any pans
on the element. Otherwise, the
coating will stick to the pan.
Q. Why is the cooktop hot to
the touch?
A. More heat is transferred to the
cooktop by the solid disk elements
than by conventional coils because
the elements are clamped securely
to the cooktop surface. This, of
course, eliminates
from
getting inside the cooktop chassis.
The secret to keeping the cooktop
comfortably cooler is to turn the
cooktop on only
the cookware
and its contents are placed on the
element. More heat will then be
transferred to the cookware and the
food rather than the cooktop. In
either case, however, the cooktop
temperature will not cause damage
to the cabinets, countertops or
cookware.
Q. Why am I overcooking my
food?
A. The solid disk elements are
very energy-efficient and retain heat
much longer than coil elements.
Food
or
for
to five
minutes
the controls are turned
off. We recommend that you begin
cooking at lower settings than you
have in the past and gradually
increase or decrease heat as desired.
The energy savings are significant.
Q. Why does it take a longtime
to cook my food?
A. The extra time it takes compared
to the conventional coil element is
measured in seconds, not minutes.
These few seconds are due to the
greater mass of the solid disk
element. If the food is cooking
slowly, it is because the pots and
pans are warped or have an uneven
bottom surface. If flat-bottomed
pots and pans are used, cooking
performance of the solid disk
element closely parallels that of
the coil element with less energy
consumption.
Q. Can I use special cooking
equipment like an
wok?
A. Cookware without flat surfaces
is not recommended. The life of
your solid disk element can be
shortened and the cooktop can be
damaged from the high heat needed
for this type of cooking.
Q. Why is the porcelain finish
on my containers coming
A.
If you select a heat setting higher
than required for the container
material and leave it, the finish
may smoke, crack, pop, or burn
depending on the pot or pan. Also,
a too high heat for long periods,
and small amounts of dry food,
may damage the finish.
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