13
Surface Cooking
Cookware Material Types
The cookware material determines how evenly and quickly heat is transferred from the surface element to the pan bottom.
The most popular materials available are:
ALUMINUM - Excellent heat conductor. Some types of food will cause it to darken (Anodized aluminum cookware resists
staining & pitting). If aluminum pans slide across the ceramic cooktop, they may leave metal marks which will resemble
scratches. Remove these marks immediately.
COPPER - Excellent heat conductor but discolors easily. May leave metal marks on ceramic glass (see Aluminum above).
STAINLESS STEEL - Slow heat conductor with uneven cooking results. Is durable, easy to clean and resists staining.
CAST IRON - A poor heat conductor however will retain heat very well. Cooks evenly once cooking temperature is reached.
Not recommended for use on ceramic cooktops.
PORCELAIN-ENAMEL on METAL - Heating characteristics will vary depending on base material. Porcelain-enamel coating
must be smooth to avoid scratching ceramic cooktops.
GLASS - Slow heat conductor. Not recommended for ceramic cooktop surfaces because it may scratch the glass.
Using proper cookware
The size and type of cookware used will influence the
setting needed for best cooking results. Cookware
should have flat bottoms that make good contact with
the entire surface heating element (See Fig. 2). Check
for flatness by rotating a ruler across the bottom of the
cookware (See Fig. 1).
Be sure to follow the
recommendations for
using proper
cookware as
illustrated.
For more information
about the ceramic
cooktop see “Cooktop
Cleaning &
Maintenance” in the
General Care &
Cleaning section.
Fig. 1
Fig. 2