The area under the pan gets hot from the pot and contents heating. If I were to place my hand on the burner that was just used on a setting greater than 4/5, it would be too hot to leave my hand in place. I have stopped using a paper towel under the pan as I noticed a slight scorch mark once and felt it was a fire hazard. The burner never gets as hot as an electric glass top so items don't burn on making cleanup easy. Because only the pot/contents, and as a result the top of the cooktop directly under the pan, heat up, the area around the cooktop is cooler than gas. It is possible that either the fan or the vent in the back is not allowing proper cooling.

I have contact DIVA directly several times and found them to be extremely responsive. If you go to the DIVA site, there is an email address for product technical questions. Below is the type of response I received from DIVA regarding a question about the keypad feeling hot to the touch.

BELOW COPIED FROM EMAIL SENT FROM DIVA re: hot keypad

- The keypad area becomes hot when the right zone is in operation:

Diva's response: The temperature of the glass around a zone in operation is supposed to get warm - I measured temperatures up to 130°F on the glass when all three zones were used. Thus, this is a normal occurrence, because your fans are driving the air constantly inside the unit in order to keep the electronic components 'cool' and happy. One thing that needs to be checked here is if the exhausts (slots in the back of the frame) are open and not enclosed with gasket, which was supplied originally with the unit. What I found is that many of the installers disregard the installation instruction as outlined in the manual, and they apply this gasket (weather-stripping foam strip) to the back of the frame. This clogs the exhaust openings/slots and can lead to constant overheating of the unit.

V. Kamikovski
Manager, Tech. Services
Diva de Provence

The "cool to the touch" legend is just something started by uninformed copywriters and flacks years ago. When the current is induced into the cooking vessel and creates heat, most of the heat goes into the work and some heat goes from the pot into the smoothtop area supporting it. The smoothtop is a good insulator and resists heating up immediately but once it is hot it will remain hot for quite a time after the power is shut off. The famous image of the " fried egg half in the half fry pan" while the egg half spilling onto the smoothtop active cooking surface remains uncooked was obviously done immediately at power on, not right after heating up a gallon of boiling water using a stock pot covering the entire active burner area.

Thank you very much - I knew it was hot because the pan gets hot, but I just didn't expect it to get quite so hot. But I will definitely check the exhaust openings, as well as keep in mind contacting Diva with questions.

Thanks again!

I always use a thin silicone pad on my Diva DPP-5. Not only does it protect the smoothtop from getting scratches from your pot, but it also insulates the smoothtop from getting much reflected heat from the pan. My favorite brand is DeMarles Silpat octagonal silicone. It is perfectly sized for the largest burner and it is very thin, so the power has no problem reaching the pan--even at full tilt. At a list price of $13 it is for me a must have item. Plus it is so thin and flexible you can easily store it.

Greg

ooh - Greg - that sounds perfect! Thanks!

-Susan

Be careful with that pad. Folks have had major problems if the pad melts, which it will if it gets much above 450*.