You probably won't find this helpful, but it is meant sincerely. If it's not too late, cancel the order for the smooth top. They are unresponsive, slow, and hard to do anything with except heat things up. Get gas, unless you don't really cook. If you just heat things up, the smooth top will do, and it really doesn't matter what cookware you use, as long as it is flat-bottomed and fits the "burners" precisely. Yes, that's right. You need to take a ruler the "burners" and find pots within a half of an inch of their size. Otherwise you won't be able to even boil water. Really.

Good luck and happy cooking!

Well I cook daily on my Thermador. I can stirfry & sear easily. The cooldown response is no better than a coil but I don't make fancy cream sauces so it hasn't been a problem. This could be a problem if one does a lot of cooking that instant lowering of heat is necessary. I do use a pressure cooker and the cooldown is responsive enough for it. As for pans I have a combo of Cuisinart everyday SS and SS All clad. Many people also use LeCruset as well as cast iron carefully. Pan bottoms must be flat. Do a search on the end of this page and you will read lots of reviews of various cookwares.

I love my KA smooth top, and yes, I do cook, not just reheat.

It is extremely responsive. If a pan starts to boil over, I really don't have to move it, I can just turn down the heat, like a gas stove. It also heats us very quickly. A huge improvement over my electric coils!

As far as cookware, I just purchased a set of Farberware Millenium Stainless Steel making the switch from hard anodized non stick which I ruined by putting it in the DW. Don't know if it's "the best" cookware for smoothtop!

I am thinking of adding a 12" Cuisinart SS saute pan for bigger jobs. I'm just not sure about how well it will cook with the largest burner being 10". I suppose it would be the same as on gas, after all the burners aren't infinitely large, are they? ANd if the pan has an aluminum disc in the bottom, I imagine the heat will spread out all the way to the sides?

Any comments?

I have no problems with my All Clad SS saute or 8 qt pan. The heat seems to evenly distribute even though the pans are some larger than my largest burners.

I have a GE Profile glasstop and I don't like it at all. The only thing good about it is quick cleanup if you didn't spill something on it. No matter what kind of cookware I use the burners cycle off and on when they shouldn't. I can turn a eye from the off position to med hi and it cycles off before it even heats up the med hi. I totally agreen with Ellen76.

Thanks, Beverlyal,

I usually start flame wars when I talk about the limitations of smooth top ranges, probably because a lot of folks think I am critcizing their cooking ability. I don't mean it that way, and I applaud anyone who can get dinner on the table 365 days a year.

But for those of use who care about searing and simmering, smooth-tops just don't do that! I lack the four-letter vocabulary to give mine justice, though. I would much rather cook with an electric coil than a smooth top (having done both), and I can hardly wait for the day when I can afford to take a sledge hammer to the latter, replacing it with gas, the gold standard, if you ask me.

I will say I have seen a big difference in which cookware I use for what I am preparing. If I use Cuisinart SS with the copper disk sandwiched in it cooks very hot, excellent for searing, stir fry, veggies and pasta water but it is impossible to simmer in. Heavier cookware, LeCruset or All Clad SS is much better for slow cooking. I really do believe it must be the different makes of Ceran top cooktop/ranges. On my Thermador the burners have different BTU's.

I know that this thread seems to focus on traditional smooth-top ranges. I've never used one, but I would keep in mind that if there is some concern about being able to sear and simmer, there is an alternative to gas that still gives you the smooth-top: induction. (some say it's better than gas) I don't recall any US companies offering induction in a range, but several cooktops are available.

C

I have a Kitchen Aid glass top stove and I love it, I use kirkland cookware, and it is great, the cookware gets hotter then the adverage pot and pan, and also I cann on my glass top stove, I've never had anyproblems.. I was worried about canning,(for fear it would mess up my glass top, like break it, but it works just like the old fashion coil electric stoves) and clean up is a breeze...