On Sat, 03 Apr 2004 21:56:41 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
> wrote:

(Curly Sue) wrote in
:
>
>> On Sat, 03 Apr 2004 16:21:43 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
>> > wrote:
>>
(Curly Sue) wrote in
:
>>>
>>>> On Sat, 03 Apr 2004 15:43:50 GMT, "kilikini"
>>>> > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>I've always wanted a glass top stove, but never had the opportunity
>>>>>to get one. I would assume that it helps promote even heating, but
>>>>>what are the actual benefits from a glass top stove? How is it
>>>>>better than, let's say, a gas stove?
>>>>>
>>>>>kili
>>>>
>>>> The advantages are easy to clean and stylish good looks.
>>>>
>>>> Sue(tm)
>>>> Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!
>>>>
>>>
>>>Also, with properly sized pots, almost all the heat generated by the
>>>element goes directly into the pan. Gas burners can add a lot of heat
>>>to the kitchen.
>>>
>>
>> Shouldn't really. I suspect any "slaving over a hot stove" heat is
>> heat radiated from the food cooking or the heated pans, both of which
>> would also happen with the glass cooktop.
>
>Having owned virtually every configuration of cooktop, both gas and
>electric, I can assure you that significant heat escapes from around the
>periphery of gas burners that does not occur with electric elements
>unless they are grossly oversized for the size of pot. Of course heat
>radiates from the pot itself as well as the contents, but not to the
>degree of an open gas flame.

I've lived with both electric and gas too, btw. The heat that raises
the temperature of the room comes from the heated objects.

If you're losing enough heat around the sides of the pan to raise the
temperature of the room that much, the flame is not properly adjusted.
That's a problem that can also happen if you put a small pot on a big
electric element.

I have a question about the glass cooktops: can you put a pot of cold
water (to boil) on an element that has just been used for something
else and is still hot? I imagine that it should be OK but I can't
shake the impression that it's not a good idea..

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!