Ovens are an expensive appliance, and the last thing you want is to damage your induction cooktop. Unfortunately, the glass top is a scratch waiting to happen. Instead of worrying about fixing an induction stovetop at a later point, there are a few ways you can protect it during use.
In this article, we’re going to give you the 9 best ways to protect your induction cooktop.
- Use Pots and Pans with Smooth Bottom
- Use Scratch Protector Mat While Cooking
- Cover the Entire Glass Surface After Use
- Use Simmering Ring to Prevent Boil Overs
- Use the Right Cleaning Pads
- Use the Right Cleaner
- Change Blades on the Scraper
- Polish Glass Surface After Use
- Cover Pots and Pans to Avoid Splatters
I know from experience that these tips are inexpensive and easy to do because I used them to protect my induction cooktop. Let’s get started!
1. Cover the entire glass surface after use
A stove cover will lay across the glass stove top so as to prevent it from scratching. The best stove covers will come with anti-slip and waterproof coating, like the Pro family chef stovetop cover, ensuring that the mat stays in place and protect the oven from any spills. If you have gas or electric stove top, there is a solution for every type. You can check more stove toppers covers in my other post.
2. Use pots and pans with smooth bottom
My favorite foods to cook on an induction cooktop are pasta, steak, vegetables, and eggs. My favorite cooking methods are stir-frying in wok and deep-frying. To make these dishes as tasty as possible I use different pots and pans.
By using many different pots and pans I discovered that the easiest way to prevent your induction stove from getting damaged is to select pots and pans with a smooth bottom. This tip makes a lot of sense because your induction stove tp sees most of its friction from the bottom of your cooking appliances.
If you use a pot or pan with a smooth bottom, it will glide more easily along the induction stove. As a result, it is less likely to get damaged. The downside of these cooking appliances is that they’re harder to season and may take a little bit more work.
Conversely, textured cookware, such as cast iron, is easier to season, but you run the risk of scratching your induction stove. Because the pan itself is textured, the little jagged sides can scratch the induction stove as you move it across the surface. Even if the texture cookware doesn’t feel sharp, it can still do a lot of damage.
Even though it may be annoying getting used to seasoning smooth bottoms, it certainly will be worth it. Once you adjust to the change, you’ll be glad you did it. It will become second nature, and you will preserve your induction stoves at the same time.
3. Use scratch protector mat while cooking
As with every other cooktop, spilling may also occur, on an induction cooktop. If you don’t quickly clean the plate the food might burn. If you slide pots or pans on burned food, scratches occur. This is why sliding pots and pans on an induction cooktop without a protection mat is not recommended.
My favorite way to protect my induction cooktop is by using an induction cooktop mat. The purpose of this mat is to protect the cooktop from scratches by creating a barrier between the pots and the induction cooktop. More so, induction cooktop surface savers prevent the pot from sliding during the cooking process.
How these mats work is that you place them on your induction cooktops. Because induction cooktops are magnetic, the mats will stick to the surface, providing a layer of protection against the cooktop. This is easily one of the most effective ways for protecting your induction cooktop since your pots and pans never touch them.
The great part about most cooked hot mats is that they are multipurpose. You should be able to put it in the microwave, refrigerator, dishwasher, and ovens up to 480 degrees Fahrenheit. Feel free to use them as a pot holder too. In other words, you get real bang for your buck.
Make sure to look for a cooktop mat with silicone ridges. These ridges will help to diffuse the heat, leading to a more productive and safe cooking experience.
4. Use simmering ring to prevent boil overs
Whenever you’re cooking, its easy to let a pot or pan boil over. It happens to even the best of chefs every now and then. Although boil overs don’t scratch an induction cooktop, they can leave nasty rings or force you to scrub them away, causing scratches down the line.
Avoid boilovers altogether by using a simmering ring or you can use it for non-induction cookware. A simmering ring will act as a heat diffuser to evenly distribute all of the heat. As a result, it can let you use nearly every pot or pan on your oven, without fear a boilover.
5. Use the right cleaning pads
Even if you use a simmering ring, you will need to clean off your oven top regularly. Unfortunately, cleaning your stove top with the wrong tools or cleaning pads is a nearly guaranteed way to scratch the delicate glass of your induction stovetops.
Avoid using a scouring pad or any other harsh cleaning materials. Do not use cleaning pads that are too rough. Instead, select for a specialized pad that is specifically designed for induction stoves. These materials are specifically designed so as to clean the material without damaging the surface.
6. Use the right cleaner
As you are using specially made cleaning pads, make sure to select the right cleaner for your glass oven top as well. Certain cleaners may be great for your counters and bathroom sink, but they are simply too harsh for the delicate glass top.
For everyday use, wipe down the top using warm water or vinegar. Once a week, spray it with white vinegar and sprinkle baking soda over the top. Place a clean, hot towel over it to sit for 10 minutes. Wipe away with a microfiber cloth. For anything more intense, select a specially made cleaner for induction stoves.
7. Change blades on the scraper
You may need to use a scraper to remove burnt on gunk. Make sure to change the blades on the scraper after several uses. If you use a blade too many times, it could become jaded and scratch the surface during the cleaning process. Keep a fresh blade so that you can clean without damaging the induction cooktops.
You can check which scraper is the best, here in our post.
8. Polish glass surface after use
The best way to keep your glass top clean is to clean and polish it after every use. Select a specially made glass cooktop cleaner and polish to use after your everyday cooking. Simply use a specially made cooktop pad and a glass surface cleaner to remove quick spills before they have time to set in.
9. Cover pots and pans to avoid splatters
Finally, the last way to protect your induction cooktops is to cover your pots and pans to avoid splatters. This is especially true whenever you are boiling or frying items. Keeping the food and liquids within the pots will prevent them from getting the chance to burn onto the top of your oven.
Conclusion
We hope that these 9 tips will help you protect your glass oven top. I know they helped me protect my induction oven. So, I’m sure that they will work for you. Good luck!
More induction cooktop tips and tricks:
–What do you put under an induction cooktop
–What should you not use on an induction cooktop
–Best induction cooktop with downdraft
Cooking on induction cooktop
–How to cook eggs on induction cooktop
–How to cook vegetables on induction cooktop
