Glass cooktop safety

Glass cooktop safety - Top view of pink ribbon representing cancer placed on yellow background among glass test tubes and flasks in light studio

I recently had a grease fire on my glass cooktop. thankfully I had a B/C class fire extinguisher handy but now I'm worried that my cooktop is no longer safe to use. does anybody have any advice for me on the subject?

Edit: Sorry for not being more specific. Yes I've cleaned the stove. My main concern is that the glass may be damaged in some way and might crack or explode when is use.



Best Answer

All cook top safety is the same:

Keep it clean and pay attention!

Glass ranges aren't inherently any more unsafe than a gas or normal electric range. Ranges are just a tool, one that generates a large amount of heat in a small area. Like any tool, you can hurt yourself or others if you don't follow the basic rules of use. Luckily, those rules are pretty easy to follow once you train yourself.

Keeping It Clean

When you are cooking, there is no reason to have anything around the range that you don't need to cook. No papers, no cutting boards, no wine glasses, no anything else. Anything extra is an invitation to spill or something to catch on fire. Nothing good can come of it. Cook with a towel and when you spill, clean it immediately. A clean range can't catch on fire because there is nothing to burn!

Paying Attention

Don't walk away from a range that is on! Almost every kitchen fire could be stopped by the simply having someone looking at the range when the fire started. You should be prepared with the failure signs for the type of cooking you are doing (like if your oil is smoking, you need less heat, or an open flame can ignite even low alcohol content if it's boiling).

If you follow those rules, you will almost never actually need this last one. I've worked professionally in kitchens for 14 years and I've only dealt with one fire that wouldn't have been stopped by the rules above. The final rule?

ALWAYS HAVE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER But it sounds like you already have that one covered.

In case SAJ in the comments is correct and I misinterpreted the question, your range is safe to continue using as long as you didn't crack the cook top or short the burners. The top is sealed, so you shouldn't see any particulate under the glass. If you do, you need to clean the burner assemblies before running current to them. That means wires and the infrared bulbs. Some brands will require this to be done by a trained technician. If the top is cracked, you need a new top, as the crack can redirect the heat or shatter.




Pictures about "Glass cooktop safety"

Glass cooktop safety - Glass clean ampoule with vaccine for COVID 19
Glass cooktop safety - Airplane Window Opened
Glass cooktop safety - Person Holding White Ceramic Mug



Do glass top stoves explode?

Shattered cooktops happen when heat is trapped between the lid and the glass stovetop, creating a strong vacuum seal. The air is forcefully sucked out and shatters the glass. While this kind of \u201cexploding\u201d stovetop might not be common, it's a good idea to be safe instead of sorry!

What are the disadvantages of a glass top stove?

Since a glass gas stove is primarily made of glass, it is very fragile and delicate. It is prone to scratches. While you may be tempted to move or drag a hot pan or pot over its smooth surface to a cooler area, doing so may cause it to develop scratches over the cooktop surface.

How easy is it to break a glass top stove?

Since the top of the stove is made of a ceramic and glass mix, it's prone to breaking under certain conditions. It's generally sturdy and strong, but you need to take extra care to avoid things that could crack it. The surface can also scratch with the use of certain cookware or cleaning products.

Can you start a fire on a glass top stove?

The only way a glass top stove can catch on fire is by igniting something else (i.e. wine glasses, paper, and/or cutting boards). It's best to prep in advance and make sure you are keeping items away from the glass top stove.



Use and Care of Glass Cooktop




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Tara Winstead, Alena Shekhovtcova, Anugrah Lohiya, cottonbro