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Since the 1970s, glass top stoves have been revolutionizing kitchen environments worldwide. Glass top stoves typically heat up faster than regular stoves and also greatly facilitate the cleaning process.
Often, glass top stoves can be more efficient than traditional stovetops because they heat up much faster, on average. Therefore, glass top stoves make excellent additions to both home kitchens and professional cooking environments.
Here are the best pans for glass top stoves review.
However, the main drawback to glass top stoves is that they aren’t suitable for use with certain pots and pans.
To avoid damaging your glass top stove, you should only use high-quality pans with bases that don’t scratch the supporting surface and won’t fuse to the glass.
Therefore, high-quality, wear-resistant materials and top-of-the-range construction are essential.
Don’t worry, though – there are plenty of exciting options to choose from! Today, we’ll be sharing with you our picks for the best pans for glass top stoves in 2021! Remember to check out our buyer’s guide for tips on choosing the best pan(s) for your glass stovetop.
| Best Pans for Glass Top Stoves | Product Information | Check Price |
|---|---|---|
 | T-fal C561SC Titanium Advanced Nonstick Thermo-Spot Heat Indicator Dishwasher Safe Cookware Set, 12-Piece, Black | Check Price |
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Top | All-Clad 4110 Stainless Steel Tri-Ply Bonded Dishwasher | Check Price |
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Top | All-Clad 4201.5 Stainless Steel Tri-Ply Bonded Dishwasher | Check Price |
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Top | Cuisinart Chef's Classic Nonstick Hard | Check Price |
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Top | Nonstick Frying Pan with Lid, 10 inch Deep Saute Pan | Check Price |
Best Overall
T-Fal Titanium Advanced Nonstick Thermo-Spot Set
- Set includes 8 inches Fry Pan, 9 inches Fry Pan, 1 qt Saucepan, 2 qt saucepan, 3 qt Deep Sauté, 5 qt Dutch Oven, Solid Spoon, Slotted Spatula
- Heavy gauge and extra durable forged construction
- Titanium advanced nonstick interior; Unique Thermo Spot heat indicator
- Riveted soft touch handles; Heat source: GAS ELECTRIC CERAMIC HALOGEN
If you want to kill several birds with one stone (though we promise no animals were harmed in the making of this article!), you could go ahead and purchase a full set of glass-top-stove-friendly pans!
If this is your plan, we highly recommend the T-Fal Titanium Advanced Non-Stick Thermo-Spot Pan Set.
This set of T-Fal pans comprises two frying pans (8 and 9 inches), two saucepans (1 and 2 quarts), a 3-quart sauté pan, and a 5-quart dutch oven.
These sizes should be perfect for individual or small family use, although they may be slightly on the small side for the preferences of some buyers.
Each pan in this set benefits from heavy-gauge forged construction, with a non-stick titanium interior.
As one of the strongest metals out there, titanium performs well under extreme heat, and the durable construction ensures that the pans will hold up against the wear and tear that comes with regular use.
The even-heat base fitted into the design of each pan makes the T-Fal pans suitable for use on glass top stoves. This is because, in order to deliver even heat, the base must be completely flat and make even contact with the stovetop.
Not only does this mean that your food will be cooked evenly and thoroughly, but it also indicates that the base won’t wobble on the stovetop, which is super important when it comes to preventing contact damage.
Moreover, these pans from T-Fal are made using Thermo-spot technology. A Thermo-spot is a circle in the middle of a pan’s interior surface that turns red when the optimal temperature for the pan has been reached.
This is really useful when you’re using a glass top stove because overheating can lead to melting, which can lead to fusing, so having this indicator is helpful.
In addition to the pans themselves, the purchase of this set will get you a vented glass lid for each pan, as well as a spoon and slotted spatula.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Everything you need in a single purchase. | Not sized for very large portions. |
| Extremely durable. | Titanium advanced nonstick interior. |
| Thorough cooking without scratching. | |
| Best Pans for Glass Top Stoves Reviews |
Best Frying Pan
All-Clad 4110 Stainless Steel Fry Pan
- A kitchen staple featuring a flat base and flared, mid-sized sides that allow for easy flipping and tossing
- Classic tri-ply construction, made with a responsive aluminum core bonded together with 2 layers of durable, stainless steel all the way around for maximum durability and fast, even heat distribution
- Secured with riveted stainless-steel handles to ensure a safe grip and to add a bit of style
Are you looking specifically for a frying pan that will work perfectly on your glass top stove? In that case, why not check out the All-Clad Stainless Steel Fry Pan?
The All-Clad Stainless Steel Fry Pan is, of course, made from stainless steel, which is one of the best materials for use on glass top stoves because of its durability and conductivity.
This pan features tri-ply construction, consisting of two layers of stainless steel (interior and exterior) and a central aluminum core.
The stainless steel layers provide wear-resistance and heat conductivity, while the aluminum core lends extra conductivity for highly responsive cooking.
Because the stainless steel layer goes all the way around the pan, heat is distributed evenly.
All-Clad’s Stainless Steel Fry Pan is suitable for use on all kinds of stovetops, including traditional hobs and ceramic glass top stoves.
However, the pan is not entirely non-stick, although it does a good job of not sticking to most foods. If any sticking does occur, do not scrub the pan. Instead, soak in hot, soapy water and use the soft side of a sponge to gently lift the remnants away.
The All-Clad frying pan is available in sizes ranging from 8 inches to 14 inches, increasing in 2-inch increments.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Durable and wear-resistant. | Limited Lifetime Warranty. |
| Even heat distribution. | May need occasional soaking. |
| Highly responsive. | |
| Best Pans for Glass Top Stoves Reviews |
Best Saucepan
All-Clad 4201.5 Stainless Steel Sauce Pan
- 1.5-Quart sauce pan with high, straight sides – perfect for making sauces or heating liquids. Suitable heat source is gas, electric, ceramic and halogen. Inside coating is polished
- 3-ply bonded construction consists of durable stainless steel encapsulating an aluminum core for even heating throughout
- Highly polished cooking surface with starburst finish offers stick resistance and easy maintenance, plus won’t react with food
For anyone who liked the sound of All-Clad’s stainless steel frying pan but is looking for a saucepan instead, this is your lucky day! All-Clad also manufactures a stainless steel saucepan that’s ideal for glass top stoves.
Like the All-Clad frying pan, this saucepan consists of three layers (a tri-ply construction), with the inner and outer layers being made of stainless steel and the middle layer comprising aluminum.
As we explained regarding the frying pan, this construction is optimal for use on a glass top stove because it conducts well while holding up against scratching and distributing heat evenly.
This saucepan also benefits from a starburst finish, which is a non-stick coating designed to stop food from adhering to the inside of the pan.
Because the pan is compatible with all types of stoves, you can use it on your glass top stove with confidence. Plus, since it comes in 6 different size options, you can buy this saucepan in a size that’s suited to your specific portioning requirements.
Each size comes with an included lid. However, this lid doesn’t fit particularly tightly, so small amounts of steam may escape through the sides at high temperatures.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Combined durability and conductivity. | Some steam may escape. |
| Minimal sticking. | Limited lifetime warranty. |
| Suitable for use on all stoves. | |
| Best Pans for Glass Top Stoves Reviews |
Best Skillet Pan
Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 10-Inch Open Skillet
- Item shape: Round
- Inspired by the French kitchens, Cuisinart began making professional cookware over 30 years ago.
- Constructed of the finest materials available to perfectly perform all of the classic cooking techniques, Cuisinart continues its commitment to superior quality and innovation.
Skillet pans are useful pieces of cookware when it comes to frying, stewing, grilling, and even braising.
These pans are similar in appearance to frying pans, but they’re typically made of cast iron and are slightly deeper than traditional frying pans, which makes them perfect for cooking larger portions and heavier-duty frying.
This Hard-Anodized Open Skiller from Cuisinart is, in our opinion, the best on the market for use on a glass top stove.
Unlike traditional skillet pans, it’s made from anodized aluminum, which is essentially aluminum that’s been heat-treated to increase its hardness and durability.
Anodized aluminum material is perfect for use on a glass top stove because it’s wear-resistant and unlikely to produce significant scratching, as well as being highly conductive for even heat distribution.
Moreover, this pan has been further treated with a quantanium nonstick coating, which allows the interior surface to reach high temperatures without adhering to the food inside the pan.
The Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Nonstick Open Skillet is oven-safe up to 500°F, so you could cook an entire meal in this pan! For example, you could pre-fry a piece of fish and then finish it by roasting it with vegetables.
What’s more, the handles are cool-grip handles, which means they won’t get too hot to hold onto even out of the oven!
Included with the pan is a tempered glass lid that will help to stop heat from escaping, ensuring the most efficient cooking experience possible.
However, this pan is not dishwasher-safe, so it should only be washed by hand using warm water and mild detergent.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Durable and conductive. | Wash with warm water and a mild detergent. |
| Doesn’t stick to food. | Cool Grip handle. |
| Stops heat from escaping. | |
| Best Pans for Glass Top Stoves Reviews |
Best Sauté Pan
Hiteclife Nonstick 3QT/10-Inch Deep Saute Pan
- The HITECLIFE Deep Frying Pan is made of high-quality forged aluminum, elegant and stylish. Superior durability and anti-rust performance, not easy to deform.
- Using exquisite forged workmanship, ensures quick and even heating. Its energy-saving efficiency is as three times as cast iron.
- The outstanding nonstick coating is American Whitford, which shows exceptional nonstick properties. With high-level technology.
Sauté pans are used for high-heat oil and fat frying. Unlike a regular frying pan, a sauté is constructed with steep edges instead of tapered ones, making it more practical for tossing ingredients during cooking.
Hiteclife’s Nonstick 3-quart Deep Sauté pan is well-suited to glass top stoves because of its flat, stainless steel base that won’t scratch your stove and distributes heat evenly for perfectly cooked food and stove safety.
Moreover, the forged aluminum body ensures proper conduction and wear resistance for efficacy and durability.
All components of this pan are chemical-free, meaning you’ll never have to worry about harmful substances leaching into your lovingly prepared food.
Additionally, thanks to the 3-layer non-stick coating, there should be no concerns about the pan sticking to food and being difficult to clean.
While this pan can be placed in the dishwasher,
it’s still recommended that users handwash the pan after use to extend the product’s longevity to its full potential.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Conductive and wear-resistant. | Wash by hand for increased longevity. |
| No chemical food contamination. | Do not put the lid into oven. |
| Ideal for glass top stoves. | |
| Best Pans for Glass Top Stoves Reviews |
Buyer’s Guide
Choosing the Best Pans for Glass Top Stoves
It’s important to get things right the first time when it comes to something as expensive and sensitive as a glass top stove, especially considering how expensive high-end pans can be.
That’s why we’ve created this short buyer’s guide to point you down the right path.
Material
The single most important thing to consider when buying a pan for use on your glass top stove is the material.
The material of the body and the base tend to be different, so for now, we’ll talk you through the different materials that can be used to construct the bodies of glass-top-stove-safe pans.
If you want to learn about the best materials for glass top stove pan bases, be sure to check out our next section.
If you want to ensure that your new pan performs efficiently and safely on your glass top stove, there are a few metals you should prioritize when it comes to the main construction.
The number one most recommended material for pans used on glass top stoves is stainless steel. From durability and conductivity to easy cleaning and even heat distribution, it’s everything you could want from a high-quality pan.
However, aluminum (especially anodized aluminum) and titanium are also great choices. They’re hard-wearing and easy to clean like stainless steel, but they conduct heat even faster, which is great for time-pressured cooking.
If possible, we would recommend prioritizing tri-ply construction. This type of construction allows for the properties of two materials (ideally, stainless steel and aluminum) to come together for the ultimate glass top cooking experience.
An aluminum core, sandwiched between layers of stainless steel, as seen in the All-Clad 4110 Stainless Steel Fry Pan and All-Clad 4201.5 Stainless Steel Sauce Pan, allows for responsive conductivity where it matters most while ensuring durability and rust-resistance on exposed components.
Base Construction
The base of your new pan is what will be in contact with the actual glass of your stove during cooking, so it’s crucial to select a base that won’t scratch or fuse to the surface.
Stainless steel and aluminum bases are the most highly recommended. Stainless steel is the least likely to leave scratches on a glass or ceramic glass surface.
Aluminum usually won’t cause any damage, although it can sometimes leave a residue that may look like scratches. As long as you clean this residue straight away, though, no lasting damage should occur.
It’s also possible to use a copper-base pan on glass top stoves, but we wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. This is because, when overheated, copper residue can leave permanent stains.
Hence, we haven’t included any copper-bottom pans in our selection.
Besides considering the material, it’s also imperative that the base of your pan be completely flat. Instability in a pan’s base is the main cause of scratching on glass top stoves, so make sure that the pan you’re buying has a smooth, solid base.
Weight
The overall weight of the pan also comes into play regarding suitability for glass top stove use.
Most high-quality pans will have a certain weight to them, but it’s important not to select overly heavy pans. Glass top stoves typically have a stated weight limit, and it’s crucial to adhere to this if you want to avoid cracking your stovetop.
All of the materials we’ve listed above should be suitable, weight-wise, for glass top stove use. However, materials such as ceramic, cast iron, or stoneware are not the safest choices because of their weight to size ratio, which is why we don’t recommend them.
Pan Type
So far, we’ve been talking about features to look out for when it comes to ensuring pan compatibility with glass top stoves. However, it’s also crucial to make sure that the pan(s) you buy is suitable for your specific cooking needs.
As most cooks already know, there are several different types of pans available on the culinary market for cooking various foods in a range of styles.
For your basic frying tasks, a frying pan should do the trick. These pans are typically lightweight and have tapered edges, so they’re good for shallow frying tasks, including making scrambled eggs and pancakes.
If you need a pan for boiling (vegetables and pasta, for example), your ideal pan type would be a saucepan. These are larger pans with very steep edges and handles on each side, perfect for filling with water and boiling your ingredients.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a multi-purpose pan that you can use for frying, braising, and even roasting (if the pan is oven-safe), we would recommend either a skillet or sauté pan.
Both of these pan types have steep edges, but not to the extent of saucepans. They’re great for deeper frying, and a sauté pan, in particular, is useful for fast-paced frying where you toss the ingredients in the pan rather than stirring.
If you want to cook whole means from a single pan, choose an oven-safe model.
Additional Features
Pans that come with included lids aren’t only great value for money but may also improve your efficacy in the kitchen by keeping heat trapped inside the pan.
This leads to faster cooking times and more thorough heating.
If you opt to buy a whole set of pans, like the T-Fal Titanium Advanced Nonstick Thermo-Spot Set, you could also benefit from the inclusion of spoons and spatulas to enhance your cooking experience without the need for any extra purchases.
