Dan O. -- Thursday, 2 January 2003, at 7:25 p.m.
: Five years ago, I purchased a new Maytag stove
: with coil burners (GRE8700DDE), because I
: could not afford the smooth cooktop. The
: oven and ergometrics of the stove are
: terrific. However at $7 a pan, the price
: difference has been spent on replacing the
: drip pans. Maytag kindly replaced the
: original grey porcelain drip pans because
: they cracked from the heat of serious
: cooking. The replacements did the same. I
: went to the stainless steel jobbers but they
: rust quickly and cannot be soaked.
: I am considering one of two options. Replace
: the cook top with a smooth surface
You mean the cook top of a regular stove or a separate cooktop appliance?
: I have investigated the wiring and
: believe the cooktop could be switched out.
: Any suggestions or anyone accomplished this
: feat yet?
While it may be possible to convert a coil element stove top to a smooth top surface, I'm quite sure it would cost more than a whole smooth top stove would cost to purchase new.
In any event, I think you'll find that a glass top will not withstand the amount of cooking you appear to be doing. Canning on one can be tricky at the best of times and requires a special canner made for that type of cooking surface.
: or find some real stainless steel
: pans that are tough enough to take jam,
: stirfry, and soup making and a soaking in
: the sink.
Jenn Air models with cartridges have stainless steel pans (separate from the rings) but they still discolor with heavy cooking and need to be replaced. And they're more expensive to replace!
When you're doing your canning, etc. are you using a special canning element like illustrated below? Those have an heavier element support which is also thicker so the element is further away from the rest of the top to help prevent discoloration.
There are also special elements for woks if they's what you do your stir frying in.
Dan O.
