I want to share a warning concerning glass top stoves with you today that I discovered the hard way. You see, these sleek and contemporary stovetops are truly revolutionary in our kitchens, but I wish I had learned this little secret sooner. Now, please gather around as I reveal the reasons why you should never—I mean, never—place your glass top stove’s hot lid facedown.
Let’s get right to the topic of why glass stovetops are so beloved in the first place. They offer a sophisticated and elegant touch to our kitchens, which looks great. They also make our lives much easier to clean, which is a plus. However, the fact remains that they may be somewhat delicate, which is why care must be taken.
Has the sound of breaking glass ever bothered you? I have, though, and I don’t want to go through that again. You see, temperature changes alone aren’t the only factor that can cause glass stovetops to break. Although glass is heat-resistant, sudden temperature changes have the potential to fracture your lovely stove into a maze of tiny holes.
Let’s now examine the underlying science of this occurrence. It goes beyond simply touching the heated lid directly. Heat is trapped in the narrow gap between a heated lid and the glass surface when you set it facedown on a glass stovetop. A vacuum seal is a cunning little device created by this trapped heat. To put it simply, it feels like everything is trapped inside a tight hug between the glass stovetop and the lid.
Although this vacuum seal seems innocuous, it actually spells trouble. The pressure difference may be too great for the glass to withstand as the trapped heat attempts to escape and the glass stovetop cools. And you can probably guess what occurs. Yes, cracks begin to appear, and before you realize it, your once-beautiful cooktop has the appearance of a jigsaw that needs to be solved.
Let’s now discuss safety. I mean, who wouldn’t want their kitchens to be secure spaces? Your safety is put at risk when you place a hot lid facedown on your glass stovetop. What if the glass breaks due to the vacuum seal while cooking? Glass fragments that are hot could fly, injuring or burning you and anybody else in the area. I would never wish that on anyone, believe me, but I have experienced my fair number of near misses.
What is the main takeaway from this? It’s that easy: never, ever put your glass top stove’s hot lid facedown. Make it a rule in your kitchen to never replace broken glass if you want to spare yourself the heartache and possible harm. When placing your hot lids down, always aim for a cool, level surface or a heat-resistant trivet.
Although glass stovetops are a great addition to our kitchens, they have certain peculiarities. Remember the warning story I told you the last time you were tempted to put a hot lid facedown on your cooktop. Let’s prevent glass stovetops from cracking and keep our kitchens safe.