Porcelain on Steel Vs. Glass on Steel Electric Range

Porcelain Ranges

• Porcelain ranges, also referred to as ceramic cooktops, are one of the most common electric smoothtop ranges on the market. And unlike traditional coil-element ranges, porcelain ranges are designed with a smooth surface. One of the primary benefits of a porcelain cooktop is the enhanced heat transfer when compared to traditional coil elements. Because of the even cooking surface, heat is uniformly transferred to pots and pans, thus providing an even cooking temperature, which reduces hot spots when cooking.

Glass Ranges

• Glass electric ranges are not actually made out of pure glass, but rather a glass-ceramic combination known as vitro-ceramic, or Ceran. Glass cooktops are often found in higher-end ranges as it is more expensive to manufacture; however, glass cooktops retain heat for a prolonged period of time after the element is turned off. Since heat is retained, you may continue to cook dishes without using further energy.

Similarities

• The main similarity between porcelain and glass ranges is their appearance. Both designs offer a smooth surface, and are available in various designs and color schemes. Porcelain and glass ranges may also be heated through halogen elements and both cooktop designs are available as slide-in and freestanding ranges.

Differences

• One of the primary advantages of a glass range is that its surface does not yellow over time, which is a common disadvantage of porcelain ranges. Another notable difference is that glass electric ranges may use induction heating elements, which are elements that utilize magnetic waves to heat pots and pans instead of traditional halogen elements. This reduces energy costs and is safer as the cooktop surface cools much faster than halogen, or coil, elements.