When you write "Smoothtop" do you mean Induction?

Copper bottom pans will not work on induction.

Gary

No I mean a smoothtop ceramic - I'm upgrading from electric coils. I know they wouldn't work on a induction range.

I don't see any need to change as long as the bottoms are smooth as well. Some cast iron have a ridge around the outside. This would not work very well.

If your pots are warped (they do not sit flat on the smooth top when cold or heated, will try to rotate if the handle is slightly bumped) it might be a good idea to start looking for some replacements. To minimize warping always let your hot pots air cool after use and before cleaning.

Thanks for the input - I'll give them a try and then make the decision about new.

I don't think you need new pot and pans. I would give yours a go first. I remember in my first house I had a coil electric range that came with it, I never liked that thing and was used to gas. I did upgrade to a smooth top and then decided I needed new ones but my pots were old second hand mismatched stuff I was mostly tired of some damaged non stick. yours sound like nice quality cookware. I purchased Cuisinart stainless and like them still but recently added a lodge cast iron skillet and griddle to the mix. both have smooth bottoms and would work well if I still had that smooth top but since i have moved I have gas again.

It is worthwhile to try cooking on a radiant top range before you commit. Coil is more responsive than radiant. Radiant requires care you do not have with coils. Removing the baked and burnt on residue to keep it clean is a signifigant daily maintenance chore. Induction is totally different. No one goes back.

chessey,

One of my copper bottom Revere pans does tend to dance around on the burner (I think the bottom is not longer level), but they cook just fine on a smoothtop range.

Well, you might want some new pans if you shuffle and saute-flip with pans that have bottoms of copper or bare aluminum. Flat-bottomed pans will cook fine on a radiant smoothtop stove but, if slid or dragged across the ceramic smoothtop, they may leave marks. Kind of like dragging a silver or copper crayon. Same thing happens with aluminum and copper pans in porcelain lined sinks. On the stove, these marks may come up with the cleansers like CermaBrite. Most range manuals will say something about this.

I love my smoothtop! We bought a set of Caphalon non-stick pots and pans from an outlet store and low and behold, half of them have warped bottoms. Not terrible, but I will never do that again! And I will always test the bottoms of any pots before I buy them!

I've had a smoothtop (Viking) now for 8 years. I started out with a new set of All Clad and got rid of it because the bottoms bowed slightly when the heat was on and I couldn't get good contact.

I have a lot of older pans and just tried them all. The Le Creuset with the flat disc bottom works well, the ancient French copper works well (very heavy), the Cuisinart with the aluminum disc works well as the newer Sitram Catering with copper discs (dvorzons in sausalito has best price). I invested in one Demeyere stockpot, which is the best of all.

So if the Revere doesn't bow and works well -- the copper will help -- great. If not, there's a range of options even well beyond my motley assemblage.