KKS_Mom, I am kind of going through the same thing with my Kenmore Elite range. From the first time I used the glass top I had trouble cleaning it. I don't think I have any scratches . My problem is that every time I use it I not only have to use the cream but also the razor. My glasstop is white where the elements are located. I have talked to others who have the same range but have a black glass top and they say they very rarely have to use the razor blade, only if something boils over. Before I got the Kenmore I had purchased an LG from Sears. It had to be returned because of a major problem with the oven. The glasstop on this range caused no problems at all. I remember using only the cream and over a 3 week period and never having to use the razor blade once. I believe there is something different with this Kenmore white glasstop that I have now. I have talked to Sears and they are going to let me return the range and replace it with something else. I think I am going to go back to the LG. The glass on the LG is made by Schott and it is grey with a white random pattern in it or black with the same grey pattern. I do not think that over time if there are any scratches they will be as visible on these colours. I know the glass on the Kenmore elite is made by another company. If you look on the back right hand corner of the glass top you will see the letter K.
What colour glass do you have? Sears does say that you can return items if you are not satisfied. I feel that this cleaning business should not not be such a chore if you are using proper cookware.

Bretonb may be onto something. Exchange it. I've had 3 ceramic cooktops or ranges and they really shouldn't be that delicate! It sounds defective, or at best, impractical.

I have a 12-year old GE Profile smoothtop range that looks almost brand new--there are a couple of chips in the white porcelain in the frame of the range. The smoothtop does look new. We use it a lot and I don't see any scratches or pits. I do, however, take the time to brush off the elements just before turning them on--usually with my hand. When cleaning, I hardly ever use the cream--just detergent & water.

We're finalizing plans for a remodel right now and we plan on getting mostly GE Profile appliances, including the cooktop (or range)--if we don't go the induction route.

Look into the GE Profiles...based on my experience they can take almost anything (yes, even as a cutting board--I discourage it, but you know kids...!)

I'm all for returning things that aren't working for you. But I have a smoothie (Viking) too and hardly ever use the razor or the cream and don't find it hard to clean.

Don't know if this will work for you but it's worth a try I'd guess. While the burner is still fairly hot, use rubber gloves and just wipe it off with a hot wet rag made of old towel. Can't use anything thin -- it's too hot. That gets most everything off mine right away. Later when it's cool I go wipe it with a microfiber cloth which gets most of the rest of it off. Then I use the cream which gets anything remaining.

Only caution is not to use microfiber on a hot surface.

Thanks to all of you very much. It is a black colored smoothtop. My old stove(smoothtop) was a white one with a black and grey speckled top & it wasn't like this one at all. It didn't scratch! I could actually cook on it!

I also went back to Sears. Yes, I can exchange it or get something different. The Elite is quite a bit more $ and I am not a serious cook. The top looks to be a bit more "speckled" and shouldn't show scratches like the other one. With the range that I have, the salesman took out his keys and swiped them back & forth several times over the cooktop. Didn't scratch, therefore I told him I thought mine must be defective.

I will look and see if there is a K in the top corner - I'm not at home, trying to move DD into an apartment in a town a couple hours away for the weekend.

I think I will look into the LG, GE and other brands before I return this one to Sears. I have 90 days so I have a little time. I am anxious to get it done & over with though. I'm nearly at the end of a kitchen remodel and want to get life back to normal soon.

Please, if anyone has any other ideas about good brands, please advise me. I'm pretty sure it's not cooked on dirt (food) that's the problem, I think the rangetop might not have gotten a good coating of whatever they use in the factory.

I also told my Dh that we should look into getting new cookware. I know the stuff I have now is Aluminum. Anyone remember Club cookware? Yes, I'm still using it and it's 30 years old. Looks like crud too. My big fryer was an expensive one, but I don't know what it is or what it's made out of. That's the one that seemed to scratch so easily. Still - I used that same cookware on my other range & it never scratched like this one does! I will do a search for cookware but if you have any recommendations, I'm all about it. Thank You!

Getting back to my reply about Schott glass, you may be interested in this link to a forum.
http://www.ellenskitchen.com/forum/messages/4012.html
I really do thick there is a difference in the quality of glass used in the different brands. Ellens kitchen is a very good forum with lots of threads concerning glass top ranges. Take a look if you have a chance.

I have finally tracked down the ceramic-glass top manufacturer that uses the K trademark. As I previously mentioned it is found on the Kenmore Elite ranges and probably many others. The company name is Euro Kera and apparently is owned by Corning Glass, but is made in France, not the US. Here is a link to their web page.
http://www.eurokera.com/
I am returning my range to Sears and replacing it with a range using Schott glass. I think it is superior to Euro Kera glass.

Thanks for that good info, bretonb! I did read the Ellens Kitchen threads. If anything, I am probably more confused than ever, but like you, I am going to return my range to Sears. I am going there soon to look at the LG ones. Not sure my Sears had that. Yes, my range has the K in the upper right corner.

I am also confused about cookware. I guess I will need some new, but am still not sure what to buy, other than it needs to be perfectly flat on the bottom. Still, these ranges are way too much of a chore to keep clean.

I'm also thinking of maybe putting in a gas line, and just getting a gas cooktop. Dh says we could do it. Yes, the grates wouldn't be fun either, but at least you could clean it without scratching it! I am going to go shopping around today or tomorrow. Let me know if the LG seems to be better glass. I think I'd rather go that route. Thanks so much for your help, I deeply appreciate your time & trouble. kk

Gas is nice...but the enamel scratches too... :)

If your pans are flat and don't wobble, they should be fine.

We have the Bosch Integra electric and I've never had to use the razor on the black top in the few months we've had it. It's very easy to clean.

I agree something doesn't sound right. No sense in keeping something you have to worry that much about every time you use it, so exchange it if you can.

Good luck,
Deb

Hi Deb, do you know if the ceramic glass top on your Bosch is made by Schott? Or does it have the K symbol on the back righthand corner of the top, standing for Corning. There seems to be so much difference in people's opinions about their ceramic tops and ease of cleaning. I think there has to be a difference in the quality of the ceramic tops.

I just called Bosch directly and was told Bosch makes the entire unit, including the glass top. I don't see a K symbol anywhere.

Here's an update. I'm exchanging the range. I actually really like its features, so I am game to try it again. If I have the same problem, they said I can return it. It will cost me in restocking fees to do that though. Since I do really like it, I will try another one. I am also looking for new cookware.

Everything I like either has ridges or rings on the bottom, or it is really pricey. I'd really like stuff that can go in the DW. Any thoughts on this, anyone? I get the new range tomorrow. I'll let you know if it's any better.

You may get better response regarding recommendations for new pots and pans over on the Cookware forum. I have an Emerilware set and really like it for the small investment I have in it. I keep looking at the All-Clad but am just not sure the difference is there for the price. I used the Emerilware on a GE Profile smoothtop range in our rental (while building) and it worked very well. I wouldn't recommend my other favorite cookware, Le Creuset, as cast iron doesn't work as well with the less controllable heat of an electric cooktop (I have gas). I do think black or gray cooktop glass might be easier to keep looking nice over the years than the white If that's an option for you. People seem to be very happy with the GE and Bosch smoothtop ranges as well as the Kenmore.

what type of range are you looking for pots and pans for in the end? I've been left confused. That makes a difference.

Oh, I probably didn't explain well enough, sorry. I'm looking for pots and pans that I can use on a ceramic glass topped range. If this doesn't work out, I will look into running a gas line and switching to a gas range, maybe. Sorry about the confusion.

zoenipp - thanks for the recommendation, I'll ask over on cookware, thanks

Hey, Kks:

One more thing . . . . . If you can, I would really think hard about running that gas line. I think there is SUCH a big difference between cooking on a gas top and electric in terms of control and quality. I really began to LOVE to cook when I got my first gas cooktop. I have an electric range at our beach place and I think I have finally talked my husband into running propane into the house so that I can have a dual-fuel range. We spend a lot of the summer there and I so miss my gas range when I am there cooking. I'm looking at the new GE Cafe line. I would sure go for the gas if you can.

This is kind of an old update, but here goes. Well, bought new cookware, which I needed anyway & love! But I am returning the second range to Sears, got a gas line run and will have a Kenmore Elite gas range by next Thursday.

The second range seemed to scratch easily too, so we decided to go ahead and run the gas line, (only about $300,) and we are replacing the smoothtop with the gas range.

Sears did not charge me any restocking fees, they have been really great. That's why I still bought from them. I actually really liked the electric smoothtop's features, this new range still has all these features, but even has convection, which I will have to try & figure out. Anyhow, I figured it was worth it, I would rather have to clean gas grates than look at scratches. I have cooked on gas before, but it's been about 30 years, so I will have to relearn that too. I am hoping I will love this range. My DH was all for making the switch, I hope I can put an end to this saga! Thanks to all who helped me.

Congratulations! New cookware and new gas range. I think you'll be enjoying your new setup quite a bit.

Can't you just throw those gas grates in the dishwasher? :)

(Hehehe. Now I know why they have such great stuff at the Sears scratch 'n' dent store!)

Fori, yes, you are supposed to be able to put the grates in the DW. That will be great. I will be anxious to try this whole thing out. I never thought I'd actually be so excited to cook!! DH better enjoy it while he can!

I didn't think of the scratch & dent sale, but you're right. I wonder what else I can scratch to give everyone an opportunity, Need anything? ha ha

Yes, as a matter of fact I do! :)

The last time I had a fridge break we went to the outlet shop first, just in case they had what we wanted. They did, it was cheap and unused (I'm picky about used fridges!), we couldn't find a scratch or a dent, and most importantly, we got it the next day. Sometimes you take a dent for next day delivery!

I just got a Kenmore #7909445. The main reason I got it was I wanted a convection oven. I've never had a ceramic glass before. So yes I am very carefull so far It does have a K on the cooktop. I have 3 teens who also cook and now I'm worried its seems so fragle. The cooktop is black with white spec all over & the K on the top. Should I return this and look for something not so fragile. Also I will need to by new pans. The sells man seems to gotten me good. I did not know enough to really purchase this any info is helpfull

I just bought a Kenmore black ceramic cooktop and haven't used it yet. I had what I thought was a bad gouge about 1/3" x 1/8", it even looked like one through my 10x jeweler's loupe...well turns out is wasn't. I cleaned the top with the cleaner supplied with it, then used window cleaner to remove the smearing...also, a little stainless cleaner applied to the trim peice may have gotton on the top....anyway, as I rubbed, it seemed like the "scratch" got ever so slightly smaller...I rubbed, and I rubbed, and lo and behold it's gone. Also, it appears that there is some kind of substance on the top that smears, maybe a residue from the adhesive used on the label, etc. I would imagine that if you are not absolutely "certain" your new top is absolutely clean of these deposts, etc. before firing up, you may be baking some of them, including possibly a thin coating of adhesive, onto the top rendering it "smeary." I used a tiny bit of laquer thinner to remove the adhesive and any plastic type material from the top. If I see any water deposits, I am sure CLR would remove them, a solution I haven't seen in other posts. I have some Grease Lightening to insure I have no cooked-on grease deposits and we'll have to see about the rest.

I see that I am getting on this site a little late -- most of the posts are from a couple of years ago.

I got a ceramic stovetop from Home Depot. It is a GE. I read somewhere not to use the heavy iron pans, so I gave them away. But this week I used my wok -- don't know what it is made of, but it completely scratched the top.

Is there any way to get rid of the scratches??

I have an induction stove with a glass top. I use my cast iron on it, and in order to avoid scratches, I put a paper towel under it. With an induction stove, your pot is the source of heat, and does not even get the paper towel hot. The electromagnetic field extends 1/2" past the coil itself, so it extends through the paper towel. I found a few scratches on my week old stove top, so I'll be using paper towels for everything I cook, I suspect! This stove replaced a 23 yr old electric coil stove that was really getting tired. I was so happy to cook on my induction stove, it's pretty amazing.