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Can I Use Cast Iron Pans on a Glass Top Stove?

Tess Wilson
Tess Wilson
After many happy years living in tiny apartments in big cities, Tess has found herself in a little house on the prairie. For real.
updated Apr 30, 2019
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Q: I just bought a new glass top stove. I was really in love with the idea of it, but it was delivered and on their way out the door the delivery men said, “Oh by the way, make sure you don’t use any cast iron pans on it”. My heart just broke. I almost exclusively use cast iron. I just didn’t realize it made a difference. My parents have a glass top and they use cast iron all the time. Is there a way around this? Is it more of a suggestion or a law? -Sent by Sara

Editor: Here is my chance to share that a former coworker once told me that she knew people who hated their glass top stoves so much they “accidentally” used cast iron pans—rather aggressively, perhaps—to break them so they could get new stoves. I have questions—Why not sell the glass top stove? If you’re able to afford a new stove, why not just buy a new one without having to break the stove you hate?—but as a lover of both cast iron pans and cooking with real fire, I got a kick out of that kitchen gossip. Anyway, what do you think, readers? Is No Cast Iron On Glass Top Stoves an unbreakable rule, or is there a way to make it work?

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