Choosing suitable pans
Greater attention needs to be paid to the type and condition of pans used on ceramic hobs than it does with radiant hobs. Here are some points to remember: � Check the pan bases. Bases which are convex (curve outwards) will tend to spin on the hob and will not conduct heat very well. � Aluminium is a good conductor of heat, but it can leave silver-coloured stains on the hob. You can remove these stains with the hob cleaner supplied with the cooker. � Glass vessels and enamelled bases with a rough pattern will � if pulled back and forth across the surface � cause greater wear on the hob than other materials.
aluminium
To save you time and therefore energy, the contact surface of the pan base should: � be at least as large as the hotplate. If the base is smaller than the hotplate, any spillages are quite likely to burn onto the hob. � be smooth or have a fine pattern � be flat. It takes longer to heat a pan with a base which curves in or outwards too much. When you are buying new pans, it is advisable to choose stainless steel ones with sandwich-type bases (i.e. layers of different metals).
Save energy!
� Putting a lid on pans cuts the amount of energy used by half (compared to cooking without lids). � Using pans with flat bases saves 25% energy (compared to uneven based pans). � Make sure the hob is clean and dry. Dirt and moisture reduce heat transfer between pans and hotplates. � Turn the hotplates off and finish cooking using the remaining heat. � Save energy by steaming and pressure-cooking.
