# Electric Cooktop overheats Cast Iron



## tgr131 (Jun 15, 2020)

Greetings -


We just completed a kitchen remodel, and installed a GE cafe 36 radiant electric cooktop.  We wanted it primarily for the tri-ring burner, which would accommodate my larger cast iron skillet, and an enameled Cuisinart Dutch Oven.


Long story short, when I use either of these, set to the lowest setting ("Lo"), the pan temp gets to 600 degrees very quickly.  With steel or aluminum heavy bottomed pans, they seem to heat properly to the "low" range.  This burner is rated at 3000w, but still should be able to provide lower temperatures I would think.  If I turned it to "high" I'm afraid the pan would be molten metal.


Thanks for any help or explanations, and apologies if I've chosen the wrong forum.  This is my first post in this forum.


D


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## Andy M. (Jun 15, 2020)

When you set it on low for your larger cast iron skillet, and an enameled Cuisinart Dutch Oven, are all three rings of the burner on? If so, maybe you could use just one or two.


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## pepperhead212 (Jun 15, 2020)

Welcome to the forum!

It sounds like something is wrong with the thermostat, or whatever you would call it, on that burner.  Usually an electric burner can keep at a low temp, like a simmer, on its low setting, sometimes by cycling on and of the low, and 600° is far above that, obviously.  It sounds like it is just turning on high, and staying there.  Are other burners on the stove doing the same thing?


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## tgr131 (Jun 15, 2020)

pepperhead212 said:


> Welcome to the forum!
> 
> It sounds like it is just turning on high, and staying there.  Are other burners on the stove doing the same thing?



I agree.  So the higher wattage burners do this (there's a smaller tri-ring), but the smaller burners seem to manage a more reasonable temp around 270, and then settles there.

D


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## WhateverYouWant (Jun 15, 2020)

There are no thermostats, it is simply a matter of how much on versus off time the setting invokes. While cast iron retains more heat than other cookware, what you describe seems way off base.

Exchange it, or select another model as it is clearly defective or poorly designed. While I don't have a GE, I have a similar ceramic cooktop from Frigidaire (Gallery) with two rings on the biggest burner, which fits my 12 inch Lodge cast iron skillet pretty well.

I just tested this with the 12" Lodge skillet, empty, and after 30 minutes on "Lo", it never heated beyond 270°F, with 250°F being reached within the first 15-20 minutes.


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## tgr131 (Jun 15, 2020)

ScottinPollock said:


> I just tested this with the 12" Lodge skillet, empty, and after 30 minutes on "Lo", it never heated beyond 270°F, with 250°F being reached within the first 15-20 minutes.



Thank you for making that effort to answer my question!  It is a huge help!

D


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