I had a Thermador stainless gas cooktop for 18 years and it wasn't difficult to clean. However after a number of years the stainless area underneath the burner discolored due to the high heat. Thermador told me that this was normal. Four years ago we remodeled and I picked a Dacor gas cooktop with a black porcelain top. The black porcelain is still black of course, but there are some small spots around the burners. I think it's where little spots of grease burned on. They don't just wipe off but I've used a degreaser to minimize them. Now I also have a GE gas black glass cooktop at my vacation home. Now that I've discovered CeramaBryte I don't hate it as much as I used to. But remember shiny black glass will show dust! So you have to use a microfiber cloth on it every day to remove the dust. The CeramaBryte is a great cleaner/polisher. It actually helps keep the top clean. What's the perfect finish? If someone here knows please tell me.

Hey biondanonima! I rarely, if ever come over to this forum, but popped in a whim (bathrooms are next on our horizon!). I'd called Kerry to let him know I'd given out his name and number and he told me he'd spoken with you when he called back. Trust me when I say you will be much happier with his work than what I'm seeing here in your pics. He is extremely conscientious, and takes great pride in doing things the way they are supposed to be done (he's a second or third generation tile guy). You have to promise to email me and let me know how it all comes out (let me know if you post new pics here since, as I mentioned, I don't frequent this forum--yet!).

Thanks for your replies! I decided not to use my old Revereware because my manufacturer advised against it, plus I needed a new set anyway. Most of the botttoms were not flat, etc. I wanted to reply to this thread in case anyone was searching for the same thing, because I found a really nice set of cookware, REALLY light and inexpensive, and actually is a really nice set. It's called Tools of the Trade Cookright (NOT the Basics line), it's Macy's brand. It is stainless steel with an aluminum disk. http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=286749&CategoryID=29089 For frying eggs and stuff, I got the same brand (Cookright) but in hard anodized. http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=392311&CategoryID=29089 I have no problem lifting them even with food in them, very very lightweight. If you have arthritis or fibromyalgia or any type of pain, I would highly suggest them. The stainless are dishwasher safe, but my husband has hand washed them so far because they are easy to clean and so pretty. Eventually I'm sure they'll make their way to the dishwasher. The hard anodized pans are NOT dishwasher safe. The box says they are safe for glass cooktops, and there were many other surfaces too, although now the box is gone and I can't list the surfaces, but I think it was safe for most I could think of. Hope this helps someone out there like me! Thanks again for the replies!

What type of cookware can I use on my smooth glass cooktop? Flat bottom pans are essential for good cooking performance. Most current brands sold today have flat bottoms. Much older, used cookware and/or thinner cookware will show signs of no longer being flat. Non-flat pans may crack the glass. Use Medium or Heavy-Weight cookware. Stainless Steel is highly recommended. A sandwich clad bottom is especially good because it combines the durability and atability or stainless steel with the heat conduction and distribution of aluminum or copper. Heavy-Weight aluminum cookware is also recommended. It conducts heat faster than other metals and cooks evenly. Aluminum residue sometimes appears as scratches on the cooktop, but these can be removed if cleaned immediately. Copper bottom pans are also good, but they can leave residues on the cooktop that appear as scratches. These can be removed if cleaned immediately, but do not let a copper bottom pan boil dry. An overheated copper pot will leave a residue that will permanently stain the cooktop. Porcelain/enamel pans give good performance only if they have a thick, flat bottom. Avoid boiling these pans dry, as porcelain can melt and fuse to the surface. Glass or ceramic cookware is not recommended. These pans may scratch the surface. Glass is a poor conductor of heat so cooking times will be longer and they may require constant attention during cooking. Stoneware is not recommended. It may scratch the surface and will give poor performance. Cast Iron and Coated Cast Iron cookware is also not recommended. It is slow to absorb heat and could scratch the cooktop. Once this type of cookware heats up, it holds an intense amount of heat which is transferred to the cooktop. This can cause the element to shut down as a response to the temperature limiters which indicate surface temperature is too high for cooktop components to handle. *** SOURCE: www.GEAppliances.ca ***