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Kashering Glass Stove Top

Question:

Someone moved into a home where the previous owner was a non-Jew. He left his electric stove top which has 4 electric coil burners. The burners a covered by a sheet of glass. This person would like to use the stove top being that is very expensive to buy a new one.
Can we rely on those opinions that say that glass is only considered a absorbable substance on Pesach not during the year? (he is an ashkanazi)

Even if you are stringent to require kashering, would an iruy suffice? being that rov tashmisho of the issur only came about through an iruy.

Or perhaps you would require a full hagala with a stone being that it is possible the issur touched the surface with an iruy while the pot was still on the fire. (the homeowner fears to do this because the chances are high that he will ruin the stove top.)

Or perhaps you will say to throw the stove top out, because we are stringent about glass all year long.

Please note That I am discussing the whole surface area of the stove top not just the area of the burners.

I appreciate your time.

Answer:

Under the circumstances it is fine to rely on pouring boiling water (directly from kettle/source) onto the stove top.

Best wishes.

Sources:

The Rema (451:4) writes with regard to Pesach that the grates require libun, referring to libun kal. It is not enough to turn on the fire, because of the parts that the fire does not reach, and one must apply the source of heat to all parts of the grates.

The same principles will apply to a glass stove top.

However, the Peri Megadim writes that this is a chumra, because the primary use of the grates is not for food, but for pots alone. Therefore, there is room to be lenient and to do hag’alah for the parts of the grates that the fire does not reach. See also Iggros Moshe (1:124) who likewise writes that the obligation to perform libbun is a chumra concerning Pesach alone.

Thus, for use of the glass stove top during the year, it is sufficient to perform iruy (pouring boiling water onto the stove top).

 

.

Best wishes.

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3 Comments

  1. Please excuse the typing errors in my per ou message.. I am typing on my iPhone and I sometimes hit the wrong keys. It is a glass top electric coil stove. I have but the oven through one 3 1/2 hour of self clean cycle and there is still baked on brown areas around the circumstance of the oven door( looks like baked on splatter stains. Question was … Is this one self clean cycle enough to consider the oven kashered so I can cook for Yom Tov or should I do additional scrubbing and and additional self clean cycle and then start my Yom Tov cooking . The k you for you time

    1. In general you should clean well before the self-clean cycle. However, a stain alone is not reason for concern, and after the self clean cycle you can rely on the self-clean and use the stove.

  2. Thank you for your quick response. My husband thinks I’m a kashering nut.. I cself cleaned the oven a second time for 3 1/2 hours and did spend 3 hours scrubbing as much of the stains off that I could… Now I know that I did not have to do that …well got a lot of arm exercise. Have a Healthy ‘ Happy New Year

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