Kenmore 790.7400, Use & Care Manual

11

Before Setting Surface Controls

Using proper cookware

Do not place flammable items such as plastic 

salt and pepper shakers, spoon holders or plastic wrappings on 
the cooktop when it is in use. These items could melt or ignite. 
Potholders, towels or wooden spoons could catch fire if placed 
too close to the range cooktop.

Important: 

Do not place aluminum foil, or any material that can melt on the 
range cooktop. If these items melt they may damage the 
cooktop.

Important: 

The size and type of utensil used, and the amount and type of 
food being cooked will influence the burner flame setting 
needed for best cooking results.

Cookware Material Types

The cookware material determines how evenly and quickly heat 
is transferred from the surface element to the pan bottom. The 
most popular materials available are:

Aluminum - Excellent heat conductor. Some types of food will 
cause it to darken (Anodized aluminum cookware resists staining 
and pitting).

Copper - Excellent heat conductor but discolors easily (See 
Aluminum).

Stainless - Slow heat conductor with uneven cooking results. Is 
durable, easy to clean and resists staining.

Cast Iron - A slow heat conductor however will retain heat very 
well. Cooks evenly once cooking temperature is reached.

Porcelain-enamel on metal - Heating characteristics will vary 
depending on base material. 

Glass - Slow heat conductor.

Setting Proper Burner Flame Size

Never extend the flame beyond the outer edge 

of the cooking utensil. A higher flame wastes energy, and 
increases your risk of being burned by the flame.

The color of the flame is the key to proper burner adjustment. A 
good flame is clear, blue and hardly visible in a well-lighted 
room. Each cone of flame should be steady and sharp. Adjust or 
clean burner if flame is yellow-orange.

For most cooking: start on the highest setting and then turn to a 
lower setting to complete the process. Use the recommendations 
in 

Table 1

 as a guide for determining proper flame size for 

various types of cooking.)

For deep fat frying: use a thermometer and adjust the surface 
knob accordingly. If the fat is too cool, the food will absorb the 
fat and be greasy. If the fat is too hot, the food will brown so 
quickly that the center will be under cooked. Do not attempt to 
deep fat fry too much food at once as the food will neither 
brown or cook properly.

For best cooking results, cook-
ware should have flat bottoms 
that rest level on the surface 
burner grate. Before using 
cookware, check for flatness by 
rotating a ruler across the bot-
tom of the cookware (See 

Figure 9

).

Figure 9:  Testing cookware

Figure 10:  Correct and incorrect flame settings

Table 1:  Flame size recommendations

Flame Size*

Type of Cooking

High flame

Start most foods; bring water to a boil; 
pan broiling

Medium flame

Maintain a slow boil; thicken sauces; 
gravies; steaming

Low flame

Keep foods cooking; poach; stewing

*These settings are based for medium-weight metal or 
aluminum pans with lids. Settings may vary when using 
cookware made from different materials.

correct
flame setting

incorrect
flame setting