Are you tired of preventing your pans from sliding on the stove while cooking? If yes, then you are in the right place. In this article, we will get this irritating problem solved for you. Cooking is already a big task but having a pan that keeps sliding on the stove makes it more challenging.
Let’s see why your pan slides from the stove.
Reasons that Make Pans Sliding From the Stove
Below are the four reasons that stop the pan from resting on the stove. Let’s read to know these.
- Material of the pan: The material of the pan is usually the cause for pans sliding from the stove. Pans made out of slippery material can’t stay over the stove and so they slide.
- Position of the stove: Sometimes the stove is not properly placed or is imbalanced thus making it slide from the stove.
- Weight of the pan: You may be using a low-quality pan that can’t hold the weight of ingredients and so slips from the stove.
Don’t worry as we take you through a step-by-step process that will surely fix your problem.
Let’s see what you can make your pans stay on the stove.
Steps to Keep Pans in Place While Cooking on the Stove
We understand how irritating it is when using a pan that slides from the stove while cooking and the food items are on it. That’s why we are here with an eight-step approach that can help you get rid of this annoying problem.
Let’s discuss a few practices that you can do while cooking so that your pan will not be sliding from the stove anymore.
Find out the issue
The first step is to see the possible reasons for the pan not setting on the stove. There can be many reasons for this problem, and we need to find the root of the issue first.
You may be using a pan made of a particular material that doesn’t stay on the stove. It is also possible that the fabric of the pan is too slippery to rest on the stove, which is the most common reason for the pans sliding.
Analyze the Position of the Stove
Sometimes the issue is not in the pans. It can be the stove which may not be placed properly.
Check if all four sides of the stove are evenly placed. If they are not, then balancing them can solve the issue. Just place something under one of the feet of the stove so that it becomes level from all sides.
Replace the Pan
You might be using a low-quality pan that does not have enough capacity to hold the weight, and that makes it slide across the stove. Nowadays, many pans in the market come with heavy lower surfaces. Not only that, but these pans have attached cups made of silicone or rubber suction.
Pans with such bottoms are specifically made to stay on the stove. They are made with profound anodized material that helps them a lot to stay in a place. We guarantee that buying a good quality pan can solve the problem.
See, if All the Pans Slid from Your Stove
One way to solve this problem is by checking if other pots or pans also slide from your stove or not. If so, then it’s highly likely that it’s the stove. If not, the pan you are using is low quality or has a weak, lower portion.
In the latter case, just replace your pan with a slightly heavier pan, preferably made of aluminum, to get this problem solved.
Always Use the Lid of the Pan
This step can make your lightweight pans stay over the stoves. When you place the pan on the stove, make sure you heat it for a few minutes with its lid on without any food items in it. You need to preheat the pan on a high flame. After that, put the ingredients into it and reduce the flame.
You can keep the flame as you desire once the food items are on it and do so accordingly such that the food items do not burn. This trick can make your lightweight pans and pots stay on the stove while cooking.
Make Sure The Stove Gaskets Are Properly Installed
Another thing that you can do is to check if the stove gaskets are attached firmly. This step is mainly applicable to people who have just bought a new stove to prevent their pans from sliding, only to find the issue just as before.
Remember, it’s not the stove that is causing the problem. The gasket is not attached correctly with the stove’s body, thus not letting your pans or pots stay over it.
Just pull off the gasket and install it again using a spray. We highly recommend using a non-stick spray on the stove as the other sprays can catch fire.
If this doesn’t solve the problem, you can purchase a new gasket as this gasket may not be use-worthy anymore. When buying a new gasket, make sure that you buy one made for electric ranges and modern stoves. You need to check it’s size as well and whether it gets attached to your stove or not.
Stop Pans from Sliding Even in the Future
There are many solutions to solve this problem once and for all. You need to go through these simple measures after every few weeks.
- See if the stove is placed evenly. If the four feet of the stove are not leveled properly, you need to buy or search out any solid material or a leveling kit that can help balance the stove.
- Some kitchens have short-height stoves and this can be a possible reason for pans sliding across the stove. Buying a leveling kit can make this issue solved as well.
- Buy yourself a new pan if the pans in your kitchen have a light bottom. Replacing it with a pan having a heavy base can solve this problem.
- There are many sprays available in the market which you can sprinkle on your pan edges. These sprays help them stay over the stove as well.
Get a New Stove
If none of the above solutions worked for you, then it’s time to get a new stove for your kitchen. You can see many brands having less expensive stoves, but we don’t recommend buying them as the major problem is to solve the sliding problem of the pan.
Buying a stove is a one-time investment, and we prefer buying a stove with great care. It’s a good idea to spend a little more on buying a good quality stove that solves your problem and lasts forever as well.
Now, you know all about preventing your pans from sliding across the stove. We recommend you go through all the steps above and if none of them works out for you.
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Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]
Why does the pan shake on the stove?
The most apparent reason for pans shaking on the stove is the moisture between the stove and the pan. This moisture turns to steam and makes the pan slippery.
Does leaving a pan on the stove ruin it?
A pan is usually coated with enamel that chips off and goes to the flame area of the stove. It doesn’t ruin it but releases harmful gasses into the air. That’s why leaving a pan on the stove is not advisable.
Final Words
Now you know all about this problem. If you are reluctant to invest in a new pan or a new stove, you can try to balance the pan on the stove while cooking by wearing cooking gloves.
These gloves have a better grip on pans, and they will prevent your hands from burning while you are trying to balance the pan.