Hello,

I wondered if anyone could recommend some good saucepans, baking
trays, etc?

I've tried a few baking trays, even branded ones such as Tefal and
Pyrex (non-stick metal, not glass) and none of them live up to their
name of being non-stick. They always end-up with brown burnt-on
deposits. Having asked around, I get the impression that all baking
trays are equally rubbish and it's not worth buying non-stick?

I used to use Mr Muscle cans of caustic soda to clean them and that
worked but I find the cheap tins of caustic soda do not, so perhaps
they use a less concentrated spray?

Here's an embarrassing story about my non-stick saucepans. I went
camping the other year so bought a cheap set of saucepans to take with
me. The other day I decided to use them at home to cook some pasta but
some got burnt onto the bottom of the pan. I tried scouring it but a
non-stick scourer was too gentle. The dishwasher did not remove it
either, so then I tried the spray can of caustic soda; that made no
difference.

I thought I should thrown the pans away and buy a new, better, set for
use at home but I thought I would have one last attempt at cleaning. I
had some caustic soda so I added a little to water and let it soak. It
did remove the burnt on food but it also removed the non-stick
coating!

Which brings me back to the question: which saucepans do you
recommend? I use gas at the moment but one day might like to use
induction. I'm thinking non-stick just isn't worth it?

Thanks.

Stephen wrote:

I've tried a few baking trays, even branded ones such as Tefal and
Pyrex (non-stick metal, not glass) and none of them live up to their
name of being non-stick. They always end-up with brown burnt-on
deposits. Having asked around, I get the impression that all baking
trays are equally rubbish and it's not worth buying non-stick?

I have had good performance from separate non-stick sheets - long
lasting and inexpensive to replace when they eventually wear out.

https://www.lakeland.co.uk/5570/Magic-Reusable-Non-Stick-Baking-Tray-Liner-Sheet-25cm-x-50cm

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK
@ChrisJDixon1

Plant amazing Acers.

On 30/06/19 05:53, Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I wondered if anyone could recommend some good saucepans, baking
trays, etc?

I've tried a few baking trays, even branded ones such as Tefal and
Pyrex (non-stick metal, not glass) and none of them live up to their
name of being non-stick. They always end-up with brown burnt-on
deposits. Having asked around, I get the impression that all baking
trays are equally rubbish and it's not worth buying non-stick?

I used to use Mr Muscle cans of caustic soda to clean them and that
worked but I find the cheap tins of caustic soda do not, so perhaps
they use a less concentrated spray?

Here's an embarrassing story about my non-stick saucepans. I went
camping the other year so bought a cheap set of saucepans to take with
me. The other day I decided to use them at home to cook some pasta but
some got burnt onto the bottom of the pan. I tried scouring it but a
non-stick scourer was too gentle. The dishwasher did not remove it
either, so then I tried the spray can of caustic soda; that made no
difference.

I thought I should thrown the pans away and buy a new, better, set for
use at home but I thought I would have one last attempt at cleaning. I
had some caustic soda so I added a little to water and let it soak. It
did remove the burnt on food but it also removed the non-stick
coating!

Which brings me back to the question: which saucepans do you
recommend? I use gas at the moment but one day might like to use
induction. I'm thinking non-stick just isn't worth it?

If you used a concentrated solution of caustic soda on an aluminium pan
you are very lucky that it didn't burn a hole right through! Caustic
soda attacks aluminium just like a mineral acid, and will dissolve it.
It shouldn't touch the non-stick surface, though. I would guess that it
ate away the aluminium under the non-stick surface and loosened it,
rather than attack the non-stick surface itself.

As to what non-stick saucepans to use now, well, they are all crap IMHO.
I have some cheap non-stick saucepans bought at Argos over 35 years ago.
Some still have the surface intact, and are non-stick despite some
careless use of metal utensils on rare occasions, although I am usually
careful to use plastic or wooden utensils only. In contrast, the modern
ones barely last a year or two matter how careful I am (I find frying
pans particularly bad in this respect as they are exposed to the highest
cooking temperatures). I don't know if the coating has changed, or the
subcoat (how else would a non-stick coating stick to the pan?!).

If anyone can recommend long-lasting non-stick pans I'd also be
interested in hearing about it.

--

Jeff

On 30/06/2019 05:53, Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I wondered if anyone could recommend some good saucepans, baking
trays, etc?

I can try.

I've tried a few baking trays, even branded ones such as Tefal and
Pyrex (non-stick metal, not glass) and none of them live up to their
name of being non-stick. They always end-up with brown burnt-on
deposits. Having asked around, I get the impression that all baking
trays are equally rubbish and it's not worth buying non-stick?

I have after years come to the same conclusion.

Get cheap tin ones and let te fat accumulate

Or switch to cleanable porcelain or eartrhenware ones.

Or juts replace the non stick ones every 6 months




Here's an embarrassing story about my non-stick saucepans. I went
camping the other year so bought a cheap set of saucepans to take with
me. The other day I decided to use them at home to cook some pasta but
some got burnt onto the bottom of the pan. I tried scouring it but a
non-stick scourer was too gentle. The dishwasher did not remove it
either, so then I tried the spray can of caustic soda; that made no
difference.

I thought I should thrown the pans away and buy a new, better, set for
use at home but I thought I would have one last attempt at cleaning. I
had some caustic soda so I added a little to water and let it soak. It
did remove the burnt on food but it also removed the non-stick
coating!

Which brings me back to the question: which saucepans do you
recommend? I use gas at the moment but one day might like to use
induction. I'm thinking non-stick just isn't worth it?

I run with just there hgerenric types of cookware that experiebce shows
last, and work and can be cleaned. They sit in thre se[aret cuboards

1/. Stainless steel. Or just ordinary plated steel. Yes stuffs sticks,
but you can take serious abrasives to them if you have to and mostly I
soak and they are OK. I have Stellar stuff. Good quality not too expoenive.,

2/. China and ovenproof glass. I no longer roast meat in tins, but in
china. 99% of evertything I do in the oven is done in china.

3/. Cast iron. You can scrub this to hell caustic it and then re season
it with fresh oil. 99% of everything I fry is in cast iron. I have two
Le Creuset skillets that were going cheap on amazon and a ribbed thing
for steaks and so on. I also have some old le cresuet casserol dishes or
whatever they are called. Glazed cast irion, but frankly glazed cast
iron doesn't stand scrubbing.

I do have a few 'non stick' things, but they never last. But its hard to
get bread tins that are not ...




Thanks.



--
Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the
gospel of envy.

Its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.

Winston Churchill

Jeff Layman wrote:

As to what non-stick saucepans to use now, well, they are all crap IMHO.
I have some cheap non-stick saucepans bought at Argos over 35 years ago.
Some still have the surface intact, and are non-stick despite some
careless use of metal utensils on rare occasions, although I am usually
careful to use plastic or wooden utensils only. In contrast, the modern
ones barely last a year or two matter how careful I am (I find frying
pans particularly bad in this respect as they are exposed to the highest
cooking temperatures). I don't know if the coating has changed, or the
subcoat (how else would a non-stick coating stick to the pan?!).

And yet, many on TV are shown using metal utensils on non-stick
pans. I guess they are simply scrapped after the series.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK
@ChrisJDixon1

Plant amazing Acers.

On Sunday, 30 June 2019 05:53:05 UTC+1, Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I wondered if anyone could recommend some good saucepans, baking
trays, etc?

I've tried a few baking trays, even branded ones such as Tefal and
Pyrex (non-stick metal, not glass) and none of them live up to their
name of being non-stick. They always end-up with brown burnt-on
deposits. Having asked around, I get the impression that all baking
trays are equally rubbish and it's not worth buying non-stick?

I used to use Mr Muscle cans of caustic soda to clean them and that
worked but I find the cheap tins of caustic soda do not, so perhaps
they use a less concentrated spray?

Here's an embarrassing story about my non-stick saucepans. I went
camping the other year so bought a cheap set of saucepans to take with
me. The other day I decided to use them at home to cook some pasta but
some got burnt onto the bottom of the pan. I tried scouring it but a
non-stick scourer was too gentle. The dishwasher did not remove it
either, so then I tried the spray can of caustic soda; that made no
difference.

I thought I should thrown the pans away and buy a new, better, set for
use at home but I thought I would have one last attempt at cleaning. I
had some caustic soda so I added a little to water and let it soak. It
did remove the burnt on food but it also removed the non-stick
coating!

Which brings me back to the question: which saucepans do you
recommend? I use gas at the moment but one day might like to use
induction. I'm thinking non-stick just isn't worth it?

Thanks.

Nonsick just doesn't last. Never using metal on it helps a lot, but it still won't last.

Stainless steel is the best all rounder imho. It's not nonstick of course but I don't find that a problem, I don't burn stuff.

Some people like cats iron. I don't, having lived with it for years. Some even pay silly money for Le Creuset. If you like excessively heavy pans that burn & stick & only respond slowly to heat changes, maybe that's for you.

Glass is the ultimate at low cook temps - but equally bad at high cook temps. NEVER burn it.

The main takeaway is learn to cook without burning anything.


NT

On Sun, 30 Jun 2019 05:53:03 +0100, Stephen wrote:

I used to use Mr Muscle cans of caustic soda to clean them and that
worked but I find the cheap tins of caustic soda do not, so perhaps they
use a less concentrated spray?

Modern domestic chemical cleaning products are hopeless. For glassware,
you will find chromic acid or trisodium phosphate with a bit of Vim
thrown in for good measure always does the trick. That's what we used
back in the 60s and I've never found owt better.



--
Leave first - THEN negotiate!

On 30/06/2019 10:47, Chris J Dixon wrote:
Jeff Layman wrote:

As to what non-stick saucepans to use now, well, they are all crap IMHO.
I have some cheap non-stick saucepans bought at Argos over 35 years ago.
Some still have the surface intact, and are non-stick despite some
careless use of metal utensils on rare occasions, although I am usually
careful to use plastic or wooden utensils only. In contrast, the modern
ones barely last a year or two matter how careful I am (I find frying
pans particularly bad in this respect as they are exposed to the highest
cooking temperatures). I don't know if the coating has changed, or the
subcoat (how else would a non-stick coating stick to the pan?!).

And yet, many on TV are shown using metal utensils on non-stick
pans. I guess they are simply scrapped after the series.

You've been able to get non-stick pans that can be used with metal
utensils (with care) since the 1970s. They usually have a 'dimpled'
surface so the utensils just damage the coating on the raised parts.

--
Max Demian

What you need to realise about these coatings is that basically, they are
ptfe. One of the most slippery things we know about, however this makes
bonding it to other materials hard to do. Once you do erode the surface
though food and other substances get into these micr areas of roughness and
often its the bonding to the pan that gives up first. It is after all only a
thin coat or it would insulate too much. Also of course the expansion and
contraction of the two materials can make the bonding fail in the end
anyway.
Brian

--
----- --
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"Stephen" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I wondered if anyone could recommend some good saucepans, baking
trays, etc?

I've tried a few baking trays, even branded ones such as Tefal and
Pyrex (non-stick metal, not glass) and none of them live up to their
name of being non-stick. They always end-up with brown burnt-on
deposits. Having asked around, I get the impression that all baking
trays are equally rubbish and it's not worth buying non-stick?

I used to use Mr Muscle cans of caustic soda to clean them and that
worked but I find the cheap tins of caustic soda do not, so perhaps
they use a less concentrated spray?

Here's an embarrassing story about my non-stick saucepans. I went
camping the other year so bought a cheap set of saucepans to take with
me. The other day I decided to use them at home to cook some pasta but
some got burnt onto the bottom of the pan. I tried scouring it but a
non-stick scourer was too gentle. The dishwasher did not remove it
either, so then I tried the spray can of caustic soda; that made no
difference.

I thought I should thrown the pans away and buy a new, better, set for
use at home but I thought I would have one last attempt at cleaning. I
had some caustic soda so I added a little to water and let it soak. It
did remove the burnt on food but it also removed the non-stick
coating!

Which brings me back to the question: which saucepans do you
recommend? I use gas at the moment but one day might like to use
induction. I'm thinking non-stick just isn't worth it?

Thanks.

On Sun, 30 Jun 2019 05:53:03 +0100, Stephen wrote:

The other day I decided to use them at home to cook some pasta but
some got burnt onto the bottom of the pan.

HTF do you burn pasta onto the bottom of a pan?

Which brings me back to the question: which saucepans do you recommend?

Stainless steel.

I use gas at the moment but one day might like to use induction.

Make sure any stainless pans you get are also suitable for an
induction hob. Stainless steel by itself isn't magnetic and won't
work on an inudction hob.

I'm thinking non-stick just isn't worth it?

Sort of works, provided you leave things to soak for a bit (couple of
hors) in hot water with washing up liquid. The golden film of
denatured fat/oil will appear after a while and require an
extorionate amount of elbow grease to remove. The coating doesn't
last either.

Best to learn to cook without burning things, on gas or induction
that should be a doddle as when you turn it down/off the energy input
to the pan immediatly goes down or off.

On electric be that rings, solid plate or halogen there is far to
much thermal inetria, so it's far to easy to over or under shoot the
required setting. The simple time based on/off control also means
that the temperature of the pan varies greatly which a) burns stuff
on the peaks or b) makes it hard to judge if the setting is correct
as how the contents look like they are cooking depends on when you
look in the on/off cycle.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Sunday, 30 June 2019 05:53:05 UTC+1, Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I wondered if anyone could recommend some good saucepans, baking
trays, etc?

I've tried a few baking trays, even branded ones such as Tefal and
Pyrex (non-stick metal, not glass) and none of them live up to their
name of being non-stick. They always end-up with brown burnt-on
deposits. Having asked around, I get the impression that all baking
trays are equally rubbish and it's not worth buying non-stick?

I used to use Mr Muscle cans of caustic soda to clean them and that
worked but I find the cheap tins of caustic soda do not, so perhaps
they use a less concentrated spray?

Here's an embarrassing story about my non-stick saucepans. I went
camping the other year so bought a cheap set of saucepans to take with
me. The other day I decided to use them at home to cook some pasta but
some got burnt onto the bottom of the pan. I tried scouring it but a
non-stick scourer was too gentle. The dishwasher did not remove it
either, so then I tried the spray can of caustic soda; that made no
difference.

I thought I should thrown the pans away and buy a new, better, set for
use at home but I thought I would have one last attempt at cleaning. I
had some caustic soda so I added a little to water and let it soak. It
did remove the burnt on food but it also removed the non-stick
coating!

Which brings me back to the question: which saucepans do you
recommend? I use gas at the moment but one day might like to use
induction. I'm thinking non-stick just isn't worth it?

Thanks.

None stick pans used to have a PTFE coating.
Done away with now I believe as it gives off dangerous fumes if overheated,
As you say the replacement is crap.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymer_fume_fever

On 30/06/2019 09:15, The Natural Philosopher wrote:


Get cheap tin ones and let te fat accumulate

^^^^^ This. Like seasoning a wok.

On 01/07/2019 08:34, Chris Bartram wrote:
On 30/06/2019 09:15, The Natural Philosopher wrote:


Get cheap tin ones and let te fat accumulate

^^^^^ This. Like seasoning a wok.

I don't think my mum ever changed the fat in her old cast iron frying pan.

--
Max Demian

On 01/07/2019 08:29, harry wrote:
On Sunday, 30 June 2019 05:53:05 UTC+1, Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I wondered if anyone could recommend some good saucepans, baking
trays, etc?

I've tried a few baking trays, even branded ones such as Tefal and
Pyrex (non-stick metal, not glass) and none of them live up to their
name of being non-stick. They always end-up with brown burnt-on
deposits. Having asked around, I get the impression that all baking
trays are equally rubbish and it's not worth buying non-stick?

I used to use Mr Muscle cans of caustic soda to clean them and that
worked but I find the cheap tins of caustic soda do not, so perhaps
they use a less concentrated spray?

Here's an embarrassing story about my non-stick saucepans. I went
camping the other year so bought a cheap set of saucepans to take with
me. The other day I decided to use them at home to cook some pasta but
some got burnt onto the bottom of the pan. I tried scouring it but a
non-stick scourer was too gentle. The dishwasher did not remove it
either, so then I tried the spray can of caustic soda; that made no
difference.

I thought I should thrown the pans away and buy a new, better, set for
use at home but I thought I would have one last attempt at cleaning. I
had some caustic soda so I added a little to water and let it soak. It
did remove the burnt on food but it also removed the non-stick
coating!

Which brings me back to the question: which saucepans do you
recommend? I use gas at the moment but one day might like to use
induction. I'm thinking non-stick just isn't worth it?

Thanks.

None stick pans used to have a PTFE coating.
Done away with now I believe as it gives off dangerous fumes if overheated,
As you say the replacement is crap.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymer_fume_fever

So what do they use? Accounts of "non-stick" only say PTFE.

--
Max Demian

On 01/07/2019 09:40, Max Demian wrote:
On 01/07/2019 08:34, Chris Bartram wrote:
On 30/06/2019 09:15, The Natural Philosopher wrote:


Get cheap tin ones and let te fat accumulate

^^^^^ This. Like seasoning a wok.

I don't think my mum ever changed the fat in her old cast iron frying pan.

I wash mine in the dishwasher,

But they are well seasoned



--
€œProgress is precisely that which rules and regulations did not foresee,€�

€“ Ludwig von Mises

On Monday, 1 July 2019 09:42:43 UTC+1, Max Demian wrote:
On 01/07/2019 08:29, harry wrote:
On Sunday, 30 June 2019 05:53:05 UTC+1, Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I wondered if anyone could recommend some good saucepans, baking
trays, etc?

I've tried a few baking trays, even branded ones such as Tefal and
Pyrex (non-stick metal, not glass) and none of them live up to their
name of being non-stick. They always end-up with brown burnt-on
deposits. Having asked around, I get the impression that all baking
trays are equally rubbish and it's not worth buying non-stick?

I used to use Mr Muscle cans of caustic soda to clean them and that
worked but I find the cheap tins of caustic soda do not, so perhaps
they use a less concentrated spray?

Here's an embarrassing story about my non-stick saucepans. I went
camping the other year so bought a cheap set of saucepans to take with
me. The other day I decided to use them at home to cook some pasta but
some got burnt onto the bottom of the pan. I tried scouring it but a
non-stick scourer was too gentle. The dishwasher did not remove it
either, so then I tried the spray can of caustic soda; that made no
difference.

I thought I should thrown the pans away and buy a new, better, set for
use at home but I thought I would have one last attempt at cleaning. I
had some caustic soda so I added a little to water and let it soak. It
did remove the burnt on food but it also removed the non-stick
coating!

Which brings me back to the question: which saucepans do you
recommend? I use gas at the moment but one day might like to use
induction. I'm thinking non-stick just isn't worth it?

Thanks.

None stick pans used to have a PTFE coating.
Done away with now I believe as it gives off dangerous fumes if overheated,
As you say the replacement is crap.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymer_fume_fever

So what do they use? Accounts of "non-stick" only say PTFE.


There are several other compositions that are called "ceramic", such as Ceramic Guard or Thermolon.

Most are based on aluminium which is a shame because I prefer the heft of stainless steel pans.

Having induction, I did try one aluminium pan which claimed to be induction compatible. It warmed a bit, didn't get properly hot and, if you positioned just a millimetre or two off centre, the pan detection failed. Obviously, returned for refund.

On Sun, 30 Jun 2019 18:45:32 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

On Sun, 30 Jun 2019 05:53:03 +0100, Stephen wrote:

The other day I decided to use them at home to cook some pasta but
some got burnt onto the bottom of the pan.

HTF do you burn pasta onto the bottom of a pan?

Which brings me back to the question: which saucepans do you recommend?

Stainless steel.

I use gas at the moment but one day might like to use induction.

Make sure any stainless pans you get are also suitable for an
induction hob. Stainless steel by itself isn't magnetic and won't
work on an inudction hob.

It's not the magnetic properties of the metal that matter on an
induction hob, but the electrical conductivity and resistivity. It has
to be conductive enough to have current induced in it by the hob, and
resistive enough to produce heat by current squared x resistance. I
would hope that the hob specifications should recommend what sort of
metal and thickness should be used, but doubt they do, because
saucepans don't have specifications other than saying "suitable for
induction hobs". You don't know how suitable it is until you buy one,
then could well be disappointed.
--
Dave W

On Mon, 1 Jul 2019 08:34:28 +0100
Chris Bartram wrote:

On 30/06/2019 09:15, The Natural Philosopher wrote:


Get cheap tin ones and let te fat accumulate

^^^^^ This. Like seasoning a wok.

Indeed. When the carbon/varnish starts to build up too much I stick
them on the gas hob turned up high (with the back door open and the
smoke alarms turned off). After a few minutes the ash that remains can
be easily brushed or scraped off, then wipe a spot of oil on the pan.
Or wire brush and angle grinder for heavier pieces like my frying pan.

On Sun, 30 Jun 2019 18:45:32 +0100 (BST)
"Dave Liquorice" wrote:

Make sure any stainless pans you get are also suitable for an
induction hob. Stainless steel by itself isn't magnetic and won't
work on an inudction hob.

Copper isn't magnetic but it works just fine in transformers.
:-)

On Wednesday, 3 July 2019 01:14:11 UTC+1, Rob Morley wrote:
On Sun, 30 Jun 2019 18:45:32 +0100 (BST)
"Dave Liquorice" wrote:

Make sure any stainless pans you get are also suitable for an
induction hob. Stainless steel by itself isn't magnetic and won't
work on an inudction hob.

Copper isn't magnetic but it works just fine in transformers.
:-)

It's "magnetic" when an electric current is flowing through it.(Or anything else)