Saucepan Ruin? Please Help! For Christmas we bought the KitchenAid Gourmet Distinctions Stainless Steel 10-Piece Cookware Set. When we make fajitas we like to warm up the flour tortilla shells in the saucepan. Well, this cookware seems much nicer than any previous cookware we've had and it apparently gets quite a bit hotter, too. As soon as we put the shell on the saucepan to warm it up, it started leaving what look like scorch marks all over the bottom of the pan.I first soaked it in water overnight. Not helpful at all. I called KitchenAid and the said do a vinegar/water simmer. Not helpful at all. Now what?? PLEASE advise (FYI--they are NOT non-stick pans)Thanks! Saucepan Ruin? Please Help! For Christmas we bought the KitchenAid Gourmet Distinctions Stainless Steel 10-Piece Cookware Set. When we make fajitas we like to warm up the flour tortilla shells in... » Read More Saucepan Ruin? Please Help! For Christmas we bought the KitchenAid Gourmet Distinctions Stainless Steel 10-Piece Cookware Set. When we make fajitas we like to warm up the flour tortilla shells in the saucepan. Well, this cookware seems much nicer than any previous cookware we've had and it apparently gets quite a bit hotter, too. As soon as we put the shell on the saucepan to warm it up, it started leaving what look like scorch marks all over the bottom of the pan.I first soaked it in water overnight. Not helpful at all. I called KitchenAid and the said do a vinegar/water simmer. Not helpful at all. Now what?? PLEASE advise (FYI--they are NOT non-stick pans)Thanks! « Show Less
899225
Thanks. I ended up using the little green scrubby pads and that did the trick. I was just worried it would hurt the pan, but it looks as good as new.
457804
Try this and see if it helps. Dip pan in dish water. Pour out excess water. Sprinkle either Cameo (my favorite) or Barkeepers Friend in pan. Using a dry paper towel, scrub pan. This should remove marks. Do NOT use Brillo or SOS pads as they will scratch the finish.
254645
Not sure about pitting... but the finish didn't last well because we had to scrub with brush, etc. to get the grooves clean. I don't like that annodized finish either. Might pit if in the dishwasher or harsh cleansers... I didn't like the Circulon at all. I use stainless pans now. Cooks has some nice weight ones similar to All Clad. I use a good All Clad non stick pan for some things. If you can...return the Circulon as defective. Don't buy anymore of them!
212743
I have had my pans for about 12yrs and I have never seen anything like that. How weird. I think I would replace them so the power stuff wouldn't get in my food. You have to admit they are awesome pans! Sorry I couldn't help.
2022184
I have the exact same problem Tina is reporting with flaking. Pan is brand new L4LP3. Never heated above 350 degrees F. After second use black flakes that look like paint chips come off and embed in the food. In addition, when I wipe the surfaces of the pot, black flakes come off. This cannot be seasoning. This looks like paint chips. Can someone help me understand this? Internet is loaded with reports of similar flaking on cast iron products. If this were the seasoning coming off, that should not be black?
2102711
I have never heated anything on temperature higher than 5. If you are patient, it will heat to browning level. Yes, there are rings on my skillets and pans that will not clean off but I don't consider it damage to my Emeril All-Clad. When I fry something, I usually use coconut oil and it doesn't require as much heat for it to get hot. I really don't think you have damaged your pan.
1329857
I have the covered stock pot with glass lid. It's the one from the set which costs $49.99. Wish I'd gotten the whole set. I make chili & soups in the big pot & when it's empty, I rinse it out & put it in the dw. It's still red speckled & the Teflon finish is unharmed. My hubby bought another brand (set) in black. It says NOT to put it in dw. We put a couple of pots & steamer in dw & it discolored it inside & out. He paid more for his than this set. I'm thinking of ordering the set & will put it in the dw.
2041335
Hi...I own two of these and love them. The Calphalon 5 qt tri-ply stainless steel dutch oven heats very fast. I've used it to cook curry chicken, brown stew chicken and even rice and I've never had food stick to the bottom. Here's the trick with stainless steel pots....if cooking meats, add about a tablespoon of oil to the pot before you add the meat, allow the oil to get very hot. Because the pot has a very thick bottom, it does take about 4-5 minutes to get very hot on medium heat. It is a wonderful pot....use the same utensils that you would have used in your nonstick to protect the interior from scratches. Give it a try! Hi...I own two of these and love them. The Calphalon 5 qt tri-ply stainless steel dutch oven heats very fast. I've used it to cook curry chicken, brown stew chicken and even rice and I've never had food stick to the bottom. Here's the trick with stainless steel pots....if cooking meats, add about a tablespoon of oil to the pot before you add the meat, allow the oil to get very hot. Because the pot has a very thick bottom, it does take about 4-5 minutes to get very hot on medium heat. It is a wonderful pot....use the same utensils that you would have used in your nonstick to protect the... » Read More Hi...I own two of these and love them. The Calphalon 5 qt tri-ply stainless steel dutch oven heats very fast. I've used it to cook curry chicken, brown stew chicken and even rice and I've never had food stick to the bottom. Here's the trick with stainless steel pots....if cooking meats, add about a tablespoon of oil to the pot before you add the meat, allow the oil to get very hot. Because the pot has a very thick bottom, it does take about 4-5 minutes to get very hot on medium heat. It is a wonderful pot....use the same utensils that you would have used in your nonstick to protect the interior from scratches. Give it a try! « Show Less
919049
Hello Steffany, I cant honestly tell you. These products are poorly designed - the "nonstick" coating does not work very well. It deteriorated within 8 month of normal use (not at all heavy). When I approached customer service and attempted to use warranty I received an answer that the cookware is not supposed to be exposed to high heat. Claim was denied and threw them away. I will never purchase any of Circulon products and will not recommend doing this to anybody. There are plenty of products of better quality for the same price that will stand behind their warranty. Anolon comes to mind... Sorry if I could not be a better help. Hello Steffany, I cant honestly tell you. These products are poorly designed - the "nonstick" coating does not work very well. It deteriorated within 8 month of normal use (not at all heavy). When I approached customer service and attempted to use warranty I received an answer that the cookware is not supposed to be exposed to high heat. Claim was denied and threw them away. I will never purchase any of Circulon products and will not recommend doing this to anybody. There are plenty of products of better quality for the same price that will stand behind their warranty. Anolon... » Read More Hello Steffany, I cant honestly tell you. These products are poorly designed - the "nonstick" coating does not work very well. It deteriorated within 8 month of normal use (not at all heavy). When I approached customer service and attempted to use warranty I received an answer that the cookware is not supposed to be exposed to high heat. Claim was denied and threw them away. I will never purchase any of Circulon products and will not recommend doing this to anybody. There are plenty of products of better quality for the same price that will stand behind their warranty. Anolon comes to mind... Sorry if I could not be a better help. « Show Less
888912
It's the "season" or non stick quality that suffers over 400 deg F. I've heated mine to 550 F to do large amounts of fajitas and reseasoned it after use and it is fine. Allow to air cool if you get it that hot or it can crack.
1941605
Did you season it first with some spray Pam etc.. a high heat oil like canolla. it fills in the irregularities in the surface. Also since you have used it already try using Pam first for a while. When cooking do not put your heat as high as you did for your old pans For Cleaning: wipe out with a paper towel when still warm not hot with warm soapy water. Do not immerse in cold water when hot
1830940
Hey Doc - BKF will effectively remove that iridescent patina that is sometimes left by gas heat or evaporated water. I just add a tiny bit of water and BKF, and scrub the pot/pan down with a nylon brush. It comes out almost immediately. Make sure you scrub it down with some soapy water to get rid of the BKF, as you don't want your future meal to have BKF residue! After this, wipe it all down with a cheesecloth or paper towel. Your stainless cookware will look brand spanking new. By the way - don't let cooking residue sit in the cookware for too long after cooking to prevent it from sticking. If you're diligent about cleaning right away - it'll make your life super easy. If you get a bit of food stuck to the pan - I leave the pan soaking with warm water, dish soap, and a bit of BKF. Come back in 30-45 mins - and it's all gone with a light scrub. For particularly resilient stuck-on residues, repeat this multiple times - it will eventually work. Stainless is just worlds better than nonstick. But you have to learn to work with it. Learn it well - and the cookware will reward you with amazing food. Hope this helps!
1736217
After it cools, I use a dish rag and mild dish detergent. I rub dry with a paper towel and coconut oil. The coconut oil seems to help take the stickiness out if you happened to cook something that caused that. It doesn't totally come out, but it's better and the more you use the coconut oil, the better the pan gets. I'm not as happy with that aspect of the pan (that it gets sticky/tacky)...I feel it requires more work than just a stainless steel pan.
1052480
My wife will not wash pans by hand. She told me staight up when I bought them that they were going into the dishwasher. After about a year of use and dishwasher washing they are still doing fine. My children also use them a lot and careless use of metal utensils has led to some light scratches in the most frequently used pans, but they still don't stick, and I haven't noticed much difference in performance due to the dishwasher. Still - one would expect longer life if you was them by hand. There is some change in color in the stainless base but it doesn't effect cooking performance. (I tried to get the kids to wash them by hand, but if mom won't...) My wife will not wash pans by hand. She told me staight up when I bought them that they were going into the dishwasher. After about a year of use and dishwasher washing they are still doing fine. My children also use them a lot and careless use of metal utensils has led to some light scratches in the most frequently used pans, but they still don't stick, and I haven't noticed much difference in performance due to the dishwasher. Still - one would expect longer life if you was them by hand. There is some change in color in the stainless base but it doesn't effect cooking performance. (I... » Read More My wife will not wash pans by hand. She told me staight up when I bought them that they were going into the dishwasher. After about a year of use and dishwasher washing they are still doing fine. My children also use them a lot and careless use of metal utensils has led to some light scratches in the most frequently used pans, but they still don't stick, and I haven't noticed much difference in performance due to the dishwasher. Still - one would expect longer life if you was them by hand. There is some change in color in the stainless base but it doesn't effect cooking performance. (I tried to get the kids to wash them by hand, but if mom won't...) « Show Less
919048
Hello Steffany, I cant honestly tell you. These products are poorly designed - the "nonstick" coating does not work very well. It deteriorated within 8 month of normal use (not at all heavy). When I approached customer service and attempted to use warranty I received an answer that the cookware is not supposed to be exposed to high heat. Claim was denied and threw them away. I will never purchase any of Circulon products and will not recommend doing this to anybody. There are plenty of products of better quality for the same price that will stand behind their warranty. Anolon comes to mind... Sorry if I could not be a better help.
248383
These fajita pans are solid cast iron with no non stick coating. You will not damage in anyway. I clean with hot water and a stiff bristle brush. No soap. Then re-oil and heat. Good luck
489582
Hi - this is what I do - I heat the pan up really hot without any food in it - then I pour in some cold water. It sizzles and steams like crazy, and brings the gunk to the surface. I chuck out the dirt and repeat till nothing rises up to the top. Works like a charm!By the way, I found that the Baccarat grid iron pans are great as well.
1690482
This is only a wild guess, but I imagine it's the labor that goes into the finish. I bought the less expensive for my husband last Christmas (he loves to cook) and have been very satisfied. We use Barkeeper's Friend to polish it up now and then and it looks great. He has a few pieces of the more expensive type, but other than a small difference in weight, I can't tell any difference in the cooking ability. If you are a real gourmet chef, you probably won't be happy with any but the most expensive cookware. However, if you are like most of us, the less expensive will serve you well for many years. :)