What is the pot actually made out of? Is this true "cast iron" or can it not withstand 2000+ degrees?
1500290
It is truly cast iron. Wall thickness and bottom are both about 1/4". Much heavier than a cast iron skillet
1500291
I melt lead in this pot over a wood fire. Looking up the temperatures of "orange flames" from wood fire the orange flames are about 2400 degrees Farenheit... I have no idea what temperatures this pot will melt at but I can say I am not at all worried about this pot warping or melting down from the heat of the flames... the lead inside the pot becomes completely liquid (molten) after about 45 minutes over the wood fire. I'm sure people using this pot over gas burners get their lead to melt quicker but unless you're smelting steel I wouldn't worry about this pot breaking down.
321438
I believe mine is cast aluminum. Living in Hawaii the weather is usually humid. I only used mine one time so far and it did take awhile for the iron to season and not stick. Your 100 year old one must have worked perfectly.
96819
I can't speak for the others. I can only tell you that ours is definitely cast iron. It's very heavy. We have a glass cook top and it takes a few minutes to heat up, but once it is heated it cooks great! I recommend cleaning it with mineral spirits and then scrubbing it with detergent BEFORE you start to season it. We love ours! Great wok for the price!
2096402
It is stainless steel with a plastic coating. You can not put a hot pot on it or it will melt. However, I have had mine for 2 years. It is in perfect condition. Fits the sink great. Love it. Would buy again. Just wish it cost less :-)
1657906
Calphalon is not as heavy as cast iron pots but just as durable. Nonstick quality is the same besides outrageous price of cast iron dutch oven pots. Good luck!!
1907179
According to the response I received from a Lyman Service Technician it should withstand the melting point of Cast Iron which is Greater Than 2,000 Degrees F.
1986750
Pulled from "Google" internet search site http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/588767 - - "Over 450F and you'll start to burn off your seasoned cure. But the iron itself is good up to about 2000F. It's practically indestructible in home ovens (though if you make a habit of subjecting it to extremely high heat it will need to be re-seasoned). The warning/max temp you read may have been referring to enamel-coated cast iron pans, which aren't supposed to be used at temps above 400
1281611
It is cast iron, very heavy with grooves on the bottom. We like it and have to be careful when lifting to ensure grease drips in the pan. We season after every use.
236009
Hi Kat - My neighbor has an original & it is aluminum as well. It was never made of iron. Iron would be too slow to heat & cool if it was. I can whip out sandwiches in just a few minutes with my new one just as my mom did. Please note that I have nothing to do with the company other than the fact that I bought a couple of them. I gave one to my sister & Brother-in-law for Christmas with a small box of Velveeta, dragging back old family traditions. Bottom line - Enjoy!
143422
I don't know. It appears that the pot is made of mild steel. I would call the manufacture.
1080375
It appears to be cast iron like a duch oven would be made from. It is NOT aluminum, and does not appear to be stainless steel.
986818
They can definitely withstand 500 degrees. They are cast iron and nearly indestructible. The only thing that survived when my house burned was my cast iron pans. They survived a heat that melted or warped everything else made of metal. After sitting the ashes and rain for a couple of weeks, I rescued them, scrubbed off the rust, reseasoned and reused them for another 20 years. Just don't put a hot pan under cold water. It will crack. If fact avoid water, detergent and scrubbing as much as possible to build up a non-stick coating. I have had great results with this method: I wipe the pan out with a clean damp cloth, put in a dab of coconut oil (Avoid olive or other oils/fats with a low smoking point for seasoning the pan.) and sit it back into a hot oven or on a low burner until it is completely dry and the oil has melted. I then use a paper towel to spread the oil and remove any excess then put it back in a (preferably warm) oven. Over time a layer of carbonized oil will built up on the surface of the pan making it nearly non-stick. Scrubbing will remove this coating and it will take a while to build it back up.
1907178
If you are only going to melt lead, it will stand 700 degs. or more. beyond that I have no idea. The pot is cast iron and will take a lot of heat to melt.
769975
It's aluminum and seems nonstick. It's very lightweight. Honestly I got it a year ago and haven't had a chance to use it yet, but I just checked and it's not cast iron.
1375854
It is basically a terra cotta pot so it has some weight to it and is fairly thick. If you dropped it on the ground it won't survive but I've dropped mine in the sink without harm
1909599
With the exception of the wooden handle, the entire pot is stainless steel. I would never cook in aluminum - I don't even use aluminum foil.
1315
Is some sort of sheet steel and it seems to be durable although I agree with some of the YouTube videos that I've seen you will need to purchase and apply high heat paint to it like in refitting a grill but it will and can serve for number of years. I have used one on several occasions now I would not apply the high heat paint until after the initial paint from the factory wears or burns off. Then clean and sand it then apply paint. Upkeep on this is a part of outdoor kit is necessary to prolong use in life of the stove. I have enjoyed this very much since my purchase.