Calphalon Caveat Query

in article [email hidden], [email hidden] at
[email hidden] wrote on 1/16/04 8:59 PM:

Quoted message said:

I just got a few Calphalon pieces (the "Commercial" anodized models, without any nonstick
coating).

The brochure which came with them warns against putting them in the dishwasher.

Why is this? What happens if they are run throught the dishwasher?

The harsh chemicals in the dishwashing detergent will wear away at the anodized coating.

Sheryl Rosen said:

The harsh chemicals in the dishwashing detergent will wear away at the anodized coating.

I don't know about "harsh" so much as the simple fact that certain chemicals will react with certain
other chemicals, and everything is a chemical...

--Blair "Wouldn't you like to be a pepper tu?"

in article [email hidden], Blair P. Houghton at
[email hidden] wrote on 1/17/04 11:58 PM:

Quoted message said:

Sheryl Rosen said:

The harsh chemicals in the dishwashing detergent will wear away at the anodized coating.

I don't know about "harsh" so much as the simple fact that certain chemicals will react with
certain other chemicals, and everything is a chemical...

--Blair "Wouldn't you like to be a pepper tu?"

"Harsh", in comparison to hand-dishwashing detergent, which don't wear away at the coating.
Not to mention, "harsh", as in there is a warning to avoid skin contact with it when it's
dissolved in water.

You're really splitting hairs now.

Sheryl Rosen <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

in article [email hidden], Blair P. Houghton at [email hidden] wrote on 1/17/04
11:58 PM:

Quoted message said:

Sheryl Rosen said:

The harsh chemicals in the dishwashing detergent will wear away at the anodized coating.

I don't know about "harsh" so much as the simple fact that certain chemicals will react with
certain other chemicals, and everything is a chemical...

--Blair "Wouldn't you like to be a pepper tu?"

"Harsh", in comparison to hand-dishwashing detergent, which don't wear away at the coating. Not
to mention, "harsh", as in there is a warning to avoid skin contact with it when it's dissolved
in water.

You're really splitting hairs now.

There is lye in dishwasher soap. Lye is defined as a corrossive and harsh chemical...another use of
lye is in drain cleaners (used there to dissolve hair among other things).

--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on nothing but food and water.
--------
FIELDS, W. C.

On Sat, 17 Jan 2004 01:59:35 +0000 (UTC), [email hidden]

Quoted message said:

I just got a few Calphalon pieces (the "Commercial" anodized models, without any nonstick coating).

The brochure which came with them warns against putting them in the dishwasher.

Why is this? What happens if they are run throught the dishwasher?

Just use a Scotchbrite pad on the pan dunked in warm dishwater! It'll clean up with a few swipes!

Regards, Bill

In rec.food.cooking said:

in article [email hidden], [email hidden] at
[email hidden] wrote on 1/16/04 8:59 PM:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I just got a few Calphalon pieces (the "Commercial" anodized models, without any nonstick
coating).

The brochure which came with them warns against putting them in the dishwasher.

Why is this? What happens if they are run throught the dishwasher?

Quoted message said:

The harsh chemicals in the dishwashing detergent will wear away at the anodized coating.

So is this something that takes place over a period of years, or is it something that will cause you
to rue the day that you EVER put your Calphalon in the dishwasher?

I got them on Amazon for some excellent prices ($20 bucks!), and they work well, but I'd really
rather just throw them in the dishwasher if it will take a while for there to be any adverse
affects. For the price I got them for, it would be nice to treat them like any other cheap pot or
pan. Hell, for 20 bucks, I could replace them every few years and not worry.

And what happens if the anodized coating gets eaten through, anyway?

Had I paid full price, I'd trat them like gold. For what I paid, I can cook with them over a
campfire and not worry too much...

--
...I'm an air-conditioned gypsy...

- The Who

In rec.food.cooking said:

Had I paid full price, I'd trat them like gold. For what I paid, I can cook with them over a
campfire and not worry too much...

Sorry to follow up my own post, but I just had another look on amazon. There's another couple of
cheap pieces there. For example, there's a Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 8-1/2-Quart Saucier
with Lid for $40, which they claim is regularly $180. And there's a Nonstick 10-Inch International
Griddle/Crepe Pan for $26.

It seems that the pieces which are lowest in price are unusual shapes and sizes, but the Saucier
looks pretty handy.

--
...I'm an air-conditioned gypsy...

- The Who

[email hidden] wrote:

[snip]

Quoted message said:

I got them on Amazon for some excellent prices ($20 bucks!), and they work well, but I'd really
rather just throw them in the dishwasher if it will take a while for there to be any adverse
affects. For the price I got them for, it would be nice to treat them like any other cheap pot or
pan. Hell, for 20 bucks, I could replace them every few years and not worry.

And what happens if the anodized coating gets eaten through, anyway?

Had I paid full price, I'd trat them like gold. For what I paid, I can cook with them over a
campfire and not worry too much...

When you find you need to replace them, you're not likely to find them at such a good price. Keep
them out of the dishwasher and you should never have to replace them at all.

---jkb

--
Lisa: "Do we have any food that wasn't brutally slaughtered?" Homer: "Well, I think the veal died of
loneliness."

[email hidden] wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

In rec.food.cooking said:

in article [email hidden], [email hidden] at
[email hidden] wrote on 1/16/04 8:59 PM:

Quoted message said:

And what happens if the anodized coating gets eaten through, anyway?

Not much. You'll be back to a regular heavy aluminum pot. General wear & tear over years will do
that to the inside bottom.

Quoted message said:

Had I paid full price, I'd trat them like gold. For what I paid, I can cook with them over a
campfire and not worry too much...

We live in a disposable society, but why mess with good pans that you found at a great price? Must
you pay a lot of $$$ just to treat them well?

[email hidden] wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

So is this something that takes place over a period of years, or is it something that will cause
you to rue the day that you EVER put your Calphalon in the dishwasher?

I don't think you'd rue experimenting one time, but I bet it's not something you're going to
continue, if your experience is like mine was.

I have the Commercial line of Calphalon. I tend to do things first and read instructions later, so
some of our pots went into the dishwasher twice before I read that they weren't supposed to.

Both times, they came out with a film on them that had to be scrubbed off. It was easy enough to get
off, but the time it took me to scrub the pans made waste of the time savings I thought I was
getting by putting them in the washer.

FWIW, I used Cascade and no rinse aid.

Cate

[email hidden] wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

In rec.food.cooking said:

in article [email hidden], [email hidden] at
[email hidden] wrote on 1/16/04 8:59 PM:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I just got a few Calphalon pieces (the "Commercial" anodized models, without any nonstick
coating).

The brochure which came with them warns against putting them in the dishwasher.

Why is this? What happens if they are run throught the dishwasher?

Quoted message said:

The harsh chemicals in the dishwashing detergent will wear away at the anodized coating.

So is this something that takes place over a period of years, or is it something that will cause
you to rue the day that you EVER put your Calphalon in the dishwasher?

DH ruined one of mine by running it through the DW ONCE. Don't do it.

Quoted message said:

I got them on Amazon for some excellent prices ($20 bucks!), and they work well, but I'd really
rather just throw them in the dishwasher if it will take a while for there to be any adverse
affects. For the price I got them for, it would be nice to treat them like any other cheap pot or
pan. Hell, for 20 bucks, I could replace them every few years and not worry.

And what happens if the anodized coating gets eaten through, anyway?

They lose their non-stick ability and the anodization begins to scratch off into your food, teeny
bit by teeny bit. They also become harder to clean and look like [censored].

Quoted message said:

Had I paid full price, I'd trat them like gold. For what I paid, I can cook with them over a
campfire and not worry too much...

Well, why ruin a perfectly good pot that will last you your entire life (and I'm not kidding) simply
because you are too lazy to wash by hand? They wash very, very easily, anyway. That's one of the
charms of the brand.

-L. (Commercial line owner)

hahabogus said:

There is lye in dishwasher soap. Lye is defined as a corrossive and harsh chemical...another use of
lye is in drain cleaners (used there to dissolve hair among other things).

Wait until you find out about the dangers of dihydrogen monoxide.

--Blair "I'll have another plate of hominy, thanks."

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In rec.food.cooking, [email hidden] wrote:

with them over a campfire and not worry too much...

Quoted message said:

Sorry to follow up my own post, but I just had another look on amazon. There's another couple of
cheap pieces there. For example, there's a Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 8-1/2-Quart Saucier
with Lid for $40, which they claim is regularly $180. And there's a Nonstick 10-Inch International
Griddle/Crepe Pan for $26.

Actually, the prices are low because Calphalon is discontinuing that style. That style of Calphalon
commerical is on sale everywhere. I got a nice 5.5 qt saucepan at the Bon Marche at a good discount,
but it was the very last that they had. The new-style Calphalon Commercial has a different handle
(shinier and rounder) and different lids (domed glass, I believe).

-Matt

In rec.food.cooking said:

Wait until you find out about the dangers of dihydrogen monoxide.

I have heard that under certain conditions, a pool of it as little as 2 inches deep can cause death,
and that under other conditions, an 8 ounce cup of it can cause 3d degree burns. And it is available
over the counter in any neighborhood drug store!

--
...I'm an air-conditioned gypsy...

- The Who

Quoted message said:

In rec.food.cooking said:

Wait until you find out about the dangers of dihydrogen monoxide.

I have heard that under certain conditions, a pool of it as little as 2 inches deep can cause
death, and that under other conditions, an 8 ounce cup of it can cause 3d degree burns. And it is
available over the counter in any neighborhood drug store!

Yet, sadly, many people are addicted to it, some taking 8 or more doses per day. If they don't get
their doses, they go through painful withdrawal, frequently ending in death.

Brian Rodenborn

Quoted message said:

Sheryl Rosen said:

Quoted message said:

Why is this? What happens if they are run throught the dishwasher?

Quoted message said:

The harsh chemicals in the dishwashing detergent will wear away at the anodized coating.

So is this something that takes place over a period of years, or is it something that will cause
you to rue the day that you EVER put your Calphalon in the dishwasher?

It depends on your use. Around 8 years ago I got an assortment of hard anodized Magnalite pans. One
was a sauteeing pan. After about 10 trips through the washer, its fine surface had been etched
enough to seriously interfere with its "stick resistance". For a saucepan that would be no big deal
but it was the death knell for a sauteeing pan.

Quoted message said:

And what happens if the anodized coating gets eaten through, anyway?

Eventually it gets down to the metalic aluminum underneath and it becomes just like any other
cheaper pan.

The strength of the hard anodized coating is it is mechanically HARD. It is the same chemical as
sapphire (or was it garnet). Extremely hard so it lasts and lasts. If you use stainless steel
spatula you can end up wearing down the stainless steel and getting marks on the pan that are
actually stainless steel scraped off of the spatula.

Unfortunately the weakness of the hard anodized coating is that it is not particularly resistant
to either bases or acids. Put it through the dishwasher enough and the basic detergent will
gradually etch the surface down. Cook enough tomatoes and the acidic sauce will gradually etch the
surface down.

Over time I have replaced my assortment with other pieces.

In rec.food.cooking said:

It depends on your use. Around 8 years ago I got an assortment of hard anodized Magnalite pans.
One was a sauteeing pan. After about 10 trips through the washer, its fine surface had been etched
enough to seriously interfere with its "stick resistance". For a saucepan that would be no big
deal but it was the death knell for a sauteeing pan.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

And what happens if the anodized coating gets eaten through, anyway?

Quoted message said:

Eventually it gets down to the metalic aluminum underneath and it becomes just like any other
cheaper pan.

Quoted message said:

The strength of the hard anodized coating is it is mechanically HARD. It is the same chemical as
sapphire (or was it garnet). Extremely hard so it lasts and lasts. If you use stainless steel
spatula you can end up wearing down the stainless steel and getting marks on the pan that are
actually stainless steel scraped off of the spatula.

Quoted message said:

Unfortunately the weakness of the hard anodized coating is that it is not particularly resistant
to either bases or acids. Put it through the dishwasher enough and the basic detergent will
gradually etch the surface down. Cook enough tomatoes and the acidic sauce will gradually etch the
surface down.

Excellent info. Thanks, Doug. So sapphires (or is it garnets?) are made of aluminum ozide? I never
knew that.

I've used my new pans a few times since I got them. I like them a lot. I like the fact that they are
very simple, being just machined aluminum with a handle riveted on, and that the utility comes from
the design, rather than from gimmicks. They distribute the heat well, and because of the design, the
handles stay quite cool. Now that I know the properties of the anodized coating, I think that is
pretty cool too.

I looked at some other Calphalon pans in a store, and the surface isn't nearly as smooth as it is on
these. The cutting lathe used on the other line must be set coarser, in order to cut faster and keep
production costs down. These are simply well made.

Thanks too to whoever pointed out that the whole line is being discontinued by Calphalon. I'm going
to go to some kitchen stores to see what other sizes I can find cheap. This seems like a rare
opportunity to get some good quality stuff at blowout prices. Normally, for $20, you can get a
merely OK pot, rather than an excellent one. At the "regular" prices listed at Amazon, I'd never
have bought these.

--
...I'm an air-conditioned gypsy...

- The Who

In rec.food.cooking said:

Quoted message said:

In rec.food.cooking said:

Wait until you find out about the dangers of dihydrogen monoxide.

I have heard that under certain conditions, a pool of it as little as 2 inches deep can cause
death, and that under other conditions, an 8 ounce cup of it can cause 3d degree burns. And it
is available over the counter in any neighborhood drug store!

Quoted message said:

Yet, sadly, many people are addicted to it, some taking 8 or more doses per day. If they don't get
their doses, they go through painful withdrawal, frequently ending in death.

In times past, whole villages have been destroyed.

--
...I'm an air-conditioned gypsy...

- The Who

Matt said:

<[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Sorry to follow up my own post, but I just had another look on amazon. There's another couple of
cheap pieces there. For example, there's a Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 8-1/2-Quart Saucier
with Lid for $40, which they claim is regularly $180. And there's a Nonstick 10-Inch International
Griddle/Crepe Pan for $26.

I bought one of the crepe pans. Wonderful. Heavy. Heats well and evenly. Cleans effortlessly.

Pastorio