"Peter Lampione" wrote in message
om...
I have some Calphalon 3-ply stainless steel pots.
Suppose I don't care about the esthetics (I don't).
What happens if I use my scotch-brite with them?
It cleans much better than a dobie pad...
They will get scratched, I know, but any negative
consequence regarding cooking? I don't really
believe they will stick more (they are already
scratched, in concentric circles, by the factory,
and food has no preference for linear or circular
scratches). My only worry is that in the long
run, the stainless steel coating will wear
through, exposing the aluminum - is this likely
to happen? Why are people so careful not to
use scotch-brite for their SS (and all-clad)
pots?


I question why you have to use anything abrasive to scrub your stainless
pans. I do most of my cooking in stainless and I don't ever have to scrub.
On the rare occasion that there is something sticking to the pan I just heat
it and add some water. It is the same as deglazing a pan to make a sauce.
I get the pan very hot and then pour in the water. I take some paper towels
and wipe the pan using tongs. The pan then goes into the dishwasher or I
was it by hand. After a lot of use on the gas range some varnish like
stains accumulate on the outside of the pans. About twice a year I clean
them with oven cleaner and they look like new. I disagree that scrubbing
with abrasives is irrelevant when it comes to food sticking and your pans
staining. The rougher the surface the more sticking occurs. Maybe you pans
have reached a point where they have achieved maximum sticking. I doubt
that you will wear through the stainless. I would consider changing
something in your technique to avoid the sticking and/or try the method that
I mentioned to clean the pans.