J. Clarke wrote:

> In article >,
> says...
> >
> > sf wrote:
> >
> > > On 21 Jan 2011 16:05:14 GMT, "Gareth Fimlinson"
> > > > wrote:
> > >
> > > > is anybody familiar with the discoloring of stainless steel pots
> > > > from overheating?
> > > >
> > > > I saw a manual for one that said "damage from overheating is
> > > > instantly recognizable as the stainless steel surface may change
> > > > color producing a golden/brown/blue appearance. This is not
> > > > reversable and cannot be cleaned off. However it will not affect
> > > > performance in any way".
> > > >
> > > > Does this sound familiar to people?
> > >
> > > Yes. That's one of the reasons why I didn't get the mirror finish
> > > when I spent what I consider "real money" on cookware.
> >
> >
> > Any idea what the mirror finish is made of?
> >
> > What the discoloring is.
> >
> > Are there any leakage or health issues with using it after it has
> > discolored?
> >
> > If it can be removed then why does it bother you?
> >
> > What makes make stainless steel pots without the mirror finish?
> >
> > I do want it to be metal inside.
> >
> > Looking at this pot,
> >
> >
http://www.lecreuset.co.uk/Product-R...-and-Lid-20cm/
> >
> > the upper side and bottom side of the lid of the pot is very mirror
> > like. I've seen it.. But i'm not sure whether you'd say that of the
> > inside.
> >
> > Has anybody seen discoloring on pots that don't have a mirror like
> > finish? Were people that have seen discoloring on their pots, able
> > to see their face on the surface where the discoloring was?
> > (that would help determine if pots without the mirror finish
> > wouldn't/couldn't ever get discolored from I suppose, the accident
> > of overheating dry).
>
> This isn't anything that is magically related to shiny finishes or
> stainless steel. Heat most steels to around 580F and they'll turn
> blue (don't go quite so high you get yellow, go higher you get gray).
> It's oxidation, it's normal, <snip>

Any explanation for why poster "sf" found his stains got on the
mirrored parts like the outside?

Perhaps he oxidized the outside of the pot ..maybe the gas light was
too big for the pot and heated around the outside of the pot. But he
found this hasn't happened for pots without the mirror finish.

If a metal pot was completely oxidized inside, would it make no
difference at all to cooking food in it?

I presume cooking from a rusty pot is a bad idea?

And the discolored stainless steel pots, are rusty?