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?

Thanks,

Peter

"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?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Peter

I can't imagine how many years it would take to wear through the stainless
with a Scotch Brite pad. I wouldn't take the job. No, scratching your pans
won't have a material effect on how they cook. I have all kinds of
stainless pans that have had worse than Scotch Brite applied to them. They
aren't pretty but they cook fine. Take care.

Fred
The Good Gourmet
http://www.thegoodgourmet.com

"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.

Peter Lampione wrote:

> 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?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Peter

I have All-Clad LTD mostly with stainless interior. When any of the
peices get to the point where I am not happy with how they look (purely
asthetic) I use Amway (NO! I am NOT a dealer, thank you very much)
metal polish and a nylon scouring pad on them using circular motion.
This process removes everthing but the pitting you get if you add salt
too early in the cooking process. There are likely several other
products that would work just as well as the Amway but make sure they
are very lightly abrasive or you will cause scratches.