Stonedine

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#1029749 23-Apr-2014 13:19

timmmay:
Geektastic: We have a set of Circulon pans we bought 15 years ago in the UK that remain non stick and are still in daily use. Pretty expensive - probably approaching $750 or so equivalent - but although the dishwasher has stripped the anodised coating on the outside, the insides are just fine!

We have all circulon cookware, pots and pans. My first pan lasted two years before it lost its non-stick coating, they replaced it. It is expensive, but Stevens regularly sell it at 50% off, taking a $200 - $300 pan down to slightly more reasonable levels.

I doubt ours will last 15 years, but it outlasts tefal and similar pans easily.

Just looking at these Circulon pans and they look pretty good and durable! Does the lifetime warranty mean you can replace it if the non-stick coating wears off even after two-three years?

Sony

kiwitrc

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#1029758 23-Apr-2014 13:26

dafman: This from an aussie review site on Stonedine: "Its non stick for about 2 cooks and then it turns into fly paper."

Lies, if that was a real Aussie review it would read "Its non stick for about 2 baramundis and a prawn and then it sticks like sh1t to a blanket"

timmmay

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#1029759 23-Apr-2014 13:29

sonyxperiageek: Just looking at these Circulon pans and they look pretty good and durable! Does the lifetime warranty mean you can replace it if the non-stick coating wears off even after two-three years?

They replaced my two year old one with no hassle even though the store I bought it through went bust. I had to send it back for them to assess, again free. Stevens were very helpful.

gzt

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#1029765 23-Apr-2014 13:35

sonyxperiageek: So what materials are best for a pan etc.? I'm seeing one that comes up most is cast iron?

No idea. Cast iron is useful because of it's natural non-stick properties and the fact it works really well on any cooktop type. Some foods (acidic) can get tainted by it though and in that situation you do get excess iron.

The real benefit comes from the thick bottom and often thick walls which distribute (avoiding burn spots) and retain heat extremely well. You can get the same benefit with heavy cookware of any description, which is usually more expensive but the good stuff lasts almost forever.

I have used thick good quality stainless air-core cookware also which has good properties of heat distribution and therefore much less sticking.

Thick ceramic is also nice but fairly easy to chip and even smash with average handling habits (like an occasional drop on the floor) so unless you have very organised place to put it and good handling.

The main perception problem is a lot of stuff comes from the warehouse and briscoes these days and they just do not stock high quality cookware from what I've seen. Go to a specialist kitchen shop and check out the properties of all the good stuff. Generally it's all good. If it's a price thing buy second hand if you have to, or import directly.

bigal_nz

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#1029767 23-Apr-2014 13:35

Was thinking of buying one.

Glad I didnt

sonyxperiageek

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#1029769 23-Apr-2014 13:37

gzt:
sonyxperiageek: So what materials are best for a pan etc.? I'm seeing one that comes up most is cast iron?

No idea. Cast iron is useful because of it's natural non-stick properties and the fact it works really well on any cooktop type. Some foods (acidic) can get tainted by it though and in that situation you do get excess iron.

The real benefit comes from the thick bottom and often thick walls which distribute (avoiding burn spots) and retain heat extremely well. You can get the same benefit with heavy cookware of any description, which is usually more expensive but the good stuff lasts almost forever.

I have used thick good quality stainless air-core cookware also which has good properties of heat distribution and therefore much less sticking.

Thick ceramic is also nice but fairly easy to chip and even smash with average handling habits (like an occasional drop on the floor) so unless you have very organised place to put it and good handling.

The main perception problem is a lot of stuff comes from the warehouse and briscoes these days and they just do not stock high quality cookware from what I've seen. Go to a specialist kitchen shop and check out the properties of all the good stuff. Generally it's all good. If it's a price thing buy second hand if you have to, or import directly.

Yeah, I think the Circulon ones are pretty good, reading about it online and here. Will have to start investing in some now! :)

Sony

timmmay

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#1029776 23-Apr-2014 13:39

gzt: The real benefit comes from the thick bottom and often thick walls which distribute (avoiding burn spots) and retain heat extremely well. You can get the same benefit with heavy cookware of any description, which is usually more expensive but the good stuff lasts almost forever.

I have used thick good quality stainless air-core cookware also which has good properties of heat distribution and therefore much less sticking.

If thick solid pans distribute heat well how does air core work? If you make the pan hot enough things will stick.

Cooking pad thai the noodles stick to the circulon pan, but just about nothing else will. If anything does stick it comes off easy if you soak it for 10 minutes in warm water.

Circulon are pretty heavy, my wife can't lift the big pan when it's full of water, and sometimes not even when it's empty. I don't have any trouble.

gzt:
The main perception problem is a lot of stuff comes from the warehouse and briscoes these days and they just do not stock high quality cookware from what I've seen. Go to a specialist kitchen shop and check out the properties of all the good stuff. Generally it's all good. If it's a price thing buy second hand if you have to, or import directly.

True. Consumer reviews are how I found circulon - I got rid of that subscription though because they annoyed me.

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lxsw20

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#1029777 23-Apr-2014 13:42

Mine lasted maybe a month before it started to stick, thanks for the reminder to return it.

Sidestep

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#1029778 23-Apr-2014 13:46

sonyxperiageek: So what materials are best for a pan etc.? I'm seeing one that comes up most is cast iron?

Yes – the great cookware debate! It's all a trade off.

Conductivity, reactivity of materials are important, and cost - there are several exotic alloys that'd make great cookware except for the cost.

Thermal mass, often associated with the thickness and design of the pan base makes a difference. The weight of the utensil is important if you flail it around a lot.

Stainess steel, copper, aluminium and cast iron are the most common materials. With various alloys and mixes of these supposedly combining the best attributes of each.
Often a surface treatment such as anodising (on aluminum) is used with more reactive metals.

KISS theory would probably point to your basic cast iron set being value for money. Ceramic Enamelling makes for easier cleaning.

The Magpie effect (shiny and attractive to partner) shouldn't be disregarded.

My advice is to try several different sets in your kitchen.

The set I use is an austentic stainless steel alloy with a sandwiched aluminum thermal core for conduction.

gzt

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#1029779 23-Apr-2014 13:50

timmmay: If thick solid pans distribute heat well how does air core work?

Main advantage of air-core is excellent heat retention

(and slightly better heat distribution without cast iron disadvantages)

If you make the pan hot enough things will stick.

Yeah that's totally correct. The properties of the surface have not changed, just a slight advantage from the better heat distribution makes sticking in normal cooking less likely ime. End result only a small advantage in the overall sticking stakes.

timmmay

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#1029783 23-Apr-2014 14:03

On a related note, I use silicone egg flip/scraper things - even better than standard plastic for the pan surface. Something like this.

ilovemusic

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#1029795 23-Apr-2014 14:15

KiwiNZ: I can't stand those Stonedine Ads, that guys screechy voice could drive me to do harm, probably with a stonedine pan.

that git goes where the money is.

once he was on one channel hawking stonedine and slagging off other non-stick brands, whislt on another channel pushing a new non-stick brand.

Paul1977

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#1029806 23-Apr-2014 14:23

I have to say I got a couple of Stonedine pans about 2 years ago and use them most days. Not as good as when I first got them, but still better than other pans I've had. I can still fry an egg with no oil and it pretty much just slides off (needs a little nudge to get it started).

I got it form an AS Seen On TV stand in a shopping mall, before you could get them in any other stores.

Things I've discovered:

- Keep them well seasoned with an oil that has a high smoking temperature, like grape seed oil.
- You can't put your element on full or food will bake onto the pan, then the only thing that gets it off then is oven cleaner! Don't go hotter than about 70%
- They wipe clean a lot easier when the pan is still warm/hot, if you let it cool down it's no easier to clean than a normal pan. If you don't clean it straight after cooking, you can heat it back up later on to make wiping it out easier.
- The bit in the ad when the slide a bunch of stones around in the pan to show how tough it is is rubbish, metal utensils will damage them.

Edit: I would rate them as good, but not as amazing as the ads make them look. Are they worth the money? Undecided.

surfisup1000

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#1029818 23-Apr-2014 14:49

We got the Woll titanium coated $300 nonstick lifetime guarantee pan.

Probably lasted the longest of any nonstick we've tried (2 years) , but is now not so great.

I figure they'll not honour the lifetime guarantee and wriggle out by saying we did not care for it -- although, they said we could use in the dishwasher but we didn't so I think we went further than their care plan.

Paul1977

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#1029837 23-Apr-2014 15:12

surfisup1000: We got the Woll titanium coated $300 nonstick lifetime guarantee pan.

Probably lasted the longest of any nonstick we've tried (2 years) , but is now not so great.

I figure they'll not honour the lifetime guarantee and wriggle out by saying we did not care for it -- although, they said we could use in the dishwasher but we didn't so I think we went further than their care plan.

I've heard of some "Lifetime" warranties being for the lifetime of the product. So as soon as the product fails it is out of warranty as it's "life" is deemed to be over.

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