Pots and Pans with Removable Handles

[BoldAdventure]

Wow, crazy about the handles. We've had no problems. Wonder if there was a bad batch once?

[Zybane]

Great thread guys, I was just looking up some cookware for my new AS.

Anyone ever use Lodge brand cast iron cookware? One thing I like is that they essentially become non-stick and will last a lifetime (although heavy). This stainless nesting cookware looks sweet but I'm sure food sticking is a large problem. I don't do Teflon.

[graysailor]

If interested one can go to defender.com a boating supply outfit and they have Magma and other nesting pots and pans and usually at discounted prices.

[Pride&Joy]

I love the idea of removable handles on stainless steel cookware. Unfortunately, these "Cristel's" are way out of our price range. I give them a dollar sign rank of:
$$$$$$$. Thank you for sharing!

Originally Posted by RAH

We found a set of stainless steel pots and pans for the Airstream with removable handles. The Brand is called Cristel, and the line of pots is Strate. The pans are high quality and quite heavy. They are made in France. We got them at Christmas time and have been cooking in the house with them, and today I took them to the Airstream galley. The pans have been great, and the handles are sturdy.

If there is a downside to these pans, it is the price. $$$. Pound for pound I think they cost more than the Airstream!

(Cristel on the Right, that is a Lodge pan on the Left)

[KJRitchie]

I see Magna has a line of ceramic coated sets. We are using my Mom's 20 year old stainless steel pots and pans but they would be difficult to carry in our Airstream. Wondering if the ceramic coated will wear out like Teflon pans.

Kelvin

[gandttimes]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

I see Magna has a line of ceramic coated sets. We are using my Mom's 20 year old stainless steel pots and pans but they would be difficult to carry in our Airstream. Wondering if the ceramic coated will wear out like Teflon pans.

Kelvin

We've only been using ours for 2 years and the ceramic has been perfect so far.

[RAH]

Randy, no offense taken. I was prepared for "expensive", but when we bought them in December the price it was 2x my wildest imagining. Somehow it still ended up in my shopping basket. There are lots of things these days that cost more than I think they "should". Sheets for the Airstream at JC - but sheets only cost $20 at K-Mart in 1987, why should they be so much more expensive today? Ah, the pleasures of getting older.

But the pans I am happy with the quality and functionality, and cost less than a set of tires for the truck. With logic like that, I end up with a lot of expensive toys. If they are for the Airstream, I'm happy.

Originally Posted by RandyNH

Whoa... I guess if your buying one of those fancy new trailers then these would be the pans for you, I think you forgot a couple $$ when you describe them. For those prices they better never burn my food (no matter how hard I seem to try too) I'll have to settle for my Magma set, I guess I'm just not quite chef enough to warrant such nice cookware.

Please don't take that wrong, it's just even with your warning, that was quite the sticker shock when I looked them up on Amazon thinking maybe a new set for the wife to enjoy (Maybe NOT)

[FreshAirStmr]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

Do you find you use all the pots that come in the Magma 10 set?
Kelvin

We bought the 7-piece stainless set, then added a Magma non-stick omelette pan (which nests in the stack) and a 2nd handle. I can't remember, but price-wise that probably put us at the 10-piece set, but it gave us just the pieces we needed. We also carry a 10-inch Lodge cast-iron skillet.

[MaineStreamer]

Originally Posted by Zybane

Great thread guys, I was just looking up some cookware for my new AS.

Anyone ever use Lodge brand cast iron cookware? One thing I like is that they essentially become non-stick and will last a lifetime (although heavy). This stainless nesting cookware looks sweet but I'm sure food sticking is a large problem. I don't do Teflon.

When buying things for the Airstream, you should be careful not to take on weight unnecessarily, such as cast iron unless it is a high priority for you. There will be lots of other things that you'll want with you when you travel, so be judicious about choice of items in terms of weight and how compactly they pack.

[Tom_T]

Originally Posted by NoResults

Has this problem been addressed by the manufacturer? Was thinking of ordering?

What about teflon vs aluminum? Any thoughts from users?

Thanks

Dave

Dave,

You're talking 2 different things.

It's really a matter for the base metal for the pots & pans themselves of Aluminum & Titanium vs. Stainless Steel, Steel, Cast Iron, etc. - Aluminum is lighter & relatively less expensive, Titanuium is light but expensive - whereas the SS, steel & cast iron are somewhat to much heavier, with SS the lightest of them.

Teflon & T-fal, etc. are polymer non-stick coatings which are soft & can scratch, loose non-stick properties over time, & sluff-off the coatings over time.

Whereas REAL quality ceramic coatings are far more durable, shouldn't scratch (even with metal utensils), & the non-stick properties will last long term.

However, there are cheap imposters out there with non-ceramic or improperly made ceramic coatings which both scratch & loose their non-stick properties - in some cases faster than Telfon/etc., ergo my warning in my first post #14 on pg. 1.

Cheers!
Tom
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[Tom_T]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

I see Magna has a line of ceramic coated sets. We are using my Mom's 20 year old stainless steel pots and pans but they would be difficult to carry in our Airstream. Wondering if the ceramic coated will wear out like Teflon pans.

Kelvin

Not if it's a good quality & not a fake ceramic - see my post above.


Tom
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[Zybane]

Tom, do you know of any products with ceramic coatings that are that tough? Not sure I've heard of a ceramic coating that can stand up to metal scraping it.

I've also been reading these ceramic coatings can have lead in them.

[OTRA15]

Could someone please explain why removable handles make sense for use in a trailer -- of almost any size -- when there are pans which nestle almost as well with their permanent handles attached?

Removable handles for tent camping, etc.? Sure . . .

But for any trailer 20' or longer, it seems as if there is adequate storage for pans with handles. Maybe I am missing something?

Also, do the handles ever come off while cooking -- are they perfectly secure if attached correctly? Another factor . . .

Thanks

PS -- Having a few cast iron pans make sense, even given their weight, as they also work over a campfire or on a BBQ grill, thus doing double duty. Also, heavy items can live in the tow vehicle until needed, like a good cast iron Dutch Oven. See if this thread whets your appetite:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f484...ing-40090.html

Check out this Cast Iron thread also, and later posts for Lodge steel skillets (not cast iron) which weigh less. We have one and it works great including over a campfire on a grate:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f484...ing-64047.html

[NoResults]

Thanks to all for the information. Thanks to graysailor for the tip on "Defender" web site. They have a sale going on now much cheaper than Amazon.

Dave

[Tom_T]

Originally Posted by Zybane

Tom, do you know of any products with ceramic coatings that are that tough? Not sure I've heard of a ceramic coating that can stand up to metal scraping it.

I've also been reading these ceramic coatings can have lead in them.

As a test, we tried a couple of the ceramic pans at home over the past year, & while I only use plastic utensils from many years of cooking with Teflon pans, my wife forgets & does use metal utensils sometimes.

The Orgreenic brand of ceramic coating pan from a local store (not on TV/online) stood up well so far to 24+ months of her metal utensil use, but the no-name brand with a white supposedly ceramic coating pan with no mfgr. markings at all on it has deep scratches & has completely lost all non-stick properties in less that 12-18 months (I threw away the labels ).

While I'm not pushing Orgreenic - that one worked for us in our unscientific test & has no lead.

I think that the properly made ceramic coatings do not have the lead, the problem is when they are made in China, Asian & other 3rd world countries where they try to get away with inferior materials.

We'd seen this in the Chinese putting waste materials high in sulphuric acid as a "filler" into to gypsum drywall resulting in acid deterioration of anything metal in even new homes & commercial buildings, & a spate of their kids toys with lead in the paints &/or plastics.

So I think the lead is a product of cheating on the specs & materials.

I would look at Consumer Reports for mfgrs. & brands of ceramic coated cookware which is durable, scratch resistant, safe & lead free - & also look at customer reviews, but be wary of "shill reviews" posted by the sellers &/or mfgrs.

Cheers!
Tom
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[Tom_T]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Could someone please explain why removable handles make sense for use in a trailer -- of almost any size -- when there are pans which nestle almost as well with their permanent handles attached?

Removable handles for tent camping, etc.? Sure . . .

But for any trailer 20' or longer, it seems as if there is adequate storage for pans with handles. Maybe I am missing something?

Also, do the handles ever come off while cooking -- are they perfectly secure if attached correctly? Another factor . . .

Thanks

PS -- Having a few cast iron pans make sense, even given their weight, as they also work over a campfire or on a BBQ grill, thus doing double duty. Also, heavy items can live in the tow vehicle until needed, like a good cast iron Dutch Oven.

Folding & removable pan handles always save room & aid storage efficiency in any trailer or RV, no matter the length - & even at home; & not everyone on here is using 20'+ trailers. I can pack much more in the cupboard space without having to work around the handles, as I've learned with 28 years of packing our VW Westfalia camper van!

PS - that tighter packing which has your stuff holding everything in place, also helps reduce or eliminate all that stuff moving around & rattling, scraping on the cupboards, etc. You can do it with fixed handle cookware, but it's far more efficient with folding/removable handles.

My query about a small folding/removable handle aluminum/ceramic cookset in post #14, was for a small 1988 VW Vanagon Westfalia CamperGL mini-van sized RV where space is at a premium, as it will be if/when we find a lightweight Eriba Puck, Pan or Familia which are all <14' to tow with our "four-squirrel-powered VW Microbus."

So this discussion is about cookware relative to ALL sizes of TT/RVs.

Even in our 20' Avion, pans without permanent handles will save room & allow you to pack more needed supplies more efficiently - even in the big ole 28-30'+ AS & Motorhomes. That said, we currently have "normal" pans with handles in the Avion now, but will probably eventually move those pans to the house, & get a stacking set with folding or removable handles for it too - in addition to a smaller set for the Westfalia.

However, I don't like plastic/rubber/silly-cone handles with the flammable materials too close to the pan itself & flame - that is just poor & unsafe design!

Cast iron stuff is great at home & for campfire cooking, but if you're not using it always or every trip, then otherwise leave it in a plastic crate "campfire go box" that you can load in your TV or trailer/RV when you will use it. If you just have to have your cast iron on the road, then by all means take it along.

I agree with your idea of packing in the TV to save on towing wt., but then you may also use up a bit too much useful load in your TV - that is the TV's carrying capacity (GVWR - curb wt. & at each axle) AFTER deducting the HW of the trailer, & all the wet & loaded trailer wt. relative the the TV's total tow rating & all your passengers, luggage etc. in it as loaded for the TV gross combined wt. rating. With all the stuff families & couples take with them on vacation - it is all too easy to unknowingly exceed those limits & get into big trouble.

Yes, I thought we'd be packing less now that the kids are grown & gone, but the stuff seems to grow to fill to the limits of the space available ... & beyond! And that's even worse if all that crap is heavy!

Cheers!
Tom
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[badkat]

We are full-timers and I do love the look of the Blue nesting pots. But just saying our stew pot is a Magna-lite from over 30 years ago, 3 nesting cast iron skillets. My hubby loves to cook so I found 2 Emeril pans at Goodwill for $12 and went to TJMaxx for a couple of Cuisinart pots. They all fit in our AS perfectly.

Just have to find what works for your chef!

[KJRitchie]

We purchase a green ceramic ripple square fry pan but it only lasted a couple years before it scratched and started sticking bad despite using plastic spatulas. We are now trying a new fry pan that is orange ceramic. Because of my experience with my mom's stainless steel cookware and going to stick with stainless steel if we purchase stackable Magna.

Kelvin

Kelvin

[Zybane]

With nesting pots and pans, anyone find it an annoyance? What if you want a pan in the middle? You have to unstack. Not to mention unless you use felt liners all the time, the constant vibration of nested items going down the road will wear off non-stick properties.

Just wondering if I should bother with nesting items since I really only use three pots and pans or so. Also debating leaving pots/pans in the Classic oven while not being used.

[Tom_T]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

We purchase a green ceramic ripple square fry pan but it only lasted a couple years before it scratched and started sticking bad despite using plastic spatulas. We are now trying a new fry pan that is orange ceramic. Because of my experience with my mom's stainless steel cookware and going to stick with stainless steel if we purchase stackable Magna.

Kelvin

Kelvin

Do you recall the brand name of that one Kelvin?

.... so the rest of us can stay away from them!

PS - they use ceramic for military body armor & Porsche/BMW/etc. Brake Discs - so the right ceramic is certainly capable of withstanding a lot of abuse!

Since yours green waffle one got scratched with even plastic utensils, I suspect it's the same fake crap as used on the crappy white coated on we had.

The "Orgeenic" brand pans are green ceramic, but I know that there are other white, black/grey, silver-ish, copper, etc. colored ceramic coatings out there (I assume they can add most any color to the ceramic material) - which are good, long lasting, non-stick & scratch resistant/proof pans - but I just don't know all of the names of the brands or manufacturers of them.

ALL - It would be most helpful to all reading this topic, to post both the good brands & bad ones.

TIA,
Tom
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