Tending my little Revere ware

[Lady Grey]

I had some water boiling in my favorite tiny little Revere pot and totally forgot about it, until I smelled the overheated metal. There's no residue to the touch, but the inside is discolored on the bottom, and didn't come off with SOS. What - if anything - can/should I do?

[Revere Ware Parts]

We've been contacted by customers asking about this very problem so I set out to reproduce it from boiling water dry and seeing what would take it off.

First, let me say that I've been told never to use SOS pads or any kind of steel wool on stainless steel as little bits of it can get embedded in the cookware and promote rusting.

I always use Scotch-Brite green scrubbing pads to clean up the inside of my pans and they work very well at removing the hard water stains, whether they are white or a somewhat black discoloration. What the Scotch-Brite doesn't take off Barkeepers Friend gets rid of quite well.

Here is a blog post we did recently on this topic:

http://www.reverewareparts.com/news/?...

Peter

[alkapal]

wow, i'm impressed that revere ware came on to answer!

i love my vintage revere ware copper bottom pots, too.

[Revere Ware Parts]

Er, actually we aren't the Revere Ware company. They chose to abandon the replacement parts market in the late 80's. We are a new and separate company that offers replacement parts for Revere Ware cookware and work to provide and archive Revere Ware related information, like a manual for that old pressure cooker you haven't been able to figure out.

http://www.reverewareparts.com

[Mother of four]

Still, nice to know that you are interested enough to come to Chowhound to see what people are either interested in or complaining about!! Thumbs up to you!!!

[I used to know how to cook...]

Hi Lady Grey,

I hear your pain! My favorite little saucepans are also Revere Ware. It's good you were able to remove the mineral residue left behind by the water.

You said SOS. I'm guessing that's the SOS soap pad? If not, try the soap pad. Brillo is another brand.

Barkeeper's Friend (mentioned above) is also a great cleanser for stainless steel.

I don't know what the discoloration on yours looks like but using Turtle Wax Polishing Compound (from the auto parts store) might be worth a try. It worked for me in taking the bluish haze off my '50s chrome-plated toaster.

Good luck and let us know how it works out. These little Revere Ware pots are worth saving.

Lucy

[c oliver]

Worth saving? As in collectable? I have two or three that I just hold onto.

[I used to know how to cook...]

Hi C Oliver,

Well, not as in sell-it collectible. More like they are good pans that do the job. Although there was a time they would have sold nicely on eBay.

I like my two little saucepans in part because of the shape. Better proportions. Narrower and deeper than most saucepans. Mine are 5 1/2" in diameter. The 1 1/2 qt is 4" deep. As opposed to my also very handy old Farberware 1 1/2 qt which is 7" in diameter by 2 3/4" deep.

They heat up quickly and evenly and stuff doesn't scorch. Very handy, for example, for boiling a few eggs, small amounts of veggies, making bechamel, etc.

They are just about indestructible, no metal utensil or dishwasher issues.

I like them - they work! Try using yours - I bet you'll like them too!

Lucy

[c oliver]

I used them frequently until a year ago when I got induction. But we have a second home so I've taken them there. I do like one of them esp. for boiled eggs because, as you say, they're deeper in proportion to their diameter so covering eggs with water is a less wasteful thing to do. I think one of them has the described blue-ish 'stain.' I've never even attempted to take it off.

[OldDog]

"I like them - they work!"

Yep. My very favorite liitle pot is a 3/4 qt Revere with disc bottom ... picked it up at a Goodwill for $4, complete with lid. It's just great for so many small cooking tasks and cleans up very easily.

[Val]

gotta also shout out for my ancient Revereware...from the late 70's...still have my small saucepan pan with lid...love that little guy!

[ratgirlagogo]

Oh my god! that 3/4 qt Revereware saucepan is my most used pot as well! If it's not actually on the stove it is invariably in the dishdry. I especially use it for reheating stuff that I guess most folks reheat in the microwave (soup, etc.).

[Mother of four]

Have had mine for 51 years...still going strong!! Sure don't make things like they used to!

[rabaja]

Barkeeper's Best Friend!
It works wonders.

[Dee S]

Cameo Stainless Steel and Aluminum cleaner works well also.

I wish you luck. I know how attached we get to our cookware.