Stainless scratching

[HalifaxJ]

Hello,

Last year I bought a small ss All-Clad pot and pan at my local kitchen store (large discount!). I've been using wooden utensils in my ss, but sometimes use the foam/green scouring combo pads. They're made out of plastic (vinyl?), yet they're scratching my stainless surfaces? How is this possible? I can't feel the scratches with my fingers, but you can clearly see them - tiny scratches in the motions of my cleaning.

Are these just finish scratches? I keep seeing people use metal utensils in the ss cookware and seem to have no problems.

Regards,

Julien

[HalifaxJ]

Well, I bought some "no-scratch" pads advertised and fully endorsed by the local kitchen store. Guess what? They scratch.

Lol. Seems stainless is impossible to keep scratch free.

J

[Jay F]

These are what I bought. Scotch Brite NO SCRATCH. But they scratch.

It's hopeless. The answer is to stop caring.

[HalifaxJ]

Thanks for the answers. I keep getting scratches that I don't know where they're coming from. Sometimes they're much bigger than what the scouring pads could do. Yet I'm using wood and nylon utensils.

So far SS has been my least favorite cookware simply for the fact that it seems to scratch so easily and I get paranoid.

J

[Chemicalkinetics]

:) All other cookware scratches too, but you may not noticed them. You can see the scratches more easily from a stainless steel cookware because they are shiny and usually made polished. A cast iron or carbon steel cookware is black and rough in comparison, so you won't notice the scratches.

[Jay F]

It scratches when you wash it. I have always used Dobie pads, and I noticed early on that they scratch stainless steel. I switched to some kind of two-tone blue pad from 3M that allegedly doesn't scratch stainless, and then used it on a brand new set of stainless flatware. Guess what. It scratches stainless, too. There's really nothing you can do about it.

I don't care about the All-Clad scratching. I mean, it's cookware, not sculpture. It's going to get used. I had hoped the blue pads wouldn't scratch the flatware, but it's just not meant to be. It doesn't bother me anymore.

Doesn't All-Clad have a line with a non-mirror finish, MC2 or something? Maybe that would work better for you.

[HalifaxJ]

Thanks,

It doesn't really bother me. Just found it so strange that I keep hearing people say you can use metal or scrubbies on SS without scratching, but it's evidently not the case.

Besides, I prefer cast iron and enameled CI for cooking. Nothing beats cast iron for searing a big $%$#% prime rib.

I do like the SS for making pan sauces as the acidity in wine can strip away the cast iron seasoning.

J

[Chemicalkinetics]

"It doesn't really bother me. Just found it so strange that I keep hearing people say you can use metal or scrubbies on SS without scratching, but it's evidently not the case. "

It depends the definition of scratching. The above description makes sense when compared to Teflon coated cookware. When using Teflon coated cookware, metal utensils can scratch and take off a slice of the nonstick material and therefore ruins its function. This can be said for enameled cast iron cookware as well.

This is not the case for stainless steel cookware or bare cast iron cookware. You get light scratches, not a deep cut, and certainly do not render them useless.

*Edited*
This is why people say you can use metal utensils on stainless steel, bare cast iron, aluminum cookware ...etc without scratch them. It really does not mean there is no scratches at all. It just mean the scratches will be very light and will not negatively affect the cooking performance.

[Chemicalkinetics]

These are just fine scratches. Yes, they will affect the appearance, but they will not affect the cooking performance, and you certainly will not scratch your way through the cookware.

Yes, you can use metal utensils, and they will scratch the surface, but they will not diminish the cookware performance.

[HalifaxJ]

Thank you. To be clear, it's not a major concern of mine. I was just looking for some experienced users of ss. But I'm still curious; is it scratching the actual metal? How does soft plastic scratch stainless steel?

Also, what WILL diminish the cooking performance of SS?

J

[Chemicalkinetics]

I don't have a complete answer but the green scouring pads have some abrasive materials, which is why they are so effective:

"Mineral: The product contains abrasive particles that are effective in scrubbing operation. These particles are evenly distributed throughout the pad to help ensure consistent performance"

http://www.restockit.com/scotch-brite-general-purpose-commercial-scouring-pad-(96-3m).html

Most stainless steel cookware are really stainless steel-aluminum cladded cookware, especially like All Clad.

http://a57.foxnews.com/static/managed...

These cladded cookware will diminish their cooking performance when the cladding splits -- which can be caused by overheating or sudden cooling.