Help! My 2 le creuset enamel saucepans are stuck together!!!

[janie]

Can't get them apart, somehow my husband put one away that was slightly wet and it joined to the other, they are the same size saucepans, (med size) and they always sit nestled into one another, but this is not good...tried everything I could think of--tapping it, upside down, putting ice in top one and putting hot water through the open spout into bottom one..no go....anyone have an idea????

Soapy water didn't work either....

thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[therealdoctorlew]

When I have had an odd problem with cookware, something more to do with physics than cooking, I found that the manufacturer had the answer.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Yike. If it is a plain cookware, then you can just hammer them apart, but because it is enameled, it is not an option.

I would give GH's method a try. Put the jointed pans on the stove. Turn up the heat and hope them will separate. If not, you may have to tap them apart. Roll a towel around the hand, and just tap the handle.

[janie]

thank you so much, this worked!! I put a dishcloth on the it, and hammered really hard on the wood handles..and it finally gave way with out damaging the enamel...

[Chemicalkinetics]

:)

Good to hear, Janie.

You are lucky to have the wood handle Le Creuset saucepans. I thought you have the enameled cast iron handles, so I suggested to gently tap them apart:

http://www.amazon.com/Le-Creuset-Enam...

[mikie]

I was going to suggest that if you have access to compressed air and a place to blow it into the gap in the pans, this is a good method to seperate them and will not damage the surfaces. Something for the future.

[Chemicalkinetics]

<Something for the future.>

I think a feeling that if the husband was to do this happen again, cops/army will be called in.

[janie]

how right you are! :)

[eight_inch_pestle]

Hmm, the hot-water/ice-water idea was my first thought, too. Maybe the hot water didn't heat the bottom pot sufficiently? I might try filling the upper pot with ice water, the lower pot with hot water, then setting the whole thing over a burner for a little while to ensure the cast-iron in the bottom pan is heated through, adding ice as necessary to keep the top pot colder. I'd make sure the water in the bottom pot wasn't touching the bottom of the top pot, too.

[GH1618]

I would set it on a low heat.