In praise of an Ikea item

[figbat]

The manual of a supermarket hand drilling machine says "Not to be used professionally". That doesn't mean that you can't regularly drill a hole with it.
What it DOES mean is: don't drill 100 holes in an hour.

As I said, “commercial” or “industrial” use is different from “professional” use, which is what you originally said the manual stated.

 

[silva]

But the magnetic grades are what are normally used for pots and pans, and they are just fine for that job. Indeed, with more and more people using induction hobs, the pans have to be magnetic, or they just won't work.

And we have magnetic stainless steel pans that we have been using for 15+ years, and are still perfectly good.

If some kinda hard plastic becomes visible through worn off places of pots and pans, what does that say over the thickness/amount stainless?
That's what I said earlier here: alot IKEA looks like stainless, but it's more like a thin coating, ofcourse because that kinda hard plastic is cheaper than stainless.
I've seen the same on furniture of IKEA, that has a stainless alike upper deck - corners showed some wear and wood became visible, same coating alike.
Compare it to silver plated versus sterling (92.5%) mass-distributed/massive silver.
The "plating" of the former is a few microns think, so its silver content is nearly negligible relative to the latters 92.5%. The same happens as with IKEA "stainless": worn off places loose their silver "shine".

The magnetism of those "magnetic" stainless steel pans is not due to some kinda stainless steel treatment or formation (that do exist) that leaves it magnetic, but due to underlying iron steel.
Compare it to wrapping uncle old mcdonalds hammer in paper - the magnet sticks, it looks like the paper is magnetic.
Looks
Like
Get what I mean?

 

[Shortfall]

Get what I mean?

I don't think I'll be alone in saying no.

 

[silva]

As I said, “commercial” or “industrial” use is different from “professional” use, which is what you originally said the manual stated.

It was you not me that put the words "commercial" "industrial".
"Professional" use is what it is literally:
Not a hobbyist that drills a hole for his uncles painting, the next week 2 holes to join two fender parts, and so on while he's getting older,
But one that drills holes as part of his profession, and he won't pay the bills with the earnings of helping his uncle 10 minutes once a month, unless it's a sugar daddy.

 

[silva]

I don't think I'll be alone in saying no.

As I said: all you need to get it is a hammer, an old newspaper page and a magnet.
You don't need to slam the hammer, just lay it gently on the kitchen table, and see if the magnet sticks to the newspaper.
You won't give a Yell "Bingo, paper is magnetic", no?
Now imagine the paper is IKEA Stainless Steel, same thickness.

 

[Adam4868]

Forget what is professional,industrial,hobby etc and go for a guarantee....I've a Lidl or Aldi paddle mixer that I've exchanged twice under guarantee,pretty sure it's 3 years at Aldi.
Cant tell you how many bags of plaster it's mixed,but for 40 ish quid compared to say DeWalt at four times the price...well let's say it's been a bargain.
Ikea stainless frying pans offer a 15 year guarantee 😁

 

[Alex321]

If some kinda hard plastic becomes visible through worn off places of pots and pans, what does that say over the thickness/amount stainless?

I have never seen that, so I don't really care what it would say.

That's what I said earlier here: alot IKEA looks like stainless, but it's more like a thin coating, ofcourse because that kinda hard plastic is cheaper than stainless.
I've seen the same on furniture of IKEA, that has a stainless alike upper deck - corners showed some wear and wood became visible, same coating alike.
Compare it to silver plated versus sterling (92.5%) mass-distributed/massive silver.
The "plating" of the former is a few microns think, so its silver content is nearly negligible relative to the latters 92.5%. The same happens as with IKEA "stainless": worn off places loose their silver "shine".

The magnetism of those "magnetic" stainless steel pans is not due to some kinda stainless steel treatment or formation (that do exist) that leaves it magnetic, but due to underlying iron steel.

I think it more likely that they just use "lower" grade stainless steel, which is inherently magnetic. THe "higher" grade ones are not really necessary for something which is only used in a regular environment for a few hours a week.

They don't need the super-high anti-corrosion properties of something that woukld be exposed to the elements 24/7.

Compare it to wrapping uncle old mcdonalds hammer in paper - the magnet sticks, it looks like the paper is magnetic.
Looks
Like
Get what I mean?

I think you are maligning Ikea products without any actual evidence.

 

[Alex321]

As I said: all you need to get it is a hammer, an old newspaper page and a magnet.
You don't need to slam the hammer, just lay it gently on the kitchen table, and see if the magnet sticks to the newspaper.
You won't give a Yell "Bingo, paper is magnetic", no?
Now imagine the paper is IKEA Stainless Steel, same thickness.

Why?

THeir suacepans are made from a sandwicj of two layers of stainless steel with an aluminium layer in between, perfectly normal for stainless steel pans.

And they all have a 15 year guarantee. If the stainless steel were as thin as you suggest they wouldn't have that guarantee.

 

[silva]

I have never seen that, so I don't really care what it would say.
I think it more likely that they just use "lower" grade stainless steel, which is inherently magnetic. THe "higher" grade ones are not really necessary for something which is only used in a regular environment for a few hours a week.
They don't need the super-high anti-corrosion properties of something that woukld be exposed to the elements 24/7.
I think you are maligning Ikea products without any actual evidence.

There is no such thing as your thought: metal grades are not a scale worst to best.
Every single grade has a specific purpose that is its existence reason.
That specific purpose is a trade off, a plus comes with min.
The same reason that drugs have "side" effects.

Your first "I think" that "lower" grade (that is, the mathematical) number implies magnetism, is just wrong "thought".
The cheapest 304 grade (kitchen, in construction named A2) is very slight magnetic, the second-cheapest 316 grade (construction A4) is not magnetic at al, and all "higher" numbered grades are, in quite different degrees, magnetic, upto clinging on alike on non-stainless steel.
The "lowest" numbered grades have the best corrosion resistence of all grades.

That "best", comes with the min of mechanical properties reducted to half of non stainless steel. They're also "soft", that is, easier to wear, that is, losing material, and if it's a thin layer like I've seen (said it before, still you come up with your second "I think") on some IKEA products, it looks like your socks after a while not cutting your nails.
Then, as also said in previous post, it's reveiled what is under it: plastic, wood, or... non stainless steel, the latter causing a magnet to cling, even "through" the stainless coating.
As I illustrated with the analogy of a hammer head wrapped in paper - it looks like the magnet clings on the paper, but it of course clings on the steel of the hammer head under it. Just like the paper, the stainless steel is just like the paper a thin layer material that doesn't influence magnetic fields.

 

[silva]

Why?

THeir suacepans are made from a sandwicj of two layers of stainless steel with an aluminium layer in between, perfectly normal for stainless steel pans.

And they all have a 15 year guarantee. If the stainless steel were as thin as you suggest they wouldn't have that guarantee.

Why what?
I explained how a magnet could cling on stainless steel regardless it, instead, due to underlying highly magnetic non stainless steel.
Because I've seen a variety of stainless-looking IKEA stuff in all branches, ex lighting products / armatures, not massive stainless, but a stainless coating/layer on top of underlying non stainless steel, a clinging magnet proves it, and, browny (rust) places where the coating got damaged, exposing the "massive" part of the material, where the magnet actually clinged to, "through" the coating.
Seen it on decorative stuff (ex painting/photo frames), kitchen stuff, furniture, etcetera!

Saucepans without non stainless steel are ofcourse possible, but the corrosion resistence is then moderate instead of excellent. That is, rust spots ('stains') appear over time. They don't render the saucepan unusable, but its appetite has lost quite of its glory in an accelerating fashion (surface becomes rougher = harder to clean) which is why they pop up on the weekly re-developing piles street garbage in nearby cities foreigner suburbs and which is why I know. Made in IKEA, Found on Street.

 

[Shortfall]

We all bow to your knowledge of stainless steel Silva. But some of us bought a cheap stainless pan from Ikea that is actually rather good. That's it. The end.

 

[AndyRM]

I've been using a stainless steel wok that I got in IKEA when I was 17. Cooked all sorts in it, and it gets used pretty much every day. Nowt wrong with it and I've never felt compelled to throw it into a foreigners suburb (whatever that is), likewise any of the other things I've bought from IKEA over the years.

I'm particularly fond of this cat's butt hook that I use to hang shopping bags on:

 

[Alex321]

Why what?

Why "imagine the paper is IKEA Stainless Steel, same thickness." That is simply not how their pans are built.

I explained how a magnet could cling on stainless steel regardless it, instead, due to underlying highly magnetic non stainless steel.
Because I've seen a variety of stainless-looking IKEA stuff in all branches, ex lighting products / armatures, not massive stainless, but a stainless coating/layer on top of underlying non stainless steel, a clinging magnet proves it, and, browny (rust) places where the coating got damaged, exposing the "massive" part of the material, where the magnet actually clinged to, "through" the coating.
Seen it on decorative stuff (ex painting/photo frames), kitchen stuff, furniture, etcetera!

It may be true on decorative stuff, though there isn't all that much Stainless steel decorative stuff, that is more often Chome plated or just plain aluminium.

But it is just not true of their pans.

Saucepans without non stainless steel are ofcourse possible, but the corrosion resistence is then moderate instead of excellent. That is, rust spots ('stains') appear over time. They don't render the saucepan unusable, but its appetite has lost quite of its glory in an accelerating fashion (surface becomes rougher = harder to clean) which is why they pop up on the weekly re-developing piles street garbage in nearby cities foreigner suburbs and which is why I know. Made in IKEA, Found on Street.

Just doesn't happen.

They would not be giving 15 year guarantees if their products were going to fail the way you describe.

And the experiences of everybody here who has said they have owned any Ikea pans goes against what you are suggesting.

 

[Drago]

I've been using a stainless steel wok that I got in IKEA when I was 17. Cooked all sorts in it, and it gets used pretty much every day.

Some might say thats a professional level of use!

 

[Adam4868]

Some might say thats a professional level of use!

You don't know Andy then.....,😁