In praise of an Ikea item

[silva]

Tell that to the row of stainless kitchen knives stuck to the magnetic rack above our hob!
Victorinox knives are famously stainless (the -inox literally means inoxydable!) and are definitely magnetic.

If it's a knife blade it's probably a martensitic, hardenable type of steel.
Kitchen pans are usually non magnetic austenitic grades like the 304 or 316 you mention but pans for induction hobs need to be magnetic. A set of ours seem to have a magnetic base but non magnetic sides.

Yes inox literally is inoxydable but that's only literate, not the practice.
Yes, martensitic is strongly magnetic (clings) but also the least corrosion resistent stainless steel grade.
Only the non magnetic, or very slight magnetic grades 304 and 316 (by far most used) are "really", let's put "excellent", inoxydable, by air then.

If you introduce salt, excellent 304 stainless gets even worse than non stainless.
That's not a joke - just put a salt lamp on a kitchen stainless steel thing.
The water in the air (humidity) causes condensation on the salt stone, resulting in salty water that drips down on the stainless.
It actually corrodes huge holes in the stainless.
I learnt it firsthand. I bought a nice decorative salt lamp, put it on a nice place.
To later discover water under it, discolored the wood.
I realized it had been condensation so I decided to put it on a kitchen stainless steel thing, to empty it when needed.
I didn't have to - the salt fret a hole in its bottom.
In the end, I had to put the thing outside, where after a year there was nothing left of the stone, leaving, a whitish burnt black circle in the greeny grass.

So, when I refer "non-stainless", I refer to the corrosion resistence, since that is were in the end it's about. Staining IS corrosion.

Actually, there is even more to take into account. Stainless steel DOES corrode, but just a very thin layer, which then protects the underlying stainless steel.
If it gets damaged or worn off, the underlying stainless steel forms a new such layer.
But there a problem can arise that prevents it: if OTHER particles get stuck in the stainless steel. Those prevent the forming of the protective layer, leaving a "gap" through which the stainless steel can further corrode in the depth.
That's why you see stainless steel bolt head corroding when they put non stainless washers - which happens ALOT, since stainless steel costs a multiple of non stainless steel bolts. They spend the bucks on bolts and nuts but try to save on accessoiries like washers. Resulting in ugly corrosion and mounts under specs and even at risk.
Also reason why using drills or other machining tools,that have been used before on stainless, and not cleaned very well, on stainless is a big NO.

 

[Shortfall]

Yes inox literally is inoxydable but that's only literate, not the practice.
Yes, martensitic is strongly magnetic (clings) but also the least corrosion resistent stainless steel grade.
Only the non magnetic, or very slight magnetic grades 304 and 316 (by far most used) are "really", let's put "excellent", inoxydable, by air then.

If you introduce salt, excellent 304 stainless gets even worse than non stainless.
That's not a joke - just put a salt lamp on a kitchen stainless steel thing.
The water in the air (humidity) causes condensation on the salt stone, resulting in salty water that drips down on the stainless.
It actually corrodes huge holes in the stainless.
I learnt it firsthand. I bought a nice decorative salt lamp, put it on a nice place.
To later discover water under it, discolored the wood.
I realized it had been condensation so I decided to put it on a kitchen stainless steel thing, to empty it when needed.
I didn't have to - the salt fret a hole in its bottom.
In the end, I had to put the thing outside, where after a year there was nothing left of the stone, leaving, a whitish burnt black circle in the greeny grass.

So, when I refer "non-stainless", I refer to the corrosion resistence, since that is were in the end it's about. Staining IS corrosion.

Actually, there is even more to take into account. Stainless steel DOES corrode, but just a very thin layer, which then protects the underlying stainless steel.
If it gets damaged or worn off, the underlying stainless steel forms a new such layer.
But there a problem can arise that prevents it: if OTHER particles get stuck in the stainless steel. Those prevent the forming of the protective layer, leaving a "gap" through which the stainless steel can further corrode in the depth.
That's why you see stainless steel bolt head corroding when they put non stainless washers - which happens ALOT, since stainless steel costs a multiple of non stainless steel bolts. They spend the bucks on bolts and nuts but try to save on accessoiries like washers. Resulting in ugly corrosion and mounts under specs and even at risk.
Also reason why using drills or other machining tools,that have been used before on stainless, and not cleaned very well, on stainless is a big NO.

That's a lot of words but my Ikea Stainless frying pan still cost me less than twenty quid, I've used it regularly over several years, it's naturally non stick when used correctly, it's easy to clean, requires no seasoning and I have no problem recommending it.

 

[silva]

That's a lot of words but my Ikea Stainless frying pan still cost me less than twenty quid, I've used it regularly over several years, it's naturally non stick when used correctly, it's easy to clean, requires no seasoning and I have no problem recommending it.

Yes of course, all goes well if used according to usage rules.
That's were usage rules are for.
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.
Because, IF you do, their machine will give up after a fraction of the warranty period, while a sturdy built machine will last years drilling 100 holes an hour, at most just replacing bearings.
Nobody here including me says don't buy IKEA.
What is said is: don't buy IKEA IF ...

 

[Shortfall]

Yes of course, all goes well if used according to usage rules.
That's were usage rules are for.
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.
Because, IF you do, their machine will give up after a fraction of the warranty period, while a sturdy built machine

I took a punt on a cheap pan because it had a bit of weight to it and seemed like really good quality for the price. This has proven to be the case hence I have no problem recommending it to others. I agree with you about drills though.

 

[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.

I’d argue that point. Professional use means being paid. If I am an enthusiastic amateur with a penchant for drilling holes, I’m not using it professionally. Equally, if I’m a paid tradesman who drills one hole every blue moon, I’m using it professionally.

 

[silva]

I’d argue that point. Professional use means being paid. If I am an enthusiastic amateur with a penchant for drilling holes, I’m not using it professionally. Equally, if I’m a paid tradesman who drills one hole every blue moon, I’m using it professionally.

It's literally written in the manuals though:
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/3792086/Aldi-Ferrex-F-Ccd12.html?page=6#manual

Please note that our products were not designed with the intention of use for commercial or industrial purposes. We assume no guarantee if the product is used in commercial or industrial applications, or for equivalent work.

That "not designed" makes pretty clear what I said.
It's also proven in practice: used alike at work, overheating (oil spills at the seams of the housing parts), bearings failure, gradual loss of force, which doesn't happen with the work machines. A machine at work can also get hot, but it survives it, those "not designed for", not.
Was also told the same, for ex, guy bought an angle grinder in Aldi, tried to use it as his Metabo - its bearings failed after a week (which is always a spectacle with an angle grinder).
The difference is easy explained: less metal to dissipate heat due to plastic parts, smaller dimensioned bearings and other supporting parts, all little cost cuts here and there that together punish intensive use. They're okay to drill a couple small diameter / quick holes in not to thick wood with some cooling off time now and then, but professional use is hundreds holes in an hour, or, 22 mm holes through 60 cm wood, that is, the drill dozens time up and back down to regularly lift the wood fragment away. If you try that with an supermarket machine it's a quick write off.

 

[figbat]

It's literally written in the manuals though:
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/3792086/Aldi-Ferrex-F-Ccd12.html?page=6#manual

That "not designed" makes pretty clear what I said.
It's also proven in practice: used alike at work, overheating (oil spills at the seams of the housing parts), bearings failure, gradual loss of force, which doesn't happen with the work machines. A machine at work can also get hot, but it survives it, those "not designed for", not.
Was also told the same, for ex, guy bought an angle grinder in Aldi, tried to use it as his Metabo - its bearings failed after a week (which is always a spectacle with an angle grinder).
The difference is easy explained: less metal to dissipate heat due to plastic parts, smaller dimensioned bearings and other supporting parts, all little cost cuts here and there that together punish intensive use. They're okay to drill a couple small diameter / quick holes in not to thick wood with some cooling off time now and then, but professional use is hundreds holes in an hour, or, 22 mm holes through 60 cm wood, that is, the drill dozens time up and back down to regularly lift the wood fragment away. If you try that with an supermarket machine it's a quick write off.

Aaaah, “commercial” or “industrial” are different from “professional”, and much clearer in this context.

 

[Alex321]

Much maligned for their flimsy flat-pack offerings, I came across one of their display cabinets, and thought it worth a punt

Really? I've never heard them maligned for that.

Are there any more Ikea products that you've found to have been surprisingly good?

I would be surprised to find one that wasn't decently solid.

We have loads of Ikea furniture, some over 20 years old, such as the Anton computer desk I am at right now - no longer sold. Or the Billy bookcase behind me, books two layers deep on every shelf, no sign of any issues..

 

[Alex321]

Some ikea stuff is quite good, we had a lot at one time when we were moving around. It is now whittled down to a big desk and a bed in service at the son’s. The main reason I don’t have more recent things is the shear horror of shopping. Ikea is, or was one of the worst as it involved walking around the entire store, often to find they didn’t have what you want in stock. The result was buying lots of things you didn't go for with a poor consolation of insipid meat balls. You then had the pleasure of trying to fit whatever you had bought into a vw polo or similar.

They have improved that over the years. You can now get to the "marketplace" section without going through the main showroom, and there are shortcuts between sections.

I still wouldn't describe it as a "fun" experience, but much less bad than it was.

 

[Alex321]

Indeed most women do that ... most men don't

Tends to be the other way around in our house. I'm the one who reads manuals/instructions, my wife doesn't unless she has an issue.

 

[Alex321]

Yes inox literally is inoxydable but that's only literate, not the practice.
Yes, martensitic is strongly magnetic (clings) but also the least corrosion resistent stainless steel grade.
Only the non magnetic, or very slight magnetic grades 304 and 316 (by far most used) are "really", let's put "excellent", inoxydable, by air then.

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.

 

[Gwylan]

In the late '80s my job moved me abroad. Dark side the moon sort of aboard
I was allotted a sum of money to purchase whatever was necessary to furnish a home - from IKEA.
A lot of stuff has stayed with us over successive moves.

 

[slowmotion]

Good stuff IKEA and the foods not bad either.

Sorry, the taste of their meatballs stays in your mouth for hours. Their beer is vile too.

 

[silva]

Aaaah, “commercial” or “industrial” are different from “professional”, and much clearer in this context.

Please note that our products were not designed with the intention of use for commercial or industrial purposes. We assume no guarantee if the product is used in commercial or industrial applications, or for equivalent work.

Did you read what I underlined in what I quoted, to draw your attention to it?
"Not designed for".
"Equivalent work"
They declare guarantee voiding NOT due to the application in "commercial", or "industrial" environments, as you claimed.
"Not designed for" "equivalent work", regardless where, whether or not profit making environment is irrelevant.
'

 

[Drago]

Oh lordy, only a bunch of people who dont work could start and argument about work. Who cares ?