Enamel pots found in the back of a cupboard... what are they good for?

[Wook]

While rummaging around in the back of a cupboard I found an unused set of nesting enamel pots with tupperware style snap down lids.

I'm sure they must be useful for something, but I can't quite think what. I'm a little concerned about cooking in them as I have heard enamel can leech lead. These ones are marked as made in China which doesn't fill me with confidence as to their safety. On the plus side they do come packaged with a "declaration of conformity" to all relevant EU rules, so maybe they are safe? I dunno.

Even if they were safe to use, it would be a pity to soot them up on the wood stove.

Good for food storage maybe?

Ideas?

 

[santaman2000]

Well first making the assumption that they are safe (and yes, I know that's an assumption) Then they could be used as any other heavy metal cooking pots. I'd use them in the kitchen though, and not on the campfire; as you say, they're to good looking for the soot. Obviously the tupperware style lids are only for storage of leftovers and not for cooking. Be careful to use wooden or plastic utensils so as not to damage the enamel though; it scratches easily.

That particular set looks especially good for storing, reheating (in the oven) and serving.

I have several pieces of enamel ware: Blue speckled cowboy type stuff, plain white and plain red kitchen stuff. No problems with it as yet, it's all still being sold in the kitchen wares section of the department stores. Most of mine is made in Mexico.

 

[rik_uk3]

Best send them to me and I will safely dispose of them for you.

 

[Beefy0978]

Water collection? Gold fish bowls? Tin hats for the whole family?

 

[Toddy]

Those were never intended for use as cooking pots. They were sold as stackable tins for cakes and biscuits.

cheers,
M

 

[Expat]

Yes, we had an almost identical set many moons ago.... only used them for storage as Toddy says,
but also dried items such as lentils, beans, rice etc.. etc..

 

[monkey spanner]

They were sold as stackable tins for cakes and biscuits.

Hmmmmmmmmm cake

 

[Wook]

Those were never intended for use as cooking pots. They were sold as stackable tins for cakes and biscuits.

cheers,
M

The garbled Chinese instructions say they can be used both for heating and storage.

USE:
- The box can be used in the dishwasher for cleaning
- Please remove the plastic cover when put the box on the traditional oven, gas stove and induction cooker. (Be careful: to avoid scald, please use protection glove or handle)
- Never use the product in the micro-wave oven.

I'm guessing they mean the pots rather than the box they came in, but who knows?

 

[Toddy]

Surprised at that tbh. I mind them being on sale. They came with a blue toile pattern too. One of my neighbours kept a set of them stacked on the worktop with biscuits in them.
Suppose they're a kind of metal pyrex then ? I wonder if the enamel would stain with things like tomatoes or turmeric ?

cheers,
M

 

[rik_uk3]

Nothing to stop you cooking in them.

 

[Wook]

I think they are basically the same as these ones I found on a German website:

http://translate.google.com/transla...awella.de/product_info.php?products_id=228452

Which can also apparently be used for heating.

 

[Toddy]

Yeah, that's the blue set

Bit of a faff on the stove with no handles, could 'maybe' see them in the oven, but my white enamel bowls that I use for dyes are stained, I think these would too.

Okay, I admit, I'm a housewife, and I'm fussy

cheers,
M

 

[Expat]

We found that they have a tendency to rust from underneath the metal trim around the lip.....

 

[Samon]

Nothing to stop you cooking in them.

I agree, I've cooked food in enamel stuff with no issues. The mugs are perfect size for any small stove and can be boguth for about £1-£2 and don't look out of place in the kitchen. If you want to use the pots to cook stuff in then go for it, I can't see why there would be any issue at all!

they do stain after a good roasting though, inside and out, but it's not a big deal.

 

[santaman2000]

Yeah, that's the blue set

Bit of a faff on the stove with no handles, could 'maybe' see them in the oven, but my white enamel bowls that I use for dyes are stained, I think these would too.

Okay, I admit, I'm a housewife, and I'm fussy

cheers,
M

Yeah the lack of handles had me surprised too. But they just didn't look deep enough for storing things in (when thinking of kitchen storage I think of things like flour jars)

 

[Toddy]

No one disputes that enamel is good to cook in Samon, just these ones look storage rather than cooking, iimmc.

Don't you have biscuit tins Santaman2000 ?........though the Americans have 'cookie jars', don't they ? Stackable cake tins then ?

cheers,
M

 

[santaman2000]

Yeah we do Mary. But they're usually taller than those. Mostly though, that's just not what jumped to my mind.

 

[Samon]

No one disputes that enamel is good to cook in Samon, just these ones look storage rather than cooking, iimmc.

I understand, but wook did question their safety to cook in regarding lead leakage..

 

[Toddy]

Y'know that's something I had never heard of until very recently.
I always assumed that since the enamell was really a coating of very high temp vitreous glass that it was utterly stable and safe, chemically resistant as the saying goes............and now folks say it gives off all sorts of chemicals when heated

M

 

[santaman2000]

Y'know that's something I had never heard of until very recently.
I always assumed that since the enamell was really a coating of very high temp vitreous glass that it was utterly stable and safe, chemically resistant as the saying goes............and now folks say it gives off all sorts of chemicals when heated

M

I think that's a new fear due to the process being outsourced to China. I'd never heard the safety of cooking in enamel questioned until this thread.