Choosing
Selecting new cookware is a very personal decision influenced by both design and function. Putting aside aesthetics the following may help you select the one that best meets your needs.

What type of hob do you have?
Gas – everything will work on gas, which is very fast and efficient. The only thing to be mindful of is the amount of heat that can come out from under the pan. This could make the handles hot or even damage them. Look for either metal handles or good quality phenolic ones (temperature resistant to 180°C) with a metal flame guard.

Electric Radiant Ring & Solid Hot Plate (Solid Fuel or Electric) – as with gas all cookware will work but the heavier pans with flatter bases will be more efficient.

Ceramic – A ceramic hob is a sheet of glass over electric heating elements. Again the heavier flatter pans will give the best performance. Also be mindful that uncoated aluminium bases may mark the glass of the hob. If this should happen there are specialist cleaners for ceramic hobs available from supermarkets and high street outlets.

Halogen – Although similar to ceramic, uses a halogen heat lamp below the glass instead of a heating element. Again heavy base pans are best but also be careful that the base is not shiny, as this will reflect heat back from the lamp reducing the efficiency. Most pans even stainless steel ones have a matt finish on the base for this reason.

Induction – Similar in appearance to ceramic but employs a magnetic field to heat the pan rather than the surface of the hob. They are very fast and efficient with the added safety feature that the hob remains cooler, which in turns means fewer burnt on deposits. For induction extra care is required in selecting your cookware, as only certain pans will work. The following are suitable; cast iron & Enamel on Steel. Others can be made suitable for induction provided they have a special base or disc fitted e.g. stainless steel, aluminium, hard anodised. In our ranges if it is suitable for induction we say ‘Suitable for ALL hobs’.

There are different materials that cookware can be made from.

Stainless steel – is durable and hardwearing but a relatively poor conductor of heat so will have a disc of another material like aluminium fixed to the base to improve conduction and speed of heating. Some have a sandwich base where the aluminium is visible but this may corrode in the dishwasher, others have the disc hidden or fully encapsulated to overcome this problem. The best stainless steel for cookware is 18/10 this refers to the chrome and nickel content i.e. 18% chrome and 10% nickel this gives the optimum rust and stain resistance.

Aluminium – excellent for cookware in that it is a good conductor of heat however it is relatively soft and will not last as long as stainless steel. Uncoated aluminium is very rare these days and will not work efficiently on ceramic or halogen hobs. Nowadays it commonly has a non-stick interior and either a paint or enamel coloured exterior.
Hard Anodised – is aluminium that has undergone a special electro chemical process, which makes the outside much harder in fact it is said to be harder than stainless steel. The interiors are normally coated with a non-stick interior to prevent food sticking. The one disadvantage of hard anodised is that it cannot go in the dishwasher. However recent advances in coating technology have allowed a clear coating to be applied to the outside making certain ranges dishwasher safe.

Cast Iron – traditionally associated with solid fuel cookers like Aga’s and Rayburns and well suited to this type of cooking as the thick heavy material is slow to heat up and retains the heat for a long time after the heat source is turned off. I.e. good for long slow cooking.

Enamel on Steel – is steel with a coloured enamel coating. This coating is either inside and out or just outside with a non-stick interior. Being thinner than cast iron it heats up more quickly but also will cool down more quickly. Being made from ferrous steel makes them excellent on induction.

Q. Why is stainless steel so popular?
A. Because it is beautiful, durable but also hygienic too. It has self healing properties which mean that if you scratch the surface a natural protective layer re-forms straight away stopping corrosion and impurities from taking hold and giving nowhere for bacteria to hide.

Q. Food is sticking inside my saucepans
A. The heat is turned up too high. A common habit in the UK. Heat the food more gently and turn the heat down as soon as the food begins to cook. This will save energy and also retain more flavours and goodness.

Q. My frypan is sticking?
A. The heat is turned up too high. Although certain foods benefit from ‘flash’ cooking the trick is not to move the food for the first few moments. This gives the fibres in the meat/fish time to relax and for the temperature of the food to equalize with that of the oil. If you move it to soon it can stick even in a well seasoned pan.
A. On non-stick frypans there are only two reasons why they can start to loose their food release abilities. One is when too high a heat is used and the coating eventually becomes damaged, this is evident by discoloration. Second is when cooking sprays are used. They tend to have much lower burning points and lead to a rust like build up on the non-stick surface.

Q. How do I season my frypan?
A. Non-stick frypans although needing a little oil do not need seasoning. If you have an uncoated frypan then the following will help prevent food sticking. Cover the bottom of the pan with cooking oil and heat until the oil begins to smoke. Remove the surplus oil this should leave a light brown coating behind. The pan now has properties similar to a non-stick pan and provided it is only rinsed in water and wiped out after use these will remain. We also recommend seasoning after every dozen uses. If the pan is washed with detergent then it will need to be seasoned again.

Q. Spots or pitting on the inside of stainless steel pan?
A. Ordinary water and food contain salts and acids which can sometimes cause minor corrosion on the surface, however, the most common cause is when salt is added to the cold water, it sinks onto the base where the sodium reacts with the nickel. Always add the salt to the water once it is boiling.

Q. I have Bluish ‘rainbow’ markings on my stainless steel?
A. This is a clear sign that the pan has been over heated. Marks like this can be removed with our Stellar cleaner.

Q. Are glass lids safe?
A. Yes and they allow you to monitor the cooking without lifting the lid. However, the glass although toughened like a car windscreen under certain circumstances it can break. If you should break one or are worried after dropping one then please contact our customer services for a replacement. If it should break under normal use then the replacement will be free of charge.

Q. Most aluminium cookware is non-stick but few stainless steel pans are, why?
A. Non-stick coatings adhere well to the soft aluminium but in the past have not adhered so well to the very hard surface of stainless steel. Moreover stainless steel by its nature is very durable and has tended to out live any non-stick coating applied to it. Recently non-stick coatings have improved so we are seeing more and more on stainless steel especially for the milk pans, smaller saucepans and the frying pans.

Q. My phenolic/plastic handles have discoloured or cracked?
A. These types of handles can only withstand temperatures up to 180°C and should never suffer direct heat. For temperatures higher than this the material will start to dry out and may crack and occasionally it can bubble on the surface. If washed for many years in the dishwasher they can also sometimes fade a little.

Q. What sort of utensils are best?
A. We recommend nylon, wooden or silicone utensils for all our pans as this will prevent scratching and damage.

Q. Do stainless steel handles get hot?
A. Stainless steel is a relatively poor conductor of heat so they normally stay cool enough to handle however under certain circumstances they can become hot. This is why we always recommend the use of an oven cloth or similar until you are completely used to your cookware.

Q. Are non-stick coatings safe?
A. Yes and they pose no hazard to human health even if small particles are ingested.

Q. I have broken the handle or lid?
A. Contact customer services for a replacement.

Q. I have a ‘blister’ on the base of my pan?
A. The pan is faulty return it to customer services for replacement.

Cleaning Tips
• For copper pans the Stellar copper cleaner is very good. An alternative is lemon juice/vinegar
• For badly burnt on deposits that won’t shift from normal washing and Stellar cleaner then you could try some of the following. Soaking for an hour with ‘Coke’ or make a paste of bicarbonate of soda apply it to the burnt area and leave overnight washing off in the morning.

Knives

Q. Can the knives be sharpened?
A. All knives with a straight edge can be sharpened at home. If they have a serrated edge they tend not to blunt but if they do then a professional knife sharpening service may be required.
When a knife has lost its fine edge profile, more aggressive sharpening action than can be obtained by using a Steel will be required to restore it, this can be achieved at home with a proprietary sharpener or be entrusted to a professional knife grinding service.

Q. Should I buy a Steel?
A. Yes. As although a steel cannot restore a lost edge it can maintain one for a long period.

Q. What chopping boards are best?
A. Always use a purpose made wooden or high-density plastic cutting board. Cutting on marble, metal, glass or tiles will blunt knives extremely quickly.

Q. Can they be washed in the Dishwasher?
A. Yes, however they must never be left for prolonged periods in a hot damp atmosphere. Ideally we recommend that they are washed by hand and dried carefully before storing.

Q. Stainless Steel or Carbon Steel – which is best?
A. Master chefs prefer carbon steel as it is easier to sharpen and will hold an edge for longer however; it is far more likely to rust and stain. Our knives use a blend of carbon, chrome, molybdenum and vanadium to give the optimum rust resistance and cutting edge.

Bakeware

Q. How do I wash them?
A. They are dishwasher safe apart from the spring form cake tins.

Q. Can they be used in the Microwave?
A. No

Q. Can it be used on top of the stove?
A. No for Judge Bakeware but certain lines in the Harlequin Granite enamel on steel can i.e. bakepans and roasters

Q. Is the Granite enamel non-stick?
A. Although it hasn’t got a non-stick coating any food deposits can be easily removed by washing in hot soapy water.

Q. What utensils are best?
A. As with the cookware we recommend nylon, silicone or wooden utensils as these won’t damage the non-stick.

Cutlery

Q. My cutlery is 18/10 but not the knives, why?
A. Knives are always made with 18/0 as this allows efficient sharpening.

Q. Is it dishwasher safe?
A. Our cutlery is dishwasher safe provided food and salt deposits are rinsed off before loading and they aren’t left in the damp atmosphere of the dishwasher for prolonged periods i.e. overnight. Do not mix silver and stainless steel in the same wash. To prevent water marking remove at the end of the drying cycle and polish with a soft cloth. Extended dishwasher use will eventually degrade the finish due to the continual contact between pieces. For total care we therefore recommend hand washing in soapy water, rinsing then polishing with a soft dry cloth. A good cloth for this is the Stellar microfibre cleaning cloth.