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Cookware Got Worse on Purpose: Who Owns Pyrex and All-Clad Now

worseonpurpose.com

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Re: Cookware Got Worse on Purpose: Who Owns Pyrex and All-Clad Now

#31

Post by al_borland »

bob1029 wrote: post #6
al_borland wrote: post #2

I’ve noticed it’s extremely common for things to be advertised as dishwasher safe, but once you open the box, the instructions recommend hand washing. I’ve started doing a lot more research when buying things because of this. It seems like every pot and pan does this, not just All-Clad.

Stainless steel is your best bet if you want something you can put in the dishwasher consistently and not have it do anything weird.

All-Clad is stainless steel and there was a lawsuit over the issues related to it going in the dishwasher.

I got some stainless steel pans about 6 months ago. They were advertised as dishwasher safe, but the fine print recommended against it.

Re: Cookware Got Worse on Purpose: Who Owns Pyrex and All-Clad Now

#32

Post by adamtaylor_13 »

pibaker wrote: post #4

This website is obviously AI generated down to the "Number Noun, Number Noun" section headers, "authored" by someone with a questionable background. I don't know why HN keeps upvoting articles from it.

I'm glad to have found this site. Though it's obviously AI-generated, the research itself is solid (I've checked).

I'm using it to avoid enshittified brands in the future.

Re: Cookware Got Worse on Purpose: Who Owns Pyrex and All-Clad Now

#34

Post by slowmovintarget »

ungreased0675 wrote: post #27

I’d love to see legislation prohibiting private equity from strip-mining established brands.

How? It seems like any legal framework for attempting to prevent something like this would only have worse unintended effects.

For example: every sale of a brand or a company has to go through a government committee (bribes, kickbacks, friction...). Restrictions on product changes: the new owner isn't allowed to improve the products, or stop producing older products when newer ones sell better, even if the newer ones are better. Can't shift manufacturing to China? Can't shift it out of the U.S.? How do you get such laws to apply everywhere (like Italian or French companies selling out to China)?

The least harmful solution I can see is publicizing this B.S. and then having consumers speak with their wallets and dropping those brands.

We've had to do that with so many brands. Aveeno used to make an oat and almond body wash that was amazing. It really helped the skin heal, feel soft, and still cleaned well. They got bought out. Boom... ammonium laurel sulfate... no oat, no almond, just fragrance, just like every other cheap body wash, and now it was bad for the skin. Same for their shave gel, same for dozens of other products.

I don't know how we consumers stop it short of buying the product and not the brand. I'm skeptical of government being able to do anything about this phenomenon that isn't much worse overall.

Re: Cookware Got Worse on Purpose: Who Owns Pyrex and All-Clad Now

#35

Post by Hikikomori »

girvo wrote: post #13
irishcoffee wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The joy of working with seasoned cast iron cannot be overstated. Heavy isn’t bad, we could all do with a bit of exercise. Easier to clean and maintain I disagree with, if you’re willing to do a bit of work up front.

The joy of working with a well seasoned carbon steel pan is similar, I find

Hard to get a seasoning that isn't stripped by acids, most vendors don't seem to provide the correct method either, leaving people with a blotchy seasoning.

Re: Cookware Got Worse on Purpose: Who Owns Pyrex and All-Clad Now

#36

Post by slowmovintarget »

somat wrote: post #30
irishcoffee wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The joy of working with seasoned cast iron cannot be overstated. Heavy isn’t bad, we could all do with a bit of exercise. Easier to clean and maintain I disagree with, if you’re willing to do a bit of work up front.

Stamped steel has most of the properties cast iron has with regard to seasoning, the main difference is reduced heat retention. I prefer stamped steel, lighter, stronger, won't break. But it does turn cooking in it more like cooking in a wok, faster to heat up faster to cool down. Where as cast iron is better for staying the course with a steady temp. But the thing I like best about both is the maintainability of the…

They have different applications. Sometimes you want steel because you want the pan to lose heat rapidly, depending on what you're cooking. Other times, you want cast iron; you want slow temperature change.

A well-equipped kitchen will have both... and a Dutch oven, and...

Re: Cookware Got Worse on Purpose: Who Owns Pyrex and All-Clad Now

#38

Post by girvo »

Hikikomori wrote: post #35
girvo wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The joy of working with a well seasoned carbon steel pan is similar, I find

Hard to get a seasoning that isn't stripped by acids, most vendors don't seem to provide the correct method either, leaving people with a blotchy seasoning.

Vinegar etching helps heaps with that I’ve found :)

Re: Cookware Got Worse on Purpose: Who Owns Pyrex and All-Clad Now

#39

Post by ColdStream »

I will point out one counter example, Duralex still turn out top notch stuff are really great prices. They have been in trouble a few times but they keep finding a way through.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/22/french-people-...

Also anything cast iron like Lodge and Le Creuset for example are usually going to last generations. When I used to sell them, I used the line "You are buying heirlooms not land fill".

Re: Cookware Got Worse on Purpose: Who Owns Pyrex and All-Clad Now

#40

Post by pibaker »

Palomides wrote: post #11
pibaker wrote: post #4

This website is obviously AI generated down to the "Number Noun, Number Noun" section headers, "authored" by someone with a questionable background. I don't know why HN keeps upvoting articles from it.

it gives HN users a chance to share their anecdotes about cookware

I would prefer us to do it in a way that does not benefit zero effort marketing rags like this.
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