As many consumers have written in their reviews here, Lotus Rock has a number of significant benefits for cooking in a domestic kitchen. Some of these consumers mention about Lotus Rock’s excellent heating effect for pan frying, such as for chops, steak and frittatas; some like the weight of the pans – that they are heavy but not nearly as much as a cast iron pan; others love that they can use metal utensils without chipping off the surface; and some really appreciate that all Lotus Rock pans are induction safe. These are to name but a few of the benefits that come with using a Lotus Rock cookware utensil.
However, it is highly probable that a number of these consumers enjoyed using their Lotus Rock pan because they had in fact done what many of us just don’t want to do and……..read the instructions first before use.
On all Lotus Rock packaging sold around the world, the wording may vary slightly, but there are 5 basic use and care instructions, there are:
1. Hand wash in hot soapy water with a scouring pad. Put the pan on a medium heat setting and wait for all the moisture to evaporate. Once the pan is completely dry apply oil around the interior surface.
For more information about this procedure please read here.
2. Transfers heat very fast. Pre-heat the pan on a medium-low setting, a little later add oil to the pan, and when it appears to be hot enough add the ingredients for cooking.
For more information about this please read here.
3. Never leave your pan unattended while cooking.
As the 2nd instruction states, a Lotus Rock pan heats up very quickly, much faster than most other standard materials used for cookware, so a pan should always be supervised while it is being heated on the stove. Quite often if this is not done then a white mark will appear on the pan. A Lotus Rock pan can still be used after this has happened, however some of the non-stick function from the silicone-oxide crystal coating would have been impaired beyond repair.
4. Always keep your pan dry when not in use.
Primarily because of its extremely thick and strongly bonded coating, a Lotus Rock pan does have much better corrosion resistance than other coated carbon steel pans sold in the market today. However, if a Lotus Rock pan is stored in a very moist condition, or if it is left to soak in a sink for an extended period of time, then the likelihood of rust developing is much more likely.
5. Hand wash recommended.
In fact, a Lotus Rock can technically be used in a dishwasher, but it is not recommend for two reasons. Firstly, as pointed out in the 4th instruction, although a Lotus Rock pan does have a very thick coating, the intensity and duration of a wash in a dishwasher will increase the likelihood of rust (especially along the edges of a pan). Second, dishwasher use may gradually impair the quality of the silicon-oxide crystal coating, which is an essential component for the non-stick release of a Lotus Rock pan.
There is another very useful use and care instruction for a Lotus Rock pan which is not often included on the packaging because of its complexity and the lack of space available: this is to re-new the non-stick effect of the pan. For information about this please read here.