Scanpan - Buyer Beware

[jeisner]

First up my experiences with scanpan!!!

I have some scanpan cookware I purchased 4-5 years ago and that is all brilliant 10/10 but everything I have purchased in the last year (four pieces) has had a very poor quality coating that has been bubbling and peeling off. Yes they do replace them under warranty, but in the Wok for example (I use a lot) I have replaced it twice in 8 months and am about to replace the stock pot for the second time and have also replaced two other pieces once each all due to the same problem...

The shop I replaced them at last say this has become common and the rep told them their was a change in the manufacturing process that "didn't work so well" and they have changed back but it will take a while to work the bad ones out of circulation!!! NOT WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR, as they had no idea whether the new ones they were selling (exchanging) were good or bad!!!!

What a pain, I have tried to contact the local distributorvia email, I wanted to swap mine with ones known to be of the newer batch (if there is one?), can you blaim me after the number I have swapped so far? But they ignored me, a shame really I spent a lot of money on this cookware as I 'thought' it was high quality, I guess that is not always the case....



Anyone else experienced similar problems with scanpan???

I am kind of curious as to how widespread this problem is, as two different retailers told me thishas become common and one 3 years back (why didn't I believe them?? I thought they were just trying to push the brand they did sell on me) told me they didn't sell scanpan due to the high return rate, due to this exact problem!

 

[Psiguyy]

No, but it would be interesting if the country of manufacture was different between the old and the defective new pans.

 

[jeisner]

Well I got an email from them

Apparently all the pans come out of Denmark, and the faulty ones were due to a change in the manufacturing process 2 years ago, this has been fixed and all pans distributed now are using the original process...

That leaves a lot of faulty pans out there on store shelves?

 

[wep896]

Re: Scanpan

I am curious what catagory of scanpan did you have problems with? Was it the scanpan classic category and did it have the titanium coating? Thanks.

 

[jeisner]

Sorry, too slow a response, but may be usefull for others.

YES they are the titanium/ceramic scanpan classic series.....

BTW below is the last response I got from the distributor regarding which scanpans are actually 'NOT FAULTY'

If you take the pan back to a store, ask the store to open the box and make sure the letter "Z" is stamped into the manufacturing label. This is new stock without faults.

I have gone to 4 stores, NONE of them have stock with Z on the bottom all X stock which is the same as my faulty stuff, funny part is I am sure I am causing the distributer a LOT of grief showing my series of emails to the stores selling their known faulty pans!!!!

 

[PolishedTopaz]

Hmmmmmmm never heard of them but it sounds like they should be called SCAMpan.

 

[malk]

i have faulty scanpan as well.

My 32cm scanpan calssic frypan (purchased Sept05) startd to get small blistering patched so i read up and found this thread. Once i read about the 'Z' and 'X' i looked under my pans and found that the blistered frypan was an 'X' (old batch) and the 36cm classic wok was stamped 'Z' new batch (the stamp also looks very sharp and new also). The woks surface is still perfect, but the handle is slightly loose and no screws to tighten ?? Anyone have a loose handle problem? Would be great if the whole handle was forged to the pan in the build process? Maybe this is why scanpan has come down in price latley, I couldnt believe the prices compared to a couple years ago, too good to be true!

Anyway im about to phone the retail outlet to explain my problem and also what ive found out about the old and new batches. Ill update later after the call.

ANyway this thread has helped a lot, thanks jesiner!

 

[Corey123]

From what you guys are saying, this stuff shouldn't even be on the market.


~Corey123.

 

[malk]

Returned and Replaced

Just a quick note to say that ive returned my 32cm frypan (free reply paid postage) and they replaced it within 2 weeks. During that time my 36cm Wok started to get small blisters as well, which was stamped with a 'Z', presumaby the new batch. So I phoned them again and was told there was a newer batch, with 'ZX' stamped on the base. By the way my returned frypan was stamped 'ZX' which im happy with.

Ill return the wok in Jan06 and specify a ZX replacment.....

We'll see how the new frypan goes! Overall im very happy with them, they have had such a good name. The company handling the replacments have been very helpful and prompt to replace as well.

cheers.

 

[Corey123]

One of the main reasons that I've stopped buying non-stick cookware.

I still have several items that are non-stick, but hey, those things I'll keep. I've always wanted a quality stainless steel set though. And I found it with the Emerilware set.


~Corey123.

 

[Robo410]

scan pan used to make a reputable product, but I never liked the handles.

 

[jeisner]

Just thought I would update this thread..

My so called 'new batch' Z stock is starting to bubble and burst (surface)... Also they changed the warranty from lifetime to 10 years with the Z stock... So I suppose I have to send it back again and get the ZX stock, and see how long that lasts... Being 10 years I probably have to find my receipts too (mmm great)...

Think I may give up on non stick cookware for all pots but the large frypan... The dutch oven I think will get replaced by a Le Creuset one... more expensive but the scanpan stuff isn't cheap and at least I know the Le Creuset stuff will last...

Haven't decided regarding the other pots.

-The griddle is OK still (its much older when they were better quality)

- Frypan is also OK at the moment and I also have a good SS one. (I do like Scapans SS cookware)..

- 9Lt Cassarole I am open to suggestions?

- Large Wok I am also open to suggestions?

 

[jkath]

Oh, jeisner, what a mess they've put you through!

You may want to open up a new thread, specifically for suggestions. Also, check into our cookware forum, and you'll see a lot of archived information.

I got rid of ALL of my nonstick just recently, and am thrilled with the results of my calphalon.

 

[jeisner]

For Australians with Scampans...

Even though if you send them back to Sheldon & Hammond they only exchange them for more faulty Z Scanpans, some resellers are finally providing refunds..

I took my 9lt Casarolle back today and got a credit of the full regular price to spend on whatever I wanted in the store.. Much better than another faulty Scampan, at this rate who knows how much longer they will survive it must be costing them a fortune.. They suggested Swiss Diamond but I am a little turned off non-stick and went for a good SS (still half the price) and spent the difference on other odds and ends..

The retailer said that S&H have decided to give refunds to the resellers, I guess to save their own image in this big mess...

FWIW: The dutch oven, wok and griddle I replaced with Chassuer Cast Iron, very happy with them..

 

[Chopstix]

I sure regret not having read this thread before today. I just got tired of cheap teflon pans and decided to buy something really good. So I bought a Scanpan 28cm Ceramic Titanium Non-stick frypan yesterday! The sales person said it was definitely way better than the Calphalon I was looking at.

For one thing, they said you can use metal utensils with it (not that I intend to but wow right?) (You can't do that with Calphalon.) And Scanpan has a ten year warranty. The saleperson said he has never gotten a single customer complaint about the product.

Then I found this thread. Yikes! After reading the earlier posts about the X and the Z and ZX marks in the bottom of the pan, I checked mine and it had the dreaded X- meaning it belongs to the faulty batch.

Now I'm hoping somebody would chime up and say that the problem has been corrected, even with the X stocks that are in the market today. I noticed jeisner's earlier posts about the X problem were dated long ago.

I have not used the fry pan yet. I'm doing some more research. I just might return the item tomorrow. So far, I have only read pretty good reviews about this (including at Epinions). Only jeisner above has had a consistently bad experience with it...

Anybody?

 

[TATTRAT]

wow. what a horror story....

Sorry to all involved, I have never even heard of this product, but will avoid it in the future.

 

[jeisner]

Only jeisner above has had a consistently bad experience with it...

I don't think I am the only one!

From the email I got from the local distributor:

"[FONT=&quot]I sympathize with the fact that you have had multiple returns on your pans and unfortunately it is something I have continually heard for nearly 3 years. "[/FONT]

That said the frypans are better... From what I have been told by resellers.. It is mainly the pans with tall sides (wok, dutch oven, cassarole) that bubbles on the walls.. I have an 'U' range frypan (32cm) which is now 3 years old and no problems.. And it is great to cook on, as is the wok (until it starts to peel) for dutch oven/casaroles I find I actually prefer the enamled cast iron stuff...

 

[kitchenelf]

My sister loves hers!!!!! I was out there and cooked on them. They were great! I have hard anodized Calphalon and you can beat them with a hammer and they will be ok - but not everyone likes them because of the upkeep. I'm sure you will be happy with your pan Chopstix. You cannot believe the negative comments about the Calphalon hard anodized aluminum I have heard - I can assure you it is a GREAT product and I wish they still made them!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chopstix]

Well, I sorta panicked and returned the dang thing this afternoon. I figured I can always go back and buy it anyway. I can always do more research on it. Meantime, I'm also looking at Calphalon...

Thanks Jeisner. And thank you Elf for being so positive! If I still had the pan, I would have felt so much better after reading your post and I would have decided to stick with it!

 

[Corey123]

I don't like Calphalon's new style, especially not the handles.

They are so **** ugly!!!


~Corey123.