Does anyone use pampered chef stoneware?

[JohnnyDeppsfuturewife]

My first ever post!

Last night i went to a pampered chef party and having decided I would not spend any more money on cookware or gadgets I am now tempted to get some stoneware. For example the rectangular or square baker.

www.pamperedchef.co.uk/ordering/category_details.tpc?code=FH&id=9&parentCatId=9&parentId=

A couple of friends there rated them highly as you can just 'throw' the food in and produce a good result. So for example I was told you could just put in a couple of pieces of salmon with seasoning and they wouldn't dry out - so no faffing about with putting them in foil etc. and apparently things don't stick to them so you don't have to use as much oil.

So before I spend money on yet another piece of cookware I don't need I thought I'd ask if anyone had experience of them. Or are there any other pampered chef products that you rate highly?

[notso]

I have the large rectangular baker and the medium bar pan, didn't pay that much for them though, 20% off and the bar pan was free.
They are ok, I do use them a lot but they aren't the miracle dishes the PC rep made out. She said you couldn't dry food out on them - you can. They stay hot for ages though which means less microwaving DH's food when he gets stuck in traffic.
The negatives are they make me cringe to touch, they are very heavy, and they look minging.

I got them because although they were pricey I thought they would get more use than the other things in the catalogue. MIL bought a £15 mango wedger which two years on she's used once!

[mistlethrush]

I use stoneware a lot - do find it easy to clean (mind you, some of mine is nearly black now) and find that everything comes out well - crispy for the things you want and moist for things that you want to retain moisture (I really don't know how that works, but it does). DH also uses it a lot for cooking meat (which I don't do).

[Bowlersarm]

It's interesting that a few posters have said now much they like the pizza stone thing. I have one and used it for ages, until the kids said they didn't want pizza at home anymore because they were always soggy, and not how they used to be! So now i put pizzas directly on oven shelf again and don't use pizza stone.

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

Yes, so can I. But the PC ones don't use oil. They have much fewer calories, and you put the batter into a cold dish and don't risk third degree burns from scalding hot fat!

[Bunbaker]

"The yorkshire puddings never fail to impress me!"

I make Yorkshire puddings in a metal tin and they rise just as well as those made in the stoneware muffin tray, but they don't stick at all.

amistillsexy Amazon sell the Procook pizza stone for £10, and it comes complete with the metal rack.

[amistillsexy]

I used my pizza stone regularly for all sorts-pizza, obviously, but also bread, and anything you'd stick on a baking sheet.

Then DH 'helpfully' slid it into the washing up bowl fresh from the oven, and it shattered. I don't think I've ever got over it !

All those who are saying 'get a cheaper one', where do they sell cheaper pizza stones?

I agree about buying wine instead, by the way, it's the wine that's meant I can't replace my pizza stone!

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

I have pretty much the entire range. I used to be a rep. I love it all. I particularly love the deep dish baker, the bar pans and the muffin tray. The yorkshire puddings never fail to impress me! The stuff is not cheap, but IMO its worth the money. I have cupboards full of their stuff. I adore my microplane grater!

[FairhairedandFrustrated]

I love pampered chef too!!

I bought their pairing knives, a big green kinfe which is brilliant, a jug with a lid and 2 of the stonewear items - one with handles and a pizza stone.

The pizza stone is used a lot of the time, dh makes amazing garlic bread and pizza on it. We use it for making biscuits etc and same as someone up thread, we just rinse it with water and use the wee scraper thingy (technical term ) that came with it!

I use the wee knives to top and tail strawberries, grapes, kiwi etc (you can use any knife I suppose, but I like these wee ones!)

I hosted a party though so got a lot of it from the bonus of being a hostess :)

Also got a measuring item, you turn it upside down depending if it's solids or liquids you're measuring! And wee small glass bowls with lids. I use them if I've grated too much ginger or cut too much garlic and it saves in a nice wee small bowl without taking up too much room in the fridge.

It must be about 5 or 6 years since I got all that stuff & everything works fine!!

[notapizzaeater]

I use mine all the time and it goes in the dishwasher !!! Doesn't taste of anything. Don't like the idea of not putting it in the dishwasher tbh.

[Springforward]

I've got a round pizza stone which I use loads and love, but it's pricey so I'm not likely to buy any more.

[JohnnyDeppsfuturewife]

Thank you for all your answers I still really like it (just remembered someone at the party also mentioned that roast potatoes were fab) but I can't justify spending the money on something I don't need. Similarly I loved the chopper too but realised I have an expensive magimix I should use more often. So I've decided to buy the dobber thing and some knives because I definitely do need knives.

In my 20s I used to go to Ann summers parties. Now I get excited by silicon spatulas and pastry brushes. Feeling old

[Shiraztastic]

I never used mine often, as it was a pain n the neck to clean. Then dm came to visit and filled it with lots of washing up liquid to remove the dirt. After that everything tasted soapy, so I chucked it.

Waste of money

[CharlieBoo]

Don't get one... I too was sucked in and it's totally naff.. Glorified baking sheet as other have said... The thing I did buy which I use a lot is the food chopper upper thingy that you bash the top down over and over and it chops things up really finely... Otherwise... Head to pound land or home bargains!!

[Bunbaker]

I use metal baking trays for roasts and pizzas and they are superb (and much cheaper)

[Bowlersarm]

OP i use mine for roasts generally, either the meat or more usually roast potatoes. Roast potatoes come out very well. I have used it for things like salmon which i think you mentioned

[Bunbaker]

The one item that I have bought from them and really rate is a bread knife. It really is brilliant.

[SlatternismyMiddlename]

Don't do it! I bought 2 and loved them but both were broken within the year. The first one fair enough (i put it in luke warm water after I had taken it out of the oven and had eaten my dinner but it obviously was still too warm) but the second a SINGLE drop of cold water dropped on it when it had been out of the oven for about 20 mins and the whole thing shattered.

I did really like them but never again would put money into something that was so 'precious'.

[Freddiemisagreatshag]

Bacofoil release. Does the same job - nothing sticks - and it's a lot cheaper. Buy it in Tescos for a couple of quid.

[LadyMaryQuiteContrary]

Pound shop, Johnny.

[JohnnyDeppsfuturewife]

Ladymary I was thinking it would be a nice gadget for my dds (who are 4 and 2) but maybe I should use what we have already.

[FreakoidOrganisoid]

I also love the stoneware. I use kitchen roll to get most of the grease off then hot water and the scraper. I do wash it up sometimes too though. My square baker and big rectngular flat one get used most days.

[JohnnyDeppsfuturewife]

Treaclesoda I can't imagine anyone ever rushing to be the first to wash something up in my house

[treaclesoda]

I really just use it as a glorified baking tin/sheet. If I were cooking something like chicken goujons, on they go and they come up nice and crispy and they don't stick. I stick sausages on it and put them in the oven to cook. Roast vegetables on it. Anything and everything really!

[Runningblue]

I think lakeland has cheaper options than pampered chef. I succumbed and wished i hadnt bothered. I just dont use them
I do however use a pizza stone a lot, and is good for making bread too. I think they have that in the range.

[LadyMaryQuiteContrary]

But, Johnny, you can use the top of a lemonade bottle for free!