second hand cooking utensils what do you think

newbiemum05 · 10 April 2007 at 5:48PM

My kitchen faves are my huge pyrex (MIL's old one - too big for her now everyone has left home), my huge baking bowl (charity shop - always on the look out for another), my three bean pots (we call them ramer pots ?? - all carboot sales, one large two small)
I'd love a potato ricer as the new ones are rubbish, same with most things, new just isn't built to last. If I see it second hand I know it's already lasted for several years, much mopre than a lot of the things I've bought new.

I'd love old 2nd hand baking tins, I hate the teflon coated stuff, but unless I pay a fortune that's all there seems to be !?!

I'd say GO FOR IT (or tell me where and I will LOL)

seashore321 · 10 April 2007 at 6:03PM

Whatever you buy vintage if it has survived this long is probably better made than most modern stuff.

If you have a dishwasher put in usual cleaner and a Milupa tablet and it will be fine.

Glassware that has stains in it can usually be cleaned (i have found 9 out of 10 times )by a steradent tablet, sometimes if a stubborn stain I put steradent tablet and vinegar. I also keep the steradent tube for collecting 20p's. ( How sad am I) no comments required.

Bleach is fantastic for white porcelain tureens put in one cap full and boiling water. Also if you put something fizzy in (not a well known product like rola cola) tonic water , lemonade the bubbles seem to get any residual brown stuff out.

newbiemum05 · 10 April 2007 at 7:22PM

thanks for those top tips seashore - have sometimes left very stained items on the charity shop shelf, but may give them a second look now !

DawnW · 10 April 2007 at 7:28PM

'retro' is fashionable now, YOU will know what is and is not grotty! But I have lovely old porcelain and bone china dinner/tea services, earthenware pie dishes, bowls, casseroles, heavy gauge pans etc, from family, charity shops, car boot sales etc. All spotlessly clean, and most can go through the dishwasher, though do be very careful with fine china. My daughter and her partner were delighted to have her gran's old cream and white ceramic mixing bowl, wooden rolling pin, enamelled cast iron saucepans, ceramic and old pyrex baking dishes etc, even though they are really quite well off. Old non stick baking trays and pans not so good though perhaps. Just be selective!