Choosing a stainless steel cooker

apsuhos · Apr 22, 2015

Hello all!

I want to purchase a stainless steel cooker for soapmaking. I found out that there are different standardized steels (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_steel#Comparison_of_standardized_steels)

Do you have any idea why I should prefer one over the other? A local store has a stainless steel cooker and the in the product description the "type" of the stainless steel is "18/10 (AISI 304 BA)". Is this suitable for CP soapmaking?

DeeAnna · Apr 22, 2015

Yes, that would work well. There's no need to seek out specialized alloys -- anything suitable for kitchen use is fine. The point of using stainless steel is to get something that doesn't rust and is reasonably chemically inert.

Soapacetic · Apr 22, 2015

Thinner/lighter may be better!

Depending on what size you choose, remember that it will be even heavier once you have oils in it.

Just saying, since there are some pots out there that are 5-10 lbs empty.

I found some that are SS but are very thin and light...makes things easier.

LBussy · Apr 22, 2015

Soapacetic said:
Thinner/lighter may be better!

Depending on what size you choose, remember that it will be even heavier once you have oils in it.

Just saying, since there are some pots out there that are 5-10 lbs empty.

I found some that are SS but are very thin and light...makes things easier.

I have no idea what one would use a pot for in CP but assuming you would want to put it on a stove, thinner is not better. A thicker steel (on the bottom obviously) will spread heat more evenly. It's not uncommon to see the "coils" on the inside of a pot in cooked-on mung from an electric stove and too thin of a pot.

apsuhos · Apr 22, 2015

Thank you all for your answers! They were really helpful! :thumbup:

Soapacetic · Apr 22, 2015

LBussy said:
I have no idea what one would use a pot for in CP but assuming you would want to put it on a stove, thinner is not better. A thicker steel (on the bottom obviously) will spread heat more evenly. It's not uncommon to see the "coils" on the inside of a pot in cooked-on mung from an electric stove and too thin of a pot.

We use SS pots for CP, and they are light, they do the job great.

I added that lighter is better since I saw a SS pot over the weekend and boy was it heavy. I would rather lift a 5 lb total vrs a 10-15 lb total.

The stove in my kitchen has a glass top with no coils, forgot the coils ones were still out there, my mistake.

LBussy · Apr 22, 2015

Ah, I get it.

I have very few "single use" tools in my soap supplies. My SS "lye pitchers" are used for frothing milk after they are washed, etc. If I was to buy a pot for soap use I'd make sure it was suitable for something else. A thin pot is generally only good for boiling water.

I don't have a coil stove but I was just giving an example of how quickly and unevenly the heat transfers through a thin pot. I used to brew beer on the stovetop (a very bad Idea I might add) and the wort was so high in protein that it developed that "scum" on the bottom. To clean we boiled caustic water in it.

Soapacetic · Apr 22, 2015

homebrew beer...oh yeah that's fun! Nothing like a good 'ol boil over!

Some peeps may have to use a stove if they dont have a microwave.
I choose stove even though we have both.

Normal for our process is setting the SS pot of oils on the hot stove and then turning it off. They will heat
up slowly while the lye (in a large plastic yogurt container) is cooling in a cold tap water bath.

They both come to same temp in 30 min or so.

I do weigh oils/butters in plastic tho.

Choosing a stainless steel cooker

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