Stainless steel pot question

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If you would be using it in the oven, yes. If you are thinking of using it on the stove I would reconsider - it would be hard to get even a great pot to heat the batter as evenly as a slow cooker (crock pot) would. 8 Quarts is also massive!
 
Doing rebatch and HP are optional. As long as you have something safe to CP in, I would not worry about anything else. You can always make confetti soap instead of a rebatch.
 
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Doing rebatched and HP are optional. As long as you have something safe to CP in, I would not worry about anything else. You can always make confetti soap instead of a rebatch.

Thanks for responding. I just can't find a crockpot here so was thinking stainless steel pot. If I can find a 2qt do you think HP or rebatch would be okay in it? I wanted to make some quick gift soaps for people but I plan to keep the pot to do CP as well.
 
Hp soaps need at least as long as cp soaps to cure, if not longer. Please do not think you are doing anyone a favour by giving them young hp soaps - you are actually doing them (and you) a great disservice.

^This.

To answer the question of if a 2 qt pot would be a good size, it depends on your size batch. Also, you need a pot that is taller than it is round preferably. And don't forget to check it with a magnet before buying it. If the magnet does not stick, I do not buy it.
 
^This.

To answer the question of if a 2 qt pot would be a good size, it depends on your size batch. Also, you need a pot that is taller than it is round preferably. And don't forget to check it with a magnet before buying it. If the magnet does not stick, I do not buy it.

Your method is actually counterproductive. When steel contains sufficient nickel, it becomes non-magnetic. These "austenitic" steels are the most corrosion-resistant. 18/8, 18/10 and 300-series steels are non-magnetic austenitic (versus ferritic) steels.

This photo shows a powerful magnet next to one of my pots with 18/10 (18% chrome, 10% nickel) stamped on the bottom. These magnets are so strong they come with plastic spacers to put between them, or they would be extremely difficult to pry apart. The pot is made of high-quality steel, and if it was magnetic this magnet would -- from an even greater distance -- leap onto it with a big clang and possibly break.

steel%20magnet.jpg


Different pot with no indication on the bottom.

steel%20magnetic.jpg

Thanks for responding. I just can't find a crockpot here so was thinking stainless steel pot. If I can find a 2qt do you think HP or rebatch would be okay in it? I wanted to make some quick gift soaps for people but I plan to keep the pot to do CP as well.

You can get 2 pots to make a double boiler.
 
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I understand that there are stainless steel pots that some folks have very good results from that a magnet will not stick to. However, every time I used one of mine that says stainless steel on the bottom that a magnet does not stick to, I had issues with my soap. Every last time. I finally just got rid of the pot. On the other hand, I have a couple of pots from the thrift store that I paid much less for than the other one, and I have never once had an issue.

I am not telling anyone to do anything that I have not personally tried and tested. It is completely up to everyone else to tell folks that they, themselves, use stainless steel that magnets do not stick to. I will not ever get offended. Your experience does not have to match mine, we are all entitled to different opinions as long as we all stay polite.
 
Do you know anyone in the US who could send you a slow cooker? Can you order from Amazon? If the latter is an option, this may be a great cost efficient option when shipping comes to mind.

Edit- scratch the suggestion unless you have a relative or someone who can mail you the crockpot after ordering it. Amazon ships to Bermuda or Trinidad/Tobago.

Still, Macy's has a few things slow cooker. They're just slightly over priced, with the exception of the Cuisinart.

http://www1.macys.com/shop/search?keyword=slow+cooker
 
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I understand that there are stainless steel pots that some folks have very good results from that a magnet will not stick to. However, every time I used one of mine that says stainless steel on the bottom that a magnet does not stick to, I had issues with my soap. Every last time. I finally just got rid of the pot. On the other hand, I have a couple of pots from the thrift store that I paid much less for than the other one, and I have never once had an issue.

I am not telling anyone to do anything that I have not personally tried and tested. It is completely up to everyone else to tell folks that they, themselves, use stainless steel that magnets do not stick to. I will not ever get offended. Your experience does not have to match mine, we are all entitled to different opinions as long as we all stay polite.

Sorry about your bad pot. You are entitled to keep your opinions, but I would suggest being open-minded considering your evidence sounds like it might be limited.

There are some facts in the world that are as well established as the color of the sky, and I feel entitled to state some of them:

Attraction to a magnet cannot in any way, shape or form be considered to indicate a higher quality steel. It is only a certain type of steel with a certain crystal structure. Different steels are used for different purposes. 400-series steel is magnetic type and is sometimes used for utensils or cookware.

By far the most common steel used in quality cookware is 304 aka 18/8, for its attractiveness and corrosion resistance. Some high end cookware uses 316 steel, which is even more corrosion resistant and can be used in marine and biomedical applications.

The only steels specifically recommended for applications involving sodium hydroxide are 300-series steels. They are considered essentially completely resistant to NaOH solutions up to 50% concentration to about 175 F. Even these steels can be etched or damaged at higher temps.

300-series steel is not attracted by magnets.
 

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