IKEA cookware guarantee

Everyday life at home puts high demands on cookware. IKEA pots, pans and woks are rigorously tested to cope with everyday use. We guarantee the function of IKEA pots, pans and woks without a non-stick coating for 15 years. That means that they will retain their functionality, provided that our care instructions are followed and they are subjected to normal domestic use (cooking and washing once a day). This guarantee of function, materials and workmanship is subject to the terms and conditions stated in this folder.

How long is the guarantee valid?
The guarantee for IKEA pots, pans and woks without a non-stick coating remains in force for fifteen (15) years from the date of purchase. The original purchase receipt is required as proof of purchase.

What is covered under this guarantee?
This guarantee covers function, materials and workmanship in all IKEA pots, pans and woks without a non-stick coating. This means that, in normal domestic use and provided that our care instructions are followed, they will retain their functionality over time, even after 15 years. Normal use is defined as using an item for cooking and washing it once a day.

The guarantee covers:
• Stability of the base. In other words, the base of the cookware remains flat to conduct heat efficiently.
• The construction of the product, no breakages or cracks will happen in the metal parts, handles, etc.
• For pots, pans and woks in stainless steel or stainless steel with metallised coating: washing in a domestic dishwasher. This does not have an adverse effect on the function of stainless-steel cookware. Please refer to the care instructions provided with the product for more details.
• For pots, pans and woks in stainless steel with copper surface, cast iron, enamelled cast iron, enamelled steel, carbon steel or cookware with wooden parts: the guarantee is valid only if you wash your cookware by hand. Please refer to the care instructions provided with the product for more details. 

Products not covered under this guarantee:
Pots, pans or woks with a non-stick coating are not part of the guarantee.

What will IKEA do to correct the problem?
IKEA will examine the product and decide, at its sole discretion, if it is covered under this guarantee. If considered covered, IKEA will then, at its sole discretion, replace it with the same or a comparable product.
If the item is no longer sold by IKEA, IKEA will provide an appropriate replacement. It is IKEA that determines, at its sole discretion, what constitutes an appropriate replacement.

What is not covered under this guarantee?
This guarantee does not cover non-domestic use. This guarantee does not cover changes in the appearance of the cookware unless they have a significant effect on function. This guarantee does not apply to products that have been stored incorrectly, used inappropriately, abused, misused, altered, or cleaned with wrong cleaning methods or cleaning products. This guarantee does not cover normal wear and tear, cuts or scratches, or damage caused by impacts or accidents. This guarantee does not apply if the product has been placed outdoors or in a humid environment. This guarantee does not cover consequential or incidental damages.
For customers in the US only: some states do not allow the limitation or exclusion of incidental or consequential damage, so this limitation or exclusion may not apply to you.

Care instructions
Different care instructions for cookware apply to different materials, make sure to follow the instructions that comes with your product. Below you will find all instructions divided by material. If you are uncertain what care instructions you should follow, please contact your nearest IKEA store/Customer Service or see www.IKEA.com. 

Care instructions for stainless steel cookware
Cleaning
• The cookware is dishwasher safe. 
• Do not use steel wool or anything that may scratch the surface.
• The base is slightly concave when cold, but expands to flatten out when heated. Always leave the cookware to cool before cleaning it. This allows the base to resume its shape and helps to prevent it from becoming uneven with use.
How to use
• Never let the cookware boil dry, because the base becomes skew when overheated.
• When cooking food in a cookware with stainless steel inside, always add salt to the water after the water has been brought to the boil. Adding salt to cold water can cause salt stains that will eventually cause corrosion. 

Care instructions for stainless steel cookware with metallised coating
Cleaning
• The cookware is dishwasher safe.
• The frying pan is made of stainless steel and has a metallised coating that resists abrasives and steel wool.
• The base is slightly concave when cold, but expands to flatten out when heated. Always leave the cookware to cool before cleaning it. This allows the base to resume its shape and helps to prevent it from becoming uneven with use.
How to use
• The metallised coating is suitable for use with abrasives, steel wool and metal utensils. Although the frying pan is highly scratch resistant, it is not scratch proof. Metal utensils might leave small marks and scratches, but it does not affect the performance of the frying pan. 
• Never let the cookware boil dry, because the base becomes skew when overheated.
• When cooking food in a cookware with stainless steel inside, always add salt to the water after the water has been brought to the boil. Adding salt to cold water can cause salt stains that will eventually cause corrosion. 

Care instructions for stainless steel cookware with copper surface
Cleaning
• The cookware should be washed by hand. Use washing-up liquid and a soft brush/sponge. Never use chlorine or other harsh chemicals that may damage the copper.
• Do not use steel wool since it may damage the copper surface.
• The base is slightly concave when cold, but expands to flatten out when heated. Always leave cookware to cool before cleaning it. This allows the base to resume its shape and helps to prevent it from becoming uneven with use.
• Wipe the cookware with a towel immediately after washing the dishes to retain the shine of the copper. Never let the cookware pieces dry on their own, this to avoid water spots and the copper becoming discoloured.
• Over time, copper darkens and becomes tarnished due to the material being in contact with water and oxygen. This is a chemical reaction that produces a natural patina for the copper material and does not mean that the copper has worn out or that something is wrong. If you like, it is possible to get rid of the patina.

The best way to get rid of the patina is to first clean the copper surface and then polish it, please follow the steps below: 
1. To clean the copper surface, start by mixing salt and white vinegar and stir until the salt is properly dissolved. Then moisten a soft scrub sponge in the solution and scrub the surface so that stains disappear. You may use a sponge with abrasives to clean the surface. 
2. To polish the surface, use a special polishing agent for copper and follow its instructions. To prevent scratches from occurring when polishing, ensure to only polish with a dishcloth or sponge without abrasives on the surface. 

When used in an oven or on a gas hob, the cookware can become discoloured. To regain the copper colour, clean and polish the surface according to the steps above.

How to use
• When cooking food in a cookware with stainless steel inside, always add salt to the water after the water has been brought to the boil. Adding salt to cold water can cause salt stains that will eventually cause corrosion. 

Care instructions for cast-iron cookware
Before first use
• In order for the product to resist corrosion and food sticking, this cookware needs to go through a seasoning process. By seasoning, the pores of the pan are filled with oil that forms a protective coating.
• To season a cast iron pan, a small amount of oil is rubbed on to all surfaces of the pan and then it is heated in the oven or on the cooker to max. 150°C (300°F) for minimum one hour. Leave the pan to cool off and wipe off excess oil. This treatment should be repeated three times when the pan is new, but once it has been seasoned it only needs to be treated in this way once in a while.
Cleaning
• Clean the pan after use by washing it by hand in water using a brush. If you wash the cookware while it is still warm, it will be easier to clean. Carefully wipe dry after cleaning.
• Only use hot water for cleaning. Do not use washing-up liquid since it dries out the material and removing the necessary layer of fat that is needed for cast iron surfaces.
• Stains from cooked food can be removed by sprinkling some salt in the pan and then wiping it clean. Salt absorbs excess fat but leaves just enough fat to prevent the pan from drying out.
• If corrosion or food stains occur, or if the food gets burnt and stuck, it can be cleaned with steel wool or an abrasive sponge and then re-seasoned.
• Untreated cast iron can corrode if it is not treated properly. It is therefore important to wipe the cookware dry directly after washing-up and to oil it regularly.
How to use
• Please note that the material for cast iron pans is reactive and not suitable to be in contact with strong acidic foodstuffs (e.g. lemons and tomatoes) as the food can become discoloured or end up with a slight taste of metal. The pan itself can also become discoloured by salts and acidic foodstuffs.
• Do not expose the pan to great and sudden temperature changes, e.g. by pouring cold water into the hot pan, the bottom of the pan might deform.

Care instructions for enamelled cast-iron cookware
Cleaning
• The cookware should be washed by hand after use. Use hot water and washing-up detergent. Dry carefully after cleaning.
• Do not use steel wool or anything that can scratch the surface of the cookware.
How to use
• Do not expose the cookware to heavy variations in temperature, e.g. by moving it from the fridge directly to the cooker, due to the risk of cracking.
• Be careful not to hit or drop the cookware against a hard surface, because then the cookware or the enamel can break.

Care instructions for enamelled steel cookware
Cleaning
• Always wash the product by hand after use. 
• Do not use steel wool or anything that may scratch the surface. 
• The base is slightly concave when cold, but expands to flatten out when heated. Always leave the product to cool before cleaning it. This allows the base to resume its shape and helps to prevent it from becoming uneven with use. 
How to use
• Never let the cookware boil dry, because the base becomes skew when overheated.

Care instructions for carbon steel cookware
Before first use 
• Before you use this product for the first time, wash it by hand and dry thoroughly. Any leftover pre-treated food-grade oil will aid in the seasoning process.
• In order for the product to resist corrosion and to keep food from sticking, this cookware needs to go through a seasoning process. By seasoning, the pores of the pan are filled with oil that forms a protective coating. You can season a carbon steel pan on any cooking zone or in the oven, whichever suits you. Follow the instructions below, or you can follow an instruction video on www.IKEA.com.
Seasoning: Tips and recommendations
• Use a vegetable oil with a high smoke point and neutral taste, for example grapeseed oil or sunflower oil.
• When seasoning, only the cooking surface and the interior sides of the frying pan need to be rubbed with oil. The exterior of the pan just needs a thin layer of oil every now and then to make it corrosion resistant. The handle has been lacquered and does not need to be oiled.
• For best results when seasoning a frying pan on a cooking zone, you should match the size of the cooking zone with the size of the pan. This ensures the heat is evenly distributed during continued use and results in an even seasoning layer for better non-stick performance.
• Be careful not to burn your hands since the frying pan becomes very hot when seasoning. We recommend using a kitchen tong to hold a paper towel when rubbing oil on a hot pan. When seasoning in an oven, let it cool completely before taking it out.
• When you have completed the seasoning instructions, add a tiny bit of fresh oil and give the pan a thorough shine. You can now start cooking with it. The seasoning and its non-stick performance will continue to gradually build up as the pan becomes even darker in colour after usage, and eventually it will be totally black. Note that cooking fat in a carbon steel pan is still a must, although very little is needed compared to for example a stainless-steel pan.

Seasoning on a cooking zone 
1. Pour a generous amount of vegetable oil into the frying pan and rub it all over the entire interior surface by using a piece of paper towel. When done rubbing, there should be enough oil absorbed by the towel for it to drip off the paper. Save the oily paper for later use.
2. Put the frying pan on a cooking zone that matches the size of the pan. Use medium-high heat (6 out of 10) and the frying pan will now slowly heat up and eventually start to smoke a little and to darken in colour, which is normal and part of the process. 
3. Continue the seasoning process for approximately 10 minutes. To ensure that all parts of the surface are covered with oil and to build up an even seasoning layer, the surface should be rubbed with oil every two minutes; use a kitchen tong – to not burn yourself on the hot pan – and hold the oily paper while rubbing. Also, to ensure even heating, try rotating the pan around every now and then. You will notice the oil thickening slightly and being absorbed by the pan. 
4. Take the pan off the heat, wipe off the excess oil with a dry paper towel and let it cool to room temperature. 
5. Repeat the seasoning process for another 10 minutes, but this time only apply just a thin layer of oil using a fresh paper towel. The pan might be slightly drier, and the paper might want to stick; in this case, just add a little more oil so you can smoothly rub the pan every 2 minutes. 
6. Take the pan off the heat, wipe off the excess oil with a dry paper towel and let it cool to room temperature. This time, try to really polish it until the surface gets a dry look. 
7. Repeat the seasoning process one last time using only a thin layer of oil, but reduce the time to approximately 6 minutes. 
8. Take the pan off the heat, wipe off the excess oil with a dry paper towel and let it cool to room temperature.

Seasoning in an oven 
1. Preheat your oven to 200 C° (392 °F). 
2. Pour just enough vegetable oil into the frying pan and rub it all over the entire interior surface by using a piece of paper towel. 
3. Put the frying pan in the oven for about 30-40 minutes. 
4. Leave the pan to cool to room temperature and wipe off the excess oil.
5. Repeat the process and season it one more time. 
6. Leave the pan to cool to room temperature and wipe off the excess oil.
Care and cleaning 
• Clean the pan after use by washing it by hand in water with a brush. If you wash the cookware while it is still warm, it will be easier to clean. If you like, you can carefully add a small drop of washing-up liquid. Note that too much washing-up liquid might dry out the material and remove the necessary layer of fat that is needed for carbon steel surfaces.
• Stains from cooked food can be removed by sprinkling some salt in the pan and then wiping it clean. Salt absorbs excess fat but leaves just enough fat to prevent the pan from drying out.
• If corrosion or food stains occur, or if the food burns and sticks, it can be cleaned with steel wool or an abrasive sponge and then re-seasoned.
• Untreated carbon steel can corrode if it is not treated properly. It is therefore important to wipe the cookware dry directly after washing-up and to oil it regularly.
How to use
• Please note that the material for carbon steel pans is reactive and not suitable to be in contact with strong acidic foodstuffs (e.g. lemons and tomatoes) as the food can become discoloured or end up with a slight taste of metal. The pan itself can also become discoloured by salts and acidic foodstuffs. 
• Do not expose the pan to great and sudden temperature changes, e.g. by pouring cold water into the hot pan, the bottom of the pan might deform.

Additional care instructions for cookware with wooden parts
Do not allow wooden parts like handle or knob to be in contact with water for a prolonged period of time, to soak or be moist. This can cause the wood to split. To protect against grease and to increase its natural resistance to moisture, the wood should be treated with oil approved for contact with food, for instance vegetable oil. Oil once, wipe off any surplus oil and then repeat the treatment 24 hours later.

How country, provincial and state law applies
This guarantee gives you specific legal rights, and is in addition to your statutory legal rights.

How to reach us if you need assistance
Contact your local IKEA store. You will find the address and phone number in the IKEA catalogue or at www.IKEA.com.

Note – This guarantee only applies to purchases made from September 1, 2024.