# Problem with New Vollrath Tribute Fry Pans



## marcc (Jan 26, 2014)

Hi All,

Lately, I've realized that I could really use a couple additional fry pans for my home kitchen, so I did a good deal of research to find a good quality pan at a good value. In some old discussion threads, the Vollrath Tribute pans were recommended as a very good overall choice. I've never owned a Vollrath item before, but it sounds like they're well-respected. I pulled the trigger on two 10-inch Tribute pans, and they arrived today. As I was hand-washing them, I noticed something that bugged me: the sponge was catching at various places along the rim of the pan, and when I picked up the sponge to look at it, there was a small piece of metal lodged in the fibers of the sponge. A few minutes later, another small piece of metal came off. 

The layer of 18-8 stainless steel on the pan's inside surface extends to the rim of the pan, but the very edge of this stainless layer (visible along the rim) appears ever-so-slightly uneven. This is where the small pieces of metal were torn off during washing. The edge is just barely uneven enough that a thorough scrubbing can tear off small bits of the interior stainless layer.

I'm concerned about this. As I understand it, small metal shards like that could be potentially dangerous if they were eaten (they could tear the intestinal wall). I think it's somewhat unlikely that metal would be torn off during cooking, but if a piece was loose enough, it could come off with little warning. Has anyone noticed a similar issue with other Vollrath Tribute cookware? Should I exchange or return these pans and look for a different model?

Marc


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

I'd probably just take some wet dry sandpaper and smooth out the edges myself.


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## marcc (Jan 26, 2014)

I contacted Vollrath technical support and explained the problem to them. They took it very seriously said it sounded unusual. They paid for return shipping, examined the pans, and found an issue with their manufacturing process that was causing the uneven edge on the 18/8 stainless layer. They sent me the newly-manufactured replacements today, and they definitely improved the unevenness along the rim.

I'm blown away by the level of customer service they provided. I fully expected to hear that the uneven edge is an inevitable by-product of production that is not covered by the warranty. They shattered my expectations and provided a level of customer service I've never seen before. Who has ever heard of a company modifying their manufacturing process based on feedback from a single customer? I'm beyond impressed.


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