I’d just like to put in a good word for Revere Ware.
Sixteen, almost seventeen, years ago, we received a set of Revere Ware pans as a wedding gift from my uncle. We’ve used them daily for all of those years, and they have occasionally served as an impromptu drum set for the little ones. With constant use and mild abuse, I suppose it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to me when earlier this year, the round black knob atop the lid of one of the bigger pots popped off. We couldn’t reattach it, but I kept using the lid and simply handled it with potholders. This is not a good idea. Several times I got a slight steam-burn when the lid slipped or I couldn’t whisk it away fast enough.
I needed a new lid. With a knob.
Before traipsing off to a kitchen store for a new pot and lid, I decided I would contact the company and see if could buy a replacement lid from them.
I submitted a note via the online form under customer care and received a prompt and pleasant reply. They said that if I phoned them with my shipping address, they’d be happy to accommodate my request.
I got a pleasant woman on the line when I phoned.
I told her the pots were over 16 years old, and I have no paperwork or warranty information. Could I buy a new lid from them?
“You won’t need to buy one–we’ll just send you a new lid. Revere Ware pans have a 25-year warranty. And you don’t need any paperwork.”
I gave her my address, and she said that they’d ship it right away. I didn’t have to pay for the lid or shipping. I didn’t have to send in the broken lid or the knob. I just had to inform them of my situation, and this positive, upbeat customer service representative took care of everything.
I got it yesterday: a shiny new lid with a gleaming black knob.
So many companies try to get out of their warranty obligations, I thought I would praise a place that went far beyond what I ever expected or imagined.
I had a similar experience with KitchenAid. The little rubber feet under my big stand mixer, dating back to 1985, were crumbling. I called the company, also offered to buy a set of rubber feet thingies. The nice lady said they would send me a set. They arrived in the mail, quickly, and were free! Nice to hear some consumer companies are so service-oriented.
Customer service as it should be. Nice to hear some companies are getting it right!
I am still using a Revere Ware kettle that my mother received as a wedding present – in 1942! I also have 4 Revere kettles of my own. I couldn’t cook without them. Somehow I’m not surprised that a company that produces such a quality product would provide outstanding customer service too.
Wow, what a great experience! I’ve never heard of Revere Ware before. I’ll have to keep it in mind the next time we’re in the market for pans.
Ann,
I have one Revere pot that my mother used while we were growing up and now I use it. You are right, they are the best pans! And now to hear their customer service is great makes it even better!!
PS.Your book list looks great. Do you like the Kimmel one?
Carole: Just imagine how little that cost the company to send you those little rubber feet compared to how great you felt–and still feel–about them? And here we are giving them free Internet advertising! You’d think they’d all catch on.
Karen: Yes!
PamelaHD: My mom still uses hers from 1956. It’s not fancy, but it sure is durable and works great for us!
Lazy Organizer: As I just mentioned to Pamela, it’s not fancy stuff, but it’s really durable (and as I discovered, the people behind the pots are very nice, too).
Andrea: You, too? Those pans were built to last! (Except, evidently, for my little knob). And yes, I did like that Kimmel book. He helps families determine godly direction and define true success from a biblical, truly Christian perspective.
My husband bought me Calphalon as my college graduation present 15 years ago, which is just many of the millions of reasons that I love him.
Two years ago, I discovered that Calphalon has a lifetime guarantee. Since my pots were showing wear from a tremendous amount of use (I love to cook), I called them and they said to send them back and they would replace. I sent them back in two different shipments and I received new pans, with all the upgrades, in a week.
I say this only to show that some other companies have what it takes to go the extra mile!
I wish I could share the same good experience. I have a dutch oven that I have been waiting for over 4 months to get a replacement for (same issue that you had). Originally, World Kitchen told me that they couldn’t do anything for me from a warranty perspective (even though it’s still under warranty) and they couldn’t sell any parts to me. Through persistence, they agreed to send me a replacement dutch oven and lid. That was December 2007. I have called every three to four weeks and am always told that I’m near the top of the list. I’m assured that they truly process warranty items. Their supervisor is personally handling my issue. Very, very frustrating indeed. It’s a sad shame that when World Kitchen purchased Revereware, the entire Revereware image has been shattered. My mother and grandmother used Revereware for over 50 years.
I too had a problem recently with World Kitchen. I have the revere pots and pans from my mother and the lid knobs are starting to break. I asked where I could get them and was told they do not repair and recommended I not use the pan. Why should I throw away a great pan just because the knob on the lid has broken. I looked at the new pans and the knobs looked the same to me. I guess Revere Ware has now joined the list of companies who don’t care about their customer base.
Mark and others, Revere Ware has been through a lot of changes since their original bankruptcy in the late 1990’s. While the current owner of the brand, World Kitchen, is responsive to some, they provide no help to people with the older, better made cookware and have not responded at all to most of my questions. Unfortunately, the stuff they are selling today is no match for the stuff made decades ago, much of which is still in use.
It was through my own frustration on the lack of information and replacement parts that I created reverewareparts.com and had many common replacement parts made (like replacement lid knobs). You can buy them there now. I have also been busy finding manuals for the older cookware and making them available as PDF files.
I’d love to see the manuals on copper clad bottoms, that recommend how to use and how to clean them properly, thanks, I’ve been collecting revere wear for several months and as a pretty good home cook, these pans have become my pans of choice!!!
Brian, I’m glad you have found these quality products. I found an old skillet and lid at Goodwill and bought it for my daughter–also a copper clad bottom type. I have no idea how to properly clean them. I don’t think I ever really thoughts about it. But they’ve continued to be workhorses for me and hope that this skillet gets my daughter set up as a young adult with a pan she can use for years.
Hi There: I will be 80 years young in Jan. My husband Jim & I were married in July 1949. Back then you didn’t have much $$ & credit was not hardly heard of. We set up house keeping in !/2 of a double, in just 3 rooms.
We decided then to start buying good cookware just one piece at a time. Over several years & 3 children I think I have the complete set of your copper bottom Revere Ware.
It is still just like new, I love it & use it every day. My grandchildred tell me ” I am a good cooker” well I know a lot of the credit goes to the good cook ware that I use. One of the handles on by med. size skillet that also fits my dutch oven seemed to crumble a little in the oven years ago. But still works just fine.
We raised our 3 childred & 4 foster childen, now have 5 grandchildren and now 6 great granchildren, & I am still rattling the same pots & pans. My oldest granddayghter lives in CA. she loved to help me cook in these pans & I have them in my will to her.
My husbad, Jim has been gone now almost 8 years & I still cook every day good meals in them for me. Again Thank you for a great “ever lasting product” that is a real part of my family.
Sincerly, Mary Jane Weaver
Hello my name is Crystal and Mary Jane is my Grma (above post). I began learning how to cook with Revere Ware copper cookware and I can remember using my Grma’s pots and pans to make sea foam candy (Mmm!). My husband and I will be very honored to recieve my Grma and Grpa’s set when my Grma joins my Grpa. It will be so special to tell our kids (and their kids etc etc) the story behind them and how much joy they brought to our family and my Grma’s great cooking! Grma I love you and I will teach my little ones how to cook and clean the copper pans just like you did me!
Crystal in California
I have a beautiful 8″ skillet that I cannot use because everything sticks. Please telll me what to use on it so that it will release the contents. I have re-seasoned it to no avail.
Vivian, I use canola oil spray which allows things to slide right off in many cases. You can’t cook on them without some kind of oil. Just out of curiosity, how did you season the Revere Ware pan? I have never heard of seasoning Revere Ware. Seasoning cast iron is another story and an absolute necessity.
Hi, Vivian! Like Peter suggested, I spray my Revere Ware skillets heavily with nonstick spray like canola or olive oil. Things stick more than to a coated skillet, but I’m trying to phase out Teflon and am willing to take on the extra calories/fat. Spray liberally. That’s my only advice. I usually have to soak it after regardless.
I put a batch of eggs to hard boil on the stove at somebody else’s house… I had brought my own Revere Ware saucepan, as I always just loved the look / feel / size. Do you know, I FORGOT ABOUT MY EGGS, left the house for THREE HOURS with the stove and eggs on FULL BLAST.. It was just a STROKE OF LUCK that I remembered ” I NEVER SHUT THE STOVE OFF !! I JUST BURNED DOWN SOMEBODY ELSE’S HOUSE ???? !!!!! ” And grabbed my purse, FLEW down the street the 5 miles , expecting to see yellow caution tape, fire dept. people, etc.
CAN YOU BELIEVE, aside from THICK, STINKY BLACK SMOKE ALL OVER and a smell that’ll take MONTHS to get rid of.. NOTHING ELSE BURNED, NOT EVEN THE PAN … It’s stained from now on, but still USEABLE AFTER THAT ??
My sister told me chances were pretty good that had I NOT been using Revere Ware,
had it been just some cheaply made pan, or Teflon, etc. , this could have been catastrophic ! I KNOW IT, too, and I know Teflon or any of that stuff is poisonous to animals, so I never use it… Would you believe, I just cleaned that pan… The color is changed, but there is NOT ONE WARP OR BUBBLE ON IT… I HAD to get this fact out there…. UNBELIEVABLE and I will NEVER use anything but REVERE WARE AGAIN !! THANK YOU , REVEREWARE FOR SAVING MY FRIEND’S HOUSE AND MY SANITY !!!!! Natalie of Venice, Calif.
I love Revere Ware and I hope I can find replacement lids for some pots my mother had. I use my Revere Ware all the time and my grandkids also tell me they love my cooking, so it’s gotta be the cookware!
Somehow the lids went missing from my mother’s stuff once she passed away, so I hope I can find the lids I need.
Oh, I hope you can, too, Glenda! Maybe look on ebay? I can imagine someone selling only the lid.
I stumbled on your old blog post when looking up ways to re-attach a lid for Revere Ware. I too have old pots & skillets that i either inherited from my mom or found at thrift shops. I love the cookware! A few years back, my husband burned popcorn in one of my pans, I thought it was ruined. I put it away because I couldn’t stand to see it and not be able to use it. Finally pulled it out and tried a cleaning method for severely burned pans which I found online, and voila! Almost as good as new! I haven’t found a solution to re-attaching my old lid so I’ll just try gluing it back on (have handle & the screw is still there).
Congratulations! I’m so glad you could use the pan again after a good cleaning. Hooray for all the people who take time to make tutorials and explanations. Also, I got to thinking, I wonder if you could find a welder to weld the lid handle back on? Is that too intense?