Does anyone have experience with Lustre Craft? A friend recently gifted us 3 pots when she moved; I am totally enamored of them. They are built like tanks—definitely not going to win any beauty prizes—but they’re made in America and they seem to cook everything beautifully (at least in my amateur-ish hands). It’s the type of cookware that my poor immigrant mom would’ve purchased instead of her Farberware had she known about them.
Long ago, I got rid of my rice cooker and now make rice on the stove top. With my newly-acquired Lustre Craft, it turns out great every time—I just started a pot. I haven’t delved too deep, but the company talks about waterless cooking, and I can see what they mean. The lid forms a tight seal and traps in the vestigial moisture.
I’ve never heard of this cookware. I’m currently visiting with my mother and using her vintage Revere Ware copper bottom pots and pans she & my father received as a wedding present in 1951. She still has all of the lids to them, as well.
my Lustre Craft set is more than 35 years old. it was one of my first real kitchen equipment purchases after finishing university. i too make stovetop rice cooked in the big pot weekly. i’ve had to replace the popup part of a couple of the lids over the years, which was no problem since the rep who sold me the set was still answering the regional number for help at the time… he has retired since.
maybe a terminology thingie - i’m talking about the black grab handle part of the lid. twist it counterclockwise (while holding still the metal part of the lid) and that whole assembly should popup just a bit to let steam out of the pot. when doing minimal moisture cooking you leave this up until you hear a whistling, then push down and twist it clockwise to seal the pot while simultaneously reducing the heat on the pot. it creates a vacuum -like seal to the point where lifting the lid takes some effort.
I cannot remember if this is the brand (I think it is… made in America), but these were advertised as waterless cookware (no need to add water because of the minimal water loss with the right seal)
This line is the Kirby vacuum cleaner of cookware. It’s decent quality clad in terms of thickness, and the fit and finish are very good. It’s the performance equal of anything offered by Made In, Misen and the new breed.
One could and should stop there. However, their marketing and sales model seems to mandate making dubious claims about other things, like miraculous health benefits of “waterless” cooking, and the use of “surgical” stainless steel (usually 319 series). But IMO, they have to resort to such to sell country fairgoers on paying 5-10x more for it. I think they prey on people with health worries.
Just as with a Kirby, if your rich uncle wedding-gifted you a set of these, you should be consider it a lavish, serviceable gesture.
Our Kirby was a beast. My mother used it until she was well into her 80’s, but she couldn’t get it serviced anymore when the vacuum repair business closed/retired. It was too heavy for her to handle at that point, anyway. She has a newer upright - don’t know what she did with that Kirby.
Kirbys still are great vacuums. I grew up with Hoovers, which for a long time were also American-made bulletproof behemoths.
After a couple plastic, dumbed down Hoovers and a similar Riccar, I stumbled on a used Kirby. A new belt and lightbulb later, it’s clearly the best vacuum I’ve had or run. I’ve picked up most of the many accessories/tools for songs, too. In total, I spent <$100 on a machine that is excellent.
Reviews say some newer vacuums have more suction, but I’m sticking with Kirby. The Riccar now lives at the beach house.
Lustre Craft was sold door to door (often on installments) and I believe is still sold at state fairs. My wife bought a set before we married, and we have used it for 50+ years as our “workhorse” pots. The company went out of business, but was bought by Revere ware. About 10 years ago, they were still honoring their lifetime warranty - they replaced 4 handles for me. My biggest dislike is the very sharp bottom angle inside. That was essential for one of their home demos, when they stacked up several pots on one burner and cooked them all at once…
It is truly indestructible. As noted above, it is expensive, but I think that over 50 years the cost is amortized. I use at least one of the pans almost every day, and they still look almost new. I probably wouldn’t buy it again, as I use more specialty pots now. However, If I saw it at a thrift shop or estate sale, I’d likely get them for my kids.
