How To Repair Dented Stainless Steel Pots And Pans

Dented pots and pans do not sit flat on your stove, causing uneven heating and scorching. They will not heat correctly on glass-top stoves, if they heat at all, because the pan does not make full contact with the stove surface. If your budget does not permit replacing your dented pans, it's time to be your own tinker, if you have a sander, a propane torch and a spare hour or so.

Step 1

Lock the log in a horizontal position in the pipe vise. Loosen the vise enough to allow you to move the log until one end is flush with the outer edge of the vise. Tighten the vise.

Step 2

Sand along the flat edge of the log until it curves as close as possible to the same degree as the inside edge of the bottom of the pan you need to repair.

Step 3

Heat the dented area and a 1/2-inch-diameter ring around it to dull red and allow the pot to slowly cool. Place the pan over the log and use a rubber mallet to tap the dents flat slowly and carefully. Reheat all dented areas to dull red and allow them to slowly cool again.

Step 4

Switch to the plastic-headed mallet to finish hammering all the dents and smooth the pan as close as possible to its original condition. Heat the dented areas to dull red and allow them to slowly cool again.

Step 5

Remove any torch scale with a fine wire brush, followed by coarse steel wool and fine steel wool in that order.