Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
samanthap_gw

Does anyone else like Wagner ware Magnalite?

Samanthap
19 years ago

I've been using this old type of Magnalite for years--from my mom's set, maybe 50 years old! and I love it. This version isn't around now but can be found on Ebay. Is there a reason why I don't hear it mentioned? Just wondering--hope it's not because it's leaching some awful chemicals into my food!

Comments (73)

  • marilyn_c
    12 years ago

    I have about a dozen pieces, all bought at thrift or yard sales. I even buy extra lids when I find them...because some times I find a pot and no lid, but eventually will find one at a thrift shop and will buy it. I think the most I ever paid for a pot with a lid was $3.98 at a thrift shop. The last three or four I bought, I got to sell on ebay, but I like them so much...and spent so much time cleaning the bottoms of them....decided I'd just keep them.

  • mstrouble16_yahoo_com
    12 years ago

    I also have Magnalite GHC it's about 30 years old. Well one of the pans (the 2 quart saucepan) from the set has bubble/warp right in the middle of the pan. I contacted American Culinary as I found that they had purchased the forms and such for the original pans. I was instructed after trying to get in touch with someone there for 3 weeks that this is not cover under the warranty. So now I must buy a new pan.

  • thisisit
    7 years ago

    I use my grandmother's oven proof stock pot for Italian gravy. It is 60 years old!!!! I agree - I hope it doesn't contain anything hazardous-

  • Norbel Marolla
    7 years ago

    Does anyone have basic instructions for roasting in the Wagner Ware Magnalite 4267 M? It is my mom's old "roaster." My family is not much for roast so I haven't used it. Must be 50-60 years old. Anyway, she used to roast a delectable rump roast by first browning it in the roaster, and then prepare the rest of the meal adding broth or water, potatoes, carrots, celery. I believe those were the ingredients but all I really remember was the thinly sliced beef and what we called "brown potatoes" because they came out this perfectly wonderful shade of brown and so delicious. What I don't know is how long she roasted the rump by itself. I'm also making the assumption that it was cooked at 350 but not sure. I really would appreciate any help you can offer. I have searched online for an instruction manual but have not been able to find one. Now, my mom would have been the first to admit she wasn't a great cook. So perhaps the better way to prepare it would be????? Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

  • lovemrmewey
    7 years ago

    Looked at the Goodwill site, and would like to know if these pots are subject to pitting or other issues? I believe my mother had these 50 years or so ago. I would love to have some from Goodwill (there are a few) but don't know what to look for in a used Magnalite pot! Thanks so much!

  • thisisit
    7 years ago

    I have a 60 year old Wagnerware pot- it is starting to pit so I stopped using it.

  • ekscrunchy
    7 years ago

    I've been using mine--a few in different sizes--since the early 70s. I'm not sure what you mean by pitting..do you mean indentations in the interior? My Dutch oven has some staining, probably from salt, but in no way does that impact the results. When buying I would just make sure that the bottoms are not warped. These pots and pans wear like iron….there is not much that can happen except staining that might hamper visual appeal and perhaps warping on the flat bottoms, which has never happened to me.


    For roasting just use as you would any other heavy-duty roasting pan. A thermometer takes the guesswork out of roasting meat or pountry, but I never use one myself.

  • klchan8
    7 years ago

    I checked out American Culinary Corp. and although their website lists the Magnalite Pro products I was looking for, I wanted to make sure they were legit and still in business before ordering. They are currently not accredited by the BBB and there were a couple of complaints registered against them for unfulfilled orders from 2015 and as recently as July 2016 so buyer beware (see https://www.bbb.org/cleveland/business-reviews/cooking-utensils/american-culinary-corporation-in-willoughby-oh-25001336/reviews-and-complaints). I was so hoping to refresh some pieces in my original set purchased in the late 80s but will continue to search.

  • ekscrunchy
    7 years ago

    There are many reports online about poor quality of the new "Magnalite" which I believe is made in China. Your best bet is to search for vintage pieces with the appropriate marks on the bottom.

  • carolkelley
    6 years ago

    @thisisit, my mom had that same Magnalite pot! She used it to make her fabulous beef stew. I believe that I got it when we kids were going through her things after she died.

  • ruobet55
    6 years ago

    My three siblings and I got a roaster for Christmas our first married year - 62 years for us now, and it's still going strong! We're wearing out, though!

  • Guy Beynon
    6 years ago

    What is the difference between a magnalite 4267-p and 4265-p

  • raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
    6 years ago

    I have my mother's big pot, that she used to make stew, spaghetti sauce, mashed potatoes and other large quantities for our family of 7. It is around 60 years old -- I don't know when she got it, but it seems she had it my entire life.

    I don't know what happened to the rest of the set -- probably my sister got the smaller pots when she married, but didn't want them after the aluminum scare (and Teflon arrived, LOL). Also for a while there, people didn't want heavy pots and ditched these for less sturdy stuff. I know she doesn't have them now.

    It is not pitted, but it does have beater marks from mashing potatoes in it.

    It is a great pot, so easy to clean, cooks so evenly also on my gas stove. I just don't often need to use such a large pot these days!

  • ekscrunchy
    6 years ago

    SO GLAD I kept most of my 70s-era Magnalite. Not three days go by without me using the big 5 qt Dutch oven, mostly on the stovetop. Gems! Lighter than LC, but with all the good qualities and usage possibilities of ECI. I give them as gifts if I find them on Ebay now. They do not have the snobbish reputation, but that's better for us, eh????

  • my_2112
    6 years ago

    I have recently acquired my brothers large magnalite roaster which has some oxidation/ rust stains


    on the inside would like any suggestions on how to clean this

  • sushipup1
    6 years ago

    It looks clean already. Staining does not mean that it isn't clean, only that it isn't new and has been well-used.

  • ekscrunchy
    6 years ago

    Looks cleaner than mine! If you have to, use Bar Keepers Friends, or even Comet.

  • Bramman Avery
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    It seems that new cookware made in conformance with Wagner Ware designs and metals is available from American Culinary Corp.com. I've just spent some cash buying original WW on ebay. But it's "collectable" which means more dollars. Yet it's no more than contemporary inexpensive cookware. I just love it. American Culinary Corp. also has recipes on their site. Oh, and I cook every day from scratch and, naturally, have more cookware than I need! I also heartily recommend Victor Inox knives over the vastly expensive forged knives. The secret with any knife is sharpening and then using a steel to maintain the edge. You do not want a sharp "V" edge but rather a gentle "V."

  • missjessicalong
    6 years ago

    Hi all, I have just been gifted this vintage Magnalite pot however it is pitted, is that ok or does it belong in the trash? I am not sure if it is safe to use? Any advice? Thank you!

  • thisisit
    6 years ago

    I retired my pot when it reached that stage.

  • Theresa Daniels
    5 years ago

    what is the difference between Wagner Ware Magnolite Roaster 4267 and 4267-P?


  • PRO
    ProLine Certified Home Inspection Services
    5 years ago
    I'm still using my 4248 M once or twice a week. this was my auntie's favorite for pot roast. I believe it was originally purchased in the late 30s.
  • Bramman Avery
    5 years ago

    There are two types of Magnalite. Regular cast alloy with bakalite (Phenolic plastic) handles and "Professional" cast alloy which was anodized (Supposedly for life. There was even a warranty.) and had riveted metal handles (which came with rubber sheath handle covers). I've got scads of the stuff. Pitting on the cast (unanodized) stuff means nothing. I have some inherited and some bought which has pitting. I also have bunches which had light use and have no pitting. So not to worry. BUT cooking green vegetables in aluminum alloy tends to make the green color muddy. [See: https://www.corningware.com/use-care-magnalite.html for use and care] Also if you worry constantly about dying, some suggest that aluminum is a culprit. [See: Aluminum pots and pans provide only one or two milligrams of the total. While aluminum has been associated with Alzheimer's disease, there is no definite link proven. ... During cooking, aluminum dissolves most easily from worn or pitted pots and pans.Mar 18, 2015] But then something else will probably get you first. Like the aluminum in your deoderant. The Magnalite was a specific alloy developed by Wagner of Sidney, Ohio (Thus the "Sidney O" on the bottom).. I love the pots. So much so that I bought a bunch on e-bay. You can buy a Chinese version in sets. Or at greater cost the original sold by Corelle Brands, LLC; shopworldkitchen.com/magnalite/. And you can read about "Professional" at "Magnalite Professional Cookware: Legend or Myth."

  • HU-551204804
    5 years ago

    Great information. Thank you.

  • HU-551204804
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    For people who want to know how to get these pans clean and/or shiney: turn pan upside down, apply tomato paste to the bottom and/or sides of the pan. Then do the same for the inside of pan. Leave on for 2-4 hours. Might be a shorter or longer time depending on condition of the pan.

  • HU-586106951
    5 years ago

    Cooking in aluminum is not wise. Especially if using lemons, tomatoes or anything acidic. These acids leach small amounts of aluminum into your food. Many people in Louisiana love using Magnalite pots and many other giant aluminum pots for crawfish , shrimp and crab boils. Maybe this is partially the reason so many people there end up with cancer. I use stainless steel or cast iron only. My stainless steel crab boil pot may be pricey compared to an aluminum one but I will get all that back and then some in medical cost savings. Not to mention a longer life span. I know everything causes something but if it's known why risk it over something so easy to correct? Remember everything is cumulative; sometimes it takes many years for something to affect your health (like radiation exposure). Cooking daily in improper pots and pans can add up though. The government has guidelines for the daily limits of most metals and almost any type of exposure to various substances. Take care ya'll and best of luck.

  • ekscrunchy
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Please show us recent scientific evidence or "government guidelines" that indicate that cooking in aluminum causes cancer. I believe that idea was debunked long ago. I've used Magnalite my entire adult life, almost daily. Not for everything but certainly for tomato sauces. I love it! Stainless has different properties for cooking and sauces. Unless it is fully clad, its too thin for many applications.

  • HU-586106951
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Again this is cumulative. Think about your health not the expense of replacing a few pots and pans. If youre concerned with thickness then it’s easy to use cast iron. I like the look and feel of Magnalite but I don’t use them.

  • HU-586106951
    5 years ago

    Ekscrunchy,

    First of all here is no need to be a smart ass. Second no one is obsessed with cookware. If anything I’m obsessed with helping people live longer. I’ve been in the medical field for 19 years and my wife 21 years. You can look at any research from scientists or a journalist that dervived her story from the research of scientists. The facts are the same. The point is why risk it with all the other exposures out there from various sources. Is your aluminum cooking surface completey intact and without pitting? Stainless and cast iron add zero MG’s of aluminum to your diet so why not use that anyway LOL. Who uses Tums anyway? Having a job, family and many pets I don’t have time to find perfect article for you but if you get up and look there are plenty. Excuse the Hell out of me for wanting to help.

  • ekscrunchy
    5 years ago

    Sorry but I could find NO articles stating anything except that it is fine to cook with aluminum. And I do have time. Who uses antacid tablets (which are heavy in aluminum)?

    Are you serious?? TUMs is the most popular antacid in the US.


    I have no interest in arguing with you. And yes, I am obsessed with cooking, food, and by extension, with cookware! And proud of it!!

  • HU-586106951
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    You are correct about one thing. Tums (and Rolaid’s BTW) are the most popular anti-acids (in trailer parks and by people that are not experienced or educated in Pharmacology at any level). Wow; we found common ground. I’m slightly obsessed with cooking, cookware and kitchen gadgets. Take care and I wish you the best.

  • ekscrunchy
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I wish you well; agree to disagree. But the manufacturer of TUMS says they are the #1 antacid in the country. I take them once in a great while and I do not even live NEAR a trailer park. (I have a Master's in a health care field, if you really want TMI!) What percentage of Americans are knowledgeable about pharmacology! But to be serious, what is bad about TUMS from a health standpoint, if one takes a couple every few months or so?? Is it just the aluminum or is there something else?? Does Zantac have aluminum?


    But hey...never mind all that...I'lll use my Magnalite and you use the stuff you like. Happy Eating!!

  • HU-586106951
    5 years ago

    To be funny I used to eat Tums as candy when I was a kid cause my grand parents always had them around their house LOL. They also had Magnalite pots; I remember the long oblong one that they loved cause it covered 2 burners. Heated up fast and held a lot.

  • HU-586106951
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Tums is far worse than cooking in aluminum though. Acid rebound, food taking longer to digest due to lack of acid, H-Pylori causes ulcers; and H-Pylori lives in alkaline areas like a belly full of Tums, aluminum causes weak bones due to hindering the absorption of calcium, magnesium and zinc even though Tums contains calcium. You can’t win so just live life while youre here LOL.

  • ekscrunchy
    5 years ago

    Ok, thanks, but what DO you take, or what SHOULD one take for heartburn?


  • raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
    5 years ago

    The common and research backed regimens for eradicating H. Pylori infection include acid reducing medication. There is no evidence that using antacids regularly increases the risk of H. Pylori infection.

    Using Tums does not contribute to H. Pylori infection. Also, there is no aluminum in Tums. There are other antacids that do contain aluminum hydroxide as the active ingredient.

  • HU-586106951
    5 years ago

    Prilosec, Nexium or Ranitidine. I have a friend that swears by unfiltered apple cider vinegar. Using antacids can worsen the condition. Your stomach needs acid to digest food. When you suppress acid you can slow down digestion causing food to ferment in the digestive track which releases gases that can worsen symptoms such as bloating. People just need to use whatever works for them. Some people can be treated by reducing or increasing acids. It just depends on the person.

  • raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
    5 years ago

    What do you think Prilosec, Nexium and ranitidine do? They suppress secretion of stomach acids. They are antacids, with a different mechanism than buffers like calcium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide.

    It just depends on the person

    No, it depends on what is the actual problem.

  • Marana Parker
    4 years ago

    I have been using the set of Magnalite that I got as a wedding gift in 1971. I keep my post and pans spotless and I don't own any other type of cookware. I hope, being this old and in great shape, they are safe to use. It concerns me reading some of the things on line as my husband was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's and I would hate to think that this cookware could be partially responsible for this disease.

  • ekscrunchy
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Direct quote from the Alzheimer's Association: (alz.org)

    Myth 4: Drinking out of aluminum cans or cooking in aluminum pots and pans can lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

    Reality: During the 1960s and 1970s, aluminum emerged as a possible suspect in Alzheimer’s. This suspicion led to concern about exposure to aluminum through everyday sources such as pots and pans, beverage cans, antacids and antiperspirants. Since then, studies have failed to confirm any role for aluminum in causing Alzheimer’s. Experts today focus on other areas of research, and few believe that everyday sources of aluminum pose any threat.

  • Jason Hebert
    3 years ago

    I know this is an old post but when talking about aluminum leaching from Magnalite pots, remember original MagnaLite’s made in the USA are an alloy of MAGNesium and ALuminum. Get it, MAGNALite? I can’t remember the chemistry behind it, but it does change the rate at which either metal would leach. To know for sure there would have to be a study specifically on original MagnaLite’s.

  • Travis Repp
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Its absolutely a myth. i gurantee the quack whi was citing medical experience probably received his training and never cared to follow up or continue education. Plus, anyone who claims to be in a medical field yet cites a half ass site and not a medical journal has zero credibility.

    here is a link stating this is a myth:


    https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers/myths


    i have a full set of the original Magnalite pots and pans as well as a full set of Magnalite GHC Professional series, They are amazing and have incredible longevity, so many people from southern LA use them and i love using my grandmothers old set. I cook minimum of 5 times a week and i make my coffee daily with a Magnalite coffee pot

  • Leland Holst
    2 years ago

    Does anyone know how to date these pots? I'm now in my 60's and some of my earliest memories are of my mother using this big Roster on Thanksgiving. Megnalite 4267-P. Have no idea how log Mom had it or if she got it new.

  • Travis Repp
    2 years ago

    The Magnalite 4267 is the 13 quart roaster, the 4265 is 8 quarts and the 4269 is 17 quarts. I have an entire set of the original Mangalite as well as Magnalite Professional series. You can tell the age by some of the font used and if it says "Made in the USA". If it says "Made in China" it is definitely one of the newer editions made

  • pam w
    last year

    can anyone recommend a current brand that is comparable to Magnalite? i need to buy a new roaster and dont see anything like this on the market.

  • Need2SeeGreen 10 (SoCal)
    last year

    hi Pam! If you check out the shopgoodwill online thrift store, they have vintage Magnalite roasters quite frequently. (Sometimes the other pots too.)


    I have slight worrywart tendencies and I am not 100% sure what to think here - but otoh, I've been eating out of such pans my whole life, so, maybe it's fine? I hope so.

  • Need2SeeGreen 10 (SoCal)
    last year

    Hi Norbel,


    I don't know if you're still around this page or not, but I happened to find something about roasting.


    https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREADM.cgi?91279


    If you scroll down to the comment by Tomturbomatic, he seems to have some roast instructions.

  • momboteri
    5 months ago

    Hello fellow Magnalite lovers. I recently inherited my mom’s Magnalite from the 70s. Two of the pieces once had a non stick coating which has now been all but scoured off… Mom salvaged everything she could; she learned that in going through The Great Depression I’m sure! I figure that once the ”teflon” began to scratch or flake off, she took her steel wool to it ….haha! My question is, are these pieces worth saving and ”safe” to use? Thanks for any legit info any of you can share!