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Magnalite
Posted on 9/11/26 at 2:27 pm
Posted on 9/11/26 at 2:27 pm
My mama had some Magnalite cookware back in the '70's. I see it in a bunch of cajun cooking videos now, usually the bigger pots for roasts and stews. Is it still sold somewhere or are the cooks in the videos using their mama's hand me downs or garage sale finds?
Posted on 9/11/26 at 2:51 pm to coldcoldcajun
You can get the original stuff on FB Marketplace pretty easily.
eta: The sell McWare brand pots now that are made to mimic the original Magnalite stuff. I follow a few people that have done side by side cooks and say there is no difference other that the originals are little bit heavier.
eta: The sell McWare brand pots now that are made to mimic the original Magnalite stuff. I follow a few people that have done side by side cooks and say there is no difference other that the originals are little bit heavier.
This post was edited on 9/11/26 at 2:53 pm
Posted on 9/11/26 at 6:46 pm to coldcoldcajun
Original Wagner/ Magnalite cookware is no longer being produced.
There's some knock-off Chinese versions, that are no where near the quality but I would stay away from them.
I love my 2 peices (Dutch oven & roaster) that's been in my family since the depression!
There's some knock-off Chinese versions, that are no where near the quality but I would stay away from them.
I love my 2 peices (Dutch oven & roaster) that's been in my family since the depression!
Posted on 9/13/26 at 9:17 am to heypaul
I have seen folks talk about Magnalite cookware for a long time, but knew nothing about it. Yesterday, I finally looked it up to see why folks thought it special and how much it was going for.
While running errands and on a whim, I dropped in a Goodwill store where I had gotten several cast iron pieces that I restored. I now have a 5-quart Magnalite Dutch oven, a 2-quart round stock pot, a 2-quart sauce pan, and a 1 1/2- quart sauce pan, all for under $20.
I will need some elbow grease to clean them up, but these will replace some crappy pots at our other house.
While running errands and on a whim, I dropped in a Goodwill store where I had gotten several cast iron pieces that I restored. I now have a 5-quart Magnalite Dutch oven, a 2-quart round stock pot, a 2-quart sauce pan, and a 1 1/2- quart sauce pan, all for under $20.
I will need some elbow grease to clean them up, but these will replace some crappy pots at our other house.
This post was edited on 9/14/26 at 10:48 am
Posted on 9/14/26 at 7:32 am to coldcoldcajun
Wagner introduced Magnalite in 1934. Then Wagner purchased Griswold Cast Iron Company in 1957. The original Magnalite was discontinued in 1996 when the current owner GHC, shut down the factory in Sidney, Ohio.
E-Bay and Etsy are good sources for original Magnalite. I buy good pieces when I can find them in good condition with flat bottoms.
I find the original Wagner Magnalite is the best pot to brown meat to make a gravy with because the meat sticks to the the bottom of the pot and browns better than cast iron or coated cast iron. I make gumbo or a big pot of rice dressing, a roast or turkey for holidays in the big Magnalite roaster because it's large and heavy and holds the heat well.
I have a few Griswold cast iron skillets that I like for cornbread, or frying. I braise ribs, and make stews in the Griswold cast iron Dutch oven.
I have a couple of the Le Creuset Dutch ovens but I'm not crazy about the finish on the bottom of the pot. It never comes clean and if you use Bar Keeper's Friend to clean the pot, whatever I cook in it afterwards, always burns.
E-Bay and Etsy are good sources for original Magnalite. I buy good pieces when I can find them in good condition with flat bottoms.
I find the original Wagner Magnalite is the best pot to brown meat to make a gravy with because the meat sticks to the the bottom of the pot and browns better than cast iron or coated cast iron. I make gumbo or a big pot of rice dressing, a roast or turkey for holidays in the big Magnalite roaster because it's large and heavy and holds the heat well.
I have a few Griswold cast iron skillets that I like for cornbread, or frying. I braise ribs, and make stews in the Griswold cast iron Dutch oven.
I have a couple of the Le Creuset Dutch ovens but I'm not crazy about the finish on the bottom of the pot. It never comes clean and if you use Bar Keeper's Friend to clean the pot, whatever I cook in it afterwards, always burns.
This post was edited on 9/14/26 at 10:33 am
Posted on 9/14/26 at 8:28 am to coldcoldcajun
I think all the new stuff is McWare now. I've heard it's pretty good.
I got lucky with mine. I was helping gut houses in Denham Springs after the 2016 flood. Somebody had put a full set of old Magnalites by the curb and I snagged them. I asked the folks at the house because it seemed too good to be true and they were worried the floodwater had poisoned them or something like that.
I got lucky with mine. I was helping gut houses in Denham Springs after the 2016 flood. Somebody had put a full set of old Magnalites by the curb and I snagged them. I asked the folks at the house because it seemed too good to be true and they were worried the floodwater had poisoned them or something like that.
Posted on 9/15/26 at 12:19 pm to bdevill
quote:
I find the original Wagner Magnalite is the best pot to brown meat to make a gravy with because the meat sticks to the the bottom of the pot and browns better than cast iron or coated cast iron.
What makes this happen, in your opinion?
Posted on 9/16/26 at 12:32 pm to coldcoldcajun
Could it be used on a glass cooktop? I was told I couldn't use Crueset, but I'm thinking that was because the rigdes on the bottom would scratch it up.
Posted on 9/16/26 at 12:47 pm to coldcoldcajun
My wife bought me a Mcware about 5 years ago for Christmas. It has made a many delicious gumbo. It might not be someone’s mamaws pot, but the way I look at it, one day my kids will be fighting over who gets dads gumbo pot when I pass on
Posted on 9/16/26 at 1:44 pm to HueyLongJr
quote:
What makes this happen, in your opinion?
The metal bottom of the aluminum pot isn't as smooth as the bottom of the stainless steel pot.. and more smooth than the cast iron.. The surface may be more porous? I'm not sure why this is.. But when you're browning the gravy in a Magnalite, it sticks to the surface of the pan and browns and thickens.. When you brown a gravy in a stainless steel pan, like an All Clad, the gravy slips and slides around the surface and doesn't brown as well.
Google Search Results:
Structural and Surface Differences Steel (especially Stainless Steel): Features a tighter, denser crystal structure that makes it practically non-porous on the surface. This prevents food particles, bacteria, or liquids from penetrating or staining the material.Aluminum: Is a softer metal that scratches, pits, and wears down more easily. While solid aluminum isn't "sponge-like," its softer and more reactive surface gives it a higher effective porosity in practical applications like cookware or industrial handling. Furthermore, anodizing aluminum intentionally creates a microscopic porous surface layer to absorb dyes and sealants.
This post was edited on 9/16/26 at 1:46 pm
Posted on 9/16/26 at 1:50 pm to bdevill
Yeah, I read up on it a little bit. The aluminum is a bit more sticky, and the heat diffusion is fast and even, which also helps. Thx.
Posted on 9/16/26 at 1:57 pm to HueyLongJr
Yes.. When you brown the gravy in a Magnalite, you can see the water vaporizing and the gravy thickening much more efficiently than with stainless steel.
Posted on 9/16/26 at 2:19 pm to coldcoldcajun
When the wife and I got married in 1990 one of the wedding gifts was a $100 bill. We took that and bought a 5 piece set of Made in the USA Magnalite pots at WallyWorld. It included: a oval roaster. a dutch oven, a Skillet, and 2 sauce pans. All that for $85 + tax. !
The skillet always sucked. The roaster and the dutch oven got plenty of use over the years. But they have been replaced with black cast iron. The 2 sauce pans still get plenty of use.
In my opinion, you can't beat black cast iron for cooking. Not the enameled stuff. Just straight up black cast iron.
The skillet always sucked. The roaster and the dutch oven got plenty of use over the years. But they have been replaced with black cast iron. The 2 sauce pans still get plenty of use.
In my opinion, you can't beat black cast iron for cooking. Not the enameled stuff. Just straight up black cast iron.
Posted on 9/16/26 at 3:56 pm to coldcoldcajun
I have a couple OG Magnalites and a few McWare. I find no differences in the way they cook. My favorite pot is a McWare Chicken Fryer. I use it to make stews, blacken fish, spaghetti, its a good size pot for a family of 4.
McWare Chicken Fryer
I also like the 15" oval roaster for whole chicken roast, beef roast and gumbos.
15" Oval Roaster
McWare Chicken Fryer
I also like the 15" oval roaster for whole chicken roast, beef roast and gumbos.
15" Oval Roaster
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