Has anyone else experienced issues with the Large Stone breaking in the oven?

[jesusluvsu2005]

Well, add another stone breaking in the oven. I know that I had read about it on here and I have cringed everytime I sold one. I got a customer email today that said hers broke in the oven. I feel so bad when stuff like this happens. Hers is from a show in april. I know they'll take care of it but it's so frustrating that we've had so many issues with that piece.
God bless,
Amanda

 

[TinaOuellette]

Yeah, I hear ya. I must've sent out like 5 of them this year. One customer, it broke 3 times on her so she didn't want it no more and got the Bar Pan instead. I hope the 13" round stone with handle, will be better.

 

[elizabethfox]

I have sold a bunch of these and haven't had any problems with any of them so far.

 

[KimoMakano]

I've had two of them break. One of mine and one for a customer.

 

[KristyH]

My best friend did a show this month and received her stone yesterday. It broke last night!! The very first time she used it!!

 

[Jenni]

Mine broke Monday night in the hosts oven in front of everyone! Nice right.... I was like this is a good time to talk about the warranty.

 

[Chef Gilles]

Do you guys use the pan in the bottom third part of the oven? That is what is recommended. Does the food cover at least 2/3 of the stone's surface. i usually don't pay attention to this and it never broke but again that's waht's recommended. I had a lady at a show who states she has had her stone for 5 or 6 years and it's just like new because when she cleans her oven (self clean) she throws the pan in. i can't believe that doesn't break it. I guess there must be stronger batches made of these pans and some miss out on the good ones. Knock on wood !!!

 

[heat123]

I can top all your adjustments with #8 customer informing me yesterday about yet another broken round with handle stone!

 

[cookingwithhart]

I have an issue making my customers pay to return such a heavy item when there's been so many issues with it. What are you guys doing about that? But if I pay for shipping, then that just about eats up my commission on the thing!

 

[chefann]

I have an issue making my customers pay to return such a heavy item when there's been so many issues with it. What are you guys doing about that? But if I pay for shipping, then that just about eats up my commission on the thing!

They only have to return a hand-sized piece, not the whole stone.

If they order from any other mail-order co. or website (well, most of them) they'd have to pay to return the item. No difference with us.

 

[jenniferm]

I just had one break on a customer and they did not request any portion of it returned. It was within her first 30 days but I thought they would have wanted part of it sent back.

 

[jenniferm]

Do you guys use the pan in the bottom third part of the oven? That is what is recommended. Does the food cover at least 2/3 of the stone's surface. i usually don't pay attention to this and it never broke but again that's waht's recommended. I had a lady at a show who states she has had her stone for 5 or 6 years and it's just like new because when she cleans her oven (self clean) she throws the pan in. i can't believe that doesn't break it. I guess there must be stronger batches made of these pans and some miss out on the good ones. Knock on wood !!!

That is a stone without handles, the one with handles seems to be having a problem. Also, if someone does that and it breaks then I do not think that the warranty will cover it.

 

[chefsteph07]

Add mine to the list, mine broke last weekend in my oven!
Whaaa!!!!
It was just NOW looking so good, I was getting proud of it, I've used it almost exclusively since it came out last year to get it looking like my other ones!
I haven't sent it back yet though. I need to call back to get the ref number cuz I think I threw it away on accident.

 

[jbdowd0798]

u can look up the reference # on CC. Thats what I do when I have a brain lapse. lol Just look under shipment status then adjustment status and it should be there.

 

[chefdiana2007]

I feel your pain, mine has broken twice, and I hae 5 or 6 people whose tstones with handles have broken. I have a rectangle stone and a round one without handles that I have had for years, 10 or more and neither one of them had every had problems.... me and my big mouth, hopefully they won't. I love my stones.

 

[chefsteph07]

u can look up the reference # on CC. Thats what I do when I have a brain lapse. lol Just look under shipment status then adjustment status and it should be there.

Thanks, I learn something new every day! ha ha

 

[chefsteph07]

I feel your pain, mine has broken twice, and I hae 5 or 6 people whose tstones with handles have broken. I have a rectangle stone and a round one without handles that I have had for years, 10 or more and neither one of them had every had problems.... me and my big mouth, hopefully they won't. I love my stones.

My husband has a theory that there is a flaw in the design (my husband the ENGINEER , always thinking about the design of things...) but he thinks that when they added the handles they must have "thinned it out" somehow and that's why they keep breaking. He says that he thinks the overall stone is thinner anyway, I think he's making it up bc I can't really notice a diff.

 

[casescafe]

My large bar pan broke during my demo Saturday night. I made the mini-cheeseburgers and had already poured off the excess juice. As I was in the process of cutting the meat into squares, one of the corners broke away and fell off! I used the opportunity to show the guests what the stoneware looks like "on the inside" and to explain the process for returning a defective product. I also joked that the bar pan now has a built-in drain!

After the show, I was scraping the bar pan under hot water and the opposite corner broke off. I compared the two pieces with one another and they were nearly identical, in both shape and size. Then, believe it or not, a third corner broke off... again, the same size and shape of the first two pieces. I've only used the stone 4 or 5 times... it is less than 1 year old!

 

[heat123]

My husband has a theory that there is a flaw in the design (my husband the ENGINEER , always thinking about the design of things...) but he thinks that when they added the handles they must have "thinned it out" somehow and that's why they keep breaking. He says that he thinks the overall stone is thinner anyway, I think he's making it up bc I can't really notice a diff.

That was the first thing I noticed, the thinness compared to the reg large without handles! I was telling and agreeing with someone else on here about this same topic!

 

[Hathery]

I'm wondering if it's the handles that are causing the issue. When you've got just a flat stone, it'll just lay flat in your cupboard. With the handles, you've got a part that sticks up so if you store other things in the cupboard they're more likely to clank against the handles by accident when you're moving things around. I wonder if that constant bonking weakens the bond of the clay over time?

 

[lauradahl]

I am so glad to have this forum! I think my director and her upline thought I was nuts asking about this very thing. They have not had any problems and I have had 6 since March and I wear the "hobby" apron. One of my hosts has had 2 and both of them broke. So the last time the SC paid shipping seeing it was her second replacement and I think she gave up on the one with handles and ordered the large stone. Each of my customers who I talk to seem to have the same stories. I ask about oven temp, coverage but never thought about placement in oven. Anyway, I don't know what is going on, but it's too many instances with the same product!

 

[GourmetGirl]

This is the piece I want to get with the show-to-go points, but I keep debating because everytime I am set on purchasing it, I hear of this happening to another person... now I don't know what to do!?!?! Do I just keep using my Lg. Rd Stone and Rack as I already own it and there is no problems or do we figure this will be discontinued soon so I might as well get the Lg Rd Stone with Handles now since I can get it for free? Any opinions on this matter?

 

[Jess_K]

That was the first thing I noticed, the thinness compared to the reg large without handles! I was telling and agreeing with someone else on here about this same topic!

I have a stone from back in 2001 or so and it's made different than the newer one I have and even the backside looks different. The older stone is thicker and I personally do believe they were thicker years ago.

 

[chefsteph07]

I think it is whatever you are comfortable with. If you want to advertise the large stone/rack then by all means do so...I don't know, this is the only stone I've ever had that has broke in the oven like that...Now I've had a few fall and break, but none while I was actually cooking.
I just ordered my samples, I got the one w/ the med stone w/ handles, so we will see if it fares any better. I am hoping it does!

 

[jenniferm]

I'm wondering if it's the handles that are causing the issue. When you've got just a flat stone, it'll just lay flat in your cupboard. With the handles, you've got a part that sticks up so if you store other things in the cupboard they're more likely to clank against the handles by accident when you're moving things around. I wonder if that constant bonking weakens the bond of the clay over time?

I had a guest who had it break the first time she used it. I have one and use it regularly and keep it in a cupboard where several other stones and pans get put on top, next to and the such and mine has not broken yet...Knock on wood.

 

[heat123]

I had a guest who had it break the first time she used it. I have one and use it regularly and keep it in a cupboard where several other stones and pans get put on top, next to and the such and mine has not broken yet...Knock on wood.

Most of my adjustments have been 1st time users!:grumpy:

 

[tmo2008]

I just had to submit a replacement for my first guest who ordered one!! I am glad to have known about this before she came to me...At least it wasn't a huge shock...I is a bummer though...Man!
Trina:thumbdown:

 

[doughmama]

yes, I have an old round stone from years ago and it is so much sturdier than the one with the handles. Oh well.

 

[tlag1986]

My DS and DDIL got one for a wedding shower and it broke the first time they used it. My DS and all his brightness threw it away, before telling me about it.

 

[Suzanne Johnson]

Responding here to several issues mentioned in this thread:
"Sell the objection" - when doing your stoneware talk, explain that the stoneware is a natural clay product and therefore may have air bubbles or hairline cracks inside that happened during manufacturing - or unseen cracks that happened during shipping because we all know the UPS guys like to play volley ball with the boxes! If these flaws are going to cause a problem (breaking in the oven) it usually happens during the first few times the stone is used - so everyone needs to use their stones as soon as they get them! (Then give ideas for easy, no prep immediate use, such as crescent rolls or fish sticks, and give tip about using the lower third of the oven and evenly distributing food).
About using the self-cleaning oven to clean stones: this idea was popular over a decade ago, and is NOT recommended! It is not considered to be proper use or care of the stones. "The worse it looks, the better it cooks"
Cleaning alternatives: although soap will interfere with the seasoned surface, if someone really feels uncomfortable about their stone not being "clean" occasional cleaning with a mild dish detergent won't really hurt the stone. Better alternative though is baking soda!
Cleaning and storage: sculptors who work with marble gently tap the marble to create tiny cracks and fissures where they want to chip away the stone - if stoneware is getting gently "tapped" in the sink or by being stacked with other stoneware/cookware, then similar distress can happen to the stone leading to breakage. For the sink, put a rubber mat over the "hump" of the sink, gently rest the stone on this buffered surface while cleaning. For storage - don't stack stoneware! Find a creative solution - I continued to keep mine in boxes which could be stacked or put sideways between the fridge and cupboard/wall.
My oldest piece of stoneware is about 15 years old. I've never had any of mine break in the oven or while cleaning. The only piece that ever broke was when the bar pan was sitting on the stove top and my husband turned on the wrong burner...bad, very bad thing to do! Speaking of that...another thing to watch out for is if the stovetop has the oven underneath - heat from the oven in some models rises up to the stove top and stoneware sitting on top may be affected.

Hope some of this is helpful to some of you!