Restoring a Wagner Ware Vintage Aluminum Oval Roaster

[@camerontaylor6092]

Thank you for not gatekeeping products added to the shopping cart. Wonderful piece you acquired.

[@worth815]

I told my wife I wouldn't start collecting roasters too, but now you've given me no other choice. I've been passing them by up until now. I can't wait to find one. Thanks.

[@laurajohnson6495]

Thank you for posting! I just picked an aluminum roaster up and was looking for a guide :)

[@Heywoodthepeckerwood]

I have a giant manga lite aluminum roaster I was given by my wife’s beloved grandmother when she passed on. I always helped her cook thanksgiving dinner and we always used it. I cherish it. I love all my Wagner wear cast iron but this aluminum roaster is special. Good restoration.

[@leepagnini6273]

Great video!!! I am watching this because I have an OLD Hamilton Beach electric skillet that I want to clean enough to hang on my kitchen wall as an adornment, and also to use if I want to. I want it to look great because it use to belong to my mother who got it before I was born, and I am 66. Thanks.

[@janegardener1662]

My Magnalite roaster is getting a makeover soon! Thanks for the great tips.

[@kevinjameson7817]

That’s a beautiful piece. Thanks for the cleaning lesson. I don’t have an aluminum piece yet but will save this video if I find one. Thanks again.

[@suz632]

Oh how wonderful to see this gorgeous pot brought back to glory! You did a great job and it was so fun to watch! I have one, and now you've inspired me to try & make it gorgeous again. 👏👏👏👏👏🥰

[@robgulledge9952]

Well produced and informative. Just the right combination of background commentary with the "how" and "with what products" essentials. An effective length too! Nothing was left unclear and you brought the video to an efficient conclusion! The brief Wagner history is masterfully stated.

[@landocalrissian5180]

My uncle just gave me a magnalite roaster for an early Christmas present. He found it in a dumpster this year (crazy right?) and knew I always wanted one so he snagged it. I’ll be using your guide to restore it!

[@JolynMeehan-r5h]

Great work! Thank you so much for the tutorial!

[@mikem9006]

You have helped me with my cast iron “hobby” a lot, now more help with the vintage aluminum pans I also have. You are truly inspiring, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!

[@franktatom1837]

I strongly recommend avoiding Barkeeper's Friend for aluminum, as it has coarse powder and contains chemicals. Instead, use Bon Ami 1886, which is just fine silica powder and soap. Bon Ami has several formulations, the 1886 will polish aluminum without scratching. I cleaned a large Magnalite roaster with Bon Ami 1886 to nearly a mirror finish. Took some elbow grease, but any cleaner requires that!

[@shirleyhedlund5220]

Yes Bar Keppers will scratch it even more!

[@elezabeththomas5250]

Wow! Lucky dog. I have 2 small Wagner sauce pans will try this.

[@princeadrian9547]

THAT was impressive. The scratches give it vintage character and lets you know many a good meal was cooked inside for family and friends. You have a gem! And maybe a side hustle for friends that happen to buy a vintage roaster that needs cleaned up from decades of use. Thanks for continuing to keep vintage items useful. Lots of love and respect my friend.

[@carastolba3998]

I fell in love with Wagner Ware cast aluminum cookware thanks to my grandmother. I truly enjoyed watching your video. Off to buy some oven cleaner and polish !! Can’t wait to watch your cast iron videos.

[@boilerhonkiedude9163]

I've a restored Wag/Magnalite 4269 and also a 4265. Both see use for big jobs along with a no-name oblong oval roaster. Wonderful cookers!

[@fltrfrsh7]

I think I’ve found the exact same roaster in my MIL’s basement! Thanks for the video

[@devinthomas4866]

Awesome video. Great project. Thanks for sharing

[@PleaseNThankYou]

I have two Magnalite roasters… a large one and a huge one which can hold a 20 pound turkey. I’ve always used an SOS pad to clean mine.

[@MrCastIron]

Wow! That turned out great Eric! Thanks for sharing this with us my friend!

[@Unsensitive]

Love my old magnalite roaster.

[@KnDFlips]

Thank you! Great information! My Mom recently found a 12 qt Magnalite stock pot at a garage sale for $8, and she gifted it to me. I'm going to clean it today and try these methods. I have the barkeepers friend, so I'll try that first.

[@stevegordon5243]

Beautiful restoration! I have a set of Magnalite pots w/lids from I'm guessing the 50's or 60's that I picked up at Goodwill. They are my favorite ones to use. They have pour spouts which make them great for pouring and to release steam

[@castironfan9455]

Great video as always, Eric. Thanks for the how-to. I have both an aluminum #8 Round Roaster and a Magnalite oval roaster. I have been reluctant to touch either of them but now I know how . . .. Thanks again.

[@grivolas2144]

I prefer to use aluminium wheel cleaner, works very well. I also work at a parts store.

[@laurinnnn]

Beautiful! Thank you! My dutch oven arrives tomorrow. I snagged a deal. 😉

[@dumpsterfire6351]

Damn!!! Thanks for the awesome tip.

[@fisherman2359]

Perfect. That’s a proper restoration

[@grivolas2144]

I have the next size down 268, but I don't consider it magnalite. I remember reading somewhere that magnalite was coined after they started adding magnesium to the alloy in 1934.

[@captkirk6145]

Looks awesome Mr Chaos! Love it!!!

[@nanvolentine9110]

Beautiful! I've got one, too, mine is smaller. I found it at a garage sale, a week later I found an identical one for my sister!

[@tomcatt998]

i do most of my cooking over a wood fire so i don't worry about the outside,, but i like how U did the inside 👍👍

[@ChrissyLyons-l7q]

I was given a large Magnalite roaster by my brother in law, it belonged to his parents. It's still in the original box and has the packing cloth and paperwork with it. It's never been used.

[@castironchaos]

Pieces in "NOS" (New Original Sticker) condition can fetch a hefty price in the collectors' market.

[@markt5954]

I have that roaster and use it all the time. It's a great roaster

[@ginawiggles918]

Beautiful roaster. Nice job restoring it.

[@nancyhanes7720]

Just picked up the large dutch oven today for 6 dollars! Can’t wait to get scrubbin!

[@YukonHawk1]

That was awesome. Great job on the clean up.

[@edmondboyles6395]

If you got a ton of cast iron having a few aluminum or enameled pieces really adds a nice POP to the collection as all the black can be a tad dull sometimes. Just my opinion. Great vid eric😎

[@ahorseman4ever1]

Great tips on cleaning aluminum! I was recently made aware of Wagner's aluminum line of cookware. I always enjoy your videos.

[@lindamorgan2678]

Hey that looks amazing ! Thanks so much just purchased a vintage ecko pressure cooker and it needs just you tricks. P.S. l like the little scratches would be a shame to buff them all out and make it look brand new. This looks special. Oh just heard your last comment about Alzheimers I just read the aluminum pressure cookers should be used with an stainless steel insert type pot due to leaching then I thought What about Aluminum foil people use all the time.

[@jeffshaw4039]

It looks great like a new pan.

[@KittyKatVtg-n9n]

Thanks so much! I found a Magnalite Roast & Bake in my Dad’s house. I can’t wait to see the difference!

[@robbiefisher1]

Thank you! I just picked up a smaller roasting pan with lid. Paid $6 so I’m excited to get it looking good. 👍

[@cookery2513]

Wow, spectacular results! I would be immensely proud were I in your shoes. Thank you for sharing this, have learned several tips. I am getting into CI because of you. Appreciate your vids and vibe. Cheers!

[@bevoburn]

I need to get a can of Blue Cap oven cleaner. I can't wait to try again to get my Magnalite pans pretty again.

[@papawdan3770]

Glad that you mentioned this video on your Wednesday night cooking show. It was worth waiting to see. Got several good tips, especially the BLUE top can of Easy Off and using aluminum polish. Know that you apply a small amount of polish just like seasoning oil on CI, but does it burn or discolor the bottom when using the Magnalite? Or smell? As usual, you did a good job with your video. Thanks. See you Wednesday….Dan

[@marymeier9290]

I was wondering the same thing.

[@thehumblepeach9018]

Awesome job! I have a GHC Magnalite 9x13 casserole pan I use all the time. It’s a spinner, but no matter. I tried cleaning it up as best I could when I first got it, but certainly didn’t get anywhere near the quality you got. I think the blue cap oven cleaner would do the trick

[@janzearing331]

Amazing. Thanks.

[@aaronmadden9377]

Great Work!

[@TeachaMantoFish]

Good job!

[@justpop1526]

I quit using aluminum cookware years ago due to the reports of link to Alzheimer’s. My parents used aluminum Clubware for years and both dies with Alzheimer’s symptoms. Not sure if that caused it, but it sure scares me to see folks using aluminum anything. But you did an outstanding job of bringing this one back!

[@Non-nt5ln]

Better to use cast iron and pottery.

[@carolthompson1343]

Any help on how to clean the inside of a magnalite roaster on the inside it has a lot of black spots,, I tried the bars friend as well and brillo pads.. thank you

[@geilasmith7643]

Gorgeous 😍

[@laurafrancis-bohr5755]

Would this cleaning work on the Rodney Kent Hammered aluminum trays and such. I have several that are flat or dull looking. They look like they need a good cleaning and a buffing to bring them back to life. Thanks you.

[@castironchaos]

I'm not an expert, but I don't see why you could not treat any aluminum pan in this way.

[@laptopdroptop9457]

2:40 thank you

[@debbie845]

Fabulous

[@Awenda18]

I have a round Wagner “Drip Drop Roaster” with bottom trivet and handle. I’ve always worried about cooking with it because of the Aluminum. Do I need to be? Is it safe to cook in?

[@johndonohoe3778]

Outstanding Video sir. Have you seen or learned of any method to take the warp out of an Aluminum pot? Thank you. These heavier Aluminum roasters are great.

[@swaters3462]

I don’t know if you can find a way to make this idea work for you. I just purchased the aluminum griddle portion of an old Frigidaire electric griddle. It has four little metal legs that I assume were the spacers. It was off balance, too, and would rock back and forth. My husband took it out in the garage and used a rubber hammer to tap on the griddle above the spacers, on the sides that were high. It just took a few minutes, and after cooking on it twice today, it is still just fine. I’m able to use it on the front and bridge burner of my flat top range. Good luck with yours.

[@tectorgorch8698]

How might I bring back the gray/green finish on a battered old All-Clad LTD saucepan? Anyone? I got decades of thick black soot and grime off the bottom with Barkeepers Friend and that was quite an adventure.

[@pegtooth2006]

The holidays are a pretty hard season for me because I'm basically an orphan with low income so I usually wind up at some sort of community sponsored Christmas dinner which I'm grateful for. I'm very grateful though that I do have an ex-girlfriend that always provides me with the Christmas card and Christmas cookies even though I'm not a big cookie fan. She never forgets to get me dill pickles for Christmas too since I love those. Otherwise that's my Christmas

[@singing4fun]

No idea how any of that is relevant to somebody cleaning an aluminum pan....

[@bobhughes9628]

@@singing4fun Well you see, Mr, Chaos spoke of holiday cooking, Mr, N.O. Empathy. Jeesh - have some compassion.

[@williamhurt8512]

bravo!

[@carolthompson1343]

Hi I loved what you did with the pot,, my question is what did you use to clean the inside of the pot,, did you use the oven cleaner inside the pot as well? Thank you

[@castironchaos]

Yes, I did use the oven cleaner on the inside. I let the oven cleaner sit for 15 minutes, then scrubbed the inside out. After that I then scrubbed the inside with Bar Keepers Friend, and then again with dish soap. This was enough, I think, to completely remove the oven cleaner residue from the inside.

[@tonias935]

Can this method be used on guardian service cookware?

[@bdh3949]

Hi, I was wondering if I should do the same method for my 45 yo Lodge cast iron DO? It has many years of being used on top of coals, surrounded by coals, coal burns on the top, etc. I have never cooked food directly in it other than cakes, pies, anything that would fit into a deep dish pan I used inside the DO, like especially for upside down cakes, deep dish pizza's, etc. I've cleaned it with dish soap and water to try to unsuccessfully get the burn marks out but was always hesitant to use abrasives. What would you do to make it look as good as your roaster?

[@castironchaos]

It sounds like you could strip your pot to the bare metal, and then re-season it. There are quite a few videos here on KZbin giving instructions on doing it. You could use Easy Off, but because it's cast iron you can use the yellow can with lye-based oven cleaner. Try this method and soak it for a long time, maybe a week or more: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIHZl2Ojbs-Hm6c&ab_channel=TheCulinaryFanatic or kzbin.info/www/bejne/emqkZqSsbd-lb6c&ab_channel=ManLand121

[@bdh3949]

@@castironchaos Oh dear, I am so sorry but I meant cast aluminum DO. My mistake. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction for the cast iron items but this one is cast aluminum. Any difference in treatment? Thanks again.

[@castironchaos]

@@bdh3949 The major difference is the aluminum is more fragile than cast iron: it can scratch, and *especially* do not use lye to clean it, including yellow can Easy Off. Otherwise, the method I used here worked really well, and I'll be using it on my Wagner Magnalite #8 dutch oven as well. I'd say give it a try with yours and see what the results are.

[@bdh3949]

@@castironchaos Thank you, I will give it a try, I'm looking forward to it. Great instructional video.

[@TeachaMantoFish]

9:30 the answer to the question. 🤣

[@lMiniD2]

how can you tell aluminum roasters from pot metal? weight?

[@castironchaos]

Aluminum has a different feel, and especially is much lighter, than stainless steel pans.

[@anjanean]

To make that much easier...use bar keeper with a DAMP paper towel..PROMISE IT IS FASTER. If you dont have the blue oven cleaner.

[@casolver]

You probably know this already, but Wagner Ware made two different types of aluminum pots, pans and roasters. One what all aluminum, like the one you have here. The other was the Magnalite. It was a combination of aluminum and magnesium. Thus the name "Magnalite". After claims of aluminum causing health problems, they switched to the Magnalite type.

[@PleaseNThankYou]

Do you have any Gardian Service? I think I asked you before but I forget.

[@castironchaos]

I have come across one or two guardian pots in my travels, but I did not buy them. The only aluminum pieces I own are these two Wagner pots, and a large aluminum stock pot I purchased at an Indian market.

[@PleaseNThankYou]

@@castironchaos I have my mom's set and the glass lids. I love how cast aluminum cooks almost as well as cast iron. Thanks to you and your bride for taking time out of your life to share your evening meal prep with us.

[@castironchaos]

@@PleaseNThankYou We are just friends, honestly. But thank you very much for the kind words.

[@andyc1955]

I have restored several pieces of Magnalite cookware and I always use the yellow can of oven cleaner for fast grease and stain removal. It wont hurt them if its left on for a five minutes or so because it is a blend of metals including magnesium. Just rinse it off and dry it well. If there are stubborn areas, then after its dry, respray and let set a few more minutes. I also use a stiff nylon brush with short bristles to get into the grooves. Some of the cookware have grooves or deep scored lines on the bottom as part of the manufacturing and a wire brush works great.

[@georgewithers5285]

Never, ever use the yellow can. It contains lye and will ruin aluminum.

[@bobs5596]

i wonder why they put those concentric ridges on the lid. decoration i suppose but turns into a grease/dirt catcher which kinda ruins the decorative effect.

[@castironchaos]

I’ve assumed those are like the basting spikes you see underneath the lids of Lodge pans.

[@bobs5596]

@@castironchaos i was referring to the lid top, not the basting spikes.

[@castironchaos]

@@bobs5596 That would have to be for aesthetic reasons, to make it look more appealing on the top.

[@grivolas2144]

I prefer the rings on the top to be dark so the stand out, like pin stripes on my old car, but that's just me.

[@cheshkat6321]

I think I got Alzheimer's disease from watching this video Eric! Hahahaha just kidding! Great roasting pan. The clean up was very satisfying. Especially the part where I sat on my butt nice and comfortable. I get the same feeling of satisfaction after making good food in my cast iron and the clean up goes quickly. Thanks for contributing to my strange enjoyment of viewing someone else scrubbing. Have a virtual Pepsi!

[@bobs5596]

now that you brought it up, is aluminum safe?

[@TeachaMantoFish]

@@bobs5596 watch until the very end. 🤣 No, cooking with aluminum does not cause Alzheimer’s disease.”

[@castironchaos]

See also: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kF7IlK2Cnteii9U

[@watermelonlalala]

Well, that is what happened to me. I used the yellow can.

[@jessemunoz2239]

Try tomato paste let sit few hours and wash

[@brad1574]

Just found one for $25 at goodwill

[@castironchaos]

Great deal!

[@brad1574]

@@castironchaos Mine's not as nice or old as yours but I still got a pretty good deal on it. Mine's the more basic Magnalite style but it's perfect for me can't wait to clean it up it is coverd in black cooking stains!

[@GOLDVIOLINbowofdeath]

Why not start with the oven cleaner, duh?

[@castironchaos]

Because that was my first time restoring aluminum.

[@GOLDVIOLINbowofdeath]

I thought aluminum cookware was a health no no?

[@waltercrowder3411]

should have tried cleaning a dirty aluminum pot, anybody can clean clean pans

[@GOLDVIOLINbowofdeath]

Why is the price a secret from your viewers whose clicks make you money?

[@GOLDVIOLINbowofdeath]

Store brand not good

[@mrsmagandelatour]

How many quarts is that?

[@castironchaos]

I didn’t measure the volume, but I would estimate 8 to 10 quarts.

[@mrsmagandelatour]

@@castironchaos one last question are you going to complete that set?

[@mrsmagandelatour]

@@castironchaos and how much would you pay or the question is how much should a set value