We have a whole set of All-Clad pots and pans, and I like them very much. They basically seem to last forever – except the non-stick ones. The coating doesn’t exactly wear off, it just becomes ineffective after a while. In our case, it became so ineffective that our non-sticks were stickier than regular pans.

So I emailed All-Clad. I had sent a pan back once before many years ago, and I wanted to do that again, based on their lifetime warranty. They sent me back a big form reply, with complete cleaning instructions.

Hidden deep in the email, was this:

“We will be happy to provide a warranty evaluation for replacement. Please write a brief note that explains the problem that you are experiencing with the item(s). Include in the note your name and return address. Please also mark the outside of the package clearly with the number XXX-YYY. Package the note and the item together and return them to . . .”

So I sent in my pans – four of them – for ‘evaluation.’ That was six weeks ago. I forgot all about them until one day we remarked on how great it was to have extra space in the kitchen cabinets. We had totally stopped using these pans since they were so ineffective. I made a mental note to follow up with All-Clad, then promptly forgot again.

Today, a box from All-Clad arrived:

Four new pans, each in a new box. Screaming for eBay . . .

So take advantage of those lifetime warranties!