Doing the dishes can be a chore, especially if:
1. You have no dishwasher (the machine, or some mug to do it for you)
2. The contents are either burnt on solid or have been left over-night, and will not shift despite hours of applied elbow grease.
Rip-off! to the rescue! It's a peelable surface film applied to dinner plates (and the like) and frying pans. Once soiled, simply grab one of the special tabs, and peel the soiled layer off! Good as new! No need for washing up!
I'm pretty sure that this kind of technology already exists (racing car drivers have peelable visors, and I once saw a show on T.V. about it being used on subway trains to combat graffiti on windows), however I have yet to see anything along these lines on offer to the washing up hating* public.
* I must concede that some people actually enjoy doing the washing up.-- Belly, Aug 07 2000 Saran cutting sheets http://www.saranbra.../cutting_sheets.asp [novotar, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004] Ofcource this kind of technology is handy for professional use and it might even work for individuals, but where are we talking about? I mean, are you really to lazy/busy to do dishes. In the future we'll only be able to sit our fat ass down and hit some buttons..-- enveekaa, Aug 07 2000 Hey, enveekaa, you know that's the same thing they said in the '50s. We'd become a nation of push-button softies... I seem to see instead that we're busier than ever, even with automation being what it is. Saving work in one arena only means that your work/time gets shifted to concentrate on other things. I don't think anybody could be automated right out of living if they desired otherwise...
ok, that's my rant.-- absterge, Aug 07 2000 .. and you're sticking to it?-- jutta, Aug 07 2000 absterge, I agree with you. But there is a certain level, and this really goes to far.. :) As I said before, I can imagine that it's very usefull for professional use as in saving alot of money/time. But hey, that's just the way I see it..-- enveekaa, Aug 08 2000 "enveekaa": that's just silly.
Is there really some reason we have to spend our time doing dishes? Is it somehow good for our soul to have lots of menial chores to perform? Do you think that not having to do them will make us more "lazy"? I know that if I didn't have to do dishes, I'd do something else instead. Something worthwhile, something a machine can't do. It's certainly not the thought of having dishes to wash that gets me off the couch!
Why do you assume that everyone who invents a labor-saving device does so only so they can "sit their fat ass down and hit some buttons"?
If you're really into this mandatory-work-ethic thing, you might as well require an hour on a treadmill every day for all citizens. At least then you would be generating electricity and making people get a real workout, instead of using up water cleaning dishes badly by hand.
Besides, if you're worried about fat asses, note that you rarely see dishwashing featured in "Buns of Steel".-- egnor, Aug 08 2000 Hmmm, I'm reminded of the quote, (darn, I can't find who to attribute it to), "Technology justs exchanges one pain in the ass for another."-- fence, Aug 08 2000 egnor, my point being, what is the time difference between filling up the dishwasher and hit the button or sweeping of some layer? Nothing I guess. And sure I also hate to do it al by hand, but as I said before; This solution can be (probably IS) very handy for prof. usage. And about the lazy thing, you're probably right ;) And hey! you're idea; putting everybody on a treadmill for electricity 1h/day.. might be an halfbakery, hehehe.-- enveekaa, Aug 09 2000 I think it's a great idea. I don't see it as a substitution for washing the pan, I see it as a way of removing the most burnt on/stuck on area the easiest. This pan would be great for any high-heat cooking styles, such as blackening techniques. I blacken lots of foods (and sometimes intentionally) and they are usually pretty difficult to clean up after. If I could just remove that bottom area of the pan, without scouring powder and steel wool, I'd be quite happier.
I guess the engineering might be a bit difficult, however. The two 'peel off' situations mentioned already (windscreens and windows) are likely candidates because they are already laminated surface with little requirements other than clarity. The pan, however, would have to contend with high heat, various surficants (such as oils, wines, vinegars, etc), and would still have to maintain consistent heating temperature, all while maintaining FDA non-toxicity standards.
I was thinking too that an aerosol which applied this type of surface would be quite useful ... once could spray on a semi plastic surface that dries to a removable film. Alternatively, having a supply of specially designed foils which I could line my pan with would be as functional. I believe aluminum foil breaks down rather easily at higher temperatures, but something a little more "industrial" that was easy enough to form to the pan (or better yet, circular in shape already so that you just dropped it into the center of the pan) would allow me to "blacken" (ok, ok, "burn") my fishes and steakies without the dreaded scouring that inevitably follows. -Matt.-- Mister_matt, Jun 07 2001 A trick worth noting along these lines is if you are going to be cooking over an open fire, the pans will get greally black underneath. To solve this, smear the bottom of the pans with washing up liquid. When you wash the pans you will find the soot is burnt onto the washing up liquid not the pan.-- CasaLoco, Jul 11 2001 *grin* or just pay us weirdos who like doing dishes to wash yours for you..-- Urania, Dec 10 2001 "All the modern inconveniences." -- Mark TwainI quite like washing dishes, by hand, as long as it isn't scrubbing the baked on stuff. I've been known to throw those pans out.-- bristolz, Dec 10 2001 Anyone ever hear of aluminum foil?-- phoenix, Dec 10 2001 ...or Saran wrap, or paper plates...-- bookworm, Dec 10 2001 The idea of changing courses without clearing the table has been in the incubator for years, as evidenced by the proliferation of vinyl placemats. Just flip over your dinner plate, and presto-chino, there's a saucer or dessert plate-- reensure, Dec 10 2001 Mister_matt does raise some of the serious problems with this. If you're wanting to protect frying pans or ovenware, your coating will have to withstand temperatures of 250C (~ 500 F). It will have to remain firmly adhered to the pan at this temperature, without bubbling or flaking, and yet be easy to detach when the cooking is finished. It will require sufficient strength to withstand the pressure and scraping action of plastic spatulas, if not metal forks. It will also have to be waterproof and chemically inert, able to withstand mild acids and alkalis, oil, fats and alcohol at high temperatures. Although the coating should adhere tightly to the pan, food should not stick to the surface. It should also have good thermal conductivity.
All of which suggests the best solution would be rigid metal pan linings. Except for the final requirement, which is low cost compared to the price of a new saucepan.-- pottedstu, Dec 10 2001 //and yet be easy to detach when the cooking is finished//
Yes, definately Teflon-- FloridaManatee, Aug 27 2003 random, halfbakery