On Aug 6, 11:32*pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> Contrary to intuition, multilayered pots
> and pans are at greatest stress when cold.
> The rate of change in temperature is also
> important, because when the temperature
> changes quickly, it usually does not change
> uniformly. *That creates stresses between
> cold spots or hot spots and the rest of
> the pot or pan.

So the idiot probably took the frying pan with the leftover hamburger
helper out of the fridge and put it on the smoothtop stove, fired it
up to high, and ruined his $100 frying pan.

Smoothtop stoves are for people who care more about neatness than
cooking, anyway. A serious cook uses gas.