Out of town guests--psycho?

Question

Alright I have an out of town guest who cannot use my pots and pans to cook food that I buy. His reason that they are tephlon (however spelled ??) and that I need to go to the store and get stainless steel pots and pans because he doesn't want to get cancer???????????????????????

Have you ever heard of such ridiculousness (if that is a word)???????

What guest goes to someone's house and wants the hostess to purchase stainless steel pots/pans for their cooking with hostess' food. I pay for the groceries, food, etc.

Is this PSYChO or what?

Anyone else out there with such psycho guest stories?

Answer 1

Well it is possible that they cause cancer, but I'm pretty sure that would be with long term use not a few days at someone's house. And they (theoretically) only cause cancer if they start chipping and you ingest the chips, so if your stuff is in good shape no worries. If he is so dead set against using them he should have brought his own or been prepared to eat out a lot.

Answer 2

I've heard there's supposed to be a risk of cancer with teflon too but your guest is being rude.  First of all, if he wants to he can go out and buy his own pans.  Second, using teflon pans for a week will not give him cancer.   Prolonged use may be associated with increased risk of cancer and but a week or so is not long term.  If he's staying with you for a few years (or decades), maybe it might do something, but even then I'd doubt it.  I don't think he's psyco but maybe he's a hypochodriac?

Answer 3

Well that is just rude.You should tell him he is welcome to buy you a set if he is so worried about it.But I sure wouldn't do it.Telfon is safe as long as its not all scratched up.Yes,my nephew came for a 3 day visit and told me I did not have enough hot water for his shower.It was a 30 gallon tank.

Answer 4

It's not exactly "psycho" since a lot of us refuse to cook with teflon (cancer causing).  However, if I were visiting a friend and he or she had only teflon pans and that's what the food was cooked in, for the brief time I was there I'd put up with it because chances are it won't do me any harm during such limited time.  I guess if I truly objected and refuse to eat food cooked in teflon, I'd eat my meals elsewhere--or I'd buy inexpensive stainless or whatever to use (and leave it for my hostess when I go home).  I'm getting free room and board so buying a pan should not be a big issue for me.

Do you have friends or family you could borrow stainless pots and pans from temporarily?  Otherwise, and assuming this guest is also a friend, if he really can't handle eating from teflon, suggest that he buy pots and pans that suit his taste since you aren't charging him the going rate in your town for a hotel room or for the cost of food.  If he still objects, too bad.  He can eat from your teflon or not eat.  You are doing him a favor by letting him stay at your home for free; you don't have to grant his every wish or terribly disrupt your own way of living to accommodate him.

Answer 5

The only response to that is "Give me the money and I will go buy you whatever you want.  Otherwise I have no funds, no need nor want to purchase new pans.....mine are just fine."

Well actually there are tons of other responses, some my co-worker just overheard me say.  But since we are in the etiquette section we must find the most polite and appropriate way to solve this problem.....I guess.

I have heard some nightmare stories but yours definitely takes the cake.  You poor thing, I hope you can get rid of this person soon.

Answer 6

Some people believe Teflon cookware is associated with cancer, Alzheimer's, and other health problems.  It would have been fine for him not to eat food prepared using Teflon cookware, but he was extremely rude, self-centered, and unreasonable in telling you to buy new cookware.

He should have at least asked you about your cookware BEFORE his visit -- so HE could make plans, such as bringing his own cookware.  The first analogy that pops into my head is people who keep kosher.  If you keep kosher in your own home, that's cool.  It's not cool, though, to be a guest in someone's home and demand that they buy new cookware, dishes, and etc., just for you.

Answer 7

From what you say, it sounds like this guest was planning to cook you a meal.  Were you looking forward to it?  Most guests don't offer to cook... at least not MY guests, so I hope you thanked him for offering.  

You are correct that he is wrong to DEMAND that you buy anything.  He's not crazy in my book---Teflon is an unnatural substance and I have no idea what it'll do to my body in the long term so I don't use it at home---but he is quite rude and out of line.  

I'd suggest the best way to handle this is to be demur and polite.  Say something like "Thank you so much for offering to cook for us!  I'm sorry, though, that my kitchen supplies aren't the kind that you prefer.  I hope you understand that I wasn't planning to buy new pots anytime soon, but I'll think about what you've said the next time I do.  Since you cannot cook the meal that you'd planned for us (and thanks again for offering to in the first place!) I'll be doing the cooking like I normally do.  I understand your concerns, though.  Please know that I'll completely understand if you decide to go elsewhere to eat while you're staying with us."

Answer 8

WHAT A NUTBALL!!!! Tell him that teflon does not cause cancer unless there has been prolonged explosure to the compound. Also, tell him to take a look at you. You don't have cancer, do you?

Answer 9

I don't know if this is psycho, but it is very rude and presumptuous of your guest.

If your guest wants you to cook in stainless steel pots and pans only, then they should go out and buy you some, not demand that you buy them!  

Tell them to either get some manners, or go stay at a hotel, where I am pretty sure they also use Teflon cookware!

Answer 10

I've heard of tephlon causing cancer, but for him to ask you to buy new cookware is the height of ridiculousness!  High maintenance freak.

Answer 11

Tell him to eat what you cook in your own pans, or buy his own d**n food.  There's no reason at all for you to spend the ridiculous amount of money that cookware costs just for this one guest.

And that bit about Teflon causing cancer is bull.  It's not the Teflon that's the problem, it's one of the chemicals used in the manufacturing process (perfluorooctanoic acid).  It consequentially poses a cancer danger to the workers MAKING the pans... not to people cooking in them.

Answer 12

tell im to buy is own. you stick to your pots and pans.

Answer 13

I highly suspect from the fact that you're calling him a psycho over such a small thing that you're also expanding on the coversation somewhat. So I'd say, no it's not psycho, or what.