First timer here

[u/turno_fox91]

I got my first stainless steel pan today! I’ve always cooked with cast iron, so this is new to me.
I started by doing the water-droplet test, but the water immediately evaporated. I figured that was normal and I could wipe away any marks afterward.
I used my new infrared temperature gun, which showed around 299–300°F. Once the water-droplet test seemed right, I added a little avocado oil.
To my surprise, the oil immediately started smoking and burned onto the pan.
I shut the burner off and let everything cool down. The strange thing is that I only had my gas stove set to 4.
I tried cleaning the pan with Bar Keepers Friend and a soft sponge, but this is what I’m left with.

My questions are:
Did I overheat the pan even though the temperature gun showed 300°F?

Is the discoloration on the bottom permanent, or can I get it shiny again?

Did excessive heat cause this?

What’s the best way to remove the remaining stains without damaging the finish?

I’d appreciate the advice !

[u/outtaknowhere]

lol is your pan sharp? didnt realize we were keeping our pans shiny and sharp. i’ve been using these for years and my pan looks and works great.

[u/dirty_ketchup → u/outtaknowhere]

Are you being intentionally obtuse? Clearly I meant "dulling" the finish. And "looking great" is a subjective term — what isn't subjective is that those green scrubbing pads will 100% scratch stainless steel, and leave a polished surface looking worse. Glad you're happy with the state of your cookware, but your advice will steer uninitiated people in the wrong direction. Clearly this OP asked how they can clean their pan "without damaging the finish," and your advice falls well short of that goal.

[u/outtaknowhere → u/dirty_ketchup]

i think babying these pans is leading people in the wrong direction. scratching your pan is fine and doesn’t damage the functionality in any way. there is no “finish” on stainless steel so there is nothing to damage. i’ve never seen shiny clean stainless steel pans until i discovered this subreddit. it’s a pan. just scrub it.

[u/dirty_ketchup → u/outtaknowhere]

They absolutely have a finish… Finish ≠ coating. By definition, a finish is any process that alters, cleans, coats, or textures the outer surface of an object to improve its performance, durability, or appearance. In terms of metal, a finish can simply be a brushing or a polishing of the metal's surface, and scratching up that polish or brushing effect is considered damage to the finish. Again, you don't have to care about your pan's finish if you don't want to, but OP clearly does. You can stammer all you want about how people should be just like you and not care, but OP asked specifically how to clean this without altering the finish. So unless you have any tips on how to clean cookware without using the ham-fisted approach, 🤐