Frying pan dilemma

[SZR48207]

A few years back I ditched non stick pans and bought carbon steel and stainless pans. I am fairly healthy and have no qualms about using lard, butter, or oil to keep food from sticking while it cooks.

But for whatever reason, lately, it seems like I want a non stick pan again. There are certain foods that just cook much better in them. Eggs and bacon are a great example. (they do cook well in carbon steel, but can leave behind "stuck bits" that mess up the built-up polymerized oil coat)

The thing about non stick that bothers me is they all eventually stop working. The non stick just diminishes over time, even if you only ever use medium heat and wipe them out with a paper towel (no soap + water except for rare occasions).

And despite non stick pans being labeled as PFOA-free and safe, I'm convinced that the fact that they DO diminish means the coating is coming off and is embedded in the food you eat. Where else is it gonna go? Does it just pass through your body with no effects?

So here's the dilemma:

• Buy the cheapest non stick pans available because they're not gonna last long anyway. Most of these just claim to use the basic Teflon coat. These cheap pans tend to bow on the bottom because they're thin, so then you also have to deal with uneven cooking surface and uneven heating.
• Buy a better quality non stick pan that won't bow and claims to use a more eco-friendly coating (and often claimed to be 3x thick), but knowing it'll just wear out anyway in a few years

The price range is like $12 on the low end up to $150 at the top end. All the mid tier stuff either has the basic teflon coat or some proprietary crap.. and no guarantees of not warping. In fact a lot of the mid tier stuff ($30-$50) seems to be gimmicky like Copper Chef or licensed brands (Rachel Ray, Southern Living, etc).

(the nice thing about the carbon steel and stainless pans is they're so thick and heavy that the bottoms haven't warped, but the stainless one is only good for certain types of cooking, while the carbon steel has a coating that has to be diligently cared for)

 

[UncleDave]

I get about 10 years out of a calphalon or all clad non stick pan.

Banish all metal tools, and buy the new silicon stuff.

Divide the cost of the pan by 10 years and you'll find its a better deal than the cheapies.

 

[ecotourist]

Uncle Dave has it about right. I think you need a heavy cast iron pan for some things and a "good" quality non stick pan for things that stick. And you'll need silicon tools to go with the non stick pan.

We've had a heavy cast iron pan for about 40 years - ever since I found it on the road on the way to the city dump. Cleaned up real nice. And bought a "good" quality frying pan for Xmas along with silicon tools.

 

[daves87rs]

I get about 10 years out of a calphalon or all clad non stick pan.

Banish all metal tools, and buy the new silicon stuff.

Divide the cost of the pan by 10 years and you'll find its a better deal than the cheapies.

Agree 100% here. Also comes from having a wife with a chef’s degree.....

 

[Food Scientist]

La Creuset enameled cast iron pans are great as well.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

A few years back I ditched non stick pans and bought carbon steel and stainless pans. I am fairly healthy and have no qualms about using lard, butter, or oil to keep food from sticking while it cooks.

But for whatever reason, lately, it seems like I want a non stick pan again. There are certain foods that just cook much better in them. Eggs and bacon are a great example. (they do cook well in carbon steel, but can leave behind "stuck bits" that mess up the built-up polymerized oil coat)

The thing about non stick that bothers me is they all eventually stop working. The non stick just diminishes over time, even if you only ever use medium heat and wipe them out with a paper towel (no soap + water except for rare occasions).

And despite non stick pans being labeled as PFOA-free and safe, I'm convinced that the fact that they DO diminish means the coating is coming off and is embedded in the food you eat. Where else is it gonna go? Does it just pass through your body with no effects?

So here's the dilemma:

• Buy the cheapest non stick pans available because they're not gonna last long anyway. Most of these just claim to use the basic Teflon coat. These cheap pans tend to bow on the bottom because they're thin, so then you also have to deal with uneven cooking surface and uneven heating.
• Buy a better quality non stick pan that won't bow and claims to use a more eco-friendly coating (and often claimed to be 3x thick), but knowing it'll just wear out anyway in a few years

The price range is like $12 on the low end up to $150 at the top end. All the mid tier stuff either has the basic teflon coat or some proprietary crap.. and no guarantees of not warping. In fact a lot of the mid tier stuff ($30-$50) seems to be gimmicky like Copper Chef or licensed brands (Rachel Ray, Southern Living, etc).

(the nice thing about the carbon steel and stainless pans is they're so thick and heavy that the bottoms haven't warped, but the stainless one is only good for certain types of cooking, while the carbon steel has a coating that has to be diligently cared for)

No 1 : There's no scientific evidence that ingesting small amounts of teflon is detrimental to ones health. It'll just move right on through like the aluminium bits and plastic we've ingested over the years from candy wrappers.

No 2: The fear behind Teflon was overhyped because this off gassing would only occur if someone left a pan on an open burner for an inordinate amount of time so that it reached approx 400-500 degrees. There was no off gassing associated with normal cooking.

No 3: Carbon steel is not like cast iron. The non-stick coating is meant to be easily re-applied and it's done all the time in a restaurant setting which btw is where you'll find the majority of carbon steel cookware being used in the US.

No 4: I bought a two-piece set of all-clad teflon fry pans about 20 yrs ago for around $50. It was a 10" and 8" (6"?). One is just now starting to develop a little bit of wear at the bottom of the pan. They're are made of thick anodized aluminium.

 

[JHZR2]

We don’t own a Teflon type non stick. I cook entirely on cast iron and our all clad pots and pans.

We do have a red copper pan that someone gave us as a gift. It’s a ceramic nonstick, and will cook up eggs very nicely and cleanly, flip with no issue, etc. They don’t go that well on the cast iron, but usually I cook eggs in the grease from the breakfast meat to save on pans and cleanup. But that’s because I’m already cooking bacon or sausage or something on the cast iron. For grilled cheese and other things, the red copper pan is very good.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

La Creuset enameled cast iron pans are great as well.

Staub has some cool pans as well.

I never accepted the hype of enameled cast iron but being that I like to cook my mother gave me a Le Creuset dutch oven for Christmas. So far I've made braised beef ribs as well as a white bean/sausage/kale stew and could not believe the difference.

 

[Lyman]

We only use cast iron pans. While a little on the heavy side they cleanup with ease.

 

[Rufus711]

The best nonstick pans of 2021 | CNN Underscored

A quality nonstick pan is a true kitchen essential; from stir-fries to burgers to omelets, the stovetop staple basically does it all. And after we tested some from top brands, we found out you don't have to spend a fortune on a good one, either.

www.cnn.com

We purchased the TFal, and have been very happy with it. And we have come to the conclusion that we are going to use them till they stop functioning like they should and buy another.

 

[Kestas]

I've used cast iron for decades. I find they are as non-stick as the average teflon coated pan. Buy it once and you're done. Pass it on to your kids.

If you are familiar with the microstructure of cast iron, you'll realize the nooks and crannies on the surface hold the (baked) oil and provide a non-stick surface. This is what they mean when they talk about seasoning. Plain iron, stainless steel, and aluminum don't have this feature.

Cast iron also has good thermal transfer properties (though not as good as aluminum).

 

[cb_13]

We don’t own a Teflon type non stick. I cook entirely on cast iron and our all clad pots and pans.

We do have a red copper pan that someone gave us as a gift. It’s a ceramic nonstick, and will cook up eggs very nicely and cleanly, flip with no issue, etc. They don’t go that well on the cast iron, but usually I cook eggs in the grease from the breakfast meat to save on pans and cleanup. But that’s because I’m already cooking bacon or sausage or something on the cast iron. For grilled cheese and other things, the red copper pan is very good.

Same. We have a cast iron skillet, cast iron griddle and a red copper for extra sticky foods or stuff cooked with sauce. Suits our needs very well.

 

[mattwithcats]

I have two ten year old WearEver pans that I use every day...

They still look like new....

PFOA free, lead free, cadmium free..

Sadly, it looks like they are no longer being made...

 

[JT20]

We don’t own a Teflon type non stick. I cook entirely on cast iron and our all clad pots and pans.

We do have a red copper pan that someone gave us as a gift. It’s a ceramic nonstick, and will cook up eggs very nicely and cleanly, flip with no issue, etc. They don’t go that well on the cast iron, but usually I cook eggs in the grease from the breakfast meat to save on pans and cleanup. But that’s because I’m already cooking bacon or sausage or something on the cast iron. For grilled cheese and other things, the red copper pan is very good.

As Seen on TV 12" Frying Pan Red Copper

Read reviews and buy As Seen on TV 12" Frying Pan Red Copper at Target. Choose from contactless Same Day Delivery, Drive Up and more.

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?

 

[thescreensavers]

I use a ceramic coated pan for eggs, look at "GreenLife" or "GreenPan" brands

 

[kschachn]

And despite non stick pans being labeled as PFOA-free and safe, I'm convinced that the fact that they DO diminish means the coating is coming off and is embedded in the food you eat. Where else is it gonna go? Does it just pass through your body with no effects?

Yes it does. It has no bioavailability.

As for "good" nonstick pans we have given up on that. Lately I've been buying the most inexpensive ones from Walmart and just throwing them out when they get ineffective.

 

[WylieCoyote]

I have just one Teflon pan left, and while the Teflon hasn't failed yet, I'm thinking about ditching it anyway. I probably won't die from Teflon ingestion, but why eat the stuff when it can be avoided?

I bought a set of Calphalon a few years ago due to a recommendation from a family member, and having read something about it being hard-anodized rather than coated in Teflon. Naturally, I didn't take a course on what 'hard anodized' means, but I didn't expect what I'm currently seeing....the black insides are slowly being scratched away and revealing shiny silver underneath. Whatever coats the inside of the Calphalon pots is coming off. Under the impression that 'hard anodized' meant that there is no coating to worry about, I used a metal wisk in the pot. Mistake.

So, I'll soon be on the hunt for something that truly isn't coated with anything. I have a stainless frying pan, but most everything sticks to it, so it's a pain. I also bought a Copper Chef, which worked great for eggs the first time, but after that, they stuck.....BADLY. Back into the cabinet with that. My most recent purchase is a GraniteStone. It's not as non-stick as they claim, but I'm able to fry eggs in it without ruining them, and it's a breeze to clean. I'll avoid carbon steel, now that I know they are coated in something. Thanks, OP.

 

[Pablo]

Cast iron is tops in most categories. We have a decent variety. Essentially non-stick, great thermal retention, rugged and you can get it really hot and it's just happy to be hot. The only coated pans we own are the Green Pan Valencia Pro line. Not cheap but the durability is good, however even this pan we never overheat or use for hot searing. We have some stainless sauce pans, but we just don't use stainless fry pans anymore.

Wife didn't even know how to treat and cook with cast iron when we married 35+ years ago - now she loves it but leaves the cleaning and seasoning to me, which I love. Cast iron is almost a living thing to me. Hahahha but they rarely see water, almost always clean with dry salt. I even enjoy a complete strip and redo. I just did this with the antique Griswald #9 flat griddle (it had some rust for year underside) and groad build up on the periphery. Stripped in a 4 hour oven clean cycle. Amazing, just ash on the surface and some hidden rust underneath. Wire wheeled then sanded. Now on the seasoning stage but cooked a flat iron steak on it last night and it was great! (Red one is a Staub, which I like better than Le Creuset )

 

[tyman]

Wife and I really like the newer ceramic coatings.

 

[UncleDave]

Wife and I really like the newer ceramic coatings.

First one of those I bought lasted about 5 months even with silicon tools.