Non-stick frying pans

[Todd Bender]

I need some recommendations on non-stick skillets.
We have a Calphalon square non-stick "griddle" pan purchased about 10 years ago. Unlike some cheaper products, the non-stick coating has not chipped off, but the pan is no longer non-stick. Additionally, the center of the pan is now convex. We recently found a 10" & 12" Calphalon skillet set for $50 and bought it, but this latest set doesn't look as promising even as the "griddle" pan.
We need another 10" skillet and would like an 8" as well, and would appreciate suggestions.

Housekeeping:
We're looking for performance & longevity at a reasonable price. Probably willing to pay +/- $150 or less for a 8" & 10" set. We may be willing to increase our budget for something that will last 20 years.
We have a glass top electric stove. Our next stove will be the same or possibly gas (propane).
We don't use metal utensils on our non-stick cookware and aren't in the habit of leaving empty pans on hot burners.

[Curt Harms]

SWMBO is a bit of a pain sometimes, things have to match, be a certain color etc. etc. She bought a set of Paula Dean pans and they've been decent but one frequently used frying pan has a small patch of peeling teflon(?). I bought a Green Life pan at Walmart that so far - probably 18 - 24 mos. - that has held up well. We do use non-metallic utensils.

[Jim Becker]

I've standardized on Zwilling for my ceramic non-stick...the Spirit is the current version. I never buy this stuff in "sets"...I buy the pieces I want based on my actual needs. I will not buy any "non-stick" that isn't ceramic and PFOA/PFTE free...we have birds and other non-stick can be deadly to them. It's not exactly healthy for humans, either. I also use enameled cast iron (Staub from the same site) and love it. All the normal benefits of cast iron (the "original" non-stick) with a lot easier clean-up and for folks like you who have "glass" cooktops, no scratching. I try to buy stuff when on-sale or clearance for obvious reasons.

For skillets/fry pans, I have a 12", a 10" and two 8" pans. I also have a similar 9" pan that came with an induction hot plate. ALL of these get a lot of use since I'm the "chef". Those 8" and 9" pans get heavy use for a variety of things, from prep to preparing a single serving of fish for my younger daughter who does not eat other kinds of meat.

BTW, one thing you need to understand about ceramic non-stick is that if you do not clean it properly, it will stop being as non-stick as it can be. Like with any hot pan, sugars and starches can form a "varnish". Cleaning while it's still hot helps and gentle scrubbing with a little Barkeeper's helper and a mild pad will remove the "varnish". Avoid metal utensils when you can, too, to prolong life.

[Stan Calow]

i thought some pans were made purposely with a slightly rounded bottom to better sit on gas stove burners. yes, flat is what you want for electric We have Bialetti pans that have held up well. i think they all eventually lose the non-stick, i'm guessing from dishwasher washing.

[Jamie Buxton]

You might consider cast iron. They are durable -- I have two which are forty years old and still going strong. You can use metal utensils. There's no concerns about what the non-stick coating is doing to you. They also happen to be a quarter the price of non-stick pans. The only downside I know is that they want to be hand-washed.

[Izzy Camire]

Todd,
I bought a couple of these for the wife a few years ago and they have stood up well. Both the non-stickness and the pans themselves.
https://www.swissdiamond.com/
Izzy

[Dan Friedrichs]

If you haven't seen America's Test Kitchen on PBS, they do very good equipment reviews and comparisons. Their conclusions on non-stick skillets are that they should be treated as an expendable, rather than long-term, tool, as the coating will wear off, no matter what. They recommend the T-Fal products for a good value.

Wirecutter agrees:
https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-nonstick-pan/

[Mel Fulks]

The Goodwill stores always have some used non stick ,slightly scratched pans for a dollar or two. Good for mixing body
putty and such.

[Yonak Hawkins]

https://www.swissdiamond.com/
Izzy

Reckon why they would show burned food in their promotional photo . . ?

[Todd Bender]

Thanks for all the replies, I knew I could count on folks who use as many tools as we woodworkers do to have thoughtful commentary on other tools as well.

Jamie - I will consider cast iron, thanks. I hadn't thought of it, but did when I read Jim's post about enameled cast iron.

Jim - thanks for the good info. Can I assume you prefer the enameled cast iron over raw?

[Paul F Franklin]

I have both Calphalon and Cuisinart anodized non-stick pans that get heavy use, including some use in the oven (e.g. finishing off an omelet). Both brands have held up well although none of them are older than perhaps 5 or 6 years. I believe both brands have different "series" of products, for lack of a better term; I buy the higher grade (more expensive) series.

Regarding warping of the pans: washing a hot pan or immersing in water while hot is almost guaranteed to warp the pan the first time you do it, so let the pan cool before cleaning.
It's also a good idea to avoid heating a cold pan on high heat; start it off on medium and after a minute or so turn the burner up if needed. Rapid, uneven heating or cooling is what warps them.

If you are using oil or other fat, don't add it to the pan until it's hot. Heating butter or oil in a cold pan seems to contribute to the build up of "varnish" that Jim mentioned.

I use well seasoned cast iron when cooking outside on the grill, but since I do most of the cooking and cleanup in my house, the easier cleaning of non-stick wins out for the majority of indoor cooking.

[Jim Becker]

T
Jamie - I will consider cast iron, thanks. I hadn't thought of it, but did when I read Jim's post about enameled cast iron.

Jim - thanks for the good info. Can I assume you prefer the enameled cast iron over raw?

Yes, I'm really enjoying the Staub enameled cast iron a lot for the reasons I stated. They are not inexpensive, but are also not unreasonable when bought on sale. I've done that and choose to "not be particular" on the enamel color to get the best deal on a given piece. I'm soon to buy a small "French Oven" from them for cooking rice range-top, as a matter of fact. I do have some "regular" cast iron, too, but I only roast veggies in them at this point. That said, the ceramic non-stick has been very good for me and I have not have any durability issues. I think that the "disposable" thing that mentioned doesn't have to apply to ceramic if it's maintained and properly cleaned as I also previously noted. I have two "GreenPan" version where the anodized exterior looks like poop, but the ceramic interior still looks almost like new. I did forget to mention that I keep one SS heavy bottom skillet for certain searing needs, but it also cleans easily if it's done while it's still hot/warm.

Yes...I have a "tool acquisition problem", even in the kitchen. LOL

IMG_2883.jpg

[Roger Feeley]

+1 on the cast iron. We do have one non-stick pan just for eggs. The thing about just about all non-stick coatings is that they can't take high heat very well. We use that one pan on low-medium heat just to make scrambled eggs or omelets. That's it. Everything else gets the cast iron. We also have a stainless electric skillet but that doesn't count.

Generally, I like pans I can scrub.

[Brett Luna]

I love my All-Clad pans and I do have small selection of non-stick pans...10 and 12 inch fry pans, an omelet pan, and a round griddle pan. One thing to keep in mind: depending upon who you talk to, I've read that any PTFE-type (or similar) pan...even when well cared for...has a life time of 3-5 years in typical use. My fry pans are about due for replacement...or maybe overdue.

I'm also a big +1 with the cast iron recommendations. I have a couple of skillets and a couple of rectangular griddles, one of them being reserved for outdoor use on the grill. The Wife also has a couple of corn bread molds.

[Jim Koepke]

You must not watch much TV if you haven't seen the ads for all the new sorts of 'non-stick' pans. We have bought a few and they seem to be adequate.

They have been available in the local supermarkets.

It took me awhile to get good at making an omelet. Scrambling eggs is easy. A pat of butter swirled around and melted in the pan seems to help.

My favorite for most cooking other than eggs is plain old cast iron. Properly seasoned it is as close to non-stick as one can get if it is used properly. For seasoning my cast iron, flaxseed oil is used. This is usually only found in health food stores. It is a polymerizing oil. After washing the pan, it is dried on the stove with medium heat. Then a paper towel with ~1/4 tsp of the oil is used to wipe all over the inside of the pan while still on the stove. Then the stove is turned off and the pan is left to cool. After a few times this leaves a smooth durable surface. Our pans are usually re-oiled after each cleaning.

Some folks will 'strip' cast iron by leaving it in the oven on high or through an oven cleaning cycle. Then, after cooling, they will give it a coat of flax seed oil and leave it in the oven at ~400º for an hour and repeat. This can be done in batches of pans if desired.

FYI - The name flaxseed oil is used in the USA for food grade linseed oil.

jtk