Stop! Don't Ruin That Nonstick Frying Pan.
Stick to these nonstick rules to make your pan last for years to come
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The beauty of a nonstick frying pan is right there in the nameāfood doesnāt stick! How is that even possible? A chemical coating applied to the metal pan creates a slick surface that allows food to slide right off.
The coating may be Teflon, also known as PTFE for its chemical name (polytetrafluoroethylene), though thatās not the only slick solution. As youāll see in Consumer Reportsā ratings of nonstick pans, some are coated with whatās referred to as a ceramic finish but which is made using what is essentially beach sand. Pans labeled āPTFE-freeā in our ratings often have some form of this coating.
How to Care for a Nonstick Pan
So what extra care does your nonstick need? We interviewed manufacturers and consulted our experts from the lab to see what you should do to make sure your pan turns out flawless fried eggs for years to come. If your pan is beyond redemption and youāre looking for a new one, check our top pan picks below or read our full list of nonstick frying pan ratings and recommendations.
1. Avoid metal utensils. Metal can scrape or otherwise mar the nonstick surface, causing food to stick and making the pan hard to clean. And while the coating isnāt harmful if itās ingested, you donāt want flakes of it in your food. Once the finish on your pan is damaged, youāll have to discard it. To avoid this, stock up on silicone, plastic, and wooden utensils to use insteadāthey wonāt harm your pan.
2. Donāt stack āem. Donāt stack or nest your nonstick pans. The bottom of one pan may scratch the cooking surface of another. Calphalon, among other brands, warns owners of its cookware that nesting pans or storing lids between them can void the warranty. If you donāt have space and stacking is a must, put a potholder, a dish towel, or some other soft layer between pans to protect the cooking surface.
3. Skip the cooking spray. Cooking sprays burn at a lower temperature than butter or oil and can leave a sticky buildup on your pan thatās hard to remove. In fact, Anolon says in its ownerās manual that the use of cooking spray on a nonstick coating will void the panās warranty. If you like to spritz a little oil on the pan before you cook, fill a mister with your preferred vegetable oil or olive oil.
4. Donāt heat a nonstick pan when itās empty. Unlike with, say, a cast-iron pan that can withstand high heat for searing a steak, heating an empty nonstick pan can damage the coating and shorten its life, according to T-Fal, a major manufacturer of nonstick skillets.
5. Donāt submerge a hot pan in water. The rule about never plunging a hot pan in water is especially true for nonstick pans, which tend to be lighter weight and more prone to warping. Once a pan warps, youāre cooked, because the pan wonāt make proper contact with the burner and wonāt heat evenly. As Calphalon warns in its ownersā manuals: Allow pans to cool completely before washing.
6. Donāt put a nonstick pan in the dishwasher. (Even if itās labeled as dishwasher-safe.) We can tell you that not all dishwashers and dishwasher detergents are created equal. High heat and harsh detergents can damage both the nonstick surface and the exterior of the pan. āEvery dishwasher and detergent is different,ā says Erin Fuchsen, a spokesperson for T-Fal, whose nonstick pans are labeled as dishwasher-safe. āIf the dishwasher uses very high heat or the detergents are harsh, this can cause the nonstick surface to dry out.ā
7. Be careful how you clean your pan. Nonstick pans clean up so easily that we no longer test them for ease of cleaning in the lab. Skip abrasive pads or sponges, which can scratch the panās surface. All you need is a plain sponge, soap, and water.
But donāt go too easy with the cleaning, says RJ Manoni, director of e-commerce at Swiss Diamond. If you see oil building up on your pan, the company recommends spreading on a paste of baking soda and water, letting it sit for up to 24 hours, then washing it off. Most of the time this restores the nonstick properties. Also, donāt use a paper towel to clean. It could leave food debris that can cause the pan to smoke and burn the next time you use it, Manoni says.
Stellar Nonstick Frying Pans From CR's Tests
If your frying pan is too scratched and damaged to use, itās time for a replacement. Here are five top picks from Consumer Reportsā tests.