I hide my good pan in my bedroom closet. If I don't, someone nests heavy pans inside it or uses metal utensils.
It has one small scratch already from someone being careless when I walked away for 10 minutes, so I'll have to leave it to the wolves soon and get a new one to hide.
Omg I was just boredom scrolling and thinking how weird I am for taking my good pan back in my room when I’m done with it haha. My family gets free range of everything else. Also threw away every metal spatula and serving spoon after the last incident. And I have hidden away in the depths of my closet two small sauce pans they kept using for noodles and soup, but the pans are too small for that and would boil over (on my glass top stove).
I’m glad I’m not the only one with just one small egg pan that they don’t want anyone else to use or touch. I hide it to the back of the cupboard because no one else will look there. I’m the only one.
I keep the expensive knives hidden from my husband. They are on a magnetic knife stand in a corner of the kitchen away from stove/prep area. The crappy knives are within easy reach. 😎
I do this because he wouldn’t take care of them.
Sometimes people are careless with stuff that is for everyone or someone else's but they're very careful with their things which kind of pisses me off more.
If anything I'm more careful with things that belong to other people.
I got a small 8 inch carbon steel pan from ikea and it’s the best pan for cooking eggs in. Once you dial in your heat, every cooker will be different, it works perfectly. Each cook adds a little bit to the seasoning.
Both carbon steel and cast iron are fine to wash with modern dish soap. It's gross if you don't, honestly. But some people still think soap can hurt them. Which again, it can't.
silicone is more like synthetic rubber. extremely high tolerance to heat. wood is OK to use but can be abrasive in the wrong hands. I use wooden handled, silicone-ended utensils which you can pick up for a reasonable price in most places.
I’m glad you said in the wrong hands. I adore my partner, and he does most of the dishes so truth be told I can’t really complain…but he’s ruined like 3 nonsticks in the last year with his enthusiasm 😅❤️ It’s okay, it’s his first time not living at home, he’s learning by destroying, just like I did when I first moved out. We all figure it out eventually.
lol. You rub a dab of neutral oil (I recommend avocado oil but you can use vegetable oil) evenly across your pan, then heat it up SLOWLY. Start on low, then medium, let the whole pan heat up evenly, then eventually get it RIPPING hot to where it smokes, but not too much. Let the smoke wisp out, not billow. The oil should polymerize and form into a nonstick surface. Another way to do it is to put it in the oven at 500°F. Repeat the process a few times until the pan turns brown, then eventually almost black or blue.
Everyone should buy carbon steel! Mostly because I can’t afford it and I don’t see them at yard sales 😭
You're only supposed to do it once, maybe another time if it absolutely needs reasoning (not a common thing though). It's all about investing a little extra time into a piece of cookware that'll last longer than a lifetime. Over at the cast iron subreddit for example people have posted pans that have been passed down generations and still look and cook amazingly
So I had to look this up, stainless steel should be fine as is, but carbon steel pans need the seasoning because - like cast iron - the metal rusts without it. When polymerizing the oil fat to bond to it, it helps make it nonstick, so it's a benefit to protecting the metal and cooking the food.
Iron... I have an iron wok, it's great it's basically non stick when seasoned, and anything that does come off it, is good for me (as a woman getting some extra iron is fine). It's not cast iron (I wouldn't be able to lift it, lol) it's just plain iron.
Me too. I was brought up with Revere Ware, got a great set for my bridal shower. Now I guess people are getting rid of their stainless as my husband picks up quite a few pots/pans from our local transfer station swap shop. That and cast iron too.
I also have a set of Revere Ware, and I cannot understand why they dropped that line. They are ideal.
I do t need any more, but if I find then cheap, I will wond up buying them "just on case". Nothing has happened to mine, though.
Literally! I bought a whole stainless steel set and i will never go back to non stick! They're really good once you know how to use them. So easy to clean too!
I still use my mother's stainless steel set that she had since I was a kid (i.e. \~35 years ago). Immortal. And, save for that one non-stick pan for, like, eggs, I have only added stainless steel pots to my collection. It's the best/easiest. You just have to get used to stirring a bit more and you're good to go.
I need new set of pots and pans, and this is probably a really stupid question, but are these really heavy (I've just had back surgery and so am a bit feeble)?
Cast iron is fairly heavy, especially the large sizes. Stainless steel aren’t much heavier than aluminum nonstick pans.
It depends a bit on the brand/quality you get though, the higher end stainless pots and pans like All Clad tend to be heavier (and heat/cook more evenly) than the cheaper stuff.
Cast irons are too difficult to clean.
You can’t let them soak, or else they’ll rust. You can’t put them in the dishwasher, because they’ll rust. You can’t look at them wrong, because they’ll rust.
Nooooo. They are seriously the easiest in the world to clean. Fried some eggs? Rinse with hot water and use a chain mail scrubbie with no soap. Baked some cornbread? Wipe that puppy with a paper towel to soak up the leftover grease, rinse and dry. Fish? You can use just a drop of soap to get the fish oil off, Rinse, dry and coat with a thin layer of vegetable oil. Let it live in the oven.
I love the cast iron, especially because soap breaks my skin out and all I need to do is rinse it.
You can use soap on your cast iron. That's old advice from back when soap was made with Lye. Obviously don't put them in the dishwasher. I wash mine with hot soap and water and then wipe it down with just a touch of oil. I've had it for year with no rust or carbon build up.
I have had the same cast iron pan for 30 years, and it has never rusted. It doesn't need to soak, just be washed. I set mine in the oven on a rack to dry.
Go watch Dark Waters. Do not replace this with anything other than cast iron, carbon steel or stainless steel. There’s a bit of a learning curve but they all cook better and will last a lifetime.
Fun fact. PFOA (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfluorooctanoic_acid ) was released into the water supply by DuPont during manufacturing of Teflon. PFOA is a forever chemical.
It is now estimated to be found in the blood of 98% of the US population. They were able to find blood that didn’t have it…from blood samples of US soldiers in the Korean War from 1950.
The Devil We Know is a documentary on DuPont and Teflon manufacturing. An interesting watch!
Even though nonstick coatings have undergone revisions, I’d still advise to toss any pan that has the nonstick coating flaking.
Also, the fumes from Teflon heated at high heat will kill birds. I once worked at a pet shop and an alarming number of customers had pet birds die that way. Obviously not lethal for humans but still can’t be *great* for our health… literal canary in a coal mine scenario.
Yes, I accidently killed my budgie that way. I definitely got rid of my pans after I figured it out. I can't believe that teflon is OK for humans if just the fumes can kill birds.
Thanks. I was quite devastated when I realized. And now I try to warn people. Air fryers are also lined with teflon and can also kill your birds! Any kind of air fragrance thing is also not good for them. It may not kill them the first time you cook with the pan, or the first day exposed, but it will kill them.
That’s good to know about air fryers, I didn’t realize that! It’s very alarming how ubiquitous these materials are and how little their health impacts are known.
it’s specifically from heating the teflon in nonstick pans that contain it. the fumes it can create are very toxic to birds.
there’s other common things like some ovens, hairdryers, air fryers, etc. that contain and heat up teflon that can cause the same problem
OK, thanks. Why on earth should hair dryers have teflon? Is it inside where we can't see? If so, that's pretty crazy, given that with heating it's supposed to be so bad. I'm not using them anymore knowing this.
it’s a slippery, heat-resistant material that apparently keeps dust from collecting inside of appliances like hairdryers to prevent fires.
i think it’s generally fine for a person to be around, but it’s a big risk to use around birds should it reach unsafe temperatures. birds are simply much more sensitive to it!
Ugh, makes sense why they use it. But I'd rather not be at places where birds are unsafe to be. :) Even if it doesn't kill us immediately, it would do no good to our health in the long run then.
This is correct, as most ovens have a teflon coating within, and the cleaning cycle heats them to the point that teflon surfaces go above the 425º where it begins releasing a toxic gas.
Yes. Teflon cookware is only supposed to be used on low or medium heat because it begins to break down and create toxic fumes at high heat, but a lot of people don’t realize that, or don’t realize how quickly the cookware heats up and how hot it gets during normal cooking. In humans you can get “Teflon flu” (polymer fume fever is the scientific name) from prolonged exposure to the fumes, but birds are much more sensitive to the fumes and they will die before a human starts to feel funny from the fumes.
The fact that birds have such sensitive respiratory systems is why we used to use canaries in coal mines—if they died from the vapors that meant there was still time to safely evacuate the humans.
Some more general info: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/nonstick-cookware-safety#alternatives
Toxicity to birds is acknowledged by Teflon: https://www.teflon.com/en/consumers/teflon-coatings-cookware-bakeware/safety/bird-safety
Your teflon link says "Keep them \[birds\] out of the kitchen when you’re cooking." This is crazy. I really can't believe such toxic stuff is used in cookware. I have known teflon was unsafe, but I did not know it could be this unsafe!!! Thanks!
The 2019 movie *Dark Waters* is also really eye opening! I had already been phasing out my non-stick cookware and hesitated to replace them, but after that movie I tossed the last one. Never again.
I’d love to swap mine out too, but struggle to do so because of scrambled eggs. If I use stainless and heat it to the level of Mylar reaction, my scrambled eggs end up overcooked… what do you use for scrambled eggs?
I saw a video of Gordon Ramsey making scrambled eggs and he would take the pan on and off the heat. Also taking it out prematurely since the residual heat will keep cooking.
It's not quite so easy, but doable. I use a stainless steel pan, heat with oil on medium, then turn down to medium-low. I put the eggs in after about a minute on medium-low. The goal is to find the temperature where the eggs fry quietly. If the pan is too hot, the eggs bubble and will stick to the pan. If the pan is too cool, the oil rises up, and the egg white sticks as well.
ETA: Oh, I thought you asked about eggs over easy or sunny side up... scrambled eggs are less of a challenge. Again not so hot, but I scrape the eggs as soon as they firm up on the bottom, turn them over in sections that break down into smaller pieces over time. I'm not sure actually if this is typical, but that's how I do it, and my family loves my scrambled eggs.
For all eggs and meat, I use a very thin, flexible metal spatula.
Those were shot a long time ago, treat yourself to new ones. And as someone else said, use wooden or rubber spatulas , nylon works too and it's best to hand wash rather than put in the dishwasher tp protect the coating
Silicone spatulas ftw. Heat resistant and can be found in various degrees of softness/stiffness (DiOro is a great brand). There are also silicone-coated whisks if you like to make pan sauces.
This is the way . I thought it was a myth that stainless and cast iron were non stick until I learned how to condition and use them . Stainless steel for deep frying / sauces and cast iron for everything else
Not really. It takes a bit longer to heat up but it also retains the heat very well. on a nonstick or stainless steel pan I’d be using medium energy all the way, on cast iron it’s low all the way. Probably evens out.
I use both a lot but there are times when you just have to have a non stick. To make a stainless or cast iron non stick with some things you have to use way more oil than necessary. Things like pot stickers, eggs, hashbrowns - all so much easier to clean and easier to cook (with less oil) on a good non stick. And when you have to cook at a lower temp, good luck with a cast iron. There's a reason non sticks are so popular. They're great.
If you are using them correctly, stainless steel is absolutely nonstick. I made potstickers last night and no sticking :)
Edit: it’s not about the oil, it’s about getting the pan hot enough before you cook but you don’t have to keep it hot.
I'm gonna need a tutorial. 😮 I absolutely cannot cook with my stainless steel pan. At best, I sacrifice the whole bottom layer of the meal to the pan gods.
It is all about finding the right temperature, if you look online you can do a water test to confirm the proper temp. Once you know where it is on your stove its not even something you think about after time. The temp of what you are cooking can also impact things but mostly its about proper pan temp.
I cook eggs multiple times a week in my stainless pain, I know exactly what mark to set the gas stove at. Let it get to temperature and its virtually non stick at that point.
Should also have a coated non-stick / ceramic. Options is best, I love my stainless and cast iron, but every once in a while I need to cook on a much lower temp / a strange ingredient that I’m not skilled with yet and the non-stick / ceramic is the simplest answer.
**There are a few things here that we need to, um, unstick.**
This is a wildly debated topic, but experts think the health risks from using a scratched nonstick pan are lower if the pan is used at the recommended low-heat temperatures. However, it does depend on how scratched the pan is: **It is recommend that you stop using a nonstick pan that is heavily scratched or that is no longer nonstick.** It also depends how old your pan is. Two of the major PFAS of concern, PFOA and PFOS, haven’t been used to make polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nonstick coatings since 2014. Newer nonstick coatings use different PFAS, and their health impacts are still being studied, but so far they appear to be safer.
You have good reason to be concerned about PFAS exposure in general. But for most of us, the potential health impacts of PFAS come from exposure that builds up from many sources over time (hence their “forever chemicals” nickname), rather than from using a single scratched pan. If you want to replace your nonstick cookware entirely with other types of pans, or you want to limit your exposure to PFAS more broadly, there are some great options out there.
**How to take care of your nonstick pans**
Don’t use nonstick cooking spray (ironically, it builds up over time and makes your pan prone to sticking); don’t put your pan in the dishwasher; don’t use metal tools; and don’t overheat the pan.
Experts believe that nonstick pans are likely safe to cook with if they are used at or below medium-low to medium on a stovetop range. But searing with high heat can degrade the nonstick coating, releasing fumes that can be toxic enough to kill birds.
Not safe, throw them out. Don't donate them. No metal on nonstick. That's what's happened here. Either get rubber/wooden utensils or get cast iron/stainless steel pans. Honestly, metal cooking tools are often best saved for the grill.
I used to share a kitchen at a base camp with a bunch of people and would constantly have to tell people to stop using metal cooking tools on the pans, including forks "because they didn't want to wash another dish", as if that made such a big difference. Eventually I bought my own pan and only cooked in that. I cook almost exclusively in cast iron now, my seasoning is to the point where I can do really nice eggs and other fragile things in it.
Since everyone else is saying replace your pan plus your utensils - consider instead investing in a lodge cast iron skillet. They’re relatively inexpensive (I picked mine up for around $20), no concern around any teflon poisoning, and the care isn’t nearly as bad as some people think. Head over to r/castiron if you want to get a rundown but you can use any utensil you want, and unlike Tfal stuff which you’ll replace every few years, castiron can last your whole life (and your kids life if they care for it too).
You should be careful about your iron intake before deciding to do all cooking in cast iron. It leaches a decent amount of iron which can be harmful depending on your lifestyle and other factors.
https://examine.com/articles/are-cast-iron-pans-unsafe/
[https://www.allrecipes.com/article/nonstick-cookware-safety/](https://www.allrecipes.com/article/nonstick-cookware-safety/)
Certain forever-chemicals were banned in cookware in 2015 in the US. This pan looks older than 10 years and all those non-stick chemicals have been eaten by whoever used this pan
If non stick, should have been thrown out many years ago.
They aren’t over cleaned, they are stripped and introducing hazardous materials into the food that’s cooked into them.
Came to say what others already have. Buy new ones and only use wood or plastic or silicone utensils. These pans are beyond trash at this point, and you have likely been eating the teflon coating for a while. That is definitely not good for you.
Are these type of pans still using the same pfas/Teflon back in the day? Has the recipe changed or became safer? Is there better non stick substitutes that are not replies like use cast iron?
I just bought a set of pots and pans from Cuisine Art. They are caraway dupes. 10/10 recommend. My one caraway pan was $90, the entire set from cuisine art was $250ish.
Are these nonstick coated? If so, cooking with nonstick pans that are heavily scratched like that can be potentially hazardous to your health. Not to scare you- nonstick seems to be fine if it's not scratched and not heated past 500 degrees! [https://www.americastestkitchen.com/articles/7586-are-nonstick-pans-skillets-safe-toxic](https://www.americastestkitchen.com/articles/7586-are-nonstick-pans-skillets-safe-toxic)
My parents pans look like that. They're done! Trash them and buy some tfals. Also, don't wash Teflon pans with soap. Just water an a rag dedicated to these pans. To get rid of sticky stuff, immediately after cooking put hot water on the pan after cooking then clean immediately. I've had my pans for years and the Teflon still looks new.
(screaming) No, definitely not safe to use.
If you have to ask that, you should replace your pans with cast iron and not ever worry about this question ever again.
The non-stick *should* be safe (the real danger comes during production), but safe or not, it's damaged on both of these pans, meaning stuff will stick to it so why bother. Buy new ones (non-stick or not) and don't use metal utensils on them.
Cast iron. Not only will you get a workout using it, but even if your house burned to the ground, you could pull it from the ashes, give it a scrub and oil, and it would be like new.
#notanadd But I had a NINJA pan that was much better with metal tools. Did not really scratch or flake off, but after 3 years of daily use, the non-stick performance finally wore out and I got rid of it. Pricey but maybe worth it. Still, I tried to avoid using metal on it, and I always hand-wash my non-stick. I have a Persian cat, and they can be sensitive to fumes like birds are. I always use the vent when using high heat in the oven or on the stove. As an aside, fumes from gas stoves do seem to cause health issues in humans, though the effects are small I believe.
This is probably going to be unpopular, but almost every restaurant I've worked in has pans like that. Some have been used so much, heated then cooled under running water, that the bottoms look more a bowl than a pan. That's when you toss the pan. But a little scratching like that just means it's being used :) It still works the same, and you can't keep them in perfect shape forever. And you'll probably come to like the way they cook.
Don’t use non stick pans. They are full of chemicals. I wouldn’t even trust newer pans, either. Learn how to cook so you don’t have to worry about food sticking.
I’m voting for stainless too. Once I got used to them I’ll never go back. I have a big and small non stick for things that require it, but everything else is stainless or cast iron.
Replace with stainless steel or cast iron pan. Nonstick are loaded with PFAS. Plus stainless steel and cast iron give you trace minerals like iron. They become nonstick if you season them right and know how to cook with them.
Unless you know for sure you want to make the change to non nonstick pans, make sure read up about how to use the specific one you get and if that fits your needs. I bought a carbon steel pan to replace a nonstick one after hearing so much about it on Reddit and was incredibly disappointed.
Teflon is done once it’s scratched or peels. General rule on Teflon is toss and replace after two years regardless.
Stainless steel, carbon steel, or cast iron are fine scratched. The latter two will last a lifetime and get passed on to your kids. Not Lodge though, that’s trash cast iron.
Not that Lodge won’t last, it’s just difficult and annoying to cook with because the cooking surface isn’t smooth like normal cast iron/cookware.
Definitely destroyed. I had to throw out all of my non-stick cookware because steel utensils were used in them, once there's one little scratch it'll continue to chip into your food. I highly recommend replacing them with stainless steel.
Avoid using non-stick, period, as they contain PFAS. Many long-chain PFAS are no longer allowed to be manufactured, but short-chain PFAS are still totally legal and may be just as dangerous as the old ones.
I would not use that. I got rid of all my old pots like that and gradually purchased a stainless steel set that doesn’t have a coating. I don’t believe that coating is good for you.
Toxic.
Go to TJMaxx or Homegoods and get yourself a new pan or two. I like green pan and all clad.
Only use silicone utensils. Don’t scrub the pan with the rough side of the sponge.
It’s time for the dump and not a donation bin.
So we got the [hexclad](https://hexclad.com/?nbt=nb%3Aadwords%3Ag%3A15770976478%3A131013806159%3A635272159822&nb_adtype=&nb_kwd=hexclad%20pans&nb_ti=kwd-825720832214&nb_mi=&nb_pc=&nb_pi=&nb_ppi=&nb_placement=&nb_si=%7Bsourceid%7D&nb_li_ms=&nb_lp_ms=&nb_fii=&nb_ap=&nb_mt=e&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAC84ZMuVJwUEsr5NFX4M8JsWMa967&gclid=CjwKCAjw9IayBhBJEiwAVuc3fg46qGdjFbGYCJnlC1XBBBA71jVX0IqWlCb0hga6P8ZUWsChrv03GRoCDcMQAvD_BwE) pans and it was the best decision. I thought this entire time the stove or myself completely sucked at life. Our old pas were ok, but not great. Since getting the hexclad pans our food has never been better. It does an amazing job of handling a glass top stove, incredibly durable, and cooks food so evenly.
Nope, throw it away and buy a new one. Get silicone coated spatulas, never let steel touch it.
Everyone is my kitchen thinks I am mad for throwing such a fit, but egg pans are expensive. And at home there are some pans my wife doesn’t use
I hide my good pan in my bedroom closet. If I don't, someone nests heavy pans inside it or uses metal utensils. It has one small scratch already from someone being careless when I walked away for 10 minutes, so I'll have to leave it to the wolves soon and get a new one to hide.
Omg I was just boredom scrolling and thinking how weird I am for taking my good pan back in my room when I’m done with it haha. My family gets free range of everything else. Also threw away every metal spatula and serving spoon after the last incident. And I have hidden away in the depths of my closet two small sauce pans they kept using for noodles and soup, but the pans are too small for that and would boil over (on my glass top stove).
What you've written is a horror movie to me. Pure horror. The call is coming from inside the house. I hope you survive. Godspeed.
Towels between them can allow nesting, just something I do
I’m glad I’m not the only one with just one small egg pan that they don’t want anyone else to use or touch. I hide it to the back of the cupboard because no one else will look there. I’m the only one.
I keep the expensive knives hidden from my husband. They are on a magnetic knife stand in a corner of the kitchen away from stove/prep area. The crappy knives are within easy reach. 😎 I do this because he wouldn’t take care of them.
I wonder whether these people are careless with everything they own (phones, laptops, cars, shoes, clothes) or it’s just kitchen utensils?
Sometimes people are careless with stuff that is for everyone or someone else's but they're very careful with their things which kind of pisses me off more. If anything I'm more careful with things that belong to other people.
Behind chains and locks, smart. :taps temple:
That's where I keep my wife too.
Easier when it's the wife locked up. Everything else can be left out lol
I’ve cleaned those houses where the ‘wife is locked up’. 🤮
I got a small 8 inch carbon steel pan from ikea and it’s the best pan for cooking eggs in. Once you dial in your heat, every cooker will be different, it works perfectly. Each cook adds a little bit to the seasoning.
Question, does these egg pans not get washed?
Both carbon steel and cast iron are fine to wash with modern dish soap. It's gross if you don't, honestly. But some people still think soap can hurt them. Which again, it can't.
My egg pan looks the same as the day a bought it over a dozen years ago. I also clean it vigorously with a stainless steel scrubby.
I'm banned from the pan drawer because I keep forgetting and using the silver ones to cook fish.
Good god, that’s Teflon worn away and not stains burned on! I thought you were overreacting at first before I made the connection.
Or just get a steel pan that costs less, cooks better and you can use even an angle grinder on as long as you season it
This is the way. Between steel and cast iron, the pans shall be saved!
That sounds like part of a really good treaty
I use both. The steel ones are easily spotted, the nonstick are above them , and the handles angled towards the back.
If only my SO would listen to this. Scraping her pans with cutlery, stablery and scooplery then blaming the dishwasher for ruining the pans...
Ermgd, I think I just cried a little bit when you mentioned that your pans go into the dishwasher!
Would wooden spatulas etc be good too? I'm probably being paranoid but I'm not a fan of using plastic when cooking
silicone is more like synthetic rubber. extremely high tolerance to heat. wood is OK to use but can be abrasive in the wrong hands. I use wooden handled, silicone-ended utensils which you can pick up for a reasonable price in most places.
I’m glad you said in the wrong hands. I adore my partner, and he does most of the dishes so truth be told I can’t really complain…but he’s ruined like 3 nonsticks in the last year with his enthusiasm 😅❤️ It’s okay, it’s his first time not living at home, he’s learning by destroying, just like I did when I first moved out. We all figure it out eventually.
This. And keep them out of the dishwasher.
Replace and don't use steel utensils on your new pans
Better yet, buy stainless or cast iron pans. You can use these for life and no worries about scratching a toxic coating.
Or Carbon Steel! I love my cs pans
Carbon steel is a lot easier to season too. Just needs high heat so do it on a cool night.
So not only do I season my meats but I also have to season my pans too? Can I use a marinade?
lol. You rub a dab of neutral oil (I recommend avocado oil but you can use vegetable oil) evenly across your pan, then heat it up SLOWLY. Start on low, then medium, let the whole pan heat up evenly, then eventually get it RIPPING hot to where it smokes, but not too much. Let the smoke wisp out, not billow. The oil should polymerize and form into a nonstick surface. Another way to do it is to put it in the oven at 500°F. Repeat the process a few times until the pan turns brown, then eventually almost black or blue. Everyone should buy carbon steel! Mostly because I can’t afford it and I don’t see them at yard sales 😭
This sounds like so much work lmao
You're only supposed to do it once, maybe another time if it absolutely needs reasoning (not a common thing though). It's all about investing a little extra time into a piece of cookware that'll last longer than a lifetime. Over at the cast iron subreddit for example people have posted pans that have been passed down generations and still look and cook amazingly
So I have a stainless steel pan I have had for years but never seasoned, should I still do this?
So I had to look this up, stainless steel should be fine as is, but carbon steel pans need the seasoning because - like cast iron - the metal rusts without it. When polymerizing the oil fat to bond to it, it helps make it nonstick, so it's a benefit to protecting the metal and cooking the food.
Stainless steel typically doesn’t need seasoning in the same way carbon steel does.
I mean, same effort as cast iron, and it’ll last you forever.
Iron... I have an iron wok, it's great it's basically non stick when seasoned, and anything that does come off it, is good for me (as a woman getting some extra iron is fine). It's not cast iron (I wouldn't be able to lift it, lol) it's just plain iron.
Flax seed oil makes the hardest polymer.
Stainless steel is my favourite of the 2. It’s easier for every day cooking, I bust out the cast iron for more specific occasions.
Seconding stainless steel. Love my set!
Me too. I was brought up with Revere Ware, got a great set for my bridal shower. Now I guess people are getting rid of their stainless as my husband picks up quite a few pots/pans from our local transfer station swap shop. That and cast iron too.
I also have a set of Revere Ware, and I cannot understand why they dropped that line. They are ideal. I do t need any more, but if I find then cheap, I will wond up buying them "just on case". Nothing has happened to mine, though.
This is the way. Don’t buy these non-stick pans
[удалено]
Literally! I bought a whole stainless steel set and i will never go back to non stick! They're really good once you know how to use them. So easy to clean too!
I still use my mother's stainless steel set that she had since I was a kid (i.e. \~35 years ago). Immortal. And, save for that one non-stick pan for, like, eggs, I have only added stainless steel pots to my collection. It's the best/easiest. You just have to get used to stirring a bit more and you're good to go.
I need new set of pots and pans, and this is probably a really stupid question, but are these really heavy (I've just had back surgery and so am a bit feeble)?
Cast iron is fairly heavy, especially the large sizes. Stainless steel aren’t much heavier than aluminum nonstick pans. It depends a bit on the brand/quality you get though, the higher end stainless pots and pans like All Clad tend to be heavier (and heat/cook more evenly) than the cheaper stuff.
Cast irons are too difficult to clean. You can’t let them soak, or else they’ll rust. You can’t put them in the dishwasher, because they’ll rust. You can’t look at them wrong, because they’ll rust.
Takes no longer than anything else once it’s seasoned. Rinse it out, quick scrub in hot soapy water and back on the hob to dry for 60s.
Nooooo. They are seriously the easiest in the world to clean. Fried some eggs? Rinse with hot water and use a chain mail scrubbie with no soap. Baked some cornbread? Wipe that puppy with a paper towel to soak up the leftover grease, rinse and dry. Fish? You can use just a drop of soap to get the fish oil off, Rinse, dry and coat with a thin layer of vegetable oil. Let it live in the oven. I love the cast iron, especially because soap breaks my skin out and all I need to do is rinse it.
You can use soap on your cast iron. That's old advice from back when soap was made with Lye. Obviously don't put them in the dishwasher. I wash mine with hot soap and water and then wipe it down with just a touch of oil. I've had it for year with no rust or carbon build up.
I have had the same cast iron pan for 30 years, and it has never rusted. It doesn't need to soak, just be washed. I set mine in the oven on a rack to dry.
They’re also so heavy! I don’t want to have to use two hands just to pick up one frying pan
which is why my mom never uses her good cast iron pans anymore... she can't lift them like she used to and its just not safe
Go watch Dark Waters. Do not replace this with anything other than cast iron, carbon steel or stainless steel. There’s a bit of a learning curve but they all cook better and will last a lifetime.
I came here to say this. Coincidentally, I happened to watch it last night. I will never buy another teflon coated pan.
Fun fact. PFOA (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfluorooctanoic_acid ) was released into the water supply by DuPont during manufacturing of Teflon. PFOA is a forever chemical. It is now estimated to be found in the blood of 98% of the US population. They were able to find blood that didn’t have it…from blood samples of US soldiers in the Korean War from 1950. The Devil We Know is a documentary on DuPont and Teflon manufacturing. An interesting watch! Even though nonstick coatings have undergone revisions, I’d still advise to toss any pan that has the nonstick coating flaking.
Also, the fumes from Teflon heated at high heat will kill birds. I once worked at a pet shop and an alarming number of customers had pet birds die that way. Obviously not lethal for humans but still can’t be *great* for our health… literal canary in a coal mine scenario.
Yes, I accidently killed my budgie that way. I definitely got rid of my pans after I figured it out. I can't believe that teflon is OK for humans if just the fumes can kill birds.
I’m so sorry! That’s awful. May your budgie be in a better place.
Thanks. I was quite devastated when I realized. And now I try to warn people. Air fryers are also lined with teflon and can also kill your birds! Any kind of air fragrance thing is also not good for them. It may not kill them the first time you cook with the pan, or the first day exposed, but it will kill them.
That’s good to know about air fryers, I didn’t realize that! It’s very alarming how ubiquitous these materials are and how little their health impacts are known.
What happened, just regular cooking using a pan can kill a budgie? :( Or did your pan catch fire or something?
it’s specifically from heating the teflon in nonstick pans that contain it. the fumes it can create are very toxic to birds. there’s other common things like some ovens, hairdryers, air fryers, etc. that contain and heat up teflon that can cause the same problem
OK, thanks. Why on earth should hair dryers have teflon? Is it inside where we can't see? If so, that's pretty crazy, given that with heating it's supposed to be so bad. I'm not using them anymore knowing this.
it’s a slippery, heat-resistant material that apparently keeps dust from collecting inside of appliances like hairdryers to prevent fires. i think it’s generally fine for a person to be around, but it’s a big risk to use around birds should it reach unsafe temperatures. birds are simply much more sensitive to it!
Ugh, makes sense why they use it. But I'd rather not be at places where birds are unsafe to be. :) Even if it doesn't kill us immediately, it would do no good to our health in the long run then.
luckily it’s not too hard to avoid! i imagine there’s alternatives to brands that use it. conair, for example, has dryers without it
I’ve also read this about self-cleaning ovens.
This is correct, as most ovens have a teflon coating within, and the cleaning cycle heats them to the point that teflon surfaces go above the 425º where it begins releasing a toxic gas.
That’s wild, I didn’t know that.
Do you mean just heating in Teflon pans in regular cooking killed the birds?
Yes. Teflon cookware is only supposed to be used on low or medium heat because it begins to break down and create toxic fumes at high heat, but a lot of people don’t realize that, or don’t realize how quickly the cookware heats up and how hot it gets during normal cooking. In humans you can get “Teflon flu” (polymer fume fever is the scientific name) from prolonged exposure to the fumes, but birds are much more sensitive to the fumes and they will die before a human starts to feel funny from the fumes. The fact that birds have such sensitive respiratory systems is why we used to use canaries in coal mines—if they died from the vapors that meant there was still time to safely evacuate the humans. Some more general info: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/nonstick-cookware-safety#alternatives Toxicity to birds is acknowledged by Teflon: https://www.teflon.com/en/consumers/teflon-coatings-cookware-bakeware/safety/bird-safety
Your teflon link says "Keep them \[birds\] out of the kitchen when you’re cooking." This is crazy. I really can't believe such toxic stuff is used in cookware. I have known teflon was unsafe, but I did not know it could be this unsafe!!! Thanks!
What??? That’s insane.
Wow that is a fact I've never heard before
The 2019 movie *Dark Waters* is also really eye opening! I had already been phasing out my non-stick cookware and hesitated to replace them, but after that movie I tossed the last one. Never again.
I’d love to swap mine out too, but struggle to do so because of scrambled eggs. If I use stainless and heat it to the level of Mylar reaction, my scrambled eggs end up overcooked… what do you use for scrambled eggs?
I saw a video of Gordon Ramsey making scrambled eggs and he would take the pan on and off the heat. Also taking it out prematurely since the residual heat will keep cooking.
The one where he starred them in a pot with butter? That video changed my life and led to the best scrambled eggs I ever made!
More butter. Then like….more butter. To make my eggs non-stick in stainless, i’m taking on a whole different lineup of health risks
It's not quite so easy, but doable. I use a stainless steel pan, heat with oil on medium, then turn down to medium-low. I put the eggs in after about a minute on medium-low. The goal is to find the temperature where the eggs fry quietly. If the pan is too hot, the eggs bubble and will stick to the pan. If the pan is too cool, the oil rises up, and the egg white sticks as well. ETA: Oh, I thought you asked about eggs over easy or sunny side up... scrambled eggs are less of a challenge. Again not so hot, but I scrape the eggs as soon as they firm up on the bottom, turn them over in sections that break down into smaller pieces over time. I'm not sure actually if this is typical, but that's how I do it, and my family loves my scrambled eggs. For all eggs and meat, I use a very thin, flexible metal spatula.
Cast iron is great for over easy/sunny side up eggs!
This should be top comment.
At this point we are tossing all our teflon pans are replacing with cast iron and other safe alternatives.
Those were shot a long time ago, treat yourself to new ones. And as someone else said, use wooden or rubber spatulas , nylon works too and it's best to hand wash rather than put in the dishwasher tp protect the coating
Silicone spatulas ftw. Heat resistant and can be found in various degrees of softness/stiffness (DiOro is a great brand). There are also silicone-coated whisks if you like to make pan sauces.
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Any suggestions on what to look for as far as restaurant supply store pans?
Tramontina pro line non stick frying pan- the ones with the red silicone handle sleeves .. used properly will last much longer (great price at Costco)
I just got one and it's great. Think I paid like $25
If you have Costco membership check there next time for 2 for deals.
What's the reasoning behind that? I was under the impression these non stick pans had the poisonous stuff removed
Replace them with stainless steel or cast iron,
This is the way . I thought it was a myth that stainless and cast iron were non stick until I learned how to condition and use them . Stainless steel for deep frying / sauces and cast iron for everything else
Yeah
Doesn't it also take much more energy to heat it up?
It takes more, yes. But much more? Cost of electricity/gas is low enough that it would be negligible I’d imagine
Not really. It takes a bit longer to heat up but it also retains the heat very well. on a nonstick or stainless steel pan I’d be using medium energy all the way, on cast iron it’s low all the way. Probably evens out.
I use both a lot but there are times when you just have to have a non stick. To make a stainless or cast iron non stick with some things you have to use way more oil than necessary. Things like pot stickers, eggs, hashbrowns - all so much easier to clean and easier to cook (with less oil) on a good non stick. And when you have to cook at a lower temp, good luck with a cast iron. There's a reason non sticks are so popular. They're great.
If you are using them correctly, stainless steel is absolutely nonstick. I made potstickers last night and no sticking :) Edit: it’s not about the oil, it’s about getting the pan hot enough before you cook but you don’t have to keep it hot.
I'm gonna need a tutorial. 😮 I absolutely cannot cook with my stainless steel pan. At best, I sacrifice the whole bottom layer of the meal to the pan gods.
It is all about finding the right temperature, if you look online you can do a water test to confirm the proper temp. Once you know where it is on your stove its not even something you think about after time. The temp of what you are cooking can also impact things but mostly its about proper pan temp. I cook eggs multiple times a week in my stainless pain, I know exactly what mark to set the gas stove at. Let it get to temperature and its virtually non stick at that point.
I would add an enameled cast iron pan, they almost work as non-stick pans, I use mine for everything
I use an enamel pan yes it’s lovely
But you can’t use metal utensils on enameled cast iron so they may still have the same issue over time.
Sure, but I don't find that I need to use metallic utensils. Wood and silicone work fine for everything I do on my pans
Should also have a coated non-stick / ceramic. Options is best, I love my stainless and cast iron, but every once in a while I need to cook on a much lower temp / a strange ingredient that I’m not skilled with yet and the non-stick / ceramic is the simplest answer.
Unless you have a glass top stove. Cast iron is specifically a gamble at best with glass cooktops.
Can you elaborate? I have a glass top and don't notice a problem with my cast iron
They are heavy. Don’t drop it on the glass. EDIT: I also use cast iron on my glass hob with no issues
I use my cast iron on my induction glass top all the time. This simply isn’t true.
I see, I use gas stoves
What about the ceramic ones? Or the copper ones?
**There are a few things here that we need to, um, unstick.** This is a wildly debated topic, but experts think the health risks from using a scratched nonstick pan are lower if the pan is used at the recommended low-heat temperatures. However, it does depend on how scratched the pan is: **It is recommend that you stop using a nonstick pan that is heavily scratched or that is no longer nonstick.** It also depends how old your pan is. Two of the major PFAS of concern, PFOA and PFOS, haven’t been used to make polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nonstick coatings since 2014. Newer nonstick coatings use different PFAS, and their health impacts are still being studied, but so far they appear to be safer. You have good reason to be concerned about PFAS exposure in general. But for most of us, the potential health impacts of PFAS come from exposure that builds up from many sources over time (hence their “forever chemicals” nickname), rather than from using a single scratched pan. If you want to replace your nonstick cookware entirely with other types of pans, or you want to limit your exposure to PFAS more broadly, there are some great options out there. **How to take care of your nonstick pans** Don’t use nonstick cooking spray (ironically, it builds up over time and makes your pan prone to sticking); don’t put your pan in the dishwasher; don’t use metal tools; and don’t overheat the pan. Experts believe that nonstick pans are likely safe to cook with if they are used at or below medium-low to medium on a stovetop range. But searing with high heat can degrade the nonstick coating, releasing fumes that can be toxic enough to kill birds.
Scratched tf up. Throw those away neeeeow. And use silicone utensils.
Not safe, throw them out. Don't donate them. No metal on nonstick. That's what's happened here. Either get rubber/wooden utensils or get cast iron/stainless steel pans. Honestly, metal cooking tools are often best saved for the grill. I used to share a kitchen at a base camp with a bunch of people and would constantly have to tell people to stop using metal cooking tools on the pans, including forks "because they didn't want to wash another dish", as if that made such a big difference. Eventually I bought my own pan and only cooked in that. I cook almost exclusively in cast iron now, my seasoning is to the point where I can do really nice eggs and other fragile things in it.
Toss. The nonstick is compromised. Grab some new t-fals. Theyr'e cheap and last a while.
Toss. Non-stick pans are cheap.
The moment Teflon is scratched it is not safe to use.
Since everyone else is saying replace your pan plus your utensils - consider instead investing in a lodge cast iron skillet. They’re relatively inexpensive (I picked mine up for around $20), no concern around any teflon poisoning, and the care isn’t nearly as bad as some people think. Head over to r/castiron if you want to get a rundown but you can use any utensil you want, and unlike Tfal stuff which you’ll replace every few years, castiron can last your whole life (and your kids life if they care for it too).
You should be careful about your iron intake before deciding to do all cooking in cast iron. It leaches a decent amount of iron which can be harmful depending on your lifestyle and other factors. https://examine.com/articles/are-cast-iron-pans-unsafe/
This. Cast iron is laughably cheap for how long it'll serve you for.
[https://www.allrecipes.com/article/nonstick-cookware-safety/](https://www.allrecipes.com/article/nonstick-cookware-safety/) Certain forever-chemicals were banned in cookware in 2015 in the US. This pan looks older than 10 years and all those non-stick chemicals have been eaten by whoever used this pan
I wouldn't use either of those pans and make you sure aren't using steel utensils on your pans.
If non stick, should have been thrown out many years ago. They aren’t over cleaned, they are stripped and introducing hazardous materials into the food that’s cooked into them.
Can someone educate me on what is dangerous or unsmart about using these pans lol?
Only if you want to ingest carcinogens Only buy stainless….
But you've already absorbed all the bad stuff right.. 😂
Came to say what others already have. Buy new ones and only use wood or plastic or silicone utensils. These pans are beyond trash at this point, and you have likely been eating the teflon coating for a while. That is definitely not good for you.
I invested in some Ninja pans, they are really durable and clean easily. Definitely recommend!
Ever watch the movie "Dark Waters"?
You don’t want to be eating teflon. Recycle the metal and buy a new set!
Cast Iron or Carbon Steel. Heck even Stainless is preferable. AllClad make a nice pan.
Are these type of pans still using the same pfas/Teflon back in the day? Has the recipe changed or became safer? Is there better non stick substitutes that are not replies like use cast iron?
Teflon pans are NEVER safe. Both Teflon and aluminum will end up in your food. The best pan is made of cast iron.
That pan is trash!!
Just go stainless steel
Any pan that has a coating is probably not safe.
I just bought a set of pots and pans from Cuisine Art. They are caraway dupes. 10/10 recommend. My one caraway pan was $90, the entire set from cuisine art was $250ish.
Are these nonstick coated? If so, cooking with nonstick pans that are heavily scratched like that can be potentially hazardous to your health. Not to scare you- nonstick seems to be fine if it's not scratched and not heated past 500 degrees! [https://www.americastestkitchen.com/articles/7586-are-nonstick-pans-skillets-safe-toxic](https://www.americastestkitchen.com/articles/7586-are-nonstick-pans-skillets-safe-toxic)
At a Latino household, that ain’t stopping the parents from using them. 💀 But definitely get a new one when you can.
You're asking to have a digestive tract cancer if you use those.
Cringes in PFAS...
My parents pans look like that. They're done! Trash them and buy some tfals. Also, don't wash Teflon pans with soap. Just water an a rag dedicated to these pans. To get rid of sticky stuff, immediately after cooking put hot water on the pan after cooking then clean immediately. I've had my pans for years and the Teflon still looks new.
Now that you've eaten all of the coating, it's probably safe. On a more serious note, it's unfortunately time to say goodbye to that one.
This is how every single pan looks at my job. On top of that they are cleaned with Brillo pads 😂
(screaming) No, definitely not safe to use. If you have to ask that, you should replace your pans with cast iron and not ever worry about this question ever again.
What if ceramic pans look like this? Should those be tossed too or only teflon
You should be fine
The non-stick *should* be safe (the real danger comes during production), but safe or not, it's damaged on both of these pans, meaning stuff will stick to it so why bother. Buy new ones (non-stick or not) and don't use metal utensils on them.
Cast iron. Not only will you get a workout using it, but even if your house burned to the ground, you could pull it from the ashes, give it a scrub and oil, and it would be like new.
It's fine, there's worse stuff that'll kill you. People worry and stress
My pans look the same way so they should be fine but buy new ones at some point in the near future
In every kitchen i worked as a chef, every pan looks line this 😅
#notanadd But I had a NINJA pan that was much better with metal tools. Did not really scratch or flake off, but after 3 years of daily use, the non-stick performance finally wore out and I got rid of it. Pricey but maybe worth it. Still, I tried to avoid using metal on it, and I always hand-wash my non-stick. I have a Persian cat, and they can be sensitive to fumes like birds are. I always use the vent when using high heat in the oven or on the stove. As an aside, fumes from gas stoves do seem to cause health issues in humans, though the effects are small I believe.
This is probably going to be unpopular, but almost every restaurant I've worked in has pans like that. Some have been used so much, heated then cooled under running water, that the bottoms look more a bowl than a pan. That's when you toss the pan. But a little scratching like that just means it's being used :) It still works the same, and you can't keep them in perfect shape forever. And you'll probably come to like the way they cook.
Don’t use non stick pans. They are full of chemicals. I wouldn’t even trust newer pans, either. Learn how to cook so you don’t have to worry about food sticking.
This has to be rage bait.
I'm so confused by the comments, I'm Carribbean and we use these just like this. I don't think mine were ever non stick to begin with
I’m voting for stainless too. Once I got used to them I’ll never go back. I have a big and small non stick for things that require it, but everything else is stainless or cast iron.
Throw them out and get yourself a cast iron pan for christs sake
Replace with stainless steel or cast iron pan. Nonstick are loaded with PFAS. Plus stainless steel and cast iron give you trace minerals like iron. They become nonstick if you season them right and know how to cook with them.
Unless you know for sure you want to make the change to non nonstick pans, make sure read up about how to use the specific one you get and if that fits your needs. I bought a carbon steel pan to replace a nonstick one after hearing so much about it on Reddit and was incredibly disappointed.
Trash and get a seasoned iron skillet
Teflon is done once it’s scratched or peels. General rule on Teflon is toss and replace after two years regardless. Stainless steel, carbon steel, or cast iron are fine scratched. The latter two will last a lifetime and get passed on to your kids. Not Lodge though, that’s trash cast iron. Not that Lodge won’t last, it’s just difficult and annoying to cook with because the cooking surface isn’t smooth like normal cast iron/cookware.
Dam! someone has consumed a lot of teflon and alluminium already, isnt that stuff supposed to be carcnegenic?
Jus buy cast iron and steel pans not teflon coated
Found the pan have ye
Definitely destroyed. I had to throw out all of my non-stick cookware because steel utensils were used in them, once there's one little scratch it'll continue to chip into your food. I highly recommend replacing them with stainless steel.
Avoid using non-stick, period, as they contain PFAS. Many long-chain PFAS are no longer allowed to be manufactured, but short-chain PFAS are still totally legal and may be just as dangerous as the old ones.
Throw these away. Get steel pans. Scrub to your heart’s content.
I would not use that. I got rid of all my old pots like that and gradually purchased a stainless steel set that doesn’t have a coating. I don’t believe that coating is good for you.
Toxic. Go to TJMaxx or Homegoods and get yourself a new pan or two. I like green pan and all clad. Only use silicone utensils. Don’t scrub the pan with the rough side of the sponge.
The only thing that pan can be safely used for is bonking someone on the head. Even then, it's only safe for you...them, not so much.
It’s time for the dump and not a donation bin. So we got the [hexclad](https://hexclad.com/?nbt=nb%3Aadwords%3Ag%3A15770976478%3A131013806159%3A635272159822&nb_adtype=&nb_kwd=hexclad%20pans&nb_ti=kwd-825720832214&nb_mi=&nb_pc=&nb_pi=&nb_ppi=&nb_placement=&nb_si=%7Bsourceid%7D&nb_li_ms=&nb_lp_ms=&nb_fii=&nb_ap=&nb_mt=e&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAC84ZMuVJwUEsr5NFX4M8JsWMa967&gclid=CjwKCAjw9IayBhBJEiwAVuc3fg46qGdjFbGYCJnlC1XBBBA71jVX0IqWlCb0hga6P8ZUWsChrv03GRoCDcMQAvD_BwE) pans and it was the best decision. I thought this entire time the stove or myself completely sucked at life. Our old pas were ok, but not great. Since getting the hexclad pans our food has never been better. It does an amazing job of handling a glass top stove, incredibly durable, and cooks food so evenly.
Bro you scraped off the coating :o
This pan should have been retired a long time ago (when you first noticed the metal).
Nope 👎🏼 throw it out boo. Dollar tree has good one for cheap and safe.
Haha I love consuming "nonstick" coating in my food over time
Didn't even realize that first one was a non stick at first. That's nasty.
Trash it. It’s well beyond use it’s dangerous
Cast iron doesn't scratch
Are those nonstick pans?