Note: Post updated 25 January 2016. Nonstick pan pictures coming soon!
It seems that all of us have a few nonstick pans lying around, and some of them are super old. Most of them are ones we picked up on the cheap from Target or Bed, Bath and Beyond. I think I’m still using one from 2003 that’s all scratched up and wobbles. Seriously, why do I even keep it around?
Pan manufacturers have upped their game in the past few years, creating super hard non-stick coatings that are scratch resistant. So much so, that you can get away with using metal utensils in them… or so they claim. I guess time will tell. These ones usually cost a pretty penny more.
As nonstick pans gain popularity, there are basic rules for using them that you should remember. Do your best to follow these rules and you’ll find that your nonstick pans will last longer, and using them will be more enjoyable while cooking.
1. Don’t use metal on your nonstick pan.
This is the most important rule to remember. Unless you’ve purchased a dense, diamond-crusted pan, metal utensils will easily scratch and ruin a nonstick pan’s surface. If you’re unsure, assume you don’t have this.
This means do not cut your foods in the pan with metal knives or pizza cutters, do not turn your pancakes with metal spatulas, and definitely do not use a metal whisk or fork to stir your gravies or vegetable blends. Instead, use scratch-friendly materials such as wood, rubber, silicone, nylon, or plastic.
2. Avoid major water temperature changes.
Taking a hot pan and subjecting it to cooler or cold temperatures can cause your frying pan to warp. This affects cheaper pans more than industrial strength ones. Resist the temptation and don’t do it. Let your nonstick pan cool for a few minutes first. A warped pan keeps the heat from distributing correctly, and they’re annoying to cook with.
3. Clean your nonstick pans with scratch-proof scouring pads.
This is another big deal. Nonstick surfaces are sensitive to steel wool, metal scouring pads, sharp scrapers, and harsh cleaning detergents (more on detergents later). If your food is really stuck, allow the pan to soak for a bit, or you can deglaze the pan. If you use a metal scouring pad, you may not see deep grooves in the nonstick coating, but it’s wearing off the coating a bit at a time. Use cleaning pans that say ‘nonstick pan safe’ on them or a stiff sponge instead.
4. Avoid acidic foods.
Cooking acidic foods in your nonstick pans promotes flaking. I’ve personally not noticed this with the super-hard anodized pans that cost $60+/each, but on the cheaper ones, it’s a problem. Foods like tomatoes and lemons tend to bond and loosen a shallow nonstick coating. Some can be ruined after the first use.
Not all nonstick cookware is stove-top friendly. Baking dishes can also be nonstick. I have a couple that after only a few uses started to flake because I used them for a tomato-based food, like lasagna. If you have some that are meant for bread, then keep them as a single-use pan: bread only. This will extend their life.
5. NEVER use aerosol cooking spray.
Cooking spray will ruin your pan (and any other pan) faster than anything else I know, even if it’s the pure vegetable kind. The store-bought oil aerosol sprays build up and coat a pan’s surface when heated. It’s not an immediate effect, but rather what happens after prolonged, repeated use. I’m not sure what it is, but something about the way they’re produced makes a difference. Instead, use the self-pump oils or a small bit of regular oil. This goes for all pans. Aerosol sprays are better suited for situations where heat is not required.
6. Store your pans properly.
It’s best if you can store your pans hanging, with plenty of space between them. Most of us, however, don’t have that luxury. So if you’re going to stack them, do your best to keep them away from sharper objects and corners. Make sure they can be accessed without having to scrape the bottom of one pan on the top of another.
7. Clean and dry your nonstick pans after using them.
It’s best if you hand wash and dry your nonstick pans soon after using them. Waiting too long to clean your frying pan or washing it in the dishwasher increases the risk of left-over oils baking onto the coating and outside of the pan. The caramel color stains you see on your pans? Those are baked grease and oil spots. They’re tough to remove and cause your food to stick. (Again, avoid aerosol sprays.) Hand dry your nonstick pans to prevent rust from forming.
8. Don’t store food in your pans.
It’s not what your pans are meant for, so don’t do it. Use a plastic container to store your food instead. Some people have complained that their food takes on a metallic taste after storing foods in their pans. It may also promote degradation, depending on what you’re storing.
9. Avoid high heats when using your nonstick frying pans.
Most manufacturers have a heat warning label on their pans, letting you know how much heat they can take. Pay attention to that. If you’re using a single-coating nonstick pan from Walmart or something, chances are yours are only good to 375°F. Others may be good to 450°F or higher, but that’s more often the exception rather than the rule.
Too much heat on your nonstick frying pan can cause it to warp, and the nonstick coating to bubble and lose some if it’s nonstick properties. That means the broiler oven setting is a no-go. If you’re purchasing an electric skillet, it’s especially important to pay attention to this. Many skillets can be heated past the recommended temperature.
10. Use softer detergents to clean your nonstick pans.
Use softer detergents on your non-stick pans. Most detergents used when hand washing dishes are considered soft. Dishwasher detergents, bleach, Ajax, and other cleaners are hard. These ones can damage the nonstick coating.
And there we go!
Remembering the dos and don’ts can be a bit overwhelming when put into a list like this, so let’s summarize: Wash and dry by hand, Avoid high heats and acids, Don’t use metal or cooking spray. Bingo. The most important points in a nutshell.
Nonstick pans are fantastic to have in your kitchen, and if you take good care of them, they’ll last you for years, maybe even decades.
My fry pan by Emeril is turning brown is it safe?
Hi Bette,
A pan can turn brown for various reasons. Can you tell me what type of pan it is (stainless, non-stick, cast iron)? And where is the brown forming and what does it look like? It could be rust or it could be oil that’s burned to the pan. A brown film can often occur when using the aerosol oil sprays as well. If it’s just a little bit of rust, you can still rescue the pan, but if it’s a lot of it, I’d personally just go for a new one. If it’s burned oil you’re fine, and with a good scrubber, some stainless steel cleaner, and some elbow grease you ought to succeed in removing it. The method you’d use to approach this depends on the type of pan you have.
I use old potholders in between my stacked pans to keep the surfaces from getting scratched.
I use fabric bags to store each of my Pans in, as on a boat space is very limited and they have to be stacked.
why is it that each time i try using my nonstick pan,the oil becomes greenish colour
That’s a good question, and I don’t know the answer. My guess is that it’s a combination of the oils age, and the pan. It’s possibly a reaction between the two. I did find this, which may help: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF02635170
I have found over the years that cooking bacon in a non-stick pan eventually ruins the pan. I have learned to keep one particular pan for frying bacon, and when that pan Is worn out I will toss it and choose the next oldest in line and use it for bacon until it too is ready to be tossed.
That’s interesting, and I wonder if it’s the type of nonstick or something to do with the bacon. I’ve been using a newer, harder non-stick recently and have been quite pleased with it so far. My older ones are pretty much toast at this point. I’ve been baking my bacon lately though…
Recently whenever i start heating oil in my non stick (induction bottom) pan, the oil starts to run and settle on the sides.
Is it normal, or some manufacturing defect.??
Please advice
It’s possible that this could be a manufacturing defect. It could also be that your coil or brace (or whatever you’re sitting by on while heating) is not level.
If your pan is a thicker 3-ply or 5-ply make, it could be a reaction of the oil to the heat, pushing it to the sides. Leave oil in a non-heated pan for a while to test it.
If it’s a thinner pan, you may have a slightly bowled surface area (which isn’t uncommon in the less expensive ones, but still annoying.)
Recently I have cleaned my non stick pan with a metal scrubber for past 3-4 days with out realizing the impact, now the food sticks to pan, have I damaged it to a point of no retrieval? is it possible to repair?
I’m personally not aware of any way to recover the non-stick coating from a pan. It may be best to chalk your loss up to experience. You can attempt to season it along the lines that you would a cast-iron pan, but there’s no guarantee there. You also run the risk of getting non-stick flakes in your food. Super sorry, losing an otherwise good pan really sucks. 🙁
I have a month old non stick set . The coloured surface on some of them have black grease like marks. Please tell me how to get it off and to avoid it coming in future.
Hi Naina, that’s a tough one. You can find special cleaners at some cookware stores like Sur la Table. You could also attempt to use a non-scratch scrubber. Sometimes those marks are also caused by melted plastic from a turning spatula or other tool, those ones are particularly troublesome and I haven’t found a tried and true method for removing those types yet.
As a last resort, you could attempt using some hot water, a dryer sheet, and a squeeze of dish soap. Let it soak for a while. The chemicals in the dryer sheet have non-stick properties that may help loosen or remove the stain. Word of warning… I have not attempted this method with a non-stick pan (only stainless), and so I cannot say whether or not it will have negative effects on the non-stick surface of your pan.
One other thing. If the grease is leaving permanent marks in your pan, you could be cooking with your pans at too high a heat or with oil that has too low of a smoking point. Or with too much oil all together. Not all non-stick is made equal, and some can only handle heat up to a certain point before it starts to cause issues. You may want to check the manufacturer’s instructions to see if it has a heat limit.
Thanks. I think heat is too high sounds like the reason. These pans are not good for deep frying . Should buy another pan for that . Thanks
My sister in law accidentally use the green scrub pad on my tfal nonstick pan, is it gonna hurt the pan, she only used it one time, will the coating come off to the food. I use it to cook baby food that’s why I’m concerned.
Hi Hannah. It depends on the scrub pad. Most of the ones you buy for your kitchen are safe to use on non-stick pans, they’ll have a ‘non-scratch’ designation. However, there are some that can really mess them up. Watch for little flakes when you’re cooking or cleaning it next time.
Alrighty, thanks!
I used a son pad on my t-fall colored pan and it took color out of pan is there anyway to fix it
There’s not any way to fix it that I’m aware of, sorry.
I don’t have much experience with t-fall pans, though my guess would be there’s not likely a way to fix the coloring. The company that sells it may have a solution for you. Best of luck!
I have a new skillet pan with the white porcelain non-stick inside, was working great making scrambled but now everything sticks. I am wondering if it’s because immediately after I used it I put it under cold running water to wash it. Have I ruined the non-stick?
Sorry to hear your pan is ruined. 🙁 Sudden temperature changes can ruin ceramic non-stick, as can cooking on them at too high a heat. It’s hard to say for sure, but it could be a combination of multiple factors. In the future, try to avoid placing your pan immediately in water after cooking, and let it cool first.
Useful!
As I have started living alone so now, I keep browsing about cooking pans. As I have to take care of them also along with my other stuff. I must say, your blog is a savior for my new life journey.
Thanks a lot!
You’re welcome. Good luck on your journey.
I remember watching a show on the Food Network with Sara Milton and she did a show on how to take care of your pans,knives and other things in your kitchen. One thing I remember is her saying never preheat a non stick pan without oil in it. I have a deep skillet (non stick and expensive) and my husband ruined it by heating it dry on high heat. Now when I use it food sticks to it.
Hi Rebecca,
Something I will do when preheating my non-stick is have a bit of water in the bottom of the pan that I can quickly dump out before cooking, as I generally don’t use much oil in my pans anyway. A lot of the standard non-stick does require you to have something in the pan (often used to help you keep an eye on temperature). When you start getting into the fancy-shmancy ones like the Scanpan + lines, that is less important.
Can you cook bacon in a non- stick pan at low heat?
Yes, you can. Low heat is relative depending on your pan quality. I cook bacon all the time in mine without ever going over medium.
I have a new skillet pan with the white porcelain non-stick inside, was working great making scrambled but now everything sticks. I am wondering if it’s because immediately after I used it I put it under cold running water to wash it. Have I ruined the non-stick?
Great question. When ceramic goes from hot and then immediately into cold, it causes the material to contract at a rate faster than it can withstand. With larger pieces of ceramic, this would cause some larger cracks, but with such a small layer, chances are it created thousands of micro-abrasions, which would then cause it to lose its non-stick properties. Additionally, it can create warps in your pan that make it harder to sit flat and cook evenly. I’m not sure if there’s a way to restore it. The other possibility is that the pan was on too high of a heat, but from the sounds of it, that probably wasn’t the case. Hope that helps! Sorry about your new pan.
Can you cook bacon in a non- stick pan at low heat?
Yes, you can. The non-stick isn’t as important as the pan’s layering. I cook bacon all the time in non-stick 3-ply and 5-ply pans. It doesn’t do as well in thinner plans though, as it’s too close to the heat.