# How do you judge the quality of non-stick skillet coating? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 25, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-judge-the-quality-of-non-stick-skillet-coating/661910 "2013-06-25T20:23:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-judge-the-quality-of-non-stick-skillet-coating/661910/1 "2013-06-25T20:23:42Z")
I need some non-stick skillets. The best way to buy it, pricewise, seems to be piece meal at quality discount places like TJ Maxx/Ross/etc., but I’m not always sure how good the quality is, and I don’t want to save $15 if it just means I’ll have to replace the skillet in a few months when the enamel is all gone. Is there any way to gauge the quality of non-stick coating on a pot or pan? ---
**Author:** ![prettydorky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@prettydorky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/prettydorky)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-judge-the-quality-of-non-stick-skillet-coating/661910/2 "2013-06-25T21:33:57Z")
This is a great question and I look forward to reading the responses also. I need a set of non-stick-ware myself. Many of the recipes I have been trying lately have been asking for “heavy-bottomed” pans, and my nonstick stuff is Chefmate, from Target I believe, which i got as a gift and serves the purpose though I’m not bowled over or anything. My mom got Rachael Ray pans for Christmas from Woot- like half price! - and I found that they’re pretty great to cook with, though I was skeptical at first. I won’t be going that route because I hate the fluorescent handles. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-judge-the-quality-of-non-stick-skillet-coating/661910/3 "2013-06-25T21:55:56Z")
In my experience, whether cheap or expensive, the non-stick coating comes off after a year or so of regular use. Might as well get the cheapest kind. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-judge-the-quality-of-non-stick-skillet-coating/661910/4 "2013-06-25T22:50:46Z")
I would also like to know the real answer to this question. My strategy is to find a pan with the thickest bottom, which I think indicates overall quality. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-judge-the-quality-of-non-stick-skillet-coating/661910/5 "2013-06-25T22:51:43Z")
[It’s not going to stay non-stick for more than a year, year and a half anyway.](http://www.cooksillustrated.com/equipment/overview.asp?docid=25947) Even if you scrupulously handwash and use non-metal utensils. We get ours from the restaurant supply store for around $20 and replace them every year or so. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-judge-the-quality-of-non-stick-skillet-coating/661910/6 "2013-06-25T23:25:40Z")
Hmm I was going to recommend Anolon. I got some a couple years ago and they have outperformed every other non stick by miles, and still going strong, very even and still very nonstick. I got a 10 an 12 inch Nouvelle copper skillet set for 42 bucks(possibly Woot!). And I highly recommend them at that. So I went to find a link, however looking on my favorite cheap cookware site there isn’t a set, and together they are $180 bucks now, which I would never ever spend for non-stick cookware. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-judge-the-quality-of-non-stick-skillet-coating/661910/7 "2013-06-25T23:39:36Z")
I have one non-stick pan, a 12-inch Anolon that I bought to make crepes and mostly use to fry eggs. It’s in excellent condition after 3-4 years. I much prefer stainless and enameled iron, though. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-judge-the-quality-of-non-stick-skillet-coating/661910/8 "2013-06-25T23:51:52Z")
Buy the cheap ones and replace every year or so. IIRC, Cook’s Illustrated said roughly the same thing. The coating always abrades, no matter how careful you are, so why drop the coin when you don’t have to. Go to a restaurant supply store and shop around. eta: Read the thread and discovered that **CCL** already linked to CI. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-judge-the-quality-of-non-stick-skillet-coating/661910/9 "2013-06-26T01:50:01Z")
I have a couple of Berndes “Signocast” pans that I bought about five years ago. They’re still in great shape. Part of the reason is that they have very heavy bottoms that don’t warp and that heat evenly. I also have a couple of Cuisinart anodized pans that I bought on sale. They’re pretty tough. One thing to look into is enameled ware. More expensive, but extremely durable if treated properly. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-judge-the-quality-of-non-stick-skillet-coating/661910/10 "2013-06-26T13:00:14Z")
> [@araminty](#): > > In my experience, whether cheap or expensive, the non-stick coating comes off after a year or so of regular use. Might as well get the cheapest kind. I think temperature is a huge factor. We have a non-stick pan that’s still got its coating after 6+ years, but we make it a point not to expose it to high temperatures. It gets used for eggs, salmon, and other delicate things that can be cooked at low temperatures (slightly less than “medium” on the power dial). When we want to brown meat or cook anything fast, we go to an uncoated stainless steel pan, in which we can use whatever temperature we want. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-judge-the-quality-of-non-stick-skillet-coating/661910/11 "2013-06-26T13:27:45Z")
In a blend of the above, my recommendation is to find a heavy bottomed pan, and use it gently like Machine Elf suggested. You get the benefit of the heavy bottom eliminating hot spots, and giving you a better cooking experience, and the coating will last a long time. You really only need one teflon pan, for eggs and such. Your other cookware should be something more durable, stainless, enamel, cast iron or carbon steel. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-judge-the-quality-of-non-stick-skillet-coating/661910/12 "2013-06-26T16:56:32Z")
I came in to recommend Anolon. Their nonstick skillets last 2-3 years for us. Everyone else’s, 1.5 years tops. We re-buy the same two skillet Anolon set from Amazon whenever the time comes around. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-judge-the-quality-of-non-stick-skillet-coating/661910/13 "2013-06-26T18:25:25Z")
Thanks for the advice. I bought a 3 pack at Costco for about $24; if I get a year and a half out of them, I’ll be content.