I have a set of non-stick pots and pans that have started to outlive their use. The two fry pans in particular have gotten decidedly less “non-stick” than they used to be. I have certainly been ingesting toxic pan coating.
So, I’m looking to replace. Any recommendations? I am a little overwhelmed by the variety of styles and different proprietary non-stick brands out there.
I consider myself a very competent cook, but also don’t have space for three different versions of six different pan sizes.
I’m getting rid of:
10 inch non stick skillet
Small (6in?) non stick skillet
A 10 or 11in deeper straight-sided non-stick pan
^all of these are my current “daily drivers”
What I have that I’m not replacing:
Le Creuset 11(?) inch enamel skillet
A larger 12(?) inch cast iron skillet
Two enamel dutch ovens, one small and one big
Some Revere Ware pots of various sizes
Anyway… I’d love some suggestions for pan styles/sizes/materials/brands. I’m willing to spend some money for a pan that will last forever, but also am not interested in paying a premium for hip or on-trend branding.
Don’t own one but I’ve heard good things about this Hexclad stuff. But I don’t really know, maybe it’s all just marketing hype.
Personally I rock a full cast iron skillet set, 14" down to a little 3" one that I’ve never used but it was cute and only cost a few bucks, and three sizes in between. We have a stack of other various pans but we never ever use them. The cast irons are all we ever use.
To replace the non-stick pans, I have an OXO Good Grips Pro 8" Frying Pan Skillet. If you look, make sure you look at the “Pro” versions. About $40 for the 8" and $60 for the 10". I bought it on a recommendation from Americas Test Kitchen/Cook’s Illustrated, and it seems good. It hasn’t warped, so the bottom rests properly on my glass top stove.
Mine is only three years old, but it is still in perfect shape. I don’t use metal utensils in it, but I do put it in the dishwasher. The non-stick coating is Teflon based, and works very well. I mostly use it to cook eggs.
The one drawback is it does not come with a lid, but the glass lid from my old cheap Revere set that disintegrated fits the Oxo, so that old pan went to scrap metal, but the lid lives on.
I have used nothing but Calphalon for years. Bought my first set over 30 years ago, I still have the large stock pot from that set. Shortly after my wife and I married 11 years ago, I bought a new set. I recently replaced the 8 and 10 inch fry pans from that set, they didn’t hold up as well as I expected. The new pans are from a better quality line, they should last me the rest of my life.
I have replaced my 10 and 14 inch non-stick pans within the last year, and the pans I bought were from Jewel’s food store. They have worked great for me, and those two sizes seem to be all I need to cook the things I need to cook. The non-stick coating on these pans is still completely intact. You should never have to scrub non-stick pans so, by washing them gently with a soft cloth, they should last a long time for me.
Nonstick skillets just doesn’t last more than a few years so I just keep an eye out for better ones deeply discounted at MarshalaxxGoods Coat Factory. They seem about $25-35.
That said, I spotted a really cool pattern on some pans at a Korean store over the summer and have honestly been itching for some (Any!) justification to finally just buy one. It’s a very well done bubble pattern with a 3d illusion in the nonstick. This one is a wok but I"ve seen it in other pans.
Just got rid of my old Rachel Ray non-stick stuff I had for years. Held up well and was actually really nice.
Looked at the new ceramic non-stick stuff but heard that it chips easily and it’s non-stick properties ain’t all that.
Looked at hex-clad also but found it was designed as compromise between stainless and non-stick. So not as good as the best stainless, and not as good as the best non-stick. The raised stainless bumps supposedly protect the non-stick surface below. But if you already use wood or plastic utensils anyways there’s not much need to protect it.
I ended up with a new set of All-Clad HA1(hard-anodized) non-stick. Well built but rather heavy. The handles are kind a poor design and can get hot if hanging over a burner. The lid handles also get very hot and require an oven mitt or towel to remove.
Me too. I have a ‘full set’ with stainless steel and non-stick pans that I got probably 15 years ago. I’ve replaced the 10-inch non-stick pans twice. (I buy them as a set with 12-inch pans.) I currently have two 10-inch, and two 12-inch Calphalon Everyday pans. I have one lid for each size. The 10-inch pan without the cover is my ‘go-to’ pan, and I don’t use the 12-inch ones extremely often. The non-stick coating has held up well. I hand-wash my non-stick pans, so I think that helps with longevity. I bought a Kitchen Aid 8-inch pan 25 or 30 years ago that is very heavy. It’s my other ‘go-to’ pan. It is only recently started to become less non-stick.
A note on pots: I have my 1-quart ‘porridge pot’, which I use almost exclusively for making porridge. It’s the perfect size for one serving. My wife destroyed my first one somehow (I don’t remember how), and it was $30 when I replaced it in 2017. From the link, you can see they’re more expensive now. It’s as non-stick now as when it was new. A year later, I bought a 1.5-quart pot. It’s of uch lighter construction, and the non-stick coating inside and out is not holding up as well. I admit that it’s been through the dishwasher a few times. It’s still non-stick, but looking a bit thin. In 2018, it was about half the price it is now. So my advice is: Get the higher-quality Calphalon pots.
The only straight-sided pan I have is the Calphalon 12-inch stainless steel. I have different-sized stainless steel pots in the set that are my ‘go-to’ pots. Stainless steel cleans easily, and some Barkeeper’s Friend is good if there’s any scorching.
Another vote for Calphalon. Nothing in the non-stick category is going to last forever, but my Calphalon pans have consistently lasted longer than other brands I’ve tried.
We have a set of the Cuisinart version of this concept (stainless over an aluminum core). I do the bulk of the dishwashing in our house, and virtually all of the hand-washing, and I love these. We’ve burned a few things in them, but soak them for a while with plain water or water-plus-detergent and they’ll come sparkling clean 99% of the time. For the other 1%, I’ll resort to a hard scrub with kosher salt and lemon juice.
I love our Le Creuset pot for stews and soups. I also use it for baking bread from time to time. Never had much problem with sticking or cleaning.
We also have a ScanPan skillet that behaves a lot like a cast-iron pan–mostly non-stick if you treat it right, but no petrochemical coating. And it’s oven safe.
I’m less fond of our Calphalon and related, and those will not be useful when we finally replace our gas stovetop with induction (the ScanPan may fail that transition as well–haven’t checked it).
A couple of years ago I bought this set of two Jamie Oliver Tefal pans. Same shop, same monster Xmas reduction in price. No use to you I am afraid but maybe elsewhere too? Since I live alone I gave the larger one to my DIL. It is one of the best bits of cookware that I have ever owned. Really, really non-stick and I am someone who fries cheese. Great design - slightly sloped sides make cleaning easier and little rounded pouring rim helps get stuff out. Goes straight in the oven too.
My 12-inch Lodge isn’t milled, but I use it at least once a week. It’s pretty non-stick. I never use the 8-inch Griswold my mom gave me, but it’s slicker 'n snot. The Chinese fajita pan I got at a yard sale for $2 is also very non-stick. We use it for grilled sandwiches. I rarely use my Lodge, and my Chinese, 10-inch frying pans, but they are both slippery.
I third or whatever the recommendation for cast iron if non-stick is what you’re after. My most used pans are my 9 inch Lodge skillet (I agree with the post above, even non-milled is pretty non-stick) and my 12 inch Cuisinart stainless steel pan (but that’s not non-stick). I know lots of people are recommending Calphalon, which I’m sure are good, but Cuisinart is also a good high quality brand.
I just got a big Cuisinart enamel dutch oven (which came in second place overall in America’s Test Kitchen’s ratings, and was rated as the “best value”) as an early Christmas present. I feel like that’s going to become my go to for stews and whatnot. I’m also going to try deep frying in it.
While my 12-inch cast iron is probably my most used pan, if you consider my 8-inch Carote and 10-inch Tramontina together, they get used more than the cast irons. (And I also have a couple 8-inch cast irons.) Sometimes you just don’t want to deal with the weight of a cast iron, and when I sautee, I do proper pan flips, and it’s difficult with the weight of a 12-inch cast iron. I do have an 8-inch stainless, as well, but I find the 10-inch Tramontina the most comfortable for sauteeing, if I’m using a pan. (A lot of times, I just try to do everything in my Staub enamaeled cast iron Dutch ovens.) So there’s a lot to be said for the lightness and ease-of-use of non-stick. Just don’t use metal on it and they’ll last longer. But they’re so cheap it’s not a big deal to replace every few years.