Okay, what’s the dope on non-stick frying pans? I’ve heard a rumor that you should never put them in the dishwasher – is this true? If so, why?
You shouldn’t put teflon coated pans in the dishwasher, because the dishwasher can erode the teflon on the pan, and, if that happens, it will lose it’s non-stick status.
The only dope I know is that you should never put them into the oven (for example, searing a piece of meat on the stovetop, then putting the whole thing into an oven to finish cooking) because Teflon shouldn’t be heated past some certain temp.
Also, that the fumes from overheated Teflon will kill birds so you shouldn’t keep canaries or parakeets or whatever in the kichen. Birds have very delicate respiratory systems (hence, canary in a coal mine).
I always put my nonstick pans in the dishwasher. But then, while I like Le Creuset and appreciate high-quality kitchen stuff, I generally buy rather cheap nonstick pans. I figure, even with diligent care and a high-dollar coating, the Teflon will eventually wear off, so why bother?
I regularly put Teflon pans in the dishwasher … but NOT on the “Pots & Pans” extra-hot setting. Can’t imagine that the “Pots & Pans” setting gets oven-hot, but still.
In any case, I always thought avoidance of metal utensils was paramount in care/feeding of Teflon pans – much more of a factor than automatic dishwashing. When making scrambled eggs, for example, I always use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir/turn over the eggs. Avoiding scratches from metal knives, forks, spatulas, and such seems to help the Teflon stay on.
I’m still shocked that people put pots & pans in the dishwasher. I see the button that says “Pots & Pans.” I know it’s done every day. But yet I only put flatware, dishes and glasses in there. I hand-wash all pots, pans, vessels, measuring tools, anything with food-trapping joints, and especially knives. With the exception of food-trappers & knives*, I don’t have a good reason to do this. I guess it’s just habit from having a bad dishwasher as a kid.
*reasons: gunk/bacteria & maintaining sharp edges, respectively
My reason is that pots and pans take up way more space in the dishwasher, but not much more effort to hand-wash. I occasionally put frying pans in (teflon and all), but large mixing bowls and pots are right out.
The only pots/pans I don’t put in the dishwasher are those that don’t easily fit. Ironically, they’re also big enough to be awkward to hand-wash at the sink, so I just don’t use them unless I have to.
If something can’t go in the dishwasher, it needs a damn big upside to counter that deficiency, or I’ll just avoid using it. It’s a fine line between laziness and practicality sometimes…
Could someone elaborate on why dishwashers can erode teflon? I always thought it was because dishwashier detergents contained some type of abrasive, but the wikipedia entry suggests the main difference between dishwasher detergent and regular dish soap is the pH.
By the way, there are non-stick pots and pans that claim to be dishwasher-safe, but they usually have some small print about what type of detergent you can use in the dishwasher.
It is not true.
Some “non-stick” pans (such as Calphalon anodized aluminum ones) recommend you don’t because of the relative harshness of dishwasher degergent compared to dish soap for the sink. But I noticed on my last visit to my ex-wife’s home that she uses the dishwasher on hers, with no noticeable unfortunate effects.
For those fancy Calphalon-type pans, the issue is probably the outer finish rather than the non-stick surface. Dishwasher detergent will pretty well destroy that nifty anodized aluminum finish, making your expensive cookware look like a pot you use to feed table scraps to the dog.
Why would a dishwasher damage sharp edges?
I find that it pits the steel in sharp knives as apposed to the knives in regular table settings.
This is Alton’s advice as well.
FWIW, whenever I hear someone say something shouldn’t go in the dishwasher, I assume it has to do with the heat of the dry cycle.
Nowadays, I keep mine set to “air dry,” so I can’t say how damaging it is. But in college, I ruined a thermos by washing it in the dishwasher; not because of abrasives or anything having to do with the washing, but because the gorram heating element melted the thing.
If the knives are in the flatware basket, the water spray will move utensils around, banging them into the knives’ edges.