# recommend a non-stick frying pan for me **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 7, 2020, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355 "2020-05-07T20:24:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Wallet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e99b99/32.png) [@Wallet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallet)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/41 "2020-05-09T08:01:41Z")
> [@CelticKnot](#): > > Freaking’ Reviews on YouTube recommends Granite Rock if you want to avoid Teflon. > > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWnK6ZqpujE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWnK6ZqpujE) I second this recommendation (and also, I love Freakin’ Reviews). After being suckered into buying too many non-stick pans that never stayed that way for long, I was leery about getting another one but the Granite Rock has exceeded all of my expectations. It’s light enough to maneuver and pick up, is _really_ nonstick, and quite easy to clean. I paid about $27 on Amazon during a deal, and bought the 12" square (purchased glass lid separately). Have had it over a year, still looks brand new. Not a teflon coating, so it won’t peel and leave black flecks. Doesn’t get as hot as some other pans, but it’s as non-stick as ever and actually it does a good sear. I do tend to baby it a bit by hand washing, and only use silicone utensils. It was a great purchase! ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/42 "2020-05-09T18:40:06Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > I’ve had a couple Red Copper frying pans now. Both lasted about a year of daily use. My square one is becoming problematic, and I’ve tried to season it a few times. Been sick the past few days - think I have an ostomy blockage I’m dealing with in the morning - so I haven’t used it since the last seasoning attempt. If it fails again, I have to track down another at a decent price. I’m fond of them, and they dont’ break the bank. > > They claim to be “ceramic” coated and not teflon. Others say that’s not possible- that all nonstick has teflon in some form. I don’t know what’s up with that. How are your pans failing? Are they the Bulbhead pans? I can’t say I use mine daily but often enough that it lives on the range. It got used at least every day this week since I heated up and browned a frozen chicken patty for lunch for following day. The business side remains perfect, as seen in my photo from a few months ago. I seldom wash it, perhaps every 10-15 uses. Otherwise, a quick wipe with a paper napkin is good enough. The red exterior is a bit grungy but I haven’t made any real effort to clean it up. I’d guess a little Barkeeper’s Friend, copper wool and elbow grease would clean it up. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2020, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/43 "2020-05-10T20:46:32Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > How are your pans failing? Are they the Bulbhead pans? > > I can’t say I use mine daily but often enough that it lives on the range. It got used at least every day this week since I heated up and browned a frozen chicken patty for lunch for following day. > > The business side remains perfect, as seen in my photo from a few months ago. I seldom wash it, perhaps every 10-15 uses. Otherwise, a quick wipe with a paper napkin is good enough. The red exterior is a bit grungy but I haven’t made any real effort to clean it up. I’d guess a little Barkeeper’s Friend, copper wool and elbow grease would clean it up. What is a “bulbhead” pan? \ OK yeah, they are the official Red Copper pans. They’re failing in that things are sticking to them a great deal. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/44 "2020-05-11T00:46:23Z")
Seems like we had a thread about this recently and I’m going to say again that I have been super happy with my Kitchen-Aid brand pans I bought at Kohl’s about 10 or so years ago. Wouldn’t dream of using metal utensils on them. I baby them but the non-stick finish is as good now as the day I bought them. Mine are skillets, so didn’t come with lids but I bought some universal fit ones from Target. Sauce pans come with lids, learned that in the last thread. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/45 "2020-05-11T01:29:44Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > What is a “bulbhead” pan? > > \ > > OK yeah, they are the official Red Copper pans. They’re failing in that things are sticking to them a great deal. Sorry, I should have asked about whether yours are Bulbhead making clear that there are a ton of knockoffs. Does the surface look OK? ---
**Author:** ![GMANCANADA](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gmancanada/32/2837_2.png) [@GMANCANADA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GMANCANADA)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/46 "2020-05-11T02:35:18Z")
Found an interesting Youtube channel **“Freakin Reviews”**. He does reviews of “As Seen on TV” products and does a number of non-stick pan reviews. **Copper Top (by Bubblehead!)** [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Zxk9dw-ba_M/maxresdefault.jpg "Red Copper Pan Review Part 2: 4 Month Update") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxk9dw-ba_M) **The Granite Rock Pan** **Blue Diamond Pan** **HexClad Pan** Bottom line is: - all the pans functionally deteriorate after regular use, usually to the point that within a few months or less they’re only still non-stick by using butter or oil. - Longevity seems to be directly related to how much you “baby” them, e.g.: _never_ cook above a medium heat, only wash it with soap and a paper towel, re-season them periodically etc. - Performance for all is very similar but he gives a slight edge to the Granite Rock. Least favourite is the HexClad, mostly because it’s so expensive. My take away (after killing my lunch time watching these) is I’ll keep buying cheap, disposable after 2 years, T-Fals for now. BTW - One of the things that’s funny is when he points out how the instructions that come with the pan are often _very_ different than the TV ads: use oil vs don’t use oil, never use metal utensils vs use metal etc. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/47 "2020-05-11T17:25:03Z")
I’ll “plus one” the recommendation for commercial grade stuff from the restaurant supply. My go-to pan is a 10" nonstick from Webstaurantstore. Nine bucks, so when it eventually goes from nonstick to allstick, it’s not a hit to the budget to replace. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/48 "2020-05-11T20:03:28Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > Sorry, I should have asked about whether yours are Bulbhead making clear that there are a ton of knockoffs. Does the surface look OK? Yeah. It looks OK, with no obvious scratches. I seasoned it again when it started getting bad - canola oil in the oven for about 30 minutes. I fried burgers over medium heat, and it made a mess I needed a plastic scrubber to remove. I seasoned it again, this time on the stove, but for health reasons I’m not eating normally right now, so I won’t be testing it for awhile. > [@gotpasswords](#): > > I’ll “plus one” the recommendation for commercial grade stuff from the restaurant supply. My go-to pan is a 10" nonstick from Webstaurantstore. Nine bucks, so when it eventually goes from nonstick to allstick, it’s not a hit to the budget to replace. Ooh. That’s an interesting website. Wonder how bad their shipping is. I’d really like a SS pan to replace the one that went missing after a move, in addition to another nonstick. EDIT: $15 shipping on a $9 pan ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/49 "2020-05-11T20:20:11Z")
[This one](https://amazon.com/gp/product/B015ZZWNUO/) checks off all your requirements except induction-capable. I bought it after using other Calphalon non-stick pots and pans for years. It’s far more substantial and heavy than my previous Calphalon pans, which were aluminum and not oven-safe. Although I don’t generally use metal utensils, the listing says you can use them with this one, and I believe it. The non-stick coating seems much tougher than any I’ve ever owned before. I’ve had it since February, use it several times a week, and love it. I paid about $70 (with lid; it’s listed at $75 now), and expect to be using it for years to come. I’ve been using much less substantial Calphalon pans for at least seven years with no flaking or other problems. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/50 "2020-05-11T21:41:52Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > my previous Calphalon pans, which were aluminum That pan is also aluminum. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2020, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/51 "2020-05-12T03:33:58Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > That pan is also aluminum. 😕 Wow. It’s much thicker and heavier than my other aluminum frying pans, which made me assume it was steel. Sorry for the misinformation. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2020, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/52 "2020-05-16T18:39:39Z")
With the COVID, I have been cooking at home much more a lot of which includes breakfast with eggs. Yesterday I replaced the frying pan as well as the small pot that I use to make rice. I got both of the original items as wedding presents in 1993. The were very nice Caphalon products. My local Target has a big cookware section but it was nearly as sparse as the toilet paper aisle was last month. I ended up getting a Caphalon pot and a Cuisinart frying pan. I made eggs with the new pan today and basically I was an idiot to not replace the old ones many years ago. The cooking was easier, the heat distribution was better and the clean up was absurdly easier. This was the thread that nudged me to do it so thank you all. Sometimes my frugality gets the better of me. I’m a wealthy man I can afford a fucking $39 replacement pan. ---
**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:** [May 16, 2020, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/53 "2020-05-16T20:11:30Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > With the COVID, I have been cooking at home much more a lot of which includes breakfast with eggs. Yesterday I replaced the frying pan as well as the small pot that I use to make rice. I got both of the original items as wedding presents in 1993. The were very nice Caphalon products. > > My local Target has a big cookware section but it was nearly as sparse as the toilet paper aisle was last month. I ended up getting a Caphalon pot and a Cuisinart frying pan. I made eggs with the new pan today and basically I was an idiot to not replace the old ones many years ago. The cooking was easier, the heat distribution was better and the clean up was absurdly easier. > > This was the thread that nudged me to do it so thank you all. Sometimes my frugality gets the better of me. I’m a wealthy man I can afford a fucking $39 replacement pan. Pedantic nitpick: it’s Ca **l** phalon. ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2020, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/54 "2020-05-16T20:45:16Z")
I have had good luck with Greenpan. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2020, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/55 "2020-05-16T22:14:18Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Pedantic nitpick: it’s Ca **l** phalon. Yes, Chef! ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2020, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/56 "2020-05-17T17:14:21Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Pedantic nitpick: it’s Ca **l** phalon. For a long time – after I had bought my first set – I thought it was Calaphon. Some years ago, I looked more closely and saw it was the much less euphonious Calphalon, and wondered, When did they change the name of my cookware? ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2020, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/57 "2020-05-17T17:22:13Z")
[I ran across some videos on Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1376ITxF1Oc) making claims that stainless steel pans can be made non-stick with seasoning, like a cast-iron pan. Anyone have any experience with this? ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2020, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/58 "2020-05-19T00:12:50Z")
[the wirecutter](https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-nonstick-pan/) just reviewed non-stick pans. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2020, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/59 "2020-05-19T01:17:14Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > [the wirecutter](https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-nonstick-pan/) just reviewed non-stick pans. And the winner was a $30 Tramontina, the runner-up a $23 T-Fal. About what I’d expect. Don’t buy pricey nonstick. OTOH, this is nonsense: > [@](#): > > Rub a small amount of vegetable oil onto the cooking surface while it’s still cold. Nonstick pans need some fat to be effective. Also, some nonstick pans need to be seasoned occasionally with a small amount of oil. Oil will float above good teflon, and even worse float above your eggs (see: oil/water). ---
**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:** [May 19, 2020, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355/60 "2020-05-19T11:16:19Z")
I’ve gone three ways with these needs. One is just a lodge cast iron griddle, basically the 10" pan but with tiny sides. Two is a deBuyer crepe pan. Carbon steel, low sides, lighter than the cast iron. Three is a two burner flat top from Chef King. 10 gauge carbon steel. Good for doing a bunch of pancakes at once. They are all nonstick enough to do eggs with just a dash of butter, and all tough enough to leave to my grandkids, if I wind up having any. Teflon pans are essentially disposable, particularly if you intend to use metal utensils. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-non-stick-frying-pan-for-me/853355.md?page=4)