Nonstick Cookware Buying Advice
Various qualities of non-stick coatings are manufactured for bonding to the surface of cookware made of different materials. Their advantages include considerable ease in cleaning and reduction of the need for oil in your cooking process. Their disadvantages are that they may become too easily damaged by spatulas, spoons, forks, etc., especially by metal cooking utensils, and thus their durability has a short life expectancy. Even the newest non-stick coatings will begin to lose their
resistance to sticking after only a few years; sooner if the pan is constantly overheated or cleaned in the dishwasher or with harsh detergents.
Teflon: Teflon is a coating that is applied to many kinds of cookware. Cookware that is coated with Teflon has a non-stick surface making it perfect for frying food without using a lot of oil. In addition, the color of Teflon looks good as red non-stick cookware sets. Clean up of Teflon coated pans is also very easy because foods don’t stick to the surface. Keep in mind that you can not use metal utensils in Teflon cookware. If you use a metal utensil to stir your food you could scrape off the Teflon surface
causing food to start sticking to your pan. You should always use wooden or plastic utensils with your Teflon. Teflon pans are rather inexpensive, so if they do get ruined, they will not cost you much to replace a new one.
Aluminum: Aluminum makes for an all around pan that can be used for many things. It takes a little bit of steel wool applied with elbow grease to keep it shining, but the finished product is well worth the effort. A good aluminum pan will provide even heat distribution making it the perfect choice for sautéing of frying food evenly.
Stainless Steel: In a perfect world, all of your pots and pans would be stainless steel, but in the real world, their cost is a bit high to people’s expectations. They are extremely easy to clean with stainless steel cleaner and practically impossible to destroy. You should always purchase stainless steel pans with copper, aluminum, or laminated-steel bottoms. You can also find pans that are clad in aluminum on the bottom and sides, to give an even distribution of heat. Stainless steel pans are the all purpose
pan and can be used to cook just about anything. Although they cannot be considered as non-stick, alloys such as stainless steel can be made stick resistant by manufacturing them with products like silicone. As this is not a surface coating, its longevity is much greater and care is much easier, although utensils made in this manner are much more expensive.
Buying Tips:
Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions on using and caring for your non-stick pan; you may be surprised to learn that the warranty may be voided if the utensil is overheated or cleaned in the dishwasher. Generally non-stick cookware is recommend only when there is a need to address concerns about cooking in small quantities of oils or fats, and when the utensils will be subjected only to low-to-moderate heat. Do, however, be careful not to leave them on the stove empty and unattended, because if
they reach 650° Fahrenheit, they will give off gases that can irritate your respiratory system, or be noxious or just plain annoying. Today's non-stick surfaces are inert, so they do not pose any health threats under normal usage. If accidentally ingested, they pass right through you without harm. You decision may be influenced by your budget and your cooking styles. Whatever kind of nonstick cookware you pick, it will worth of your investment.
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