9 Ways People Ruin Nonstick Pans Without Realizing It
Nonstick pans are the weeknight heroes of the American kitchen. They make scrambled eggs easier, pancakes less stressful, and cleanup faster. But that slick surface is not nearly as indestructible as it looks.
In a nationally representative Consumer Reports survey of 2,158 U.S. adults, most nonstick users said easy cleanup was one of the main reasons they chose the cookware, while 26% cited cooking with less oil. Yet Consumer Reports also notes that all nonstick coatings eventually deteriorate, and everyday habits can speed that process considerably.
Here are nine surprisingly easy ways to shorten the life of your favorite skillet.
Reaching for a Metal Spatula
That stainless-steel turner may feel harmless when you’re flipping an egg, but repeated scraping can damage a nonstick surface.
Avoid utensils, scouring pads, and cleaners that can scratch nonstick coatings. Consumer Reports makes the same recommendation: use silicone or wooden utensils instead.
Even manufacturers such as All-Clad recommend plastic, nylon, silicone, or wood because metal utensils can scratch the coating.
If you’re cutting pancakes, quesadillas, or chicken directly in the skillet with a knife, that counts too. Move the food to a cutting board first.
Cranking the Burner to High
Nonstick is great at many things. Searing a steak over roaring heat isn’t one of them.
All-Clad recommends cooking its nonstick cookware over low or medium heat, warning that overheating can damage the surface. Its ceramic nonstick guidance goes further, describing high heat as a major cause of premature wear.
Save nonstick for foods such as eggs, pancakes, tofu, and delicate fish, and use cast iron or stainless steel when you need serious browning or searing.
Your nonstick skillet doesn’t need to do every cooking job in the house.
Preheating It Empty
It’s easy to put a skillet on the burner, turn around to chop an onion, and forget about it.
The problem is that an empty pan can heat remarkably quickly. Manufacturers specifically warn against preheating nonstick cookware empty because the surface can overheat and suffer long-term damage.
For PTFE cookware, Chemours lists 500°F (260°C) as the maximum continuous-use temperature for its PTFE industrial coating systems. That doesn’t mean you should aim anywhere near that temperature while making breakfast.
A better habit is to add the butter or oil before heating when your pan’s manufacturer recommends it, and keep the burner moderate.
Spraying It With Cooking Spray Every Morning
The can of cooking spray beside your stove seems made for nonstick cookware. Ironically, it can make the pan less nonstick.
Consumer Reports says commercial cooking sprays can leave a film on the cooking surface that becomes difficult to remove and eventually interferes with food release.
Its cookware experts recommend using a small amount of butter or regular cooking oil instead. Aerosol sprays can leave residue that builds up and reduces nonstick performance.
If you like spraying oil, a refillable mister filled with plain cooking oil is a simple alternative.
Tossing It Into the Dishwasher
The label may say “dishwasher safe.” That doesn’t necessarily mean the dishwasher is the best place for it every night.
Hand-washing nonstick cookware, even when manufacturers permit dishwasher cleaning, is best. High temperatures and harsh dishwasher detergents can accelerate deterioration of the coating and exterior.
Fortunately, nonstick is supposed to make cleanup easy. Warm water, dish soap, and a soft sponge are usually enough.
That extra minute at the sink could save you from replacing the skillet earlier than necessary.
Related: 8 Cast Iron Mistakes That Are Destroying Your Skillet, And How to Fix Them
Scrubbing It Like a Stainless-Steel Pan
Sometimes stubborn browned residue makes steel wool look tempting.
Resist.
Abrasive scouring pads can scratch nonstick coatings, which is why both FDA guidance and Consumer Reports recommend gentle cleaning.
If food is stuck, Consumer Reports suggests adding water and dish soap, briefly warming the mixture, and allowing the pan to soak instead of attacking it with an abrasive scrubber.
Nonstick cookware rewards patience more than elbow grease.
Running a Sizzling Pan Under Cold Water
Dinner is finished, the skillet is hot, and you want the cleanup over with. So you carry it straight to the sink and turn on cold water.
That sudden temperature change can warp the cookware.
Putting cold water into a hot pan, or submerging hot cookware in cold water, can distort the metal and leave the base uneven. Lightweight nonstick pans can be particularly vulnerable to warping.
Leave the pan on the stove or a heat-safe surface until it has cooled before washing it.
Stacking Pans Directly on Top of One Another
For anyone with a crowded kitchen cabinet, stacking skillets is practically unavoidable.
The trouble starts when the rough bottom of one pan sits directly against another pan’s coated cooking surface. Every time you pull the stack apart or rearrange it, the pans can scrape against each other.
Place a dish towel, potholder, or other soft layer between nonstick pans when stacking them.
You don’t need fancy pan protectors, either. An inexpensive dish towel can do the job.
Assuming Every “Nonstick” Pan Has the Same Rules
This may be the easiest mistake of all.
“Nonstick” describes a category, not one identical material. Today’s pans commonly use either traditional PTFE coatings or ceramic-style nonstick finishes, and their durability and care requirements can differ.
That’s why blanket advice such as “all nonstick pans can handle 500°F” or “all nonstick pans are dishwasher safe” can get you into trouble. For example, one All-Clad PTFE collection is rated for oven use up to 500°F, while its NS Pro ceramic cookware is rated to 450°F and isn’t recommended for broiler use.
Check the instructions that came with your particular pan before putting it in the oven, dishwasher, or under unusually high heat.
