that's not pepper...

[SETH885315]

ok, has anyone REALLY experienced having the non-stick coating coming off their pots and pans and into their food, or are these stories just hype? sounds hard to believe to me, but i suppose it could happen...

when i moved, i was lucky enough to get a nice set of all-clad stainless cookware from my parents, and i love them (although there was a trial by fire --literally-- when i found i was cooking on too high a heat for the pans).

what kind of cookware do you guys like? i should also add here that i'm a big fan of cast iron, too, and i use my cast-iron skillet much more than my all-clad one.

seth.

[LSB]

I definitely experienced this with my nonstick pots! The little black bits would stick to pasta especially. Because of that I'm slowly switching over to stainless steel which I prefer. I also really like cast iron but only for certain things (grill pan, making stews etc).

[Julie O]

Definitely had it happen with a pan from Wal-mart. I don't know if it would happen with a higher quality pan.

To make Teflon pans, they actually make tiny holes in the metal that the Teflon flows into & cures. (Teflon doesn't like to stick to metal.) Eventually, Teflon will wear off the surface of the metal. You can usually tell when it's going to happen because the pan starts to have a rough surface. If that happens, just throw the pan out.

Teflon isn't particularly toxic & is very inert (won't react with stuff in your body), so, if you eat it, it's not going to hurt you. You can just use it as an excuse to buy new cookware. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

As for the types of cookware people on the list, you should do a search using the CL search engine becasue there have been several great discussions about the merits of different brands of pands recently.

[karen w]

Just this past week I had a problem with a nonstick 9x13 cake pan made by Farberware. I originally bought it because it came with a cover(great for storing the cakes, right?) and I thought Farberware was a reliable brand. I used it to bake a dessert for my husband's B-day last week-IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD USED IT!! When I put it in the sink to clean, I turned the water on(Had not even gotten a sponge near it yet!!!) and the nonstick surface started washing right off. I took it back to the store the very next day. They asked me if I wanted to even exchange it for a new one. Yeah right!! You gotta be kidding. Anyway I bought P.J.'s for my daughter with the store credit. Money better spent for sure!

[hawkslady]

I have had problems with cheap non-stick pans in the past. We use cast iron pans and I love them, in spite of the needed upkeep.

[luv2cook]

I quit using nonstick just for that very reason. seth, there's a huge thread somewhere where we talked about our cookware. Apparently this board loves to talk about cookware, blenders, food processors - imagine that! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif I think you will find it useful...but I have All-Clad LTD and love it...

[JHolcomb]

Ewww. Yes, I had this happen with some cheap (and I mean CHEAP) pots and pans that my mom bought me when I was in college. I threw them out (needless to say)-I had heard stories about the non-stick coating having toxins in it that could get into the food. Anyway, I only use "stick" now-I have a set of Calphalon commerical hard anodized that my husband and I love.

[hlao23]

Our first cookware was T-fal. Eight years later our skillets are still fine, but all three pots started losing the non-stick coating. We tossed them at the first sign of the black flecks in our food.

We now use enameled cast-iron (Le Creuset). I was wary at first. I could just imagine hours of time spent scrubbing pots. My worries were unfounded. We LOVE them.

[Binny]

Has anyone tried Martha Stewart's cookware from K-Mart? I'm in the market for a new saucepan and I've been perusing the cookware threads on the bb. A local department store has a sale on cookware next week and I'm torn between Martha's stainless steel, Farberwear or the department store's brand-Tools of the Trade. Martha's can be placed in the oven (handles are ok in oven to 500 degrees. Farberwear and Tools of the Trade I'm not sure about. Looking at the handles, I don't think I could. Although, I can honestly say, I've never had to put a saucepan in the oven!

[MrsReber]

I had the same problem as Karen! First time I used my new 9x13 pan that I got at my wedding shower, the coating came off on my chicken! It was a Baker's Secret pan! I cooked the CL mediterranean chicken and could not figure out why the bottom of the chicken was this weird gray color. Gross! I got rid of the pan. I have not had any problems at all with Calphalon or Wilton bakeware. I won't use non stick pots and pans except for my one stir fry pan (the name of the brand escapes me, it was Chef's something or other from JC Penny).

[darthchrista]

Here are some of the links for discussions in addition to the one currently. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/000531.html (http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/000531.html,) http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/000544.html http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/000987.html (http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/000987.html,)

Happy reading!

I have RevereWare, because that is what I grew up with. I have so far not had a problem with the non-stick coating coming off. But I am ready to start taking the plunge and buy some Calphalon stuff.

I am worried that if I buy nonstick I will be scrubbing until the end of time? Maybe some you die hard stainless steelers can refute this myth for me?



[This message has been edited by darthchrista (edited 02-02-2001).]

[SETH885315]

well, i have plain stainless steel all-clad, and to keep it's finish it was recommended to use a cleaner like bon ami or barkeeper's friend. i use the latter, and i also soak my pots for a while if anything gets too baked-on, and i've never had a problem. i should also note here that the first time i used my saucepan, i used too high a heat and everything burned in the bottom. i mean, it was black like hardened lava. i thought i was going to have to throw it out. but i let it soak overnight in water, and scrubbed it out the next day with cleanser, and the pot's as good as new. and it didn't require a whole lot of elbow grease, either.

seth

[luv2cook]

All my cookware is All-Clad. The only thing I ever had to soak overnight was the big frying pan - made eggs in it. ugh. You really need nonstick for that...everything else comes right off. If I feel something might possibly be difficult to get off, I immediately rinse it while the pan is still warm - to stave off any trouble!

[Beth]

I had the same experience with a 13x9 pan I got about a year ago. The first or second time I used it, the coating just came peeling off when I washed it. I had baked chicken with peppers and tomatoes in it, and there was enough sauce I didn't notice anything in the food. Hope we didn't eat it, but if we did, doesn't seem to have set us back any. But the saleslady said "yuk" and did not ask if I wanted another one like it.

[This message has been edited by Beth (edited 02-04-2001).]

[Don]

Ok. I may be crazy, but I absolutely love the nonstick cookware (I think it's Wearever) that I got at Costco a little over a year ago. I am notoriously hard on cookware, and for a set to last me more than a year or two is unheard of. The Wearever set is amazing. You can use metal utensils in it (I don't) and it has kept its nonstick properties inspite of daily use. By this point in time, my previous pots and pans would look like they had been purchased in Bosnia. So far, this set has performed beautifully. The glass lids are also nice, so you can see what you're cooking. (And I got a 2-qt saucepan, 3-qt saucepan, a 8-qt stockpot, 10" covered fry pan, a 14" fry pan, and a chicken roaster pan for about $120.)

[Zinnia]

I have had probs. w/ non-stick pans over the years and experienced all of the above. Mostly due to my kids, or hubby not using the "right utensils" when cooking (<that bugs me, lol!), or the quality of the pan.
IMHO-stainless & cast iron are the way to go. The special cleansers do help & the way you take care of them & the way you cook/use/clean them is a factor too. It depends on what works for you http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif.
The "toxic baking-pan thingy" was one of many I experienced when I first started cooking. It scared me(the taste of metal wasn't pleasant!) into learning the
importance of quality; not just what I could buy for the cheapest price. You get what you pay for most of the time, and can be costly
sometimes trying to figure it out..
Just don't use a metal spatula on my non-stick griddle, lol!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Zinnia

[venus]

I've had the nonstick coating come off before, but it was on my super cheap lasagna pan. I think it's also because my oven tends to overheat, and that had an effect on the pan.

I have some All-Clad stainless, which are wonderful, and a set of non-stick Farberware. The non-stick works great for sauteing, and the big spaghetti pot is nice. But my husband completely ruined the 2 quart saucepan by using a handmixer with it! What he was thinking, I don't know.

I tend to agree with Julia Child--buy cheap nonstick for things like sauteing and get new ones every few years.

[Binny]

Well, I purchsed a 3 quart, stainless steel sauce pan from Martha Stewart. It's going back to the store. The directions say to use low-medium heat when using the pot. OK did that. Also states that the handle stays cool. Not when you boil water! I also noticed some marks that looked like rust when water was added to the pan. This was the 3 star pan. The 5 star resembles All-Clad. The 2 quart retails for $49.99. I think I saw in their ad that a 7 piece cookware package was on sale this week for $89.99? I'm off to the local dept. store for another saucepan.