I'm looking for something PTFE and PFOA free...but still with some non-stick properties. I don't use non-stick much, but they come in handy from time to time.

Any ideas?

3/16/2014 8:36:18 PM

I don't know what that stuff you are talking about is, but I got some Caphalon Unison pans that are dishwasher safe and they are great.

3/16/2014 9:01:18 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytetrafluoroethylene#Safety
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfluorooctanoic_acid#Health_concerns

3/16/2014 9:07:44 PM

Cast iron pan

It isnt gonna be as good as a non-stick pan, but they are supposed to be close to that once they are seasoned well

otherwise, if you relax your ptfe requirement, consumer reports name Calphalon's 10" omelet as one of their top 10 gadgets under $50

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/12/10-top-rated-small-appliances-for-50-or-less/index.htm

[Edited on March 16, 2014 at 10:09 PM. Reason : a]

3/16/2014 10:08:30 PM

What's wrong with cast iron?

3/16/2014 10:18:40 PM

I use my cast iron in a non-stick capacity and it works quite well for that with all the oil seasoned into it...but I have roommates who need to use a more traditional non-stick pan.

3/16/2014 10:37:23 PM

I vote for cast iron. If your roommates aren't total idiots, they can learn to:

1) Don't cook acidic foods in it like tomato sauce- eats the seasoning faster.
2) To clean, wipe out with oil on napkin or cloth, or at the most a quick, quick wash with soap, then wipe totally dry and re-apply more oil/lard/butter.
3) Periodically slather with lard/veggie shortening and bake in oven at high temps to re-season.
4) Slay anyone who washes regularly with soap and doesn't ever re-oil. I had a stupid roommate once who did this the entire summer and destroyed the finish. Took months to get back, I never forgave her.

3/16/2014 11:57:35 PM

I do all of that for my pan (except never any soap. only paper towels. also i'm not sure you need high temps to season) and...

Quote :

"I have roommates who need to use a more traditional non-stick pan."

hence the thread.

3/17/2014 12:07:05 AM

this thread is relevant to my interests. I have birds and very rarely use non-stick on the stovetop, but I do keep one egg pan around. The coating goes shitty after a couple years of use, no matter what you do, so the first rule is don't spend too much.

unless there is a new technology out, this review might be helpful. https://www.cooksillustrated.com/equipment_reviews/1190-green-skillets

3/17/2014 8:15:31 AM

Why not go stainless steel? They are super easy to cook with and work as well as non-stick. Either stainless steel or cast iron or both is my vote.

3/17/2014 9:10:33 AM

the OP said multiple times that he already uses both and specifically said that he wants a non-stick pan for his roommates, who apparently don't read tww, and cannot be easily swayed to improve their cooking techniques by ingesting a litany of repetitive comments.

3/17/2014 9:23:30 AM

you should go with a cast iron skillet. get it well seasoned and works just as good as non-stick.

3/17/2014 9:33:19 AM

I still would vote for both stainless steel and cast iron.

3/17/2014 9:35:17 AM

get one from the dollar tree

3/17/2014 9:37:11 AM

i, too, vote for stainless and learning how to cook correctly

i know cast iron is the favorite go-to for cooking snobs aficionados, but it's not nearly as easy to use and take care of as they make it out to be...it's heavy, there aren't as many (common) sizes and styles (ever used a cast iron stock pot?), and they require more care than either stainless or nonstick

i recommend the green pan line...here's a set for $150 (http://www.target.com/p/green-pan-rio-18-piece-cookset/-/A-14627675) and a smaller one for $80 (http://www.target.com/p/green-pan-10-piece-ceramic-non-stick-interior-cookware/-/A-13466516)

that said, my experience with their early stuff is what you'll see in (older) bad reviews: the coating simply didn't last...i never had trouble with it flaking off or anything, but it just became less and less nonstick, so i returned it

i currently have a relatively new baking sheet (the heavy-duty one that can handle high temps) and so far, the finish has been great (though i've scratched the bottom pretty badly by tossing it the drawer with my older steel pans)

here's the whole line...i'm not sure why some are gray and some are white (both my old and new were/are gray): http://www.target.com/bp/GreenPan#?lnk=snav_rd_green pan&orginalSearchTerm=GreenPan

i'd recommend buying some nice all-nylon utensils, as well, to minimize the chance of scratching them

[Edited on March 17, 2014 at 9:50 AM. Reason : links]

3/17/2014 9:38:16 AM

wood works great too.

3/17/2014 9:43:47 AM

Quote :

"wood works great too."

it does...the larger set of that green pan comes with bamboo

i don't care for wood, though, because i'm lazy and nylon is perfectly safe

3/17/2014 9:49:28 AM

Cast Iron.
I use a big 12 inch skillet for 95% of our cooking. Season it well and put down just a little bit of oil (I use a misto sprayer filled with canola oil) before cooking and its as good as any non-stick pan there is. Wipe it out with a wet paper towel when your done and avoid using soap to scrub it out if you can. And that's all the maintenance you need to do, its extremely easy to keep up, it'll last for generations and its cheaper than most other quality cookware. Also, you can use any utensil you want in it and clean it out with any kind of scrubber.

Quote :

"ever used a cast iron stock pot?"

We have a Le Creuset that does awesome. You don't want to use uncoated cast-iron as a vessel for soups, stocks, stews or chillies and you're better off just getting a large stainless steel pot with a good thick bottom.

3/17/2014 10:23:47 AM

Quote :

" Also, you can use any utensil you want in it "

Turns you're not supposed to use metal in there.

Quote :

" (I use a misto sprayer filled with canola oil) "

Why not olive? Much healthier.

3/17/2014 10:31:54 AM

Canola has a higher smoke point, for one

3/17/2014 10:45:43 AM

^^It has a distinctive taste that it add to food and a low smoke point. The canola oil is just for keeping the pan non-stick, and with a good sprayer you're probably using under a teaspoon of it. Oiling the skillet before hand helps keep the pan well seasoned. I rarely need to re-season my pans this way.

And I've never heard anything about metal tools in cast iron. I alternate between a plastic spatula and metal one depending on what's clean, and I've never had a problem.

[Edited on March 17, 2014 at 10:49 AM. Reason : ]

3/17/2014 10:49:28 AM

A good way to clean cast iron is kosher salt and water. Good/safe abrasive and won't dissolve the seasoning.

Cast iron is great for searing, but stainless steal is where it's at for general cooking. It's just easier to use and live with. You can't hurt stainless steel.

I'd recommend a 3-4qt saute pan as a first SS piece. super versatile, you can sear, saute, make sauces, through it in the oven, etc. A french skillet is really versatile, too, although a little lighter so won't hold heat for searing quite as well.

There are three critical steps to making a SS pan not stick:
1. Warm up the pan empty until its at cooking temp
2. THEN add oil, a little more than you'd use with nonstick. wait for that to warm up to temp.
3. Then add food and DON'T try to move the food until it lets go of the pan. When the food moves, it'll be nicely browned and will let go and you can flip it.

Tramantina makes an All-Clad-like triply line of pans that have great reviews and are pretty cheap. It's a little heavier than All-Clad though

3/17/2014 4:07:35 PM

this is why i just grill everything

3/17/2014 5:34:17 PM

mmmmmm, grilled eggs.

3/17/2014 7:24:15 PM

[Edited on March 17, 2014 at 7:42 PM. Reason : mmmmmm, indeed.]

3/17/2014 7:41:59 PM

3/17/2014 7:48:10 PM

Quote :

"Tramantina makes an All-Clad-like triply line of pans that have great reviews and are pretty cheap. It's a little heavier than All-Clad though"

we have the (or a) emeril set that's made by all-clad: http://www.amazon.com/Emeril-All-Clad-E914SC64-Stainless-Dishwasher/dp/B001GD2YRW/

a fantastic deal at $200, IMO...it's a bit lighter than all-clad, though

3/17/2014 10:47:37 PM

I really like All-Clad. I've cooked with a lot of high end stuff (my parents kitchen equipment is insane) but AC is the easiest to clean/maintain imo. If you want to drop money on it, the copper bottomed ones are the best, but copper is a pain the the ass to keep clean if you plan on presenting it (yes, I've tried vinegar/ketchup/etc.). You'll end up wanting cast iron for certain things also, but cast sucks to saute on. I guess a compromise is a ceramic coated cast iron pan, but it's still heavy if you like to toss while you saute.

Quote :

"We have a Le Creuset that does awesome."

I have a smaller LC Dutch oven that I got as a gift, and it's nice - and a showpiece but I have a large Lodge Logic ceramic that's just as good for a fraction of the price.

Somebody else was talking about oils and smoke points - peanut oil is the best (though expensive) for smoke point considerations.

[Edited on March 18, 2014 at 3:46 AM. Reason : .]

3/18/2014 3:43:14 AM

We have 2 lc Dutch ovens, I wouldn't call them not stick but they clean easily

We have a set of circulon pans that are 4 years old and dish washed daily... They look brand new as far as non stick surface is concerned.

3/18/2014 7:48:09 AM

Quote :

"the copper bottomed ones are the best, but copper is a pain the the ass to keep clean if you plan on presenting it (yes, I've tried vinegar/ketchup/etc.)"

ours have a copper bottom (or at least some amount of copper that is sandwiched between the pan steel and a steel bottom)...bar keepers friend does a fantastic job of making both the SS and copper look brand new

oxalic acid is magic



[Edited on March 18, 2014 at 10:21 AM. Reason : magic]

3/18/2014 10:20:12 AM