[Cleaning tips] Purchase tips + 7 rules to pay attention when using non-stick pans

Interior Design & Decor

Published on: May 27th, 2022
5 minutes read

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Non-stick pan is a popular kitchen appliance loved by many amateur cook because of its PTFE coating on the surface, which can reduce the friction between the ingredients and the pan surface. This can achieve the effect of non-stick. Less oil is needed when cooking with non-stick pan, comparing with other pans made of stainless steel or cast iron. This makes cooking more healthy and cleaning more convenient. Let Deco-Man share the correct methods of cleaning non-stick pans with you!

Advantages of non-stick pans

Easy to use
Heat transfer is more even

Disadvantages of non-stick pans

Not good for cooking with strong heat
May require frequent replacement if poorly maintained

How to choose a safe non-stick pan?

It has been said that the coating material PTFE will release the carcinogenic toxic substance PFOA under high temperature, which makes many people hesitate to buy the easy clean wok. In fact, some reports pointed out that PTFE will decompose and release toxic substances when the temperature is higher than 350°C. Therefore, when cooking temperature is at around 250°C, it is still safe. Most daily cooking routines such as steaming, sauteing and frying, do not exceed 250°C.

When purchasing a non-stick pan, the public can pay attention to whether the product is listed as “PFOA Free” and whether it has passed some foreign food-grade safety regulations like US FDA, EU Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004, Germany LFGB, etc.

What should I do if the non-stick pan is burnt?

Non-stick pans can be cleaned very easily. You can clean them with a sponge or dish cloth. However, when there are black stains on the bottom, you don’t need to scrub them vigorously. Just pour warm water and boil, and then let it stand to reach the room temperature. It can be easily cleaned after doing so.

Non-stick pans maintenance method

If the coating of the non-stick pan is damaged, it may increase the possibility of releasing toxic substances, so you must be careful with the maintenance of non-stick pan. The following are some rules:

Non-stick pans are not suitable for cooking with strong heat, and cooking for a long time such as cooking soup is not recommended
Make sure that there is oil or water in the pan before starting the fire, so as not to dry out the pan by the fire.
Use wooden or plastic spatula during cooking to prevent metal spatula from damaging the surface coating
Avoid rinsing with hot water immediately after cooking at high temperature to prevent the coating from peeling off due to thermal expansion
Do not use heavy duty scouring pads and steel wire scourer to clean, so as not to scratch the coating
Avoid stacking non-stick pans for storage to avoid scratching the coating
If you cook frequently, the life of non-stick pan is generally about one year. If the coating is peeled or scratched, it will gradually lose its ability of non-sticking. You should replace it with a new non-stick pan as soon as possible.

This article was originally published on HKDecoman.

HKDecoman, now going global as Deco-Man, is a Hong Kong-based renovation platform which provides professional consultancy services and pioneers in the development of A.I. homeowner-engineer matching. We aim at educating the public about the art of home renovation, and have our eyes on transforming the traditional renovation industry, bringing standardisation, transparency, convenience and automation to the business.