Sticky Situation? Try These Cookware Tips
Tips on how to properly handle your nonstick cookware.
Nov. 2, 2007 — -- Nonstick cookware revolutionized the kitchen. The easy-to-clean and incredibly popular pots and pans are a staple in many American homes.
In fact, nonstick cookware constitutes 90 percent of aluminum cookware sold, but it also is considered potentially toxic by some experts.
Find out tips on how to handle nonstick pots and pans below and find out which brands did the best in a Good Housekeeping Research Institute test of nonstick cookware brands.
Nonstick pans should not be used on high heat or to broil or sear meats. The health concerns are with pans reaching 500 degrees or more. That's where the toxic coating begins to break apart. So keep your heat on a low or medium flame.
The big surprise is that many of these pans get up very high, very quickly. The Good Housekeeping Research Institute tested 40 brands of nonstick cookware and conventional cookware.
The cookware gets hotter faster than other types and pre-heating could cause the toxic coating to come off. Don't heat your empty pan on high for more than two minutes.
Fumes from the pan are a problem because you don't want to inhale them or ingest the toxic coating after cooking in it.
And it's important not to use metal utensils -- to prevent scratching.
Choose a heavier nonstick pan. A heavier pan is going to take longer to heat, so something that's very light will heat quickly. Something like a steak, you will have to cook it on something else.
Wearever Excellence Porcelain was chosen as the top brand because it produced perfectly browned pancakes with virtually no cleanup, at a reasonable price. The neatest feature: soft silicone handles that are comfortable to hold. It's very comfortable handles with a thumb rest.
12-inch skillet priced at $25
Farberware Affiniti pan lets you scramble eggs with no sticking and simmer sauce without stirring. It comes in red, black, copper, bronze, gray and even purple.
The All-Clad Brushed Stainless Steel nonstick is the one if you want seriously professional-looking cookware and don't mind spending a lot for it. It was among the best in the tests at browning evenly and keeping sauces at a steady bubble and it's dishwasher safe.
Check out "Good Housekeeping" for more information.
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