Experts have revealed the advantages and disadvantages of the main materials and each type of coating for , allowing consumers to evaluate them comparatively and make informed choices that are important for their health.
Types of Main Materials
The base material of kitchen matters depending on the type of stove and the intensity of cooking.
Aluminum
One of the most affordable metals for cookware, aluminum is lightweight and heats up quickly and evenly. However, its thin material is prone to deformation, scratches, and damage. Additionally, it is a reactive metal: if the non-stick coating is damaged, aluminum particles can leach into food.
Anodized Aluminum
This type of metal has an oxidized layer. The special treatment gives hardened aluminum greater thermal conductivity (the material heats up quickly), as well as resistance to corrosion, damage, and deformation. Anodizing increases the material’s durability, weight, and cost.
Stainless Steel
This alloy contains a combination of metals with anti-corrosive properties. Stainless steel cookware is compatible with all types of stoves, including induction. This material works well with non-stick coatings (even if the coating is damaged, the metal from the base won’t leach into food), but without a coating, the surface can be sticky. The metal is strong, heats up quickly and evenly, but heating nuances may vary depending on the product’s design.
Cast Iron
This black metal is an alloy of iron and carbon, with additional elements like silicon, manganese, phosphorus, and sulfur. This composition provides strength suitable for all types of stoves, ovens, and even campfires. Cast iron cookware is renowned for its unique durability, even heat distribution, and heat retention. However, it heats up slowly, is heavy, and requires special care.
Carbon Steel
Combining the advantages of stainless steel and cast iron with the best properties of non-stick coatings results in carbon steel cookware—a robust material that excels at high-temperature cooking. These pans are lighter than cast iron, heat up quickly and evenly, respond well to temperature changes, and last a long time. However, like non-stick coatings, acidic foods should not be cooked in these pans.
Pros and Cons of Coatings
The non-stick properties of kitchen cookware are determined by the composition of the base material and the special polymer coating—made from fluoropolymers (Teflon), polymer bases with marble, granite, or ceramic additives, or reinforced polymer materials with a composite layer (titanium).
Teflon (PTFE)
The full name of the most common fluoropolymer is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). This fluorine-containing polymer gives cookware its smoothness and non-stick properties.
Advantages: minimal greasing, easy cleaning.
Disadvantages: releases harmful fumes when overheated, vulnerable to damage from metal utensils, and not very durable.
Marble and Granite Coating
This is the same polymer but enhanced with fine marble or granite chips for aesthetic appeal and increased strength.
Advantages: even heating, durability, and scratch resistance.
Disadvantages: sensitivity to overheating, high cost.
Ceramic Coating
This material is made from clay.
Advantages: satisfactory heat retention, eco-friendliness.
Disadvantages: vulnerability to damage from sharp objects.
Titanium and Composite Materials
The high strength and resistance of this polymer coating are achieved through reinforcement with nanoparticles of titanium or other minerals.
Advantages: resistance to high temperatures and sudden temperature changes, high wear resistance.
Disadvantages: higher cost of cookware.
Cast Iron
This material requires no additional technological processing and acquires a natural non-stick coating during use due to the filling of its pores with fat.
Advantages: durability, eco-friendliness, and the release of beneficial iron micro-particles.
Disadvantages: increased weight and need for maintenance.
What to Pay Attention To
When purchasing a frying pan with a non-stick coating, consider the level of heat resistance and evaluate how easy it is to clean. The range of modern products offers choices between Teflon, ceramic, enamel, and hybrid coatings.
Ceramics
Ceramic non-stick coatings are a worthy option when natural materials are needed. Such coatings are made from various components and include additives to improve heat transfer and increase durability. Silicone in the composition of such ceramic coatings is a synthetic polymer based on silicon and oxygen, as well as carbon and hydrogen (organic elements). The manufacturing process involves chemical treatment of quartz (sand). This coating is considered more eco-friendly not only due to its natural raw materials but also because the carbon dioxide emissions during the creation of ceramic coatings are significantly lower than those during Teflon production. Unlike PTFE, ceramics are non-toxic and do not release harmful vapors when overheated. However, over time, the effectiveness of the coating decreases, and it is not suitable for very high temperatures; manufacturers do not recommend washing ceramic frying pans in dishwashers, as these products are more prone to chipping and scratching than PTFE.
Enamel
Enamel-coated cast iron cookware is more convenient than regular cast iron and retains most of the advantages of unprocessed cast iron. Enamel-coated cast iron pans are distinguished by high heat resistance, allowing them to be used on the stove and in the oven. In addition to retaining heat well, they also do not react with acidic foods.
Hybrid Non-Stick Coating
A still relatively uncommon combination of PTFE/ceramic coating/stainless steel is gradually gaining popularity. Its advantages include scratch resistance and a longer lifespan compared to PTFE and ceramics. However, thin pancakes may stick to such a frying pan, and this cookware tends to be expensive.
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
Until 2013, a rather harmful chemical substance was used in the production of PTFE, leading to lawsuits against the world-renowned Teflon manufacturer. However, since then, the controversial harmful substance has been removed from the production process of non-stick coatings, and pans released after 2013 are marketed as completely safe, provided they are not overheated or scratched (and Teflon coatings are very easily damaged by metal). Otherwise, in the first case, the cookware will release harmful fumes, and in the second case, aluminum (if that is the base metal) will leach into food. PTFE coatings are not durable—typically, they last less than the base of the product.
Which Frying Pan to Choose
When determining the best option for purchase, experts recommend considering your budget and needs. It’s important to assess how often you use a non-stick frying pan and decide whether it’s more cost-effective to frequently replace cheaper cookware or invest in a more expensive one that will last longer.
For long-term use and cooking at high temperatures, you should opt for cast iron or carbon steel. Manufacturers prohibit using PTFE coatings at temperatures exceeding 260°C.
For delicate foods like pancakes or seafood, it’s advisable to choose a ceramic non-stick coating or an aluminum pan with a Teflon coating (PTFE).
Anodized aluminum is a compromise option, but it is generally not suitable for induction cooktops.
If you cook frequently, it is recommended to have several frying pans for different dishes to ensure that your food is both delicious and healthy.
The Dangers of Teflon
Finally, let’s discuss one of the most common non-stick materials with a controversial reputation and an interesting history. Is Teflon really harmful? This question was first raised by an American farmer from Parkersburg, Wilbur Tennant, who lost 190 cows due to toxic waste from a neighboring DuPont factory being dumped into a river. Lawyer Robert Bilott, who filed a lawsuit in 1999 on behalf of his farmer client, discovered the presence of toxic perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in those waste products—a component of non-stick coatings. The lawyer’s involvement in the legal process was an educational mission, as PFOA had not yet been recognized as a harmful substance at that time.
By examining production documentation, the lawyer learned that the manufacturers considered a concentration of PFOA of one part per billion to be safe, meaning that only one part of the specified PFOA was allowed in a billion parts of a sample. However, the actual concentration of the toxin near the affected farmer’s property was 150 parts per billion. After winning one lawsuit against the corporation, the lawyer filed a second one in 2001 on behalf of 70,000 residents of the state. Again, the case was won, compensation was paid by the manufacturer, and most importantly, an independent scientific commission was convened, which found a link between PFOA and health problems among local water consumers (the acid was linked to thyroid diseases, elevated cholesterol levels, and cancer). Over 20 years of litigation, the total compensation paid by the manufacturer amounted to nearly a year’s profit—$753 million.
Dark Waters
A film titled “Dark Waters” was made about this story in the U.S., where justice ultimately prevails after a long struggle. However, in reality, the manufacturer of non-stick frying pans replaced one perfluorooctanoic acid with other similar compounds that also accumulate in humans and the environment but have not yet been officially banned. Aware of this, activists continue to work towards limiting the use of all PFOAs, and scientists refer to these substances as “forever chemicals” due to their extremely long decomposition times.
While modern Teflon, as scientists assure, is inert under normal conditions, overheating the material or burning it in waste can break the strong bonds of fluorine with other atoms in the fluoropolymer molecules, making Teflon toxic. Inhaling burnt Teflon can lead to polymer fume fever, which has flu-like symptoms: cough, fever, and chest pain. Birds and rats can die from such toxic exposure.
Scientists see a solution in finding a way to manufacture Teflon products without water emulsion—using dry spraying of coating particles through molds. However, apart from manufacturers, no one is taking on this task. For corporations, it is easier to replace “discredited” substances with those that have not yet been declared harmful. The compounds of PFOA are not even precisely counted: it is known that there are thousands of them. Therefore, it is likely that humanity will never achieve guaranteed safe PFOAs.
For more on what not to cook on non-stick coatings, read here:
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