How to Care for and Maintain Non-Stick Cookware
May 23 '04
The Bottom Line Perhaps the single most important thing to remember when using non-stick cookware is to always be careful of what you put in it.
I recently wrote a review on the set of pans my children bought me for Mother's Day, and was hit with several comments about how disappointed others had been about these pans only lasting a few years. My mother has used the same set of pans for several years with no problems.
Although it was an inexpensive set of pans, based on the identical set that my mother has, I expect that I will definitely get several years of use from them. I plan to do this by using some basic care and maintenance techniques for non-stick cookware.
First, when you purchase a set of pans, it generally will come with a care and maintenance guide of some type. I suggest that you read this immediately before beginning to use your new cookware.
The pans I bought had such a guide that told me several things I already knew, and also included a few tips that I hadn't thought of. I am going to share some of these tips with you, along with a few of my own.
Perhaps the single most important thing to remember when using non-stick cookware is to always be careful of what you put in it. Only use utensils that are approved for non-stick cookware, such as plastic, or wooden utensils.
Never use a wire whisk, beaters, or metal utensils. Never cut foods in the pan. It only takes a second to take the food out of the pan to cut it, and will add years to the life of your pan.
When you first begin using your new pans, it is also a good idea to condition them. This is done by coating the interior surface of the pan with shortening or oil before the first use. This only needs to be done the first time you use your pan, but will greatly increase the effectiveness of the non-stick surface.
It is also a good idea to use lower temperatures whenever possible. Of course you will set your burner on high to bring water to a boil, but it is suggestion by some non-stick cookware manufacturers that you use a lower setting for most of your cooking.
Always wash your pans thoroughly before the first use, and after each use. Never use any type of abrasive when cleaning your pans. You can generally clean your cookware in hot soapy water without a lot of effort.
If something should happen to get stuck onto your pan, soaking it for a short time will usually remedy the situation. If you need to scrub the surface, make sure that the material you are scrubbing with is approved for non-stick surfaces. Steel Wool is definitely not a good idea and will drastically shorten the life of your non-stick cookware.
Additionally, although some non-stick cookware is advertised as dishwasher safe, I do not recommend doing this. The harsh abrasives in some dishwasher detergents can damage the non-stick finish of your cookware. Washing them in the dishwasher once or twice will probably not noticeably ruin your cookware, but repeatedly washing them in the dishwasher can shorten the life of the non-stick surface rather quickly.
In conclusion, take good care of your non-stick cookware and you can expect it to last a long time.
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