Pots and pans are an essential part of a kitchen in every household these days. Even if there is no innovation in these products they continue to be in the kitchen for their utility. Non-stick pans have also become a necessity, but they have a life and trying to extend that life might be harmful, so you need to know when to throw away nonstick pans
Non-stick utensils
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Non-stick pans are usually the ones covered with a chemical called Teflon which makes them easy to wash and clean and you can cook on them without using a lot of butter or oil, but Teflon can break down over time after constant use and it can become a matter of concern. It is not easy to throw away a utensil that you use every day but there are several reasons how it can become toxic for you, so you have to throw it away.
Tips for Taking Care
There are several tips for taking care of your nonstick pans which you can use to enhance and increase the lifespan of your non-stick pan and reduce your need to throw away your pans
- When cleaning your pan, don’t use very harsh scrubs and cleaners, so it doesn’t harm its surface.
- Do not stack them on top of each other or other pans on top of your non-stick pan to avoid scratching.
- Always use silicone or wood utensils with your non-stick pan to avoid scratching
- Do not preheat your pan or use them on high heat, always try to use them on medium temperature
- Try not to let the food build up and cause discoloration, clean them as soon as you finish using them
Before the pans become unusable there are several signs that it gives off, so you know when to throw away the pan.
1. The pan is deforming
You do not necessarily have to throw away your pan as soon as it starts deforming but it will start to affect the quality of your food. As it will start deforming, your food might not be cooking perfectly, and you can take that as the first sign that you might have to lose this pan soon
2. Scratches on the pan
The first rule of taking care of non-stick pans is to avoid scratches at any cost, but when you are using a pan, it will start to lose its glory. Even if you are using it with the utmost care, you are using it and it will start to show, but the thing you need to be most beware of is the scratches. As mentioned before that pans are made non-stick with the help of a chemical called Teflon and if there are scratches on your pan it shows that the chemical has started to come off, so you have to throw out that pan. To read about the process where you can fix the scratched non-stick pan click below
How to Fix Scratched Nonstick Pan
3. Discoloration
Over time your pan has ought to get discolored, with constant use, but once that discoloration starts getting dark, that is the sign to be ready to throw away your pan.
Lifespan of a Non-stick Pan
Every utensil has its own lifespan and when they start going past that time, it starts to show its signs. A general idea for a well-serving life span for a non-stick pan is five years. Otherwise, when your pan starts to get discolored, scratched, or distorted you need to throw away that pan.
Which Non-Stick Pan is Long Lasting
well as we have discussed above that any nonstick pan gives good performance up to five years. based on my experience i suggest you guys to get this OXO Non-Stick pan to your kitchen and believe me you won’t regret it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
You can repair your pan by using a nonstick cookware repair spray, this can almost bring your pan back to life. Although you can use this for your pan, your priority should be to take care of your pan, so it does not reach this place.
Repairing and recoating your pan is not a do-it-yourself process, in fact it is a multi-step process that should be left to be done by the professionals. Many companies in the industry offer these services but they can be expensive for a household user of a pan. Mostly they are suitable for a more commercial client. It can be expensive, but you can get a quote and see for yourself if it is worth it or not for you.
The simplest answer to this question is no, it is not okay to use a scratched pan if it is chipped or scratched. Although the chips are not good for you, they might not be that harmful to you. The actual harm is caused by the chemicals that are released by the scratched surface into your food. Those chemicals can also cause cancer and you must throw away the scratched pan.
Those are the chemicals that make your pan non-stick and make it appear very sleek, but when scratched, they become a threat to your health. The pan can also harbor bacteria in the surfaces where it has been scratched.
There are a few ways you can employ to get rid of your scratched unusable non-stick pan.
1. It can be hard to recycle the pan if most of the Teflon coating is intact, but there are some companies who remove the coating and recycle the pan, so you can recycle your pan if you can find any such company.
2. If you cannot find a suitable recycling company you can always give away your pan to a junkyard, where they will melt the pan to separate the coating and use the metal that is left over.
3. There are some cookware companies that take back their used cookware and use it for recycling or other purposes, some even offer lifetime guarantees. If you have any such offer you can also send your pan back to the manufacturing company.
4. If the issue is only of the non-stick coating, you can get your pan sandblasted to remove the coating and use the pan as any other metal pan. You will still be able to use it, just without the non-stick properties.
