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I buy middle of the range pans, £50-80 so not professional i guess but as far as i am concerned a fair amount to spend on a frying pan.
last one i bought was https://www.sharkninja.co.uk/ninja-zerostick-ceramic-pro-28-cm-frying-pan-black-cw30028uk/CW30028UK.html
Thing is i can never get them to last (the non stick part) more than about 18 months.
(even if the marketing blurb suggests you can scour them with an angle grinder and they will still keep the coating for ever)
I cook all sorts from steaks to pancakes for the kids, normally at med to high temps.
On the pan above the non-stick surface as already darkened and become err sticky.
Is it me?? do i need to spend more? cast iron?
must be me 🙂
Most non-sticks say don't use above a medium heat, I think. No idea how you judge medium heat, but steak cooking probably is into high heat territory.
No scrubbing with anything remotely abrasive & definitely no putting in the dishwasher (despite what the blurb says).
What tools do you use in it? Anything hard and metal, with a vaguely thin edge will still damage the coating, no matter how strong they claim to be.
Although Mrs. P has bought a couple of ceramic coated frying pans, my favourite is still my 30something year old properly seasoned cast iron frying pan. Nothing ever sticks to it.
Been through a few frying pans, and even tried one of those ceramic affairs, but it was straight away consigned to the bin because it sticks.
Currently I've two i got from Asda, Tefal titanium range. Quite cheap as they go and thus far no sticking.
Eggs-no probs. And i do everything at high heat, though its the smallest gas ring. Steak-turns out great, though i cook it in a fair amount of truffle butter and usually about 3 mins/side
Washing. Nope, not really. Reheat slightly to liquefy whats left in there ,strain it out(no point in losing the now flavoured oil/butter/juices) and a wipe with kitchenroll till approximately clean.
Occasionally I'll wash it in very hot water/soap with a cloth. Never scrubbed. Just really a wipe out to clean the outside and handle.
Ive recently moved from a tefal to a stainless hexclad type thing. Its utter rubbish in comparison. Everything sticks to it and it feels rough
Ninja ZEROSTICK Ceramic Pro 28 cm Frying Pan
I have the same pan. Got it last Christmas so 7 months in. It still looks like new apart from a bit of chipping of the paint on the outer rim.
I've killed other non-stick pans from too much heat so as a rule I never put the induction hob above a 12 out of 14 for this pan (and only then for a short period). Mostly aim to keep it below 10. Hand clean only. Plastic or wooden untensils. Steaks and high heat stuff is done in a separate stainless steel pan.
Less heat.
So useless for steak. I agree with stainless steel or cast iron, well seasoned.
Cast iron and carbon steel frying pans and learn how to use them and you'll never need to buy a frying pan again.
Cast iron and carbon steel frying pans and learn how to use them and you'll never need to buy a frying pan again.
100% this. Earlier this year, I decided to learn how to use stainless pans properly so I could get rid of the non-stick pans once and for all. Read some stuff on the internet. Half an hour later, I'd cooked an omelette without it sticking to the stainless pan, and the non-stick pans were in the bin.
Worth doing some reading, but basically what worked for me was getting it really hot, wiping a thin film of sunflower oil on with some paper towel and letting it cool down before using it. You don't have to do that every time, unless you scrub it off, but I now let it heat up for a couple of minutes longer to get it nice and evenly heated (then let it cool if necessary) before I start cooking.
Cast iron and carbon steel frying pans and learn how to use them.
Put on cooker, allow to heat to required temperature, apply items to be cooked, serve said items, allow pan to cool, wash.
That's as far as my technique goes. this is to do with seasoning right?
I did a cooking course a few years ago, and the chef said that non-stick pans should be on a circulation (one 'good', one 'general purpose' and one 'knackered, but okay for use'), and that, after about 18 months to two years, the good one will be relegated to 'knackered, but okay for use'.
I did a cooking course a few years ago, and the chef said that non-stick pans should be on a circulation (one 'good', one 'general purpose' and one 'knackered, but okay for use'), and that, after about 18 months to two years, the good one will be relegated to 'knackered, but okay for use'.
That aligns with my lifecycle. I normally buy a couple of different sizes but generally use the middle one the most perhaps next round i should buy 3 the same and rotate them. like running shoes 🙂
Cast iron and carbon steel frying pans and learn how to use them and you'll never need to buy a frying pan again.
This.
Most non-sticks say don't use above a medium heat, I think. No idea how you judge medium heat, but steak cooking probably is into high heat territory.
put gas on and turn to max. 😲 (for searing meet etc)
No scrubbing with anything remotely abrasive & definitely no putting in the dishwasher (despite what the blurb says).
only handwash with soft side of sponge
Ninja are the best i've tried (my testing was not exhaustive nor high budget). Point about rotation valid, I have a couple of pans that are no good for 'stickier' applications but just fine for sauces etc.
Just buy a Scoville Neverstick. They're quite cheap and last for yonks. Haven't killed one yet - fajitas, curries, stir fries. (I know you won't cos they aren't expensive enough for STW, but hey ho.)
Just checked - bought in 2024.... they have a lifetime warranty on the non-stick, but I'd just buy a new one the same if I needed to.
Just buy a Scoville Neverstick
That's what Mrs. P bought. She has still managed to scar one of them with some sharp metal implement or other, but they generally work OK.
Just buy a Scoville Neverstick. They're quite cheap and last for yonks. Haven't killed one yet
.... they have a lifetime warranty on the non-stick,
That's the one I killed with high heat. Dark patch in the middle of the pan that's lost the non-stick ability.
AFAIK the lifetime warranty doesn't cover over-heating which is probably their standard get out of jail free card.
I don't expect to get more than 2-3 yrs out of a non-stick, having said that my Ninja's are the best I've ever had. Currently at four years, and main surface is fine, rim is a bit tatty. I use them on higher heat than I should and throw them in dishwasher. I do have a nice cast iron for steaks though.
Cast iron and carbon steel frying pans and learn how to use them.
you can try attitude that on my wife. i`m not brave enough. 🤣
my wife can weld egg to any frying pan.
That's the one I killed with high heat.
Blimey, you don't deserve to have non stick pans! Can't imagine needing a higher heat than my gas wok ring!
Cast iron I agree is great for searing the likes of steak.
However, if you want a none stick frying pan I can highly recommend the Tefal ceramic. Works great in all temperatures of a domestic hob and absolutely nothing sticks to it, when done empty any items in the pan to the bin and then just rinse. It slides straight off, even stick products like a teriyaki sauce.
Enthusiastic cook here. I was disappointed with the ability of our induction hob to really sear food. And our old pans started getting food stuck to them. I bought a Jamie Oliver Tefal frying pan and I found it excellent. It runs a lot hotter, nothing sticks and it wipes clean. So impressed I bought another.
Here's the Tuna salad I cooked last night.
Using non stick is where your going wrong.
Stainless for acidic foods and cast iron for almost everything else.
While either may seem expensive at first......you won't be buying endless plastic coated pans for the rest of your life.
Cheap cast is fine. We have some Sainsbury's ones that have stood the test of time that have been relegated to the van after getting some le cruset as a long service award. Cheap stainless is a bit more hit and miss we have some iconix branded ones. Similar to those in nisbets
Pancakes and tortillas get made in the cast pans almost weekly. If the food sticking it's not the pan that the issue I'm afraid.
I bought two Kuhn Rikon stainless frying pans - one big, one small - in the Christmas sales for £100 altogether, read some stuff on here and youtube about how to use them properly, and they still look like new so I don't see why they won't continue that way for a long time to come.
Basically you just have to warm them up, smear them with oil, then cook at probably a lower temperature than you might have expected. And if cooking proteins, just leave them for a little longer than you're used to before you attempt to flip/toss, so that they <some technical word> properly, and stop sticking.
Steak is one you want to blast, we have an iron griddle for that. Also, oil choice. Whilst olive oil is great for you, it burns at high temperatures, which is where I think we've gone wrong with non-stick.
We've gone with a couple of Tefal ones this time and will keep temps lower. Steak on the iron griddle.
Steak on the BBQ grill surely? Heathens.
Pans, replenishable non stick Tesco/Tefal options for my 'cook everything ever at max heat' wife. I have some lightweight cast iron and a really heavyweight cheaper cast iron pan that work well for me. I'd like a nice stainless pan or two as well at the moment.
To the OP - you probably don’t, but I’m assuming you never use metal implements or wash the pans while they’re hot?
18 months sounds about right. Not more than a couple of years.
for high heat use like searing things I now use well seasoned cast iron. Or a Searzall Pro™.
For cooking at low to medium heat and making sure things don’t stick then a Ninja pan or a Tefal at <£30 when on offer at supermarkets works a treat. But I now don’t expect more than a couple of years of non stick magic out of them. And paying more for non stick is not worth it ime.
what is ‘medium’ heat? I’d say 5/10 or 6/10 on a 3.6kW induction hob for a 20cm+ diameter frying pan.
also, make sure that your pan is at temperature before adding any ingredients and starting to cook.
Worth doing some reading, but basically what worked for me was getting it really hot, wiping a thin film of sunflower oil on with some paper towel and letting it cool down before using it.
Aka ‘seasoning a pan’.
For steak and since watching Fallow restaurant's videos on YouTube anything high heat has me reaching for the stainless.
For example:
Loads of stuff around about cooking with stainless.
Easier to maintain than cast iron. I accidentally melted some tea towel into ours (don't ask!) and a scrape and some wet and dry later followed by a good wash and it was back in use. Teflon would have gone in the bin.
Non stick for low/medium heat stuff is fine.
Edit. I know the pan in the preview isn't stainless above but the technique is sound with stainless.
I was told that if you need a higher heat with a non sticky then to just make sure that you heat the pan up gradually rather than just whacking it straight on the big burner with the gas on full.
Steak is one you want to blast, we have an iron griddle for that. Also, oil choice. Whilst olive oil is great for you, it burns at high temperatures, which is where I think we've gone wrong with non-stick.
We've gone with a couple of Tefal ones this time and will keep temps lower. Steak on the iron griddle.
Think this will be my strategy - buy a ok-ish general use pan in a sale and accept it won't last forever, then get a cast iron pan for the high heat stuff.
So next question.... good cast iron pans?
My 5ish year old Ninja one is still like new, that said I usually only use it once a week...
good cast iron pans
I’m sure there are amazing artisanal pans to be had. Unless those have a SMOOTH finish to the frying surface I wouldn’t bother. Most cast iron pans these days seem to have a stippled cooking surface which isn’t as good as smooth. On no account get a ridged one for those stupid sear lines: less searing is not a feature.
I just use an IKEA square one for small things and a ~30cm circular one for bigger things. The big one came fairly cheap from a well known online mega-emporium. Just be sure to season them well before use and clean and dry after use.
I see IKEA have a 28cm round pan https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/vardagen-frying-pan-cast-iron-70554515/ but the small square pan seems to be no more.
So next question.... good cast iron pans?
As it will last multiple lifetimes, I can't see why you would look beyond a Lodge pan at about £60.
Blimey, you don't deserve to have non stick pans! Can't imagine needing a higher heat than my gas wok ring!
A bit harsh. Does anyone want my non-stick pans? desperatebicycle says I'm not allowed them.
You've clearly never used the big ring of an induction hob on full Clarkson POWERRRRR! mode. I made the mistake and got the pan too hot. Lesson learnt. I realised how powerful it was when the bottom of a cheapsish SS saucepan was glowing red right through to the inside.
Unless those have a SMOOTH finish to the frying surface I wouldn’t bother
Is there a technical reason for that as I read several times when I started down this rabbit hole that smooth was worse when you go cast - even saw a few YouTubers where they demonstrated the difference after polishing them flat they performed worse.
Of course smooth is better for heat into the food but a non smooth surface is better for non stick properties. - ridged stupidity excepted. This ain't burger king. (Cooked steak on a ridged one in the van last night )
You've clearly never used the big ring of an induction hob
Indeed no. I only ever cook on gas (baby)
Unless those have a SMOOTH finish to the frying surface I wouldn’t bother
Is there a technical reason for that as I read several times when I started down this rabbit hole that smooth was worse when you go cast - even saw a few YouTubers where they demonstrated the difference after polishing them flat they performed worse.
Of course smooth is better for heat into the food but a non smooth surface is better for non stick properties. - ridged stupidity excepted. This ain't burger king. (Cooked steak on a ridged one in the van last night )
smooth>stippled as it provides a larger contact area for searing and heat transfer.
the non-stickiness really comes from the seasoned surface, the inbetween oil layer, and the release of moisture from the surface of the food being cooked.
there are food and drink geeks, like Dave Arnold, who take cheap stippled pans and grind their cooking surfaces smooth before reseasoning to achieve this high-contact smoothness.
IDK, results from a well-seasoned, cheap stippled pan are OK for me.
Maillard/searing tip - give your food a thin coating of mayonnaise before frying.
Also, oil choice. Whilst olive oil is great for you, it burns at high temperatures, which is where I think we've gone wrong with non-stick.
Theres really mixed info/messages on Extra Virgin Olive Oil and cooking - there are internet experts/food bloggers and newspaper pieces saying it's low smoke point means never cook with it and the that cooking with it destroys all the stuff that's beneficial for health and also a load of pieces saying that's tosh and it's great to cook with. We use good EV rape seed oil for shallow frying now though.
Our nonstick pans arent nearly as good as they were but they're 10+ years old and they get used more than any other pans. They're not like they were when new bust still usable. People destroying them quickly must surely be overheating/metal implements/harsh washing.
it's great to cook with.
Except it tastes nasty when used on loads of things.
Eggs fried in olive oil 🤮
I'm a fan of the IKEA carbon steel and cast iron pans, have 3 or 4 of them to use in the kitchen. No sticking, easy to clean and last for ages. Much more durable than my much more expensive nonstick/ceramic pans. Most of which are done in a couple of years, don't buy them anymore. Have a couple of cast iron pans to use on the grill outside too, they get abused, and are ~10 years old now. Still no sticking!
Even use the biggest carbon steel pan on my wok burner, which is 8 kW, can get the whole thing cherry red (though not recommended!) That was well worth buying for cooking big stuff...
