Quest to find a good non-stick fry pan

C

caroln

Senior Member
Location
Kentucky
Years ago, when Teflon made it’s first appearance on the market, I jumped on board. I can’t remember how many times I’ve jumped off and then back on that train. My first test for every pan I bought was to fry an egg in butter. I went through the cheaper brands like WearEver, Farberware, etc. and have gradually upgraded to include the following disappointments:

T-Fal – egg sticks

Tramontina – okay at first, then egg sticks really bad. Had to pry the egg off the pan.

Cuisinart – okay at first, then egg sticks

Calphalon – okay at first, then egg sticks

All Clad – okay at first, then egg sticks. Also, very heavy and the handles are so long that the pan sometimes tips. Storage was also an issue with those handles.

I briefly considered going old school with cast iron, but the weight of the pan deterred me.

I also considered carbon steel. Although not technically non-stick, it does have non-stick type properties. But it has so many do’s and don’ts and maintenance issues, I just really didn’t see me fussing with all that.

Teflon has gotten a bad reputation regarding health issues. I don’t know if the warnings are warranted or not, but I’m starting to stray away from Teflon altogether.

So I decided to go cheap again and get a ceramic coated pan by MainStays. I figured for $10 bucks I can afford to buy a new one every year. The egg test went fairly well. The egg did stick just a little in certain spots, but a gentle nudge freed it. If it stays like that, I’m happy enough.

All of the brands boast how non-stick they are, but in reading reviews and doing my own tests, all of it is a bunch of hype. My pilgrimage isn’t over, I’m sure.
 

I should have included in my post that I welcome ALL recommendations.
 

i recently bought some ceramic coated ones by master chef i believe they do not stick wipes up easily.....
only thing is it takes a bit to heat up has a metal piece on bottom of pan to distribute heat ... sides do not get very hot if you need that .
 
I tried the latest "Ninja Foodie" pan that says on their ad: "It's not non-stick; it's NEVER stick."
But in tiny print on the package it says, "Based on 5 years use." That's pretty good. Here is a 1-year review:
 
I bought a Cuisinart about a month ago and after a few uses, it's nowhere near as non-stick as it was when it was new.

It heats evenly, though. I made some shrimp last week and the outer shrimp were the same level of brownness as the inner ones.

The handle leaves a lot to be desired. It's way too thin and is hard to hold onto when the pan is full of food. I might get one of those slip-on silicone handles that are made for cast iron skillets. That will probably solve the problem.
 
Can't recommend a pan, but I always liked Farberware. Had a broiler/rotisserie that lasted decades, & I still use a part from it.
 
I use Ree Drummond's frying pan. It's a heavy and thick teflon coated pan. Fries eggs nicely. And won't stick, if the temp isn't too high. (like RadishRose mentions above.)

I've used stainless steel in the past...and everything burns in those pans. Not much luck w/those.
 
I use cast iron and stainless steel with good results.

I would like a small non-stick skillet with a clear glass lid, but I worry about the nonstick coating scraping off into my food and eventually ending up in me.
 
Aunt Bea said:
I use cast iron and stainless steel with good results.

I would like a small non-stick skillet with a clear glass lid, but I worry about the nonstick coating scraping off into my food and eventually ending up in me.
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I would get the Ninja one. It's well made & has a 5-year warranty, even with using metal utensils. And the company is very good about backing their products & warranty replacements. They replaced my Shark Vacuum - no hassle.
 
WheatenLover said:
I passed that on to my daughter. It will save the lives of a few pans, for sure! Thanks, Win.
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And, there is a great, product called "Bar Keeper's Friend" that cleans whatever may be left in the pan & polishes it, too.
If you leave it in the pan for 5 minutes, then scrub it with one of those plastic sponges, everything comes off & it leaves the pan polished.
When friends see my pans, they say, "You don't use them, do you?" 😊
 
Jackie23 said:
I've tried many different brands of skillets .....seems they will all lose their 'non-stick' sooner or later, I read a few tips to make the 'non-stick' last longer is not to cook on real high temperature and to not put a hot pan in water, to let it cool off.
Anyway I just purchased a new one made by Oxo, we'll see how it does.

https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-No...ocphy=9026863&hvtargid=pla-274563264441&psc=1
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The Oxo was the highest rated by America's Test Kitchen (or something like that). I watched a video of them testing frying pans. Tell me I don't lead an exciting life! :ROFLMAO:

I almost bought the Oxo 12" but I just couldn't justify paying $59 for a frying pan, so I got the Cuisinart, which was also a bit pricy at $40. Time will tell if I should have spent the extra $19.

I made some burgers this evening on our semi-new cast iron skillet and they were delicious. You get a bit of charring with the cast iron that you don't get from Teflon, which adds to the flavor. The onions came out nice and caramelized, which is also hard to achieve with Teflon.
 
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