Nonstick cookware can be a useful addition to any well-outfitted kitchen, but it is important to understand the limitations, advantages and special care requirements before selecting specific pieces. Often consumers will find a single frying pan sufficient and can add it at a great price; he or she can use a Kohls coupon, search online or visit certain discounters. Regardless of the steps one takes, proper care can mean the difference between getting the most out of one's nonstick cookware and quickly ruining it.
What follows are brief lists of do's and don'ts that can help you get the most out of your purchases:
Things To Do
Use plastic or coated utensils - The coating on nonstick cookware that makes food slide off of it is also prone to scratching. Metal utensils are likely to scratch the surface, ruining its nonstick properties. Once the surface has been damaged, it can flake off and, in some cases, wind up in food.
Use soft non-abrasive cleansers and scrub pads - Avoiding contact with anything that can cause scratches is always advisable with nonstick cookware. Taking care of the nonstick surface can extend the life of your pots and pans.
Place a cloth or paper towel between nonstick pans when storing them - Leaving a soft layer between pans when they are being stored will help protect the surface.
Limit the use of nonstick cookware to dishes that are cooked relatively quickly - While nonstick cookware is made for cooking, dishes that need to simmer for hours are best left to more standard pots or pans. If one targets the use of nonstick pans for dishes where the nonstick nature of the pan is useful and quickly taken advantage of, these tools will last much longer.
Things Not To Do
Never place nonstick cookware in the oven - Unless the product you purchase specifically states that it is oven-safe, assume that it is not. Many nonstick pans have plastic handles which will melt in the oven. Furthermore, at very high temperature the nonstick surface can be damaged.
Do not place nonstick cookware in the dishwasher - Unless the product you purchase specifically states that it is dishwasher-safe, assume that it is not. The high heat created by a dishwasher can damage nonstick cookware and exacerbate scratches.
There is no need to use cooking oil - One of the biggest health benefits of using nonstick cookware is that it is unnecessary to use fat to prevent sticking. By eliminating fat from the cooking process, one's overall intake can be greatly reduced.
Avoid storing leftovers in nonstick pans - While it is convenient to simply cover one's extra food and place it in the refrigerator, the acids in food can speed up the breakdown of the protective coating that gives nonstick cookware its nonstick properties.
What follows are brief lists of do's and don'ts that can help you get the most out of your purchases:
Things To Do
Use plastic or coated utensils - The coating on nonstick cookware that makes food slide off of it is also prone to scratching. Metal utensils are likely to scratch the surface, ruining its nonstick properties. Once the surface has been damaged, it can flake off and, in some cases, wind up in food.
Use soft non-abrasive cleansers and scrub pads - Avoiding contact with anything that can cause scratches is always advisable with nonstick cookware. Taking care of the nonstick surface can extend the life of your pots and pans.
Place a cloth or paper towel between nonstick pans when storing them - Leaving a soft layer between pans when they are being stored will help protect the surface.
Limit the use of nonstick cookware to dishes that are cooked relatively quickly - While nonstick cookware is made for cooking, dishes that need to simmer for hours are best left to more standard pots or pans. If one targets the use of nonstick pans for dishes where the nonstick nature of the pan is useful and quickly taken advantage of, these tools will last much longer.
Things Not To Do
Never place nonstick cookware in the oven - Unless the product you purchase specifically states that it is oven-safe, assume that it is not. Many nonstick pans have plastic handles which will melt in the oven. Furthermore, at very high temperature the nonstick surface can be damaged.
Do not place nonstick cookware in the dishwasher - Unless the product you purchase specifically states that it is dishwasher-safe, assume that it is not. The high heat created by a dishwasher can damage nonstick cookware and exacerbate scratches.
There is no need to use cooking oil - One of the biggest health benefits of using nonstick cookware is that it is unnecessary to use fat to prevent sticking. By eliminating fat from the cooking process, one's overall intake can be greatly reduced.
Avoid storing leftovers in nonstick pans - While it is convenient to simply cover one's extra food and place it in the refrigerator, the acids in food can speed up the breakdown of the protective coating that gives nonstick cookware its nonstick properties.
This guest post was written by Annie Birks.
