Non-stick coatings are not durable

Non-stick cookware frequently receives criticism for being fragile, prone to wear-and-tear, and ultimately not cost-effective. In the early days of non-stick cookware, this might have been true, but it is just not the case today.

While it is true that the earliest nonstick coatings contained a significant amount of polytetrafluoroethylene, a very soft substance that does have a tendency to peel off after some time in use, modern nonstick cookware uses high-tech reinforcing agents that are much more advanced and that offer a much greater adhesive strength as well as great resistance to daily wear and tear.

They contain PFOA

For many years, PFOA, also known as perfluorooctanoic acid, was used to make PTFE cookware. It was used to help the slippery PTFE to adhere to the metal pan surface. Nearly all of the PFOA was used up throughout the process, leaving only very tiny trace levels, if any, in the final product. It’s been banned in the US since 2015 and is now also prohibited in many other nations.

These days, non-stick cookware are entirely perfluorooctanoic acid-free. When the cookware is cured at extremely high temperatures, even if any PFOA is still present in the materials, it is entirely removed.

Ingesting a small piece of the non-stick coating is dangerous

Many believe that the non-stick pans' coating poses a life-threatening risk if swallowed. Regardless of the origin of this myth, it is a reality that the majority of reputable manufacturers of nonstick cookware, particularly those that are not Teflon coated, entirely adhere to the stringent regulations of the US FDA and are approved as being safe even if accidentally consumed. Any small coating fragment you may eat will safely and without any negative effects pass through your body.

Coatings are easily damaged by metal utensils

This is arguably the most widespread misconception about using non-stick cookware. Most people think it costs a lot to maintain non-stick pans and woks because you can't use metallic utensils with them, scrub them with abrasive cleaners, etc. These are valid worries if you purchase something that is a little more expensive than standard utensils, but it's important to understand that non-stick cookware has an incredibly durable coating, so using metallic or non-metallic utensils with it won't cause any problems.

Today, many consumers safely and happily use metal utensils on nonstick coatings with no issues. The problem is when there is an expectation about “perfection”, because all coatings will eventually fail over the years. Modern coatings can be used with light scraping of metal tools with very little degradation.

A scratch will ruin the cookware

A minor nick or cut here or there won't do much further harm, but it will undoubtedly reduce the cooking tool's aesthetic appeal. As far as performance is concerned, the pan will continue to work effectively so long as the bottom or the majority of it is coated.

You need to season the non-stick pan

They are already NON-STICK, so you don't need to season them like you would a cast iron skillet. Grease that has been cooked may even cause food to stick instead of keeping it from sticking, which is the opposite of what a cast iron's seasoning does.

Seasoning was once extremely common with inferior coatings, but it is no longer required in the modern technological period. Although seasoning a pan may accelerate the initial food release because there is oil there, it is not required.

Conclusion

The majority of myths surrounding nonstick cookware are easily debunked by scientific research and rational analysis. In reality, nonstick cookware nowadays are one of the most adaptable, resilient, aesthetically pleasing, and reliable cooking surfaces available.

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