Is a “green frying pan” truly green?
We are
staunch advocates of healthy cookware that does not pose any threat to people
or to the environment. Oftentimes, this
type of cookware is described as “green.”
Unfortunately, so-called green cookware does not always live up to the
name. Is a frying pan truly safe or is
it green in name only?
We also have
to consider the claim that old-style Teflon cookware is now new-and-improved
and does pose any hazard. Our response
is simple: Does it contain any PTFE? Is there any chance, no matter how remote,
that hazardous PFOA may be released into your home? Because of the availability of alternative
nonstick cookware, we believe that the manufacturer must unambiguously declare
that the cookware is “free of PFOA and PTFE”- nothing less will suffice.
What is the best nonstick frying pan?
Again, we have an issue with semantics. We believe that the “best nonstick cookware” should not only be safe and eco-friendly, but that it should actually perform. This is particularly an issue with ceramic cookware. Users often rave about the performance of ceramic cookware at the onset only to discover that the nonstick degrades after a few weeks or months.
In our Hard-Anodized Ceramic Cookware
post, we advised everyone to never use cooking sprays on ceramic cookware. Use just a small amount of cooking oil or
butter. In the case of hard-anodized
aluminum cookware, low to moderate heat is desirable as well. Anodized cookware heats up very quickly and
efficiently, there is really no reason to use a higher heat setting. Following a few simple prescripts will avoid
needless wear and tear on your nonstick frying pan.
Cookware User Feedback
We are
actively seeking feedback from users who have had a positive experience with a
particular brand of cookware, especially over the long term. We are focusing especially on frying pans, because a user is more
likely to use larger amounts of cooking oil or excessive heat when frying. For our part, we have searched for examples
of a fry pan that seems to be holding up in performance. We would appreciate the feedback of other
users. Please consider and comment on
the following:
Ceramic Fry Pan
The Vinaroz
Die Cast Aluminum Fry Pan with Ceramic Coating is a great buy – probably the
best ceramic fry pan for the money. The
performance, at least so far, has been great and it is safe. Better yet, it is exceptionally low-priced –
a great value if there ever was one. We discussed
this fry pan and other Vinaroz products in our in
our Ceramic Coated Cookware
post.
The Ozeri Green Earth Ceramic Frying Pan has a great track record. Much like Cuisinart, Ozeri is touting a new all-natural ceramic coating that is completely free of PTFE and PFOA. The GREBLON ceramic is made in Germany. Anodized aluminum makes for a very fast and efficient heating surface, another great advantage. A green frying pan with superb performance, the Ozeri is more expensive than the Vinaroz fry pan. Both frying pans are terrific products, but we would lean towards the Ozeri as a long term investment.
The Ozeri Green Earth Ceramic Frying Pan has a great track record. Much like Cuisinart, Ozeri is touting a new all-natural ceramic coating that is completely free of PTFE and PFOA. The GREBLON ceramic is made in Germany. Anodized aluminum makes for a very fast and efficient heating surface, another great advantage. A green frying pan with superb performance, the Ozeri is more expensive than the Vinaroz fry pan. Both frying pans are terrific products, but we would lean towards the Ozeri as a long term investment.
Look at the number of
reviews!
Electric Fry Pan
We wondered
if it would be possible to find an electric skillet that is nonstick and
eco-friendly. Most electric frying pans are stainless steel or the usual Teflon-type fry pan. The Cuisinart GreenGourmet Nonstick Electric Skillet
has an overall rating of 4-stars. Nonetheless, some reviewers have had a very negative experience. Based on the comments of a few reviewers, we
suspect there is a problem in quality control.
Cuisinart cookware with the Ceramica coating seems very promising, but
we would be hesitant to recommend this particular product until the
manufacturing issues are worked out.
has an overall rating of 4-stars. Nonetheless, some reviewers have had a very negative experience. Based on the comments of a few reviewers, we
suspect there is a problem in quality control.
Cuisinart cookware with the Ceramica coating seems very promising, but
we would be hesitant to recommend this particular product until the
manufacturing issues are worked out.
Rachael Ray Cookware Set
Finally, we
wanted to find a complete set of nonstick cookware that would include several
sizes of frying pans. After considerable
searching, we found that the only nonstick cookware set that we could recommend
is the Rachael Ray cookware set we had previously recommended in our Porcelain Enamel Cookware post.
Reminder: We would
appreciate your feedback. What has been
your experience with ceramic coated cookware and enamelware?
Hi there! Keep it up! This is a good read. I will be looking forward to visit your page again and for your other posts as well. Thank you for sharing your thoughts about coating pans in your area. I am glad to stop by your site and know more about coating pans.
ReplyDeleteTony Polombo observes that non-stick pans are not a universal panacea. He notes that, in particular, ordinary stainless steel pans are better for producing pan gravy, because the fond (the caramelized drippings that stick to the pan when meat is cooked) sticks to them, and can be turned into pan gravy by deglazing them — dissolving them in liquid. Non-stick pans, according to Polombo, produce inferior pan gravies.
Union Standard Equipment has a tremendous selection of Coating Pans used to coat a tablet, nuts or chocolate primarily used in the confectionery, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. We carry coating pans made by Manesty, Thomas Engineering, Skerman, Pellegrini, Stokes, O'Hara, Brucks, Driam, Glatt, Latini, Vector and National Equipment.
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