A good, hot pan allows for proper browning of foods, and the golden pan bottom can be deglazed to add flavor to a pan sauce. That's hard to do in non-stick since brown bits don't adhere to the pan long enough to brown, and that makes metal pans even more useful, at home or in a professional kitchen.
Professional chefs typically do not use nonstick cookware because it is not as durable as other types of cookware and can scratch or chip easily. Additionally, nonstick coatings can deteriorate over time, which can affect the taste and safety of the food being cooked.
“I use the pans at home, and the combination of stainless steel and non-stick functionality is amazing. It's highly versatile and cooks exceptionally well. I'm excited to partner with the HexClad team as we expand the line of beautiful, high-quality products”.
The non-stick coating can start to flake off over time, and if it does, you may end up ingesting it. This can be dangerous, as ingesting even a small amount of the non-stick coating can cause flu-like symptoms. In general, it's best to avoid using non-stick pans.
But stainless steel cookware is the most prized and frequently sought-after by professional chefs and serious home cooks alike. Known for its durability and high heat retention, it can achieve an excellent sear or perfect sauté. And it can last a lifetime.
Try HexClad and see why Gordan Ramsay loves it — and you'll love it too. If you're a home cook worth your salt, you deserve the latest innovation in cookware. Try our revolutionary cookware for your next big meal, or start with a few of your favorite cookware items to stock your cabinets slowly.
From his restaurants to his Emmys, Bobby Flay has an illustrious cooking career. While he's released pots and pans in the past, over the last few years, Flay has given his seal of approval to cookware from one of our favorite brands, GreenPan.
ceramic is among the safest material for pans
From dishes, to glasses, bakeware and cookware, ceramic bakeware is our pick for the best cookware material for health thanks to its non-reactive nature and resistance to high temperatures and acidic foods. Plus it's so pretty!
If you've decided to swear off PTFE-coated nonstick cookware, there are some good alternatives, including a number of ceramic, cast-iron, carbon steel, and stainless steel pans that perform well in our tests.
In general, you want to replace nonstick pans after five years. But you need to be particularly careful with nonstick cookware produced before 2015, as it may contain PFOA. If your cookware dates back to 2015 and earlier, it's likely time to replace it even if it doesn't contain PFOAs.
Does HexClad have Teflon in it? Teflon is a proprietary brand of PTFE made by Chemours that is not used by HexClad. Instead, the brand now uses ceramic to coat the nonstick valleys of its cookware.
Unless you've been on a social media blackout for the last five years, you've probably heard of HexClad, the maker of the world's coolest pans. The company, which had revenues of almost $400m last year, is part owned by Gordon Ramsay and was included in Oprah Winfrey's coveted list of her Favourite Things.
Perhaps the simplest reason that some non stick pans start to stick, especially if the pan isn't very old, is that there's a layer of stuck-on food residue getting in the way. Even the thinnest layer of dried egg white or residual starch from stir-frying potstickers can cause food to stick.
The Tramontina 10-inch Professional Aluminum Nonstick Fry Pan is advertised as the kind of pan used in restaurants, and with good reason: It's excellent. The heavy-gauge aluminum ensures consistent heat throughout the pan.
Studies have shown some connections (more on that below), but Teflon still exists and is used to make cookware, but the safety concerns around Teflon are mostly a thing of the past.
Teflon® is a registered trademark of DuPont and a brand name for polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) a nonstick finish. While Calphalon cookware features polytetrafluoroethylene-based nonstick finishes, we are not associated with, nor do we use, Teflon® branded products.
Nonstick pans that aren't labeled PTFE- and PFOA-free: If a nonstick pan is made with the newer PTFE- and PFOA-free green materials, those are potentially better. A pan that just says “nonstick” and doesn't give any kind of description? That's likely one you don't want.
Le Creuset Stainless Steel Cookware Set
As we mentioned, stainless steel is naturally non-toxic, in addition to being the material many professional chefs prefer.
“The most nontoxic cookware that you can buy is stainless steel, cast iron or carbon steel; things that don't have a coating on them,” says Alexis Pisciotta, culinary purchasing and events manager and cookware consultant for Food Network.
You can find nonstick cookware at much lower prices than HexClad. If you have the budget, however, HexClad is the better option. It's nonstick, it's more durable, and it provides a superior cooking experience.
Based on this list, it is best to avoid Teflon and other nonstick pans, especially those made with either PTFE or PFOA, as well as aluminum pots and pans.
Guy Fieri's Flavortown Laser Titanium 12-Piece Set
Fieri's favorite piece from the line, the 5-quart sauté pan, has enough capacity to cook for the whole family. “I use it probably more than I should,” he admits. The titanium surface can endure high temperatures to sear and char foods without releasing chemicals.
What Is HexClad? HexClad is a hybrid cookware brand that combines elements of stainless steel, cast-iron, and nonstick cookware — no wonder Gordon Ramsay named it “the Rolls-Royce of pans.” The “tri-ply” cookware is constructed of three layers: magnetic stainless steel, aluminum, and more stainless steel.
That she swears by this pepper grinder. And that she only uses two kinds of cookware (All-Clad and Le Creuset!). We also once learned her tip for cleaning said cookware. See, a few years ago, Ina shared an Instagram video, during which she showed us all how she makes croutons.