What is the best pan coating?

Cooking has become by no means a necessity - now it gives many people the opportunity to express themselves or to please family and friends. For food to be tasty and healthy, it is important to cook in the right dishes that prevent food from burning, sticking, and also harm a person with harmful substances released when low-quality materials are heated. It is especially important to choose pans with high-quality coating so that cooking is safe and cleaning is quick and easy.

With the development of technology, many things change - such materials appear that help to make life easier and more convenient. One such technology is the introduction of a non-stick coating that prevents food from sticking to the bottom of the pan during cooking. The most common is considered teflon layer, which is used to cover aluminum cookware. Such a product turns out to be easy and convenient to use, since the food does not burn, and you can wash the dishes without much effort.

The next non-stick coating option is ceramics. The pan is covered with a nanocomposite polymer substance containing microparticles of sand. The material of the frying pan itself may be different, on which the specific gravity of the dishes will also depend. The use of a ceramic coating will allow you to successfully cook food without fear of overheating the pan, but care will involve only manual cleaning and respect, since the ceramic layer is easily damaged by dropping or rough handling.

Another non-stick coating option is marble... It differs little from Teflon, but marble chips are an additional component here. This type of coating is considered the highest quality and most convenient to use, because the dishes are not afraid of overheating, falling and contact with sharp objects. You can use pans with marble coating for a long time without experiencing any problems with them.

The most durable and strongest pans with a protective coating are products with titanium / diamond / granite layer... This variety has a quick warm-up, it is easy to care for it, there is no need to worry about the temperature regime, the use of knives and forks does not cause significant damage to the dishes. This option is convenient and good for everyone, except for the only nuance in the form of a ban on cooking on induction cookers.

In the process of choosing a frying pan that has a non-stick coating, special attention should be paid to the thickness of this layer, since this will become the main criterion for the durability and ease of use of the pan. The total thickness of the non-stick layer cannot be less than 2 mm, and this figure is much higher in high-quality and expensive models. Each layer has its own purpose, therefore the presence of each of them in total will give the desired result, and the absence will reduce the life of the product and increase the risk of emission of harmful substances when used.

For a coating that protects the product from burning, the following are usually used:

• aluminum;

• cast iron;

• stainless steel.

Most often, it is aluminum products that can be found, since they are lightweight, inexpensive and quickly heat up. However, there are two types of material:

• stamped;

• cast.

The first option is made by stamping a frying pan from a thick sheet of aluminum, the thickness of which cannot be less than 2.7 mm, otherwise the product will turn out to be short-lived. The cast version is made of a thicker layer of material, the thickness of which is 5 mm, which allows the cookware to be used for more than 7 years.

Any housewife in the kitchen simply cannot do without a frying pan. On its surface, products are fried and stewed, which means they undergo serious heat treatment. For food to be healthy and tasty, it is important to use dishes that are not harmful to health, do not emit corrosive substances when heated, and do not deteriorate from the use of spatulas, knives, metal forks. As cast iron pans become less and less in demand, nonstick products are gaining in popularity.

In order to choose the right dish for yourself, you need to know what the varieties are, what are their features and differences.

It is the comparison of non-stick coatings that will make it possible to choose a high-quality and safe product that will last a long time. Each coating and material from which the pan is made has certain positive and negative sides, which will be considered.

A Teflon non-stick layer is applied to the bottom and sides of the product. Its advantages can be considered:

• it is possible to apply the coating on dishes of any size and configuration;
• high quality non-stick coating;
• easy care of the product;
• low cost.

In addition to the positive aspects, obvious disadvantages were found in Teflon dishes, including:

• limiting the heating of the pan (a temperature exceeding 200 degrees stimulates the release of toxic substances);
• do not use dishes without oil;
• there is no opportunity to cook dishes for a long time at high temperature indicators;
• the integrity of the top layer is easily damaged;
• if damage to the top layer appears, you cannot use the pan in the future;
• it is not recommended to create a contrast of temperatures by pouring cold water on a frying pan that has been recently removed from the stove.

The most acceptable option for pans that combine the safety of the material, high quality, ease of use, is considered to be a ceramic coated dish. As a result of exposure to high temperatures, the product will not emit any harmful substances, and the layer itself is made of natural ingredients: clay, sand and stone. The ceramic coating can be produced by spraying and rolling. When spraying, a layer is applied to an already finished product, which makes it possible to achieve its evenness and uniformity.

Ceramic-coated cookware is more practical and durable, but costs a little more. An additional advantage is the spray coating on the inside and outside of the pan. The color of the coating can be different, it is not necessary to look for exactly white ceramics, the color of the product can be changed at the request of the manufacturer, which does not affect the quality in any way. The advantages of ceramic-coated pans include:

• the ability to use products at high temperatures, heating up to 400 degrees and above, which allows you to cook meat;
• better tolerates contact with foreign objects, more resistant to scratches in comparison with Teflon;
• ease of maintenance, since the surface remains clean, there is no need to make efforts to clean;
• during frying, it is enough to use a minimum amount of oil, you cannot do without it at all: this will spoil the spraying forever.

If we talk about the shortcomings of the ceramic layer, then these should be attributed to them:

• fear of temperature contrast from very hot to cold, which happens when caring for dishes after cooking;
• risk of damaging the non-stick layer with metal or hard objects;
• do not soak dishes, especially with the addition of detergents, it is recommended to wash the product immediately;
• do not wash the pan with aggressive detergents, powder formulations, or use harsh washcloths.

Frying pans, on which the non-stick layer is made of stone, granite and marble, stand apart. Such dishes are sprayed with appropriate crumbs, which are distributed along the bottom and walls of the product. This option is considered safe, as it does not contain the fluoropolymer substance found in Teflon models. The marbled finish is easily recognizable as the pans are dark in color, irregular and white interspersed. The advantages of this coating include:

• good resistance to sharp objects, but with systematic exposure to forks or knives, the coating can quickly deteriorate;
• fast, uniform heating rate;
• keeps warm well and for a long time;
• there is a possibility of use at strong heating;
• when frying meat with a lot of fat, you can do without oil;
• the shelf life is more than two years.

The granite coating also has obvious disadvantages:

• high cost compared to similar products;
• do not tolerate a sharp change in temperature;
• do not use abrasive compounds and metal scrapers;
• if the dishes fall or receive a mechanical shock, the integrity may be damaged;
• not every pan is dishwasher safe.

A frying pan with a titanium, granite or diamond coating is considered very strong and wear-resistant. Such products do not deteriorate, do not emit chemically hazardous substances and foreign odors.This dish can serve up to 25 years, which is an undoubted advantage. When choosing a frying pan, it is worth examining the composition and checking it for the presence of nickel, which is considered dangerous for such products. The disadvantage of such pans is only in their high cost.

To find a suitable frying pan with a non-stick coating, which will last a long time and at the same time bring only positive impressions of use, you need to choose the right product from a domestic or foreign company. The best products can be ranked in the top of the most demanded positions.

• Tefal - cookware of the French brand, with which the mass production of non-stick pans began. To provide the widest range of products, Tefal uses all the materials from which pans can be made. Every day the company is improving its technologies, looking for new forms and designs. The main feature of this brand is the Termo-spot indicator, which helps to determine how hot the pan is. On sale you can find goods of medium and high price category.

• "Biol" - frying pans of Ukrainian production, which have appeared on the market since the beginning of 2000. The main materials from which the products are made are aluminum and cast iron. A feature of this brand is the presence of silicone and wooden handles, which can be removed if necessary. You can buy such a frying pan with a lid right away, which is much more convenient. The average cost of this product is about 1.5 thousand rubles.

• Rondell Are pans of German quality, but made in China. This company is the most popular among professional chefs. The peculiarity of the products is that their bottom has a three-layer structure, which makes it possible to quickly and evenly warm up the bowl. This brand produces pans with all non-stick coatings, but the most popular and in demand are ceramic.

• "Neva-metal utensils" - these are Russian pans, a feature of which is the reinforced thickness of the walls and bottom, as well as a non-stick ceramic and titanium coating. High quality samples are patented for a two-year product warranty. For a wider audience, ordinary Teflon pans are produced at a cost of 1 to 2 thousand rubles.

• TVS - pans from Italy, which are popular in many countries due to their properties. On sale you can find cookware with different non-stick coatings. It was this brand that was one of the first to start producing pans with a titanium layer, as well as granite. Due to the high quality of products and an adequate price, which ranges from 1-3 thousand rubles, this brand occupies a leading position in the ranking.

• Swiss Diamond Are Swiss pans with very high quality indicators for these products. It is these dishes that are considered the most durable and durable among similar products. Thanks to constant innovations, the company is always in trend and provides its customers with quality products. It was this company that began the production of diamond non-stick pans. Despite the obvious advantages, this brand also has a significant drawback - this is the price, which can range from 7 to 25 thousand rubles.

The choice of a frying pan with a non-stick coating always remains with the buyer, but knowing the main trends, the features of each brand, the advantages and disadvantages of one or another nonsense, the country of the manufacturer, you can make a conscious choice and get a high-quality and durable product.

In order to choose the right non-stick frying pan for yourself, you need to understand what exactly is worth paying attention to. Before considering the advantages or disadvantages of certain models, it is important to clearly understand which stove the frying pan will come into contact with.Dishes for gas, electric stoves, as well as an induction stove can be radically different from each other.

If opportunities permit, it is better to purchase several pans at once in order to cook various foods on them and not be afraid for the result:

• plain teflon - for cooking fry for soup and borscht, scrambled eggs, omelet, pancakes and pancakes;

• with ceramic coating - to be able to fry potatoes and cutlets, cook vegetables;

• stone coated - so that at any time there was an opportunity to cook meat, chop or steak.

When choosing a Teflon product, you should pay attention to the bottom: it is better to take the one where it is thickest... In addition, it, as well as the walls, must be even and smooth, without chips and defects. To prevent food from coming into contact with the entire bottom surface, it is better to buy products with a grooved surface, like grilled pans. If you have a choice between aluminum and steel Teflon cookware, it is better to choose the second one, as it will last longer.

When choosing a ceramic frying pan, you should pay attention to the cost: the lower it is, the worse the quality. Before use, it is worth reading the instructions for the correct use of the product. The bottom of such a pan should not be less than 4 mm. When choosing a product, it is worth checking the integrity of the ceramic coating, which should be smooth, even, free from stains and damage.

Stopping your attention on stone-coated pans, it is important to inquire about such a parameter as the number of spray layers: the more there are, the longer the dishes will last. The optimal thickness of the bottom part should be within 6 mm, and the walls - 3-4 mm... Each product has its own characteristics, and therefore it is worthwhile to first find out as much as possible about the model of interest, to assess whether it is suitable for a particular stove and the food that is supposed to be cooked on it.

For tips on choosing a pan, see the following video.