How bad is scratched non-stick?

[amldaley]

I have a pasta pot I love and a cheap-o rice cooker I use constantly. Both have that thin non-stick coating on them. Both are scratched from DH, my Mom and my BFF using metal utensils in them. Deep scratches.

How bad is that? I cook with them constantly and now am realizing I am likely poisoning us all, right?

Do they need to be replaced?

[wellyes]

Don't panic. I bet 75% of people in the US regularly use scratched nonstick.
Do replace them.

[amldaley]

Don't panic. I bet 75% of people in the US regularly use scratched nonstick.
Do replace them.

Well, if I hadn't spent $250 this weekend on that darned Cambria Cove closing sale, I could panic a little less by replacing them sooner!!!

I am just mad at myself that I have worked so hard to get us eating healthy and then realize that I have been so careless.

[wellyes]

From what I understand -- I am not a scientist -- nonstick coatings like Teflon are pretty inert. Even if it flakes and you ingest some of the coating, it'll just pass through you. It is not poison, you're fine, truly. But still, it is recommended by manufacturers & the FDA that you replace scratched nonstick.

The real risk with nonstick coatings is heatng them empty. If you ever put a nonstick pan on a burner without anything in it and it gets hot, you need to throw away that pan right away. Learning about that is the main reason I gave up on nonstick altogether, because I am just the kind of forgetful cook who does that sort of thing.

[amldaley]

From what I understand -- I am not a scientist -- nonstick coatings like Teflon are pretty inert. Even if it flakes and you ingest some of the coating, it'll just pass through you. It is not poison, you're fine, truly. But still, it is recommended by manufacturers & the FDA that you replace scratched nonstick.

The real risk with nonstick coatings is heatng them empty. If you ever put a nonstick pan on a burner without anything in it and it gets hot, you need to throw away that pan right away. Learning about that is the main reason I gave up on nonstick altogether, because I am just the kind of forgetful cook who does that sort of thing.

Thanks for talking me off the ledge. I really wanted to eat that lemon herb quinoa I made earlier in my scratched pot!

So what did you switch to and how do you use it?

I had NO idea about not pre-heating! Usually I have at least olive oil in there but I am sure I have gotten my pans good and hot while empty several times in order to sear, etc.

[daisymommy]

Stainless steel, and a few cast iron pieces for fun.
Look for multi-clad stainless steel:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tramontina-8-Piece-Cookware-Set/5716478
(there is a larger set too)

Any set in this line: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-MCP-12-MultiClad-Stainless-12-Piece/dp/B0007KQZWU/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2TUNEANT8734N&colid=2JOTU17SRL0L0

All-Clad is high end, very nice SS cookware too. It's what they use on America's Test Kitchen. But that's something people save up for.

Lodge Logic Cast Iron can be bought on Amazon, or in Walmart. But Amazon has better selection.

I threw out all my Teflon cookware years ago. It was making us all sick every time I cooked with it, and it wasn't even scratched (headaches, fatigue, flu like symptoms, moodiness).
Knowing what I know now, I won't touch non-stick stuff. I think it can cause some serious health problems.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1INYSE08CLoDBEEzS3GCe8onLDgcICpmJyg_OkqjhUrg/edit?hl=en_US

[wellyes]

I use stainless and cast iron. Cast iron is really nonstick once it's seasoned (buy preseasoned, then put it through the seasoning steps and you're golden). I have one 'green' nonstick just for scrambled eggs. Green meaning it is PDOA and PTFE free, so even if it is leeches or emits fumes, it won't make me anxious.

[BayGirl2]

I think Cast Iron is the best non-stick replacement. And the Lodge stuff is good quality and affordable.

We also have a mix of copper and stainless steel for various purposes, but honestly the cast iron is my every day go to cookware. I used nonstick for years but DH taught me better when I moved it with him and I never miss it now.

[bubbaray]

My dad was involved in developing Teflon. He always said to throw it out asap as soon as it was scratched. I would eat what you made tonight, but promptly throw out the pan and get a new one tomorrow.

FWIW, I much prefer my cast iron pan. DH prefers stainless. We don't even own a Teflon pan anymore.

[AnnieW625]

If you still want a few nonstick items check out Calphalon or Circulon they do not use Teflon. I like to cook my eggs in a non stick pan vs. cast iron.

For stainless I have an All Clad 1 qt. sauce pan, and a generic 3 qt. sauce pan from a local restaurant supply store. They both cook well and I would've never thought to buy a stainless pot from a restaurant supply store until I read about it in Cooks Illustrated. While Cooks Illustrated likes All Clad they also like other brands like Tramontina or the basics from the restaurant supply stores. They aren't huge fans of Emerilware and I don't think they were too keen on Cuisinart Stainless either.

I also really like my enameled cast iron Le Creuset brassier, and my Lodge grill pan that I got at Bass Pro Shops of all places.