Non-Stick Pans That Will Last

~Please note this post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on it and purchase, I may receive a small commission which helps support my writing and research.~

One of the best ways to reduce waste in your life, (besides purchasing fewer things) is to buy products that will last you for years and won't require you to replace them often, or maybe not at all.

This seems to be a particular problem with non-stick pans. They deservedly have a reputation for being a disposable kitchen item that you throw out each year and replace. I had that experience for years myself. My new pan would work so well for the first few months, and then gradually lost its slipperiness. And not realizing that the non-stick coating had worn off, I just kept cooking with them, adding extra oil. It makes me cringe imagining how much non-stick coating I’ve ingested over the years.

My most recent purchase of a non-stick pan was over five years ago, maybe more, and I have Cook’s Illustrated to thank for it. If you’re not familiar, CooksIllustrated.com is a great resource for rigorously tested recipes and kitchen equipment.

For many years, they recommended the T-fal 12-inch Non-Stick Skillet  (affiliate link) as their preferred non-stick pan. I couldn’t believe it could be high-quality for the price, but the years have proven me wrong.

 There is so much about this pan that I love. Where do I start?

1. After at least five years of almost daily use my pan still looks like new. The bottom shows it’s use, but not in the way that other pans do. The bottom stays clean with minimal effort and avoids the cooked-on stains that other pans can get.
2. The 12-inch diameter with high sides is big enough to make dinner for 4, whether it’s stir fry, a braise, or pancakes.
3. The lid! It’s so hard to find wide pans with lids.
4. The T-fal non-stick pan is super lightweight, so I don’t mind taking it out and putting it away constantly. The lid doubles the weight, but I’ve never carried it around with the lid on, so it’s not an issue for me. The weight of cookware can be a big decision for someone with arthritis.
5. The large, handle is really comfortable. If you’ve cooked with that expensive brand of cookware with the thin steel handles, you’ll understand how important this is, especially if you want to lift a full pan.
6. It doesn’t warp, as long as you follow the directions for use, i.e. don’t heat the pan without oil or liquid, and don’t subject it to temperature extremes. Mine is as flat and stable as the day I got it, which is more than I can say for the wok I once had that would wobble around on the burner. Yikes!
7. The T-fal non-stick pan is dishwasher safe, but it’s so non-stick, you can basically swish a brush around in it and it’s clean. It’s big, so it would take up a lot of the dishwasher anyway. And though they say it’s dishwasher safe, I prefer to hand wash my cookware and avoid exposing it to the high heat and detergent, which will hopefully extend its life.

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My other favorite non-stick pan is my 9.5-inch Sauté Pan made by Le Creuset (affiliate link). I am a little bit biased here because I used to work for Le Creuset, but it’s because I worked there that I really got the scoop on how their non-stick is made and why it has a lifetime warrantee. (Yes! Lifetime warrantee!)

The Le Creuset line of non-stick is called “Toughened” for good reason. First, the body of the pan is made from hard-forged aluminum, which is shaped under extreme pressure, so it will never warp.

Second, the non-stick coating is applied to the aluminum base pan in such a way that it is locked into the pores of the aluminum. This means that the coating and the base are joined as one, and what chemistry has joined together let no man put asunder. Since the non-stick coating is integrated into the base pan (rather than painted on as a surface), it won’t flake off or slowly dissolve away.

The Le Creuset 9.5-inch sauté pan has all the great features I described above with the T-fal:

• Slick as can be
• Lightweight
• Long lasting
• Large comfortable handle that doesn’t get hot
• Non-warping

I use this pan almost daily for fried eggs. A little soap and water, a little brusha brusha, and back into the cupboard it goes.

For me, these are two of the pans I use every day. In future posts, I’ll go into my other core kitchen pots and pans, which are not non-stick.

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In the meantime, I did some research on other well-reviewed non-stick pots and pans, that you might consider.

This Tramontina 10” Non-Stick Sauté Pan (affiliate link) has 4.5 stars and 2700 ratings. The “restaurant supply store” style will give the home chef true restaurant cred. Plus, it’s made in the USA. It doesn’t have a lid, but maybe that’s not your thing.

I have never been disappointed with anything I’ve purchased from OXO, they just really do a good job with engineering their products. It looks like they’ve done well with their OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro 12-inch Frying Pan (affiliate link). It is rated at 4.7 stars on Amazon with 308 ratings. No lid here either.

I couldn’t ignore this pan in my research because it has 4.5 stars with 5700 (!) ratings. I would say that alone is a great endorsement. The Ozeri Stone Earth 12-Inch Frying Pan (affiliate link) describes its non-stick coating as being derived from stone, and free of “controversial chemicals” (however it does contain PTFE, which all non-stick would contain). It comes in cool colors, like this Coconut Brown.

I feel like you really cant go wrong with any of these pans, but please do your own research to make your decision. I wish you happiness and eggs that don't stick!

~Sarah