Cleaning is where many coatings are lost, and the safe method is also the quickest. A pan that goes straight from the burner to cold water takes a thermal shock, and harsh detergent paired with very hot dishwasher water wears the surface down. Several of the bakeware sets we looked at list the dishwasher as acceptable yet still recommend hand washing for a longer life, so hand washing is the safer default.
How-to
How to Care for a Nonstick Pan
Care for a nonstick pan the right way: wash it by hand, lift burnt food safely, protect the coating while cooking, store it well and know when to replace it.
A nonstick coating rarely fails in one dramatic moment. It fades through small habits: a hot pan dropped under the cold tap, a metal spoon, a scouring pad on a stubborn spot. Most of the routine below is about what to leave out, and it decides whether a pan still releases an omelet cleanly long after the first month.
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Four steps to wash a nonstick pan without harming it
- Let the pan cool completely before it touches water.
- Scrub gently with a soft, non-abrasive sponge and mild dish soap.
- Rinse until no soapy film is left.
- Towel dry, or air dry fully, before putting the pan away.
How to lift burnt-on food without scraping
Food that seems welded on is often a thin film that has formed over the coating, which is why a scouring pad makes the problem worse. Put the pan back on the burner with water and some baking soda, and bring it to a boil to loosen the residue. If that falls short, work a paste of baking soda and white vinegar into the affected spots, let it sit, then scrub lightly.
Rinse with warm water until the baking soda is gone and dry the pan completely before storing it. Coatings differ between makers, so the manufacturer's instructions win if they say anything different.
Cooking habits that protect the coating
Wear starts at the stove as much as at the sink. Recipes that need very high heat belong in other cookware; for searing, see the best pan materials for frying, where stainless steel and cast iron come up as better fits than a coated pan.
- Heat: keep the burner at low to medium and never leave an empty pan heating.
- Utensils: choose wood, silicone, nylon or heat-resistant plastic, and avoid metal tools, forks and knives.
- Fat: use a little oil or butter rather than aerosol spray, which leaves a sticky residue.
- Oven use: stay within the heat rating the maker prints on the pan or its packaging.
Store pans so nothing rubs the surface
Scratches often happen in the cupboard. Pans stacked bare slide against each other, and a lid dropped onto a stack can chip an edge.
- Padding: put a soft cloth, paper towel or pan protector between stacked pans.
- Lids: keep them in a rack or apart from the pans.
- Hanging: hook pans up or give them their own cabinet space so they never touch.
Signs a nonstick pan has reached the end
Good care slows wear but cannot stop it. Peeling or flaking, deep scratches, and food that keeps sticking despite proper oil and heat all mean the coating is finished, and a damaged surface should be retired rather than used. A warped base that no longer sits flat on the burner is another reason to replace the pan.
See our recommendations on which pans for convection oven to buy.