The Nonstick Pan Consumer Reports Says Isn't Durable Enough For Your Kitchen

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There are plenty of alternatives to nonstick cookware on the market these days, although some, like stainless steel, remain prone to sticking if you're not careful. For this reason, nonstick pans remain popular in kitchens around the country. However, not all nonstick equipment is made equal, and more specifically, some pans are less durable than others.

Nonstick coatings often feature per- and polyfluorinated compounds. Otherwise known as "forever chemicals," these have been linked to various human health conditions, including reduced immune responses and cancer. Despite this, PFAS-based nonstick cookware is generally considered safe to use, although only if it's used and treated correctly. For example, you should avoid placing nonstick pans in the dishwasher and leaving them on the heat for too long without food, as both can cause the coating to deteriorate. You can also stack the odds against this happening by investing in quality, durable cookware. This is where Consumer Reports comes in handy.

Consumer Reports helps spend-savvy shoppers find deals on everyday products across thousands of categories. It uses in-house testing and customer feedback to test countless items and scores them on a variety of attributes, including cost, value, performance, and, in the case of nonstick cookware, durability. And while there are plenty of nonstick sets listed on its cookware leaderboard, one stands out in particular for its sheer lack of durability: the textured titanium 10-piece cookware set from Food Network. Currently reduced to $98.99, the set scores well on a number of counts, achieving top marks for both speed of heating and sauce simmering, with a decent score for handle temperature. Unfortunately, it was rated low on durability and earned the lowest overall score on the Consumer Reports list.

Consumer Reports' list features more than 60 nonstick sets, many of which are more durable than Food Network's equipment. For example, Cuisinart's 12-piece GreenGourmet hard-anodized nonstick set secured a great score, partly thanks to a significantly higher nonstick durability. It scores well in cooking evenness, nonstick food release, sauce simmer, handle sturdiness, and speed of heating. GreenPan's 11-piece Stanley Tucci ceramic nonstick set landed an identical score, achieving full marks across cooking evenness, nonstick food release, and speed of heating. It scores slightly lower than Food Network's set for sauce simmering, but it excels in durability.

Unlike Food Network's, both sets are PFAS-free. Instead, each set is made from aluminum with ceramic coatings. As for price, both cost more than Food Network's $98.99 set. The Stanley Tucci equipment currently fetches $849.99, which may be too much for those who need to keep costs down. The GreenGourmet, on the other hand, is listed by Cuisinart for $219.95. It's also available at other popular kitchenware retailers, including Amazon. It's still pricier than the Textured Titanium set. But if durability is your chief concern, then according to CR's ratings, the premium could well be worth it.

Ultimately, the right cookware for you boils down to budget and personal preference. And don't forget, in the nonstick category alone, Consumer Reports ranks over 60 different sets, so there are plenty of options to choose from. What the above findings show is that, while it is entirely possible to buy nonstick cookware for cheap, you needn't spend a fortune to avoid buying it twice.