Hard-anodized cookware without non-stick coating or infusion

10 years ago

Can anyone tell me why hard-anodized has become synonymous with nonstick? Why has plain old hard-anodized waned in popularity?

I'm not a fan of nonstick, and, IMO, hard-anodized is the best material for cookware. It's not as pretty as stainless, but it's much easier to cook with. It doesn't sear as well as cast iron, but it's lighter, non-reactive, and it heats more evenly.

The only non-nonstick option I'm aware of for hard-anodized cookware is Calphalon Commercial. It's not widely available. In fact, I wouldn't have known you could still get it, if I hadn't found it on this forum.

So what happend? Ten years ago, the primary choices for high-end cookware were stainless, hard-anodized and infused-anodized. Why did regular hard-anodized drop off that list?

Featured Answer

Katie123456
Original Author

10 years ago

I understand why a person might want to use nonstick cookware.

What I don't understand is, why are the options for NON-nonstick so limited? It's difficult to find anything other than stainless.

Ten years ago, if you didn't want non-stick, it was easy to find uncoated hard-anodized aluminum. Which, to me at least, was the obvious choice. It sears better, and it's easier to clean than stainless. Why has the rest of the world stopped loving it?

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Comments (10)

Farbuncle
10 years ago
I agree with every thing you say about how good hard-anodized cook ware preforms and its a real joy to use.

However, I am a big, big fan of non-stick. Todays top quality cookware with non-stick is so easy to clean. I just wipe them down. I remember the days of Brillo pads and elbow grease after the Sunday roast. Never again.
angiepangie
10 years ago
we got rid of all non stick cookware when we read the reports of harmful fumes at high temps. never, ever get your non stick cookware hot enough to smoke oil or brown meat.
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Teflon used in cookware becomes a potential toxic issue ONLY when its decomposition temperature is actually reached over an extended period of time. Last I heard that was at 750 degrees when the thermal decomposition point actually takes place. You really would have to abuse your cookware for this to occur. The seasoning on cast skillets likewise will thermally decompose and produce toxic carbon monoxide. Again, you really have to abuse your cast iron cookware for that to occur. Your charcoal barbecue pit releases toxic carbon monoxide too. But, you have to use your pit indoors for that to be a problem. Abuse a gas barbecue pit and it too will release harmful gases. I tend to follow manufacturer's instructions for their products; so, I have a reasonable amount of confidence that I will avoid those harmful situations. Hard Anodizing was developed to electrochemically harden and passivate aluminum surfaces. Hard Anodizing in cookware makes the cooking surface less reactive to the acids and bases associated with cooking (makes it less corrosive). Teflon is so slippery that special treatments are needed to get it to stick to any cookware product.......hard anodization is one such treatment used to get it to stick to the pan's cooking surface. I'm not sure that all Hard Anodized cookware products are necessarily non-stick. Dan
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Calphalon still anodizes the "One" line of cookware in Ohio. Calphalon One comes in different two versions. One Infused (the line you saw at BBB) and One Nonstick. One Nonstick actually has a 3 coat nonstick applied to the Anodized surface. An anodized surface is not a nonstick surface by itself. It's actually very porous and needs something to prevent food from sticking. Another thing to keep in mind regarding anodized cookware. You can not anodize the exterior of a pan or an interior by itself. The entire raw aluminum cooking shell is anodized, which is really nothing more than a thin film of aluminum oxide which is the end result of the anodization process. However that thin film is incredibly strong and hard. All Clad LTD is the only anodized exterior they produce. The anodized shell is clad to a stainless steel interior. Unless it's EmerilWare Hard Anodized, which is made by All Clad, but that line is made in China so I guess we're back to square one.
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Farbuncle
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lucylou8
2 years ago
Katie, did you ever find hard annodized aluminum cookware without the coating? i have not, and i do NOT like the coating.
HU-818827980
2 years ago

I have brand new in box "Calphalon Professional Hard-Anodized 11 Piece Set" that was in my mom's garage for about 10 years. It does NOT have the non-stick coating, and selling the set for $160.

If interested email me at reid@devadamedia.com
Judi
2 years ago
What a treasure!
temp mail
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Hawkins Cookers India sell hard anodized aluminium cookware without non-stick coating.
HU-641243874
7 months ago
I have two Calfalon hard anodized pans that I bought 15-20 years ago as a promotional at Bed Bath & Beyond. The interiors do not have a coating. They can be scrubbed with Comet and an abrasive. When I saw that they no longer sell them, I wondered whether there was a safety issue. Anyone know? They are my favs but I'm starting to wonder if they are safe to use.
fillmoe
6 months ago
Back in the last century (yikes!) I used to demonstrate cookware including Calphalon Professional and Magnalite. I still have many of the original pieces and use them regularly. Most look almost as good as new because they were created to last, even when cleaned with stainless steel scrub pads. The pieces are very heavy and probably became too expensive to produce.

Eventually, we may have to give up our gas stoves and go to induction where the aluminum won't work. Then what?

Hard-anodized cookware without non-stick coating or infusion

Katie123456
Original Author

Comments (10)

Farbuncle

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Hard-anodized cookware without non-stick coating or infusion

Katie123456Original Author

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Katie123456
Original Author