Here's a great discussion on your dilemma, at the cooking forum, it's worth reading.

Here is a link that might be useful: using stainless vs non stick

Throw away those chipped teflon pans! Those black flecks are toxic. I agree that a mix of teflon and stainless works best. Teflon for frying pans, and stainless for everything else. If you own any birds, be careful with teflon because the fumes can be deadly to birds if the pans are heated at too high of a temperature. (I'm thinking if teflon is deadly to birds, it certainly can't be healthy for us to ingest!) FYI. Consumer Reports has the Costco Kirkland stainless steel cookware set as one of the highest rated.

I mostlybuse stainless, but do use no -stick for eggs, pancakes, grilled cheese, etc. I buy inexpensive no -stick so that at the first hint of scratch or chip I don't feel guilty about replacing them. Also, there is also a brand called something like green pan that makes a non-stick that is non-toxic. They sell it at target and I have been very pleased with it.

My stainless pans are All-clad. We got them as a wedding gift almost 12 years ago and they are great. The thing I love about stainless is that if something gets burned in it, you can clean it out with a soak and a braille pad!

Melaska, you are so great and I learned a lot by reading your posting. I'm going to have a new kitchen and bought all-clad stainless set for my new induction cooktop. In searching cookware, my friend who is a cook trained in Paris told me that VitaCraft is also very good. I am thinking of buying the set and here is the link. Or get on E-Bay and just search for VitaCraft cookware set and this should come up.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150473272321&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

The only draw back of this brand I was told is handles that are not stainless and therefore could not really put in the oven (over 350 degree), which is perfectly ok with me. VitaCraft is made in USA.

I have had the same concerns as you and actually am not sure that I even trust the non-stick pans that aren't scratched, so I started switching all my cookware and bakeware to stainless steel. I already had a set of Farberware stainless steel pots and pans that work beautifully, so decided to search for stainless steel bakeware and found All-Clad. I liked that the bakeware I bought was made in America with American-made metals. Not all of their products are made in the U.S., though.

I too have had to throw away numerous cheap pans and cookie sheets because of scratching, rusting or warping. Even though All-Clad is pricey, I figured it would be worth the extra investment.

Definitely throw away your scratched non-stick pans!

“That teflon is toxic if it gets into food.”

“Throw away those chipped teflon pans! Those black flecks are toxic.”

There is NO evidence that Teflon (the end product) is toxic, and it is used in implanted medical devices regularly.

If Teflon is overheated and breaks down it produces compounds that may be toxic (and well known as toxic to birds).

It is perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) used to make Teflon that is known to be toxic, not the final Teflon produced.

If you new how many toxic and hazardous chemicals are used to make things we purchase, use, and even eat you would probably starve to death avoiding them.

brickeye - that's basically what the site I gave to lostinit says about the perfluorooctanoic acid.

I'll link a "Body Snatcher" type book below - just reading the Synopses is scary enough! LOL

Here is a link that might be useful: The Body Toxic

I haven't read all of the posts above. Only here to say that I've always loved stainless--it started with inexpensive Revereware and Faberware and then my mother got me started on All Clad with a piece every few years as a gift. Dh and I don't exchange presents and I usually purchase something I really want around holiday time and more often than not it's All Clad (I've always preferred useful over bauble or bangle.) People have given me non stick pans as presents over the years but I use them just a couple of times and always go back to stainless and cast iron. My (Lodge) cast iron frying pans work as well as any "non stick" pan I've used and I treat them harshly-have even used steel wool on them (I've had them for over 20 years and I know what works for me.) I also use steel wool on my stainless on rare occasions--very lightly. imho opinion, a well seasoned cast iron fry pan works as well as a non stick one and I don't have any nagging worries (whether valid or not) about pieces of the pan coming off into my food. I can use any utensil I want in stainless or cast iron and don't have to worry about ruining the pan.

My mother gave me stainless flat pans with low rims (jelly roll pans? cookie sheets?) about 20 years ago and they are some of the most useful items in my kitchen. My other favorite pots and pans are the 6 qt stock pot melaska pictures above and our 4 quart All Clad soup pot.

The next item I want is a ss lasagna pan.

First of all, teflon isn't toxic, so you can relax about that.

I think a well stocked kitchen has both SS and nonstick cookware, as well as cast iron cookware. It really depends on what you want to cook.

I have a non stick pan by ecolution which is not made of teflon. Works great without health concerns. Bought at local grocery store for less than $20.

I'm not especially comfortable with scratched teflon pans either so we toss ours when they show signs of wear. More expensive brands do generally last longer, IME, but whether or not to spend the money is a personal decision.

Calphalon actually surprised me a couple years back when on a lark I sent them a 10 year old teflon pan I was about to toss and asked them to make good on their lifetime warranty. They actually sent me a new pot which I honestly didn't expect - I thought I'd get some excuse about "user violated warranty conditions" or some such.

Anyway, rather than saying teflon is safe, I think it's more accurate to say that teflon has not been proven to be toxic at this time. There are a lot of things once thought to be perfectly fine that we now think may not be. Hydrogenated vegetable oil, BPA in plastic, formaldehyde offgassing, lead paint, etc. I'm not a sky is falling kind of guy, but I believe in a reasonable sense of caution when it comes to things cooked up in a lab

I use predominantly SS and some copper. Both do not need any special care. Mine go straght into DW or handwash with blue scrubber.
I have well seasoned steel French crepe pan for making crepes. The crepes never stick. We make crepes every weekend.
I use well seasoned cast iron for lots of things that need heat retention.
I do not use non-stick because it is predominantly petroleum derived chemicals, and the melting point at which fumes are released is much lower than metal. In addition to the teflon which falls off, the fumes (which is NOT seen) which get mixed in with food and ingested is what COULD be toxic. Toxicity of chemicals can be accumulative. First/second exposures do not cause any harm, but over your lifetime, no one knows. I totally agree with chiefneil. I don't want my kids accumulating potentially harmful chemicals in their body. The same reason we do not eat food with herbicide and pesticide.
Nonstick pans also do not produce adequate browning and you can't develop good fond, IMHO. I used to use nonstick for omelets only. I started to using SS and butter to cook omelets. I needed to experiment and teach myself "how" and now my omelets do not stick. I really don't miss non stick pans.

Neither. While my soup pots are all farberware stainless, my FRYING pans are well-seasoned cast-iron. Which are non-stick so long as no one scrubs the seasoning off of them...if someone does, well...one just has to re-season. Or fry a pound of bacon. And NOTHING browns better than cast-iron.

One of my most-prized possessions is my grandmother's number 9 Griswold. I can get a sear on a couple of steaks like nobody's business...

mjsee...I've always wanted a well-seasoned cast-iron pan but it just never happened. One thing that kept me away is their weight. Also the reason I didn't get the Le Crueset. If I do ever get one, I'd want lots of surface area like my SS saute pan to get the good 'fond'.

I have heard cast iron praises sung by Alton Brown (one of my cooking heroes) so I know they are good. I feel guilty 'cause I have a cast iron Dutch Oven (the kind with the hanger that you can hang from a spit) sitting on my porch that came from I do not know - there's no top so I wondered if I could still use it.

melaska, yes, by all means, use your cast iron pot. Clean it as much as you think necessary and season it in the oven. Look for directions on the net.
I have cast iron frying pans and West Bend Lifetime waterless cookware. My Lifetime is from the '60's. I really like it and have bought some extra pieces on ebay. I have parrots and won't have teflon type things in my house. I didn't spend the money for an induction range but I did buy the single plate. The Lifetime works on it just fine.

I put the stainless in the basement after my sister burned food several times in the stainless and did not clean. That job was left to me and I found it impossible to do despite attempts using various materials. It might be easier to fry with stainless steel (not that I fry that much) but cleaning burnt food is not easy.

I burnt the *@* out of a brand new stainless pan last week. It was burnt BAD. Thanks to this forum, I bought some Bar Keepers Friend for $2.25 (the powder version). That stuff is magical. It cleaned and shined that pan back to it's original condition in about 20 seconds. Now, I want to one by one, replace all my Calphalon non-stick with SS. I've never been able to keep those non-sticks looking half decent. I'm totally sold on SS now, convinced that they'll last forever.

You know, while I haven't gone and bought any of this, I've been thinking enamel cast iron would be good if one tends to be hard on pans. Also, what about carbonized as an option for fry pans... the stuff that makes woks smooth.

I find both useful, depends on what I'm cooking. I have mostly SS (my 20+ yo heavy RevereWare, some All-Clad for the induction hob), a Scanpan for eggs, LeCreuset for roasting in the oven and the good old cast iron skillets. They all have their use and they all get used. I was sold on SS from my Mother's experience with SS pots she got back in the 40's and they are still in good shape today. And I watched my Dad many times clean burned on food from those pans using the boiling water/baking soda routine. I still use that method or the BKF. Those pans lasted her lifetime and live on in her daughters' kitchens.

The Sep/Oct 2010 Cooks Illustrated issue tested non-stick pans. They measured how many eggs you could fry until the eggs started sticking. Then they cooked meat, abusively banged the pans, and tried using a metal utensil in each pan. The T-Fal was the winner, fried eggs were still releasing perfectly at egg #76 when they stopped frying eggs. It wasn't as sturdy under abuse as the All-Clad which cost 3x more and only made it to egg #40 or so. If the All-Clad's lifetime warranty means they'll keep sending you new pans when the old ones start sticking, I guess I'd consider getting an All-Clad. I'm not against having a non-stick pan, I just don't want to buy them over and over.

Thank you all for the responses. Wow I have not seen so much activity on a gardenweb post. The Kitchen forum must be more active.

Nonetheless, it seems like it may be wise to go for the Kirkland and stick to Barkeepers friend. The Cuisinart All-Clad has the highest rating but a price tag of $100 more however the warranty may make it worth my while. I dislike Non-Stick, I have seen other non-sticks that look like they have a thicker backing and may last longer but I feel like they are a waste.

lostinit - Yes...the kitchen forum is very active as is the home building forum.

Sounds like you struck a good balance with your decision. Like I said, my daughter & I really like the Kirkland 3-ply stainless from Costco. Supplementing with the 14" saute pan from All-Clad rounded out the set. She & I do a lot of sautee type cooking so it was a necessity for us. Plus, my beloved All-Clad stockpot :)

I'll link below a GW thread from '03 talking about the Kirkland set. Let us know what you think of your set.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kirkland cookware thread from '03

If you want better performance than stainless steel pans with reduced sticking try copper with a stainless liner.

The 0.100 thick Malveaux pans are great.

The thinner ones are good, but not as nice.

Some stainless steel wool makes for quick clean up if you get anything really stubborn on the surface (actually hard to do on the heavy copper pans).

Chore boy copper scrubbers work well also, just avoid plain steel wool, it can transfer enough to the stainless surface to rust discoloration.

The other thing to keep in mind is to always heat up the pan (at least part way ) before adding oil or fats to prevent sticking.

Fats do not 'stick' to a cold pan well enough to prevent food sticking.

For everyone that buys non-stick and has a policy of "when it scratches, just toss it and buy a new one" have you ever considered the impact of this? That is a lot of non-renewable resources being tossed in a landfill. See the news article about the red-sludge dam in Hungary? Anyone that throws aluminum into a landfill is entirely guilty of requiring expanded mining and the impacts there of.

Every purchase decision should include a strong focus on longevity, this is why stainless and cast iron win. Every non-stick user will admit that their pans suck after a couple of years, however every quality stainless and cast iron pan is capable of lasting generations.

After considering longevity, every purchase should include consideration of what becomes of the "waste" product afterward...if it can't be recycled perhaps it shouldn't be purchased.

xipper:
have you ever tried to flip an egg using any other surface other than non stick or teflon? sorry but i have ONE teflon pan. it lasts a good part of a year and when it's over ...that's pretty much it.

i'm open to alternatives, but there don't seem to be any.

I have one teflon coated pan for cooking eggs and it's at lest 4 yrs old now, without a mark on it. Maybe I don't cook enough eggs, but for sure, I hand wash it, and seldom even use soap unless it really needs it. Harsh cleaning methods, especially dishwashers, will kill non-stick faster than anything.

I cook eggs on stainless (All-clad) or my cast iron griddle with no problems. The egg will even slide around in the pan with ease, its all in knowing how to properly heat the pan and oil...and no, I'm not "deep frying" like some people tend to do (my father). I use just enough oil to coat the pan, it is so slippery that the most difficult part is getting it to hold still to get the turner under it.

Cast iron is the original "non-stick" that will out last any of us with even moderate maintenance, if you never use soap on cast iron or leave it wet it will last forever.

How did we ever survive before DuPont engineered a problem for us? Did your grand parents use non-stick? Mine always cooked eggs on decades old cast iron.

I bought the smallest set of All Clad SS because 3 of the 5 pans were what I wanted and needed. It was less expensive to buy the set. One I didn't care about but came was the 10 inch non stick fry pan. I never would have paid the price for this pan, that said for about 7 years every egg dish, grilled cheese, and occas other things (fish, chicken)have been cooked in it. I only use wood or teflon utensils and I hand wash. No sticking, no staining and no scratches. I have never had a non stick pan that held up so good.

Like xipper said, it just takes a different technique. You never see anyone in a restaurant kitchen using a nonstick pan.

I like pans that don't kill canaries ;) My DH fries his eggs on cast iron. Works great. Clean up is not difficult if you put water in it while still warm.

35 years using SS here.

We bought a small "green pan" at Target last year and that is now our only non-stick pan which we use for occasional scrambled eggs. Otherwise, it's SS for everything else.

i'll have to work on my biceps if i'm going to be flipping eggs in cast iron! but point taken. i'll look for a small pan.

34 years and counting using a set of Farberware SS pans we received as a wedding gift. I recently bought a 12" Lodge cast iron to replace my teflon fry pan (still in good shape so it's being donated) and will soon be getting another smaller Lodge fry pan (for single grilled sandwiches and smaller batches of eggs). When we had to dispose of my in-laws property, we of course kept some things as keep sakes & heirlooms. The one thing that we sold at the estate sale that I still think about and regret not keeping is my FIL's bean pot. It was cast iron with a loop handle and lid and I knew I made a big mistake when a dealer bought it almost the minute we opened the doors. :(

I absolutely love Woldfgang Pucks line of SS cookware. I have had them for three years and they look and perform perfectly. However I do keep two non-stick pans: a Caphalon omlet pan and a Caphalon panini pan. Love both and replace the omlet pan yearly because my husband is hard on the non-stick. The large consumer magazine likes Puck's line of cookware as well.

There are plenty of studies proving non stick cookware is toxic! And the plants that make non stick cookware release toxins into the environment. Do you think Dupont or the Gov. care? The government hasn't conducted ANY tests to determine whether this cookware is safe. But there ARE studies and the results aren't good. Come on, Canaries die from the fumes! Have you ever heard of the "canary in the coal mine"? Just as coal miners used canaries to determine if the mine's air was safe . . . we can use the fact that canaries die from being exposed to non stick fumes as proof that the kitchen isn't safe.

The links are helpful.

http://www.ewg.org/reports/toxicteflon

http://www.ewg.org/release/epa-science-panel-says-teflon-chemical-likely-cause-cancer

http://www.ewg.org/release/epa-fines-teflon-maker-dupont-chemical-cover

http://tuberose.com/Teflon.html

Here is a rundown of each of the links above.

http://www.ewg.org/reports/toxicteflon

"In two to five minutes on a conventional stovetop, cookware coated with Teflon and other non-stick surfaces can exceed temperatures at which the coating breaks apart and emits toxic particles and gases linked to hundreds, perhaps thousands, of pet bird deaths and an unknown number of human illnesses each year, according to tests commissioned by Environmental Working Group (EWG)."

Sorry about youtr bird.

Don't overheat the pans\.

http://www.ewg.org/release/epa-science-panel-says-teflon-chemical-likely-cause-cancer

"On January 30, the EPA posted its outside panel's draft report suggesting that the Agency strengthen its study of the Teflon chemical PFOA and call it a "likely" human carcinogen."

PFOA is used to manufacture Teflon. it is not present in the finished product.

http://www.ewg.org/release/epa-fines-teflon-maker-dupont-chemical-cover

"Today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it will fine Teflon maker DuPont $16.5 million for two decades' worth of covering up company studies that showed it was polluting drinking water and newborn babies with an indestructible chemical that causes cancer, birth defects and other serious health problems in animals. The chemical is in the blood of over 95 percent of Americans."

While the article ss so bad it does not even name the " indestructible chemical that causes cancer, birth defects and other serious health problems," it is PFOA.

NOT PRESENT IN FINISHED TEFLON.

http://tuberose.com/Teflon.html

"Teflon and the chemicals used in its production have grown into a $2 billion-a-year industry. This includes ammonium perfluorooctanoate, known as C-8,..."

" Even DuPont says that it cannot rule out that Teflon-connected products, such as Stainmaster carpet treatment, give off the chemical"

Since you can NEVER prove a negative hypothesis this is pure hysteria and bovine scatrology.

" Now the unexpected discovery of the almost universal contamination of Americans' blood from C-8, combined with worrisome laboratory studies, has led to a high priority investigation by the EPA of the chemical's risks"

PFOA is not presnt in finished teflon.

UIf teflon was such a huge risk all the folks with implated teflon in their bodies wupold be getting cancers at huge rates.

They ARE NOT.

" A Teflon pan reached 721°F in just five minutes..."

" For the past fifty years DuPont has claimed that their Teflon coatings do not emit hazardous chemicals through normal use. In a recent press release, DuPont wrote that "significant decomposition of the coating will occur only when temperatures exceed about 660 degrees F (340 degrees C). These temperatures alone are well above the normal cooking range." These new tests show that cookware exceeds these temperatures and turns toxic through the common act of preheating a pan, on a burner set on high."
Sounds like gross incompetence on the part of the cook.
If you burn MANY 'plastics' they emit toxic chemicals.

Like cyanide, carbon monoxide, PVC, lead vapor, and a whole host of other things.

This is hysterical stupidity.

Probably directly driven by the very poor education system.

Teflon is implanted in thousands of peples bodies every year in artificial joints and a multitude of other uses.

Every IV catheter is a Teflon tube.
The catheter is on the outside of the needle used to get it into the vein, than the needle is withdrawn leaving the Teflon behind.
The Teflon catheter is finally removed when the IV is no longer required.

Late to the party, but yes, there's a perfect alternative to the health-slash-environment-destroying nonstick coatings. We've fried eggs for many years on our old castiron griddle. No stick at all, egg after egg, year after year. Turn up the heat to sear that egg? No problem.

They come in every size from huge to very tiny, they season quickly (or you can buy them pre-seasoned, which I don't know anything about), and you will never regret having one. We use one of ours at virtually every meal. :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: small castiron pan

I love cast iron! I'm grilling chicken breasts right now in a cast iron grill pan (with ridges) and cast iron weight. Now we're talking! I agree eggs cook great in cast iron and as long as they are seasoned, nothing sticks, but I do use butter or olive oil. After I wash my cast iron I put them on the stove and heat them on low for awhile to make sure they dry out and stay cured.

I too cook eggs on SS and I don't find it to be a big problem. Not ideal, but better than Teflon. If I get any sticking, I just use Bar Keepers Friend. By the way, twice I have forgotten rice on med-high for about 20 minutes in SS pans...left about 1/4 of charred brick that bonded to the bottom of the pan so fiercely it was practically one with the pan - and steel wool and Bar Keeper's Friend got it clean. Took my husband's muscles and a fair amount of patience to do it, but it worked!

Circuspeanut, thank you so much for posting the cast iron griddle idea. I think that will be my next purchase just for eggs alone.