I have spent a lot of time and $$s buying non-stick pans for egg omelets. I have been from the most expensive pans at House to the last bought from Woolworth which only lasted 3 weeks (literally) until the omelets stated sticking on it. Noting that I aim to use the minimum (almost nothing) amount of oil possible, if I used a lot of oil then it wouldn't stick on any pan.
Any recommendations on non-stick pans for the above use case?
Thanks.
I didn't know this was a thing….. I was living under a rock. I'll try this out. Thank you.
It's what most chefs use…
Actually depends on what they are cooking with stainless steel also thrown into the mix. Fair to say, no chef worth the weight is using non-stick cookware.
@Bruceflix: Fair to say plenty of chefs still cook eggs with non-stick and cast iron is rarely used.
@jv: I mean yeah of course it's not sticking, look how much fkn oil is in the pan. SS will perform better with more even heat distribution and by not weighing a ton.
look how much fkn oil is in the pan.
not much….
you can do it without oil too if you heat it up properly…
@Bruceflix: Nah pretty sure many top chefs use non-stick for eggs specifically.
Just take a look at the responses in this thread - https://www.reddit.com/r/KitchenConfidential/comments/1g6cx4…
Also here's Jacques Pepin showing off his famous omelette technique using a non-stick pan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9zsLP5yEe0
Nah pretty sure many top chefs use non-stick for eggs specifically.
Mainly the one's trying to sell their own branded ones…
@jv: Don't think Jacque Pepin has a cookware line and did you go through that reddit thread? Pull up any thread in a commercial cooking subreddit re non-stick pans and you'll find the same responses - yes we use non-stick but only for eggs.
@jv: As the 8th most visited site on the net there's probably a few. More than OzBargain that's for sure.
@Cheaplikethebird: I think the answer is, if you cook for yourself and care about what toxins you are introducing into your body, then stick with carbon steel, stainless or cast iron. It's quite likely that a chef, cooking for someone they don't care about personally, who won't know what they cooked it on, would do whatever the heck they want.
On your concern about oil. Don't be so afraid. The media has lied to you all along. Look into Ghee and Beef Tallow as alternatives to oil for cooking. These are highly heat resistant and also good for your body. Unlike olive and seed oils that should not be heated or cooked with.
@sAmiZZle: For sure but that wasn’t the discussion being had. Personally I don’t have any non-stick and I render my own tallow in bulk with kilos of beef fat at a time but not because I'm avoiding seed oils, just coz it tastes good.
I think @jv may be referring to carbon steel pans, like Matfer Bourgeat… or not having watched the video about eggs over cast iron
This will be my next one I think. Was looking at a Solidteknics Oz Ion.
You won't regret it. It comes preseasoned. It's essentially non stick out of the box. I regret not getting mine sooner. Use some fat/oil and it remains nonstick.
Works for eggs, omelettes, steak etc.
Agreed, had loved mine since getting them a few years back. Looking to add a 30cm during the next sale I see
We have been using Solidteknics pans for about 10 years. I was originally skeptical but I wouldn't buy anything else now - though I doubt I would ever need to unless I lost them.
The mod-con audience uses properly seasoned carbon-steel pans, same advantages, just a lot lighter and easier to maintain seasoning :P
Which season?
third
I was hoping spring
Four seasons
Carbon steel pan are also awesome. De Buyer came out on top in the America’s Test Kitchen reviews, but it’s like $80+.
You can get a decent no-name one for around $30 though through whole sale kitchen store.
Main perk over cast iron is that it's lighter and heats up faster, but still gets that nice nonstick surface if you season it properly.
If you have room for both:
Carbon steel for quick, high-heat cooking, perfect for steaks, vegetables, eggs, or bacon.
Cast iron for slow cooking short ribs, simmering stews, or casseroles.
Also if you plan on making sauces, especially tomato sauce, use stainless. Cast and Carbon react badly with acidic foods.
You do short ribs in the pan? I usually roast them
Watch out for haemochromatosis!
Use Tefal Ultimate with no complaints. Although, like all non stick, you need to watch heat and tools for maximum lifespan. Regularly on sale.
Just grab a non-stick pan from a restaurant supply company that has Teflon's top of the line coating (platinum plus), like this one for $44 - https://www.nisbets.com.au/vogue-non-stick-teflon-aluminium-…
If moving away from non-stick I would go for triply stainless over cast iron for eggs.
Just grab a non-stick pan from a restaurant supply company
I've found the IKEA ones last a long time and are very good value.
I support IKEA too. They last as long as others, readily available, and relatively cheap.
My Aldi crepe pan has been doing OK too for several years, but I only use it for crepes and pancakes.
My previous IKEA ones were great, lasted years, but had to replace earlier this year and the new ones are woeful, pretty much done already.
Thanks for the warning. Mine are from 5 years ago.
Did you get the same range from IKEA or a different one?
@bashar20: Same IKEA 365+ range which I’ve had great success with in the past. 32cm wok pan and frypan.
The design has changed (not unexpected after several years) but the coating is distinctly different. My guess is that they’ve changed it based on the more recent pushback against PFAS, which would be fair enough but it definitely doesn’t function as well.
Edit: description says ‘hardwearing sol-gel ceramic’ so I’d say that’s a yes to moving away from teflon etc.
IKEA $65 pan is exceptionally good.
For stainless steel, eggs are the one thing I just cannot figure out how to do. I have a small cheap non-stick just for eggs.
Probably just need more oil or a longer preheat.
I'm very impatient so this checks out.
@bubbleboom: Just throw your pan on as the first step while you prep everything else. You can also do the water drop test by flicking some water in the pan to see if it balls up and rolls around, if it hits the pan an evaporates you need to preheat longer.
@Cheaplikethebird: This. Water drop test.
I can make an omelette non stick on stainless steel with this. Just note that anything you add to the pan (especially cold ingredients) affects the temperature of the pan.
if it hits the pan an evaporates you need to preheat longer.
So balls up and rolls around means the pan is hotter than if it evaporates?
@ForkSnorter: Yeah it's called the Leidenfrost effect. From the wiki…
"The Leidenfrost effect or film boiling is a physical phenomenon in which a liquid, close to a solid surface of another body that is significantly hotter than the liquid's boiling point, produces an insulating vapor layer that keeps the liquid from boiling rapidly. Because of this repulsive force, a droplet hovers over the surface, rather than making physical contact with it"
"If the pan's temperature is at or above the Leidenfrost point, which is approximately 193 °C (379 °F) for water, the water skitters across the pan and takes longer to evaporate than it would take if the water droplets had been sprinkled onto a cooler pan."
This is what I do on electric stove. Maybe different for induction/gas.
Preheat stainless steel pan on medium (from 1-8 setting on the knob I just chuck it on 5)
Throw some water onto it. The water should roll around in it if adequately hot enough (like a water ball)
Turn off the heat for a few mins (to avoid oil smoking). Turn back heat on and add oil and egg. Non stick achieved
With stainless steel pans, I just make sure whatever I'm cooking sears on the bottom straight away, then I make sure to move it several times in the beginning so that it doesn't stick.
Is it PFAS or PFOS in it ?
Nothing like ingesting a healthy dose of forever chemicals.
Man, this is so Green. Lol
Do you drink a glass of synthetic chemicals every night just to own the Greenies?
Nowadays I think the real risk is actually eating all those plastic particles (the non-stick coating is PTFE plastic).
which pan is it mate?
Butter actually has one of the lowest smoke points. Your dairy spread probably has vegetable oil mixed in which would raise the smoke point.
Not sure what he's talking about. There are many oils that have a high smoke point. Olive oil has the lowest
Depends on the type of olive oil but yeah
You don't use oil for an omelette, you use butter. Oil burns at too low a temperature.
Never heard anyone claim this before as the smoke point of butter is 150C which is extremely gentle frying temps and hard to maintain without active measurement. Smoke point for canola oil is 230C. Smoke point of Ghee (clarified butter) is higher than normal butter, but very few people use this.
PTFE in Teflon starts to break down around 240C.
Dairy spread is butter blended with vegetable/canola oil so counter to your argument.
So its smoke point is somewhere between butter (150C) and canola oil (230C), depending on how much butter is in it.
I recently got Solidteknics pans.
Takes a bit of getting used to because they aren't exactly non stick but they are fairly non-stick… but they are built to last years and I have friends that have had good experiences with them.
It's all about heat and fat management and learning to cook without Teflon. But man the pans are great and I regret not getting one sooner.
Everything tastes better. I dont have to worry about being scared of over heating the pan like Teflon ones and I use the little flipper to scrape anything that sticks to the pan.
What's wrong with using oil?
Prefer PTFEs and other microplastics/forever chemicals to seed oils….
Use other oils?
sebum works well.
Poach the eggs. So much nicer.
Poach the eggs.
I prefer to pay…
Ozbargainers can't afford eggs these days
Ozbargainers can't
affordfind eggs these days
FTFY
Nah. Fry then
deep fry them
Why no oil? All the harmful subs.tances in non stick pans are terrible for your health…. Use some olive oil or avocado oil, a tiny bit is barely any calories and it is great for your health
Heat a stainless steel pan until watter bounces off it, put a little bit of oil and spread it out, no sticking!
I use a light misting of avocado oil from a Decor oil sprayer that often goes on sale. Half a squeeze is enough for eggs on cast iron.
Our Place Titanium frypan. It doesn't have a chemical coating and just uses innovative pattern to be non stick. https://fromourplace.com/en-au/products/titanium-always-pan-…
Induction compatible?
Stainless steel bottom so probably
I wish it was that simple, but it ain't. My pressure cooker pot is all stainless, but it won't heat up on an induction stove. Not the right kind of steel.
if I used a lot of oil then it wouldn't stick on any pan.
Seems like an easy fix for you then. Add some butter/oil.
not my use case mate.
Then you're just making it harder on yourself all to save consuming a tiny bit of oil/fat.
Sure
non stick fry pans only last 3 weeks?
you are either/and:
- using too high heat
- using abrasive kitchen utensils on the pan
- using abrasive cleaning tools when washing the pan
- putting pan in dishwasher
i have the 4 coating stone texture frying pan from kmart and it has last me 5 years.
Ceramic or stainless steel
I love my stainless steel pan. I’ve had it for years after I switched from a traditional non-stick. As long as you look after it, it’ll look after you
Personally I am a fan of Scanpan, you can normally find an online retailer selling them waaaaay cheaper than say somewhere like Myer, still not exactly cheap though. Had one for a few years and it was fanastic, still nonstick, in good condition etc, then someone who was house sitting and has NFI what they are doing decided to clean it with some sort of abrasive scourer. I remember coming back thinking 'what the hell, why are my eggs suddenly sticking to the pan' and then I realised.
Since bought a new one and its great, use it several times a week specifically for eggs.
I am a fan of Scanpan, man
These non-stick pans are durable and grand
They heat with ease
Food cooks with expertise
Yeah I am a fan of Scanpan, man.
Before you make a decision, please watch Dark Waters https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9071322/ .
Great true story on teflon / non stick
What's the TLDW (too long didn't watch) for this?
Its a really good movie with Mark Ruffalo and Anne Hathaway, a true story about companies and non-stick materials basically. I would recommend everyone to watch it, I dont really like to spoil movies for others.
Properly seasoned cast iron pan.