Advantages and disadvantages of the main non-stick coatings on frying pans

You could write a whole book about the different coatings that can be used on a non-stick pan, but it would be really boring, so we will try to summarize it a little. There are many manufacturers, types of coatings and qualities. But to keep things short, we will talk about the most common ones: PTFE Teflon, PFOA, non-stick ceramic, and stone non-stick coating.

PTFE Teflon non-stick

The one that has been with us the longest is the PTFE Teflon coating, which is the traditional non-stick coating, commonly called Teflon, although Teflon is actually a brand, like tape. Many things have been written about what Teflon and PFOA are, some of them quite bad lately, but it is important to note that many of the things that have been said about PTFE Teflon in non-stick pans are not true. Truths and lies aside, what has made PTFE Teflon the most widely used coating in kitchen utensils for so long is the fact that it has the best non-stick properties. And in a country where having pans that never stick and “my potato omelette not sticking” is basic, the other coatings on the market have a hard time taking its place.

Non-stick ceramic

The bad press given to PTFE Teflon has encouraged the proliferation of other non-stick coatings for pans. The most talked about is non-stick ceramic, which, although it has been on the market for quite some time, reached its peak a few years ago. Ceramic cookware was very fashionable for a while as a supposedly ecological and harmless alternative to the commonly called Teflon, and its manufacturers knew how to take advantage of the bad press given to Teflon by advertising them as PFOA and PTFE-free pans: ecological pans.

Its main selling point is that it is very durable (you can even rub it with a nana!) and it can withstand very high temperatures. But not everything that glitters is gold. The truth is that a ceramic pan sticks in the short or medium term because the non-stick properties of this coating degrade much faster than those of PTFE Teflon, especially if you cook at very high heat, so after a while the Spanish omelette will surely stick. And while it is true that ceramic cookware is widely used in Europe, keep in mind two important things: first, that in Europe a significant amount of butter is added to many dishes, which already creates a non-stick layer, and second, and more importantly, that they do not make Spanish omelettes.

Non-stick coating on stone

Currently, the most fashionable non-stick frying pan is the one with the coating commonly called “stone”, which is this one that has splashes of another color. In reality it is not a different coating, but a different process. In fact, a stone non-stick coating can be PTFE Teflon or non-stick ceramic. A priori, its main advantage is the “splashes”, which by creating a small relief on the base layer of coating improve the resistance and durability of the coating and, at the same time, extend its non-stick properties. Seen this way, at first it may seem that the stone non-stick coating must be the best because it has this relief –and also cooler, because it has splashes-, but the relief effect can also be created –and is created- at a microscopic level in the highest ranges of PTFE Teflon and non-stick ceramic.

So, which non-stick pan do I choose?

Well, it depends. If you love scrubbing with a scouring pad, add lashings of butter to all your dishes, and have no intention of making omelettes in your nonstick pan, ceramic cookware may be your best bet.

In any case, generally speaking, and if you want to be on the safe side, we recommend that you choose a PTFE Teflon, the traditional one, applied as always, in black or the colour you like best, or even stone, which is what is in fashion now. But be careful, as we have already said that there are very different qualities. The problem is that, unless we are experts in the matter, at first glance it is impossible to know if a non-stick pan has a good or bad coating until we use it, so if you want it to work you will have to pay a little more. And if you want to know what to do to stop pans from sticking, follow these tips.

On the other hand, in the store we will have to be guided by the price, the material of the pan and, of course, the brand. Bear in mind that the non-stick coating on a low-end stamped aluminum non-stick pan is always much inferior to that of a high-end cast aluminum non-stick pan. In this sense, trust the best brands on the market, those that have always given you good results, and don't take any risks.