Stainless steel saucepans or non-stick?

[RainyAfternoon]

Hi, Our saucepans are worn out and I've seen a nice set currently half price in House of Fraser. Only thing is they are stainless steel and not non stick. I'm assuming they'd be a pain to clean, though I guess they'd be better for health as there's no chance of ingesting chemicals from the non stick coating!

Does anyone have any advice, and especially any recommendations for good saucepans?

Thank you!

Stainless steel with a good thick base. I've had some stainless steel 'Classic' pans from John Lewis for over 20 years, they get used daily and are in excellent nick because there's no plastic handles or knobs to deteriorate. The non-stick omelette pan I bought two or three years ago from the same range is already looking tatty because I made the mistake of putting it through the dishwasher . If you don't burn stuff onto them, soaking usually does the trick. And if soaking doesn't work, old fashioned steel wool is excellent.

I bought a set of stainless steel pans about 20 years ago and will replace them soon as the plastic lid knobs are breaking. In the meantime I cannot tell you how many non-stick frying pans I have gone through.

I'll be replacing mine with stainless steel again and would recommend them over non-stick any day

My stainless steel set of saucepans from Prestige are 13 years old and counting. They look as good as new. The frying pans & stockpots with non-stick coating, on the other hand, are rubbish after 4 or 5 years use.

Another vote for stainless steel. I have a set from John Lewis. They are 18 years old and still in great condition. The set came with a non stick frying pan which went in the bin years ago. The non stick coating just doesn't last.
On the very odd occasion I have burnt something an overnight soak with a dishwasher tablet sorts it out.

Stainless - as everyone else has said, very good quality will last forever.

BUT I also have a very good non-stick frying pan. Has lasted years and is invaluable. I always use wood/ plastic and it goes in the dishwasher daily.

I'll never buy non-stick pans again, I'm very careful and don't use metal on them but the non-stick black stuff scratches off and they aren't non stick for that long! Definitely buy the stainless steel.

Le Creuset pans - indestructible and transferable from hob to oven, handles permitting - SKK Omlette pans and Le Chausseur Frying pans....Taken years of testing to get the right blend of pans. But then I like a bit of weight to my pans (useful for bicep development and smacking DP round the head with in times of frustration). No, seriously, they are good, and after all Nigel Slater and half the on screen cooking crew seem to use Le Creuset.

Oh and I have paid no attention at all to the 'rule' of not putting Le Creusets (or the others) in the dishwasher, and I have only had to replaced one knob in 20 years.

Had a set of Stellar pans given to us for wedding present - 23 years later look as good as new. Added a few bits to it but good quality lasts. Go in dishwasher and a bit of a soak if needed. But good thick bottomed pans don't burn easily.

Hi

They both have a place in the kitchen. Non-stick are great for frying eggs or anything when it's critical for the food not to stick. It will not last a lifetime, but the days when non-stick was a danger to our health has all but gone as they tend to be very good quality these days, just dont go for the very cheapest.

Stainless steel are great because if the handle is properly forged, they can last a lifetime. And most can be transferred to the oven (as long as the handle is not plastic). This is not always the case with non-stick pans.

Le Creuset are great but very heavy for eggs in the morning!

x

I like stainless steel saucepans (need to get a new set, the ones I've got have copper bottoms so won't work on the induction hob I'll be getting soon). Shame, I've had them 20 years, no problems with dishwasher, all knobs intact, and they have a brilliant steamer pan. And don't weigh a tonne unlike bloody Le Creuset, the one I 'inherited' from MIL is the only pan I've got that'll still work at the moment.

But love my Tefal non-stick frying pan and omelette pans (2 sizes) - good quality nonstick can be brilliant. They don't need to go in the dishwasher because - duh - nothing sticks to them! Got to replace those too.

The main thing with non-stick pans is to never overheat - if you leave it on a full-blast ring with nothing in it, the PTFE will start to thermally degrade which is the big no-no.

Stellar are brilliant pans - food just sort of glides off them and they are like new again. I bought them on line for about £160 and they would've been triple that price in store.

Stainless steel are great if you are like me and burn things or leave the washing up for longer than you should, because they can take some very intense scrubbing and cleaning.

You have to stir things slightly more often, and some things which you wouldn't have to stir at all in non-stick. Pasta for example can get stuck to stainless steel pans if you don't stir while cooking.

Non-stick for omelettes, scrambled egg and porridge, good old stainless steel for everything else. And don't touch the non-stick with anything metallic. I put them in the dishwasher, but only on the gentlest setting. I've had my non-stick omelette pan for 10 years - may have to replace it soon, but still going strong. Gets used 2 - 3 times a week.

Thank you for all your replies! Looks like the stainless ones will be perfect. Thanks again