Captain Compost recently found herself in a predicament. That old cookware that she’d been using, with the Teflon coating, that she purchased before she was even married (over 10 years ago!!) was starting to crack and peel and little flakes were coming off in the food she was cooking. The more she heard about how bad Teflon was, the more determined she was to find a better alternative.
She thought about using cast iron, which is a greener alternative and a product that will never need to be replaced… but the thought of lifting heavy pans, keeping them maintained and the higher purchase price led her to do a bit more research so see if there were other options out there.
When she came across Cuisinart Green Gourmet line of cookware, she started checking out the information available to see how this stood up to the Teflon and Cast Iron competition. The downside to this line is that they are made in China. But the good outweighed the bad, CC felt, when she learned that they are made with no petroleum and no Teflon but they are still non~stick. They are said to work best with medium and low heat because they conduct heat so well. They are made with anodized aluminum and have a ceramic surface for non~sticking. Like cast iron, if treated gently, this cookware should last for a long time. To make sure, Captain Compost recommends using wooden or plastic spoons when cooking and handwashing these most of the time.
Captain Compost received several Green Gourmet pans for Christmas and couldn’t wait to start using them. She was happy overall with the performance of these pans. They definitely did not flake Teflon into her food like the old ones had. The drawback she found, however, was that the non~stick surface wasn’t quite as non~stick as she was used to. When using regular cooking spray, some things seemed to still stick to the pan. She noticed that when using grapeseed or olive oil, that helped immensely and now uses only those oils when sauteing and frying. Her eggs have never tasted better!
Captain Compost does recommend this cookware, if EcoWarriors are on the hunt for something to replace old, potentially dangerous Teflon coated pans.
5 responses so far ↓
melissawest // July 17, 2009 at 6:11 pm |
I’ve never heard of this product! My pans are all metal clad Revereware from my college days! No flake, but a little sticky sometimes.
Jennifer // July 17, 2009 at 10:11 pm |
This is so helpful. As my old Teflon-coated pans are dying out, I am trying to replace them with better stuff.
Like Melissa, I also still have my Revere Ware from the early 1990s, but unfortunately it doesn’t work very well on my smooth-top range. (The bottoms aren’t perfectly flat.)
Daisy // July 20, 2009 at 3:44 pm |
Good to know! We’re gradually replacing Teflon-lined pans, too.
Ross4Teflon // July 20, 2009 at 5:16 pm |
Hi Amy – Trying to create a safer home for your family is a great thing to do, but because there’s so much misinformation out there about Teflon, I’m not surprised that you are having some concerns. I’m a representative of DuPont though, and hope you’ll let me share some information with you and your readers, so that everyone can make truly informed decisions. Regulatory agencies, consumer groups and health associations all have taken a close look at Teflon. This article highlights what they found — the bottom line is that you can use Teflon without worry.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/home-garden/kitchen/cookware-bakeware-cutlery/nonstick-pans-6-07/overview/0607_pans_ov_1.htm
I’d be glad to share additional information about it if you are interested, and appreciate your consideration of this comment. Cheers, Ross.
mangogirl53 // July 22, 2009 at 7:59 am |
Iron cookware is cheap, and virtually non-stick if treated right. Get the pans with a handle on both sides for lifting. Enamel sticks, always. Never use soap in them, scrub gently with salt if something gets stuck on them. NEVER use vegetable oils in them to season them with (or to cook with for health reasons!) I use coconut oil to season them.