How To Keep Nonstick Pans From Getting Scratched Up Each Time You Store Them - Tasting Table

"Nothing makes a weekday dinner easier than the convenience of nonstick pans. They can save a lot of time by limiting how much food sticks to the surface and the amount of cooking oil that's needed. Cleanup is a breeze too, and even the messiest of meals simply wipe off the pan in the sink - no scrubbing needed. Nonstick cookware is a common kitchen tool every cook should have, but it isn't bulletproof, despite a low-maintenance design."

"In fact, these pans are vulnerable to scratches and chips, because nonstick coatings like polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), commercially known as Teflon, are inherently softer than metal. This means if they're tumble-stacked into a cabinet, fellow metallic pots and pans may scuff the coating. This is especially true if they have rough edges or exposed screws that can drag along your pan's surface."

"This is more than an aesthetic problem, although scratches do dull the shine of your pan's interior. The bigger issue with scratched pans is that the nonstick coating breaks down, which loosens its matrix and may release unwanted particles into your foods. Your pan may also lose its nonstick power, leaving you with charred food scraps instead of a slick surface. Scratched nonstick pans are tricker to clean as well, and usually require more scrubbing to get burnt bits out due to a rougher texture"

Nonstick pans save time by limiting food sticking and reducing the amount of cooking oil required, and they make cleanup quick since residue often wipes away without scrubbing. Nonstick coatings such as PTFE (Teflon) are softer than metal and are vulnerable to scratches and chips when metallic cookware rubs against them during storage. Scratches compromise the coating, degrade nonstick performance, and can release particles into food while making pans harder to clean. Lining pans with paper plates, paper towels, cloths, or dedicated pot-and-pan protectors creates a buffer that prevents scraping and improves stacked stability.

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