Throwing a good nonstick pan in the trash is a humbling, yet completely avoidable experience. While it’s true that even one scratch can land the best All-Clad frying pans or your favorite Caraway sauté pan in the trash, any home cook can take some simple steps to avoid damaging the seemingly delicate cookware. The most important of which is recognizing that nonstick is not a universally optimal cooking material.
“If you feel like you need high heat, then you are using the wrong pan,” said Mike (Donnie) Joseph, chef at The Grocery in Charleston. But nonstick cookware still plays a role in Joseph’s kitchen. He recommends using it to cook foods like fish, eggs, rice, and pancakes, as well as to reheat leftovers — just not for achieving a crisp sear on your ribeye steaks. Joseph also said it’s best to avoid thin constructions: “I feel like thicker, slightly weightier pans are better because once heated, they retain the heat better. With a thin pan, you risk overheating.” And luckily, if you’re a nonstick cookware user like me, I’ve been testing and loving exactly the thick, heavy-duty everyday pan you’ll want for your kitchen.
Hestan Titum Fusion 4.5-Quart Nonstick Essential Pan
Amazon
Hestan’s 4.5-quart Essential Pan is part of the brand’s newest line of Titum Nonstick cookware. The new “fusion” design features an aluminum body with a base reinforced by two stainless steel discs. I love using it on my glass stovetop because it’s made to remain flat and prevent warping (not that our editors or I have encountered warping with Hestan’s old line). More importantly, Hestan claims the diamond- and titanium-reinforced nonstick coating has 22 times the durability of other traditional nonstick cookware and is metal utensil-safe.
According to Joseph, you should “only use plastic, silicone, or wood,” adding that “metal utensils will scratch the coating, and toxic chemicals can get in your food.” For most nonstick cookware, I’d agree, but Hestan’s nonstick is a different beast entirely. I’ve used my stainless steel utensil set on the Essential Pan several times, and it’s scratch-free. In general, I still recommend using a go-to wooden spoon or silicone spatula, but so far, this pan has held up well to metal utensils. And to ensure longevity, I always “place a kitchen towel in the pan so that there is no direct contact with the surface,” as Joseph said he does at home and in the restaurant.
According to Joseph, dry heat can severely damage your cookware. “You should never heat an empty nonstick pan,” he said. “Always use some fat, like butter or oil, or put whatever you are going to be cooking in the pan.” I’ve admittedly turned my back on this Hestan pan while preheating on the stove and realized how much time had passed without my adding any fat or liquid. Even after minutes at medium heat, the 500°F-safe pan didn’t feel overly hot and wasn’t smoking, which Joseph warns is a state you want to avoid. I credit the slow, gentle heating to the double-impact base and the pan’s overall thickness, which gives me some wiggle room when I inevitably make a cooking faux pas.
It’s the perfect dinner pan, too. I’ve used it for tabletop hot pot over an induction cooker, curries and Ma Po Tofu on the stovetop, and braised dishes in the oven. When filled nearly to the brim with liquid, it simmers evenly across the surface, never with any hot spots. I also love Hestan’s classic stainless steel handle. It’s highly ergonomic and offers a ridge to delineate where the handle is too hot to touch without a kitchen towel.
At $250, the Hestan Essential Pan is undoubtedly a splurge, but it’s well worth the money. From the double-impact base to the diamond- and titanium-toughened nonstick surface, you can visualize this cookware’s toughness and rest assured that a little unattentiveness won’t immediately send it to the trash.
Shop More Top-Rated Nonstick Cookware at Amazon
Hestan Titum Fusion 9.5-Inch Nonstick Skillet
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All-Clad HA1 Hard-Anodized Nonstick Fry Pan Set
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Caraway Nonstick Ceramic Sauté Pan with Lid
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Le Creuset 2-Piece Toughened Nonstick Pro Cookware Set
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Made In Cookware Ceramic Non Stick Frying Pan
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At the time of publishing, the price was $250.
