You have probably heard about the many dangers of Teflon frying pans, the light, and non-stick pans. Even though they have several benefits, such as weighting almost nothing, being convenient, and requiring no pre-treatment, they still cause serious damage if not treated in the proper manner.
As mentioned above, Teflon frying pans cause damage only if not treated properly. However, any overheating of the pan itself can cause the non-stick coating to break, releasing toxic chemicals that cause fly symptoms in people and kill pet birds. Overheating Teflon can cause illness for even minute or two. In addition, it is also associated with decreased fertility, high cholesterol, thyroid disease, and cancer. This is definitely a too big risk to take.
You are probably wondering which options remain. Well, you have two options: ceramic or cast iron. Both of them come with their own advantages and less disadvantages. Consider the following information considering these two options, respectively:
CERAMIC
PROS OF CERAMIC PANS :
- Non-Scratch and Non-stick
Ceramic pans are metal free and they are truly non-stick, unlike the newer cast iron.
- Ceramic is Non-Stick
As mentioned above, ceramic is non-stick almost as Teflon. Some pans need a bit butter or oil in the pan, but some don’t.
- Oven Safe
Make sure you check the brand before buying ceramic pan. Some ceramic cookware is not oven safe. The ones that are go in the same ease that cast iron does.
- Super Easy to Clean
As ceramic is not uneven as the cast iron, it can be cleaned with a bit of soaking and a dishcloth. Even in case it is caked and gross, it is super easy to clean.
- Heat Evenly
This is really important because when you cook, ceramic pans cook even and clean, with very little residue when you are cleaning them afterwards.
CONS OF CERAMIC PANS :
- Price
You can rarely see some of them going cheaply. In comparison to cast iron, you cannot just buy them at a local garage sale for the price of a simple coffee.
- Heavy
Almost all ceramic are heavy as cast iron, but there are some brands that manufacture lighter versions of ceramic skillets.
- Fragile
Many people report having this problem. In case you accidentally drop one of these pans, it is going to crack, break, or shatter.
To sum up, ceramic is good idea for an adult-only home. It can be a bit risky to have ceramic in a house with kids. However, ceramic is easy to care and probably a more practical than cast iron, for instance. The main problems are the breaking factor and the high price tag.
CAST IRON :
Many people are not keen on cast iron pans. However, properly seasoned cast iron pan is fine to cook acidic food in. Consider the following pros and cons:
PROS OF CAST IRON PANS :
- Oven Safe
You can throw your cast iron skillet in the oven without worries. You can ensure even heat in the pan, or bake a pasta dish after finishing tossing it in the sauce you have made in the pan.
- You can Use it Anywhere
The good news is that you can use the cast iron skillet anywhere. It is definitely the only multipurpose pan you can get. You can toss it into a campfire with no worries.
- Metal Utensil Safe
Cast iron is utensil safe, meaning you can use metal utensils in a cast iron pan. Don’t believe anyone who tells you differently because there is nothing bad about metal utensils here.
- Indestructible
You can drop a cast iron pan on the floor and it will handle any abuse you can throw at it. It is indestructible indeed. Moreover, once you buy a cast iron skillet, it will last forever. You can also consider buying an old cast iron. By polishing its interior you will get a more non-stick that a newer pan. It seems that buying an old one is more practical than buying new one.
- You Can Wash Them ( or not) as You See Fit
One of the main myths when it comes to cast iron is that it cannot be washed with soap and water. However, this is not true. Cast iron can be washed, or not, to your preference. It is recommended to wash it with boiling water, and give it a proper scrub once in every two weeks.
CONS OF CAST IRON PANS :
- Cast Iron isn’t Totally Non-Stick
Cast iron can function as non-stick, but you have to prep the pan first.
- Cast Iron doesn’t Heat Evenly
The part that is directly exposed over the heat gets hot, but the rest remains relatively cool. The ones who like to cool multiple things at once at different temperatures will find this as a bonus. However, most people find this to be a big disadvantage.
- Cast Iron Requires Seasoning
As most new pans come pre-seasoned, this isn’t difficult. However, the older ones require stripping and doing your own seasoning. It may seem like a bunch of work, but seasoning only needs to happen rarely.
- Cast Iron is REALLY Heavy
Everyone will agree that cast iron is really heavy. Maybe you can flip a pancake with cast iron, but it requires a good practice.
