Granite Coated Frying Pan: Advantages and Disadvantages

More and more new products appear on the tableware market every year. Particularly popular with consumers is the granite-coated pan. This material has non-stick properties, it differs from Teflon spraying in environmental friendliness and good performance characteristics. In our article, we will get acquainted with the nuances of choosing a frying pan, the pros and cons of each option for such dishes.

How to choose a frying pan

Many do not know which pan is the best and safest. When choosing such a product, you need to pay attention to the following nuances:

• Manufacturing material, presence or absence of non-stick coating.
• The heavier the product, the better it is. The bottom and walls in such dishes will be thick, there may be several non-stick layers.
• For operation on a gas stove, any frying pan is used.
• For glass-ceramic hobs, devices with an even and thick bottom are chosen, they warm up evenly and keep the temperature well. Copper or aluminum dishes are not suitable for such a household appliance. These items will stain the hob.
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• For operation on an induction hob, a frying pan with a special designation on the surface (in the form of an electromagnet coil) is suitable.
• The appliance must have a removable handle so it can be put in the oven.
• The optimal height of a standard frying pan is 3 centimeters, for a crepe maker, this parameter is reduced to 1 centimeter, the minimum thickness of the bottom of the product is 4 millimeters. The thicker the bottom, the better, this will prevent possible deformations.
• The diameter of the product depends on the number of households and the size of the burner. One person can use a frying pan with a diameter of 24 centimeters. If 3 people live in the house, then the diameter of the device is increased to 28 centimeters.

Do not save money on dishes, it is better to buy a quality product once than to change it every year. And remember, the cost of a good frying pan starts at 1,500 rubles.

Review of materials

The most important selection criterion is considered the material for making the pan. Previously, utensils were made of cast iron, but now other materials are used to make them. Next, we will get acquainted with the most popular types of frying pans according to the material of manufacture, consider the advantages and disadvantages of each product.

Pros and cons of an aluminum frying pan

Aluminum cookware without additional coatings is considered the cheapest frying pan option. Such products have more disadvantages than advantages, so they will soon be ousted from the market by more modern models.

The advantages of aluminum cookware include:

• fast heating of the working surface;
•  small weight;
• minimum cost.

The disadvantages of such a product are:

• burning of food during frying;
• the possibility of mechanical damage to the surface;
• dishes are afraid of exposure to alkalis and acids;
• overheating causes deformation of the product surface.

Not every housewife knows how to choose an aluminum frying pan. For this purpose, select products with a thick bottom from 5 millimeters, and it will serve you at least 5 years.

Pros and cons of stainless steel pans

Such products are chosen by professional chefs, because stainless steel does not react with food and other substances. This material preserves the natural taste of the cooked food well.

The main advantages of stainless steel products are:

• ease of care;
•  the material is not afraid of corrosion;
• the dishes have a long service life;
•  the surface is not afraid of mechanical damage, there are no traces of knives or forks on it;
• you can wash the dishes hot after cooking.

Disadvantages of the product:

• it is necessary to constantly stir food, it can burn;
• overheating of the pan leads to the formation of colored streaks on the surface, but this does not affect the quality of the food.

Aluminum products are ideal for stewing food. For home use, it is recommended to select products with thick walls and a double bottom.

Pros and cons of a cast iron pan

Cast iron is considered the oldest material used to make pans, despite this it is still popular with housewives. Cast iron cookware has high thermal conductivity, it heats up quickly and cools slowly, ideal for prolonged heat treatment of food.

The material in question is not deformed and does not come into contact with food. Over time, the surface of the pan becomes covered with a special oily film that acts as a non-stick coating. Taking care of the dishes is quite simple, rinse with water and wipe with a soft cloth. In addition, cast iron is not afraid of exposure to alkalis and acids.

To get a good quality cast iron skillet, you must first temper the cookware. They do it like this:

• The inner surface of the product is washed with a solution of water and detergent.
•  Wipe the appliance dry.
•  Lubricate the device with vegetable oil, which will allow you to get a stable non-stick film.
•  The pan is pierced for an hour in the oven at a temperature of 150 degrees. During this process, you must put the device upside down.

After such processing, you can significantly increase the service life of cast iron cookware. The main disadvantages of the considered products are considered to be a significant mass, as well as the possibility of surface damage by rust. Do not store cooked food in a cast iron pan.

Pros and cons of a copper pan

Copper cookware conducts heat well, but is expensive. Such cutlery has an antibacterial effect, combating pathogenic bacteria and fungus, preventing them from entering food.

 The main disadvantage of copper products is the impossibility of storing products with fatty acids in such a dish. With direct contact, some vitamins are destroyed, which can lead to cancer. Such products are also harmful to young children and alcoholics (when copper comes into contact with some products, harmful substances are generated that can cause cirrhosis of the liver). To prevent the negative effects of copper on the human body, it is necessary to constantly remove green plaque from the surface of the device.

What kind of coating is it better to buy a frying pan

We figured out the materials for making kitchen utensils, now we will get acquainted with the best non-stick pans.

Teflon Coated Pans

Teflon coated cutlery has been popular for many years. The main advantages of such a coating include:

• the material is resistant to acids and alkalis;
•  food can be cooked without vegetable oil;
•  food does not stick to the surface.

Despite a lot of positive qualities, Teflon also has disadvantages. When heated above 200 degrees, the product begins to emit harmful substances, carcinogens. The dishes are afraid of mechanical impacts from sharp objects, they have a short period of operation. Even the best non-stick Teflon frying pan needs special care. Food in such dishes is turned with wooden or silicone spatulas; a soft foam rubber sponge without abrasive substances is used to clean the surface. With proper care, the Teflon coating can last up to 4 years.

Pans with ceramic coating

 One of the best coatings for a frying pan is ceramics. In terms of properties, this material resembles Teflon, but has even more useful characteristics. The advantages of the products under consideration include:

• high indicators of durability;
•  naturalness of the coating material;
• absence of harmful secretions with strong surface heating;
• cutlery is not afraid of being hit by a knife or any other sharp object.

Along with the advantages of a stone frying pan, there are several disadvantages:

• such dishes are not used for cooking on induction cookers;
•  products are afraid of temperature changes;
•  the material is not dishwasher safe.

Always choose expensive quality home products. Unscrupulous sellers can slip you enamelled aluminum cookware.

Titanium Coated Pans

 In terms of technical characteristics, such products are similar to cast iron dishes. These are reliable and expensive cutlery that can be used for stewing and frying food, as well as for baking various dishes in the oven.

The main advantages of the products in question are:

• uniform and fast heating of the surface;
•  good wear resistance;
•  resistance of the coating to sharp objects;
•  ease of cooking, no need to add oil;
• minimal harm to a frying pan with a titanium coating, it is absolutely safe for humans;
• the material does not rust or deform.

Such cookware is considered one of the most expensive, it is not suitable for use on an induction hob.

Marble Coated Pans

A stone frying pan interspersed with marble is the same Teflon coated product, so they have similar technical characteristics, pros and cons of use.

The advantages of the products in question include:

• affordable cost;
• attractive appearance;
•  ease of cleaning the surface;
• the presence of a non-stick coating, food does not stick to the walls of the dishes.

There are several drawbacks to marble-coated products. Their main disadvantage is considered to be a short period of operation, therefore, it is necessary to carefully handle the non-stick coating, use wooden spatulas to mix the products.

Granite Coated Pans

Considering all kinds of non-stick coatings for pans, you should pay attention to the model with a surface that imitates granite. Solid particles improve the technical characteristics of the protective film, making it durable and strong compared to Teflon. The granite coating does not separate from the product when exposed to high temperatures and does not pose a danger to human health.

 The surface of such dishes warms up evenly, which ensures good stewing or frying of food in all areas of the product. Food does not stick to the surface during heat treatment, it can be easily removed with a regular kitchen sponge dipped in detergent. The only drawback of the product is the relative fragility of the non-stick material, so you need to use wooden spatulas to stir the food.

Quality marks

The quality of products can be determined by the following parameters:

• Mass, the more the dishes weigh, the more reliable they are.
•  Manufacturing material (cast iron, aluminum, stainless steel or copper). Each product has its own strengths and weaknesses. We got acquainted with the characteristics of the material above.
• The convenience of use. The undoubted leader in this category is cast iron cookware, it heats up quickly and retains heat well.
• The presence of a non-stick coating. Such cutlery is easy to use, but they are short-lived. The more convex the bottom relief and the thicker the wall, the better
• The presence of a special holder for the handle. If necessary, you can remove the fasteners and turn the pan into a pie pan.

For a gas stove, cookware with a ribbed bottom is ideal; for a ceramic hob, it is recommended to use cutlery with a bottom thickness of at least 3 millimeters. Any type of frying pan is required for a standard electric stove.

 Caring for your non-stick frying pan

When preparing food, use wooden or silicone spatulas. It is not recommended to use metal objects for mixing food. Even the finest non-stick skillet will not survive the impact. Metallic objects will create scratches, resulting in surface destruction.

Overheating of such dishes is also undesirable, sudden temperature changes will lead to the destruction of the coating. The dishes must not be washed with abrasive products, and also use for this purpose chemical preparations containing alkalis and acids in the composition.

Non-stick frying pan lifespan

The service life of the product depends on the thickness of the coating. Cookware with a thin protective layer, if used correctly, will serve its owner for at least 3 years, the textured layer extends the service life up to 6 years, the well-defined rough surface does not less than 10 years.