Are Ceramic Coated Frying Pans Safe? – How to Choose and Use? The ceramic frying pan appeared on the market in 2007. Among the products with non-stick coating, it is the safest. Products are manufactured using special technology. The durability of the coating depends on its observance.
How Are Ceramic Frying Pans Made?
A ceramic frying pan is a metal product with a thin non-stick coating. Blanks are made from metals, most often using aluminum, cast iron, and steel. Cheaper models are extruded from the aluminum sheet by stamping. Higher quality and more expensive models are made by casting. The blanks are coated with a ceramic mixture.
The ceramic layer is on the inside and outside of the pan. It is needed so that the food does not burn. For the manufacture of such dishes, 2 methods are used:
Roller roll
The method allows a thin (up to 50 µm) coating. The metal is cleaned of the oxide film, and a liquid composition of sand and stone dust is applied. The layer thickness is 15-20 microns. The parts are dried and fired, and then another layer is applied. After that, the dishes are shaped.
Spraying
The process occurs in chambers with an inert gas: a mixture of clay, sand, and stone dust in a plasma jet is sprayed onto cast ingots. During the spraying process, a temperature of over +1500°C is reached. All silicon-containing components melt firmly welded to the metal. The layer thickness on the outer and inner sides of the blank processed is about 70 µm.
After processing, the dishes become similar to heat-resistant products made of opaque tempered glass or glass-ceramic.
How to Check the Quality of a Ceramic Coating?
When choosing a ceramic non-stick frying pan, you should pay special attention to the coating condition. The high quality of the ceramic shell is judged by its appearance:
- Smooth surface without chips, sags, cracks, etc.;
- Uniform color, without inclusions in the form of dark and light dots;
- Light yellowish shades (beige, ivory, etc.) indicate the absence of colors in the ceramic mass.
A careful examination of the inner surface helps distinguish a pan with a reel from one sprayed. Microcracks appear in the ceramic while forming a flat workpiece with a knurled coating. They reduce the quality of the top layer. You can identify such a frying pan by thin strips at the fold points.
A higher-quality sprayed layer does not have such marks. Frying pans with ceramic coating are made from pre-formed blanks. The coating is not subjected to mechanical stress and retains solidity.
How to Select the Shape and Size of a Ceramic Frying Pan?
Experienced cooks use pans of different sizes or shapes to prepare some special dishes. At home, large and small pans are also used constantly. Some universal models have an average diameter (18-22 cm) and can be used for frying, heating, baking, etc.
In the model range of ceramic frying pans, there are also special containers:
1. Pancake
It has a flat bottom and low sides, which allow you to turn the baked product over carefully. The bottom diameter is 22-25 cm. When choosing such a frying pan, it is advisable to choose a base made of cast iron: it heats up more evenly and gives off heat more slowly.
2. Grill
Ribs are cast at the bottom of the container. The relief allows you to get the effects of toasting and baking simultaneously: the juice flowing into the recesses evaporates, contributing to baking, and a high-temperature zone forms on high ribs, and the products are covered with strips of fried crust. The shape of the products allows you to choose a convenient square or rectangular pan. But traditional round products are also produced.
3. Wok
The peculiarity is the rounded bottom, which smoothly passes into the walls. It allows you to get uniform heating of all pan parts and quickly fry food. It is better to choose a steel base.
4. Saucepan
A deep container designed for long-term simmering or stewing. In such a container, it is convenient to bake dishes in the oven, so the handle is made removable. The best material is cast aluminum or cast iron, but the latter is quite heavy. Most often, aluminum is preferred.
When choosing a new dish, you need to pay attention to its thickness (indicated in the instructions). The best is the one that has a bottom with a thickness of at least 3-5 mm, and the walls are not thinner than 3 mm. A low-quality knurled pan is narrower than a cast pan with a plasma-sprayed ceramic coating. Thick-walled models have a longer service life. They are not subject to deformation. The layer retains quality longer.
How to Choose a Ceramic Frying Pan?
Manufacturers apply markings on ceramic products, by which it is possible to understand for which type of stoves the selected model is suitable. In addition to marking, the suitability of the pan for the hob in the house can be judged by some signs:
- If there is a gas stove in the kitchen, any ceramic product will do.
- If an electric stove is used, it is better to buy pans with a flat and flat bottom (on the outside).
- The walls of the dishes should not be thin: with intensive heating on gas, stamped aluminum is deformed. It is advisable to choose containers with a dark bottom color on the outside since such dishes heat up more quickly.
- The bottom diameter should be equal to or slightly larger than the burners available on the electric stove.
- A modern induction cooker will not even turn on if the material does not meet the conditions for its operation.
- You need to buy a pan only from steel or cast iron for such a device, choosing a model with a bare ceramic bottom.
- If there is a glass-ceramic stove in the house, you can buy ceramic-coated containers without risk. It is the best choice because surfaces of equal strength will not damage each other.
However, the selection criteria can be the quality of the coating and other features. An important characteristic is the thickness of the metal base. The shape or size of the working surface, versatility, and appearance can be necessary for the hostess herself.
Can Ceramic Cookware Be Used in the Oven?
Yes, You Can! The ceramic coating withstands the high temperatures of the oven well. It is preferable to choose containers with removable handles. Handles are often finished with plastic or silicone, which can be damaged in a heated cabinet. In addition, the handle will interfere with the installation of the pan.
When cooking in the oven, a ceramic frying pan is placed in a cold cupboard and only then turned on. The edges or walls of the dishes should not touch the oven’s borders or its heating elements.
What is the Advantage of Ceramic Frying Pans
The advantages of ceramic coating include:
- Environmental friendliness of materials;
- Dense surface without pores;
- The possibility of frying without fat;
- Beautiful colors.
What is the Disadvantage of Ceramic Frying Pans
The main disadvantage is the fragility of the coating. When dropped on the floor, the sprayed layer may break off or crack; quickly disable the container. Temperature fluctuation is also a factor. The product must not be placed on a hot burner or a cold surface immediately after cooking.
How Do You Take Care of a Ceramic Frying Pan?
Before use, the product is washed with soap, rinsed in warm water, and dried. Apply some fat to the surface. To harden the coating, the pan is heated (the manufacturer indicates the time in the instructions) and then gradually cooled.
During operation, do not place frozen food on a hot surface. If the food is burnt, do not fill the hot container with water. You need to wash the pan with special products to care for ceramic dishes.
Are Ceramic Coated Frying Pans Safe – Is It Safe to Use?
The ceramics on the pan’s surface are made of clay and sand. It does not contain polytetrafluoroethylene and perfluorooctanoic acid, found in Teflon coatings. The ceramic surface does not emit toxic substances when heated and has no foreign smell. It is the safest among non-stick materials.