Why do we buy high-priced stainless steel cookware? Well, it lasts longer, performs better, is (probably) used more than all your other cookware and provides greater value over its lifespan than cheap alternatives. Non-stick cookware does not follow these same rules.
Perhaps most importantly, non-stick cookware is not used nearly enough to warrant the pricetags more premium brands place on it. Its greatest feats are flippable eggs and its delicate treatment of fish. There’s also the simple fact that all non-stick pans have an expiration date, whether it’s advertised or not (the closest you’ll get is a warranty duration).
This is because — through heating, cooling, flipping, scratches and cleaning — all non-stick pans eventually shed their precious non-stick coating, making them completely worthless to cook on. Most even have a number of “releases” they’re good for (how many eggs you’ll be able to flip), but rarely make this information public.
This all adds up to a very happy ending — in the world of non-stick cooking, you’re better off buying cheap and simply replacing your pan when the coating begins to flake or food doesn’t want to come off it. And if you’re in the market now, T-Fal’s perfectly satisfactory non-stick skillet is a whopping 78 percent off on Amazon today. That’s down from $50 to $11.