Calphalon Nonstick Cookware

Q: Is calphalon nonstick stainless steel cookware safe?

A: Calphalon seems to have discontinued its line of non-stick stainless steel cookware, perhaps due to the any complaints of the non-stick surface peeling off. Needless to say, non-stick coating in your food is not good for your health.

Their more recent non-stick line of cookware is anodized aluminum. In theory, this should be safe, however, if the surface becomes scratched at all, it exposes the aluminum underneath, which is definitely not healthy. Customer feedback has reported that this surface is great at the beginning, but does not seem to hold up well to long-term use, even when treated with care (i.e. not using metal utensils or putting the cookware in the dishwasher).

I still recommend either well-seasoned cast iron cookware or carbon steel pans as the best cookware with a non-stick surface. Cast iron cookware is great cooking for just about everything, though eggs can sometimes stick to even a well-seasoned cast iron pan.

In this case, I would advise using a carbon steel pan. I cook both friend and scrambled eggs regularly in my little old carbon steel pan that I bought at a flea market in France for a couple of euros, and it makes the best eggs I've ever had. Neither fried nor scrambled eggs stick to it. They are also great for those who have a hard time with the weight of cast iron.

The only drawback is that you need to season it (if it's new) in the same way as a cast iron pan. Some sort of fat or oil needs to be applied at the beginning and after every subsequent wash (no soap!) for a little while, and dried THOROUGHLY to avoid rusting, until it builds up its non-stick coating. After that it can be treated a little less carefully and will naturally resist rusting.

DeBuyer is a good brand. They produce solid carbon-steel pans that hold up well and will last for years. And if you're lucky enough to find an old carbon steel pan at a yard sale, all the better!