How to choose non-stick cookware that lasts
Non-stick lasts if you treat it as a coated pan, not as a sufuria. Medium heat, soft tools, no scouring. We will not print a year count we cannot stand behind.
Kenyan shops sell a lot of granite and marble-look sets. Some last. Some lose the coat in a month because someone cooked ugali in them on a roaring jiko. The coating is a thin layer. Once it is scratched, food sticks and the pan is finished as non-stick.
What the coating can do
Eggs release. Chapati colours without a pool of oil. Tomato sauce does not weld to the wall. That is the job. It is not the job of a 50 cm hotel pot and it is not the job of daily ugali.
| Do | Do not |
|---|---|
| Use wood or silicone spoons | Use a metal masher or knife in the pan |
| Cook on medium heat | Preheat an empty pan on full flame |
| Wash by hand with a soft sponge | Scour with wire |
| Stack with a cloth between pans | Throw pans into a crate |
| Replace when food welds on | Keep cooking on a peeling coat |
Which size to buy first
Most homes need one frying pan, not five. The 28 cm non-stick frying pan is the family size. Add the 30 cm chapati pan if you make bread more than once a week. The 3-piece saucepan set is for milk, sauce and oats, not for beans.
A 24 cm pan is enough for one or two people. A 32 cm pan is wide and uses more oil. Start in the middle.
Sets versus open stock
A 10-piece non-stick set looks like value. You often pay for lids and sizes you will not use, and the coating quality is the same thin layer on every piece. If the set is a gift, fine. If you are buying for your own stove, a good 28 cm pan plus one saucepan will outlast a cheap tower of pots.
Heat source
Gas is kind to non-stick if you keep the flame under the base. A charcoal jiko can scorch the coat because the heat is hard to meter. Induction only works if the base is made for it. Ask. We will not tick induction on a pan we have not checked.
When to stop using it
If the black layer is flaking, stop. Cook in aluminium or steel instead. A worn non-stick pan is not a bargain. It is a sufuria with a bad surface.
See all non-stick cookware and frying pans and woks. For everyday stew, stay with aluminium sufurias.