Ask Wirecutter: Why Is My Nonstick Pan Still Sticking? | Reviews by Wirecutter

Feb 26, 2025

By Annemarie Conte

Annemarie Conte is an editor who writes the Ask Wirecutter column and trending-product reviews. She’d love to make you a friendship bracelet.

Welcome to Ask Wirecutter, where deputy editor Annemarie Conte helps you figure out how to make the most of your stuff in real life. If you have a shopping conundrum for our advice columnist, submit it using this form.

Dear Wirecutter:

Why can’t I find a pan that is nonstick every time? In short: I have yet to find a coating that I am happy with. I’ve spent a lot of time developing the nonstick coating on our carbon-steel pan, and things are still sticking. My wife’s patience is running out. My goal is to have a pan that is foolproof, that we can cook with and scrub without a litany of additional and constantly changing instructions.

S.R.

Dear S.R.,

It’s admirable that you’ve taken on this mission, and your hard work in the name of relationship harmony is duly noted. Most pans with nonstick coatings require a bit of TLC, and if we can beg a bit more patience from your wife, I know this problem is solvable.

First, there are many kinds of nonstick pans, and the talented experts on our kitchen team have tried them all. Nothing is going to rise to the level of foolproof slickness that pans coated in polytetrafluoroethylene (or PTFE, often known under the brand name Teflon) offer. I’m going to outline a few of the pan types and their pros and cons to help get you to a better place.

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Many nonstick pans get their slickness from a PTFE chemical coating. The coating on these pans is hydrophobic, slippery, and nonreactive (meaning you can cook acidic foods in them).

Some people try to avoid these pans because PTFE is a type of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), often nicknamed “forever chemicals.” I won’t get into the details here, but if you want to read more about the potential environmental and health risks of using PFAS-coated cookware, there’s a helpful section in our guide to nonsick pans.

With its classic, flared-lip shape, slick nonstick coating, and comfortable handle, this quality pan will last for years.

There are also ceramic nonstick pans, which claim to be safer because they don’t use PTFE. “Ceramic” is a bit of a misnomer (and it also shouldn’t be confused with the enamel surface on, say, a Dutch oven). The coating is actually a ceramic-like coating called sol-gel, which is just as slick as PTFE, at least at first; we get into the details in our nonstick-pans guide.

Both of these types of pans are total divas, and they both have similar downsides. They should not be preheated while empty. They’re not intended for high-heat use. And they should be used only with silicone tools (not metal), to avoid scratching that nonstick coating.

While our top-pick nonstick pan, the Tramontina Professional 10-Inch Restaurant Fry Pan, comes with a lifetime warranty, it’s really built to be used for only about five years, or when the coating starts to degrade. (On the flip side, stainless-steel and cast-iron pans should last a lifetime, at least.) PTFE-coated pans have the added downside of containing questionable chemicals.

Ceramic can lose its nonstickness much more quickly—often within a year or less. We don’t think these pans are worth your time or money.

But all pans can be nonstick—if you know how to use them.

Cast-iron pans have existed for hundreds of years, and scores of decades-old pans are still being used regularly. Carbon-steel pans are a more-recent cookware development, and they have grown more popular in the US in the past several years.

This affordable pan is lighter than a traditional cast-iron skillet and a little shallower. It’s an ideal shape for searing, roasting, and sautéing.

This kitchen workhorse can fry an egg without sticking, and it produces a dark, crusty sear on steaks and chops.

Cast-iron and carbon-steel pans stay nonstick through a process called “seasoning,” in which layers of polymerized fat are baked onto the metal to create a slick cooking surface.

While a carbon-steel or cast-iron pan will never be as nonstick as a PTFE pan, you can get close. The key to using these pans effectively is knowing how to build and maintain that seasoning, as well as utilizing some best practices for cooking in them. (I outline some tips on that a little farther down.)

Both our top-pick carbon-steel pan and our favorite cast-iron pan come pre-seasoned, so new pans already have a relatively nonstick base from first use. But you need to continue to build that base over time—likely for around three to six months. You said you’ve been working on this, so that’s great!

In her testing, senior staff writer Lesley Stockton noted that frying onions in the pan helped to jump-start the polymerization needed to reinforce the pan’s seasoning. Similarly, senior editor Marilyn Ong uses a method recommended by cookbook author Grace Young for seasoning a carbon-steel wok: Stir-fry scallions in it for 20 to 30 minutes. I think this is worth trying as an easy way to build that slick coating.

With carbon-steel and cast-iron pans, cleaning should be done with a light touch. This is where we suspect you’re running into trouble. Generally, all you need is a small bit of soap and a gentle wipe, but the video above goes into more detail. Scrubbing too deeply can remove all of that wonderful nonstick seasoning you’ve built up, and this might be why you’re seeing reduced performance. Also, remember to dry your pan thoroughly.

To further maintain the seasoning, re-season the pan after every wash: Rub a tiny amount of whatever high-smoke-point oil isn’t being vilified at the moment (avocado?). Then heat until all of the oil is burned off, and let the pan cool.

Cast-iron and carbon-steel pans are oven-safe. But note that cooking acidic foods is not recommended in either of them because the metal tends to be reactive, imparting an off-flavor to the food, though seasoning can help with that. “A well-used and well-seasoned pan could probably tolerate the occasional handful of chopped tomatoes or squeeze of lemon to make a pan sauce,” Lesley wrote in our guide to carbon-steel pans. “But I’d feel comfortable doing that only after six months to a year of heavy use.”

The biggest difference between cast-iron and carbon-steel pans—aside from the materials they’re made from—is the weight. Our “lightweight” Lodge pick is 6½ pounds (versus 8½ pounds for the standard Lodge), while the 10” OXO carbon steel pan is a petite 2.75 pounds. A heavier cast-iron pan takes longer to heat up than a lighter-weight pan, but it will also hold more heat. Once it’s hot, it will stay hot, so it is great for tasks like searing steaks or deep-frying.

On the other hand, carbon steel is more responsive to temperature changes: It heats up faster, but it will also cool faster when you throw cool ingredients in a hot pan.

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This skillet is a proven workhorse with superior heat conduction and durable construction.

If you just love giving your pan a good scrub and can’t break the habit, this might blow your mind: You can absolutely cook food in stainless steel without it sticking.

Many professional chefs use stainless-steel skillets for all kinds of tasks. They can’t do everything—custardy, soft-scrambled eggs are a challenge, though not impossible—and with the right technique, stainless skillets can get you pretty far. The good news is that cooking in stainless is identical to the steps you’d take with a cast-iron or carbon-steel pan, though you don’t need to be nearly as precious when you’re cleaning.

I have faith that you’re going to get that carbon-steel beauty up and running to its maximum potential. And then, whenever you need to make a rich tomato sauce or a red-wine reduction, go ahead and pull out the stainless steel.

This article was edited by Marguerite Preston, Katie Okamoto, and Maxine Builder.

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Annemarie Conte

Deputy Editor

I write the Ask Wirecutter advice column, review trending products, and dig into product-focused investigations.

Whenever possible, I like to offer free fixes, low-cost solutions, and bigger investments so that readers can decide which option works best for them. I write about what is worth buying, what is overhyped junk, and everything in between.

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