“Green” Skillets- not so green.

I get through a lot of skillets, especially non-stick ones. Wear and tear and scrubbing and washing take their toll. The September/October issue of Cook’s Illustrated carried an interesting article by Meredith Butcher describing tests the magazine had conducted on so-called “green” skillets now on the market. Unfortunately the results were not very good as you will see below.

So what’s wrong with regular non-stick - aka Teflon-coated? These pans and skillets use two controversial chemicals: PFOA and PFTE. While some “green” skillets have eliminated both from their coatings, some still us PTFE. What are they? PFOA, or perfluorooctanoic acid, is a processing agent widely used in manufacturing. It has been detected in water, food, wildlife and human blood samples. The EPA cites it for causing birth defects in laboratory animals and has urged companies to stop using it altogether by 2015. PFTE is polytetrafluoroethylene, a moisture repellent. Although inert, if it reaches temperatures above 660 degrees (say if you left an empty pan on the heat for a while) PFTE breaks down and releases toxic fumes that can kill birds (!) and cause flu like symptoms in people.

Cookware makers have launched a variety of nonstick pans claiming to be “green” and promising better performance: two of the new coatings (ceramic and silicone) have none of the chemicals described earlier, but a third, such as the Scanpan Professional, eliminates only PFOA. Performance and durability tests conducted by both Cook’s Illustrated and the Cookware Manufacturers Association showed that the “new” coatings did not stand up as well as traditional nonstick. Back to the drawing board people. Of course the original “green” skillet is still a favorite: the good old cast-iron skillet- chemical-free, inexpensive and lasts a lifetime with some care. It does need seasoning and is heavy however. I guess being green requires some commitment even in the kitchen.

If you have tried any of these new skillets, why not share your experience and opinion on them here?