When do your pans actually need replacing?

Are you also attached to certain pans? An old workhorse of a frying pan that you may have received once, or a paella pan that reminds you of golden holidays, or simply a cheap non-stick pan that still makes the best omelettes? Then it can be difficult to say goodbye when they’ve had their day. Here’s how to prevent or recognise that:

Because a pan’s lifespan depends on the material it is made of, and on how (often) you use and maintain it. So always diligently follow the care instructions, and preferably ask for advice as well if you buy your pan from a reputable cookware shop. We’ll also tell you what to do if it really does have to go to pan heaven…

Brown spots or rust stains

If your pan shows some rust, it doesn’t necessarily need to be thrown away immediately. Depending on the material, you can very carefully scrub with the rough side of a scouring pad (cast iron and stainless steel), and for stainless steel you can optionally use a paste made from boiling water and baking soda (not baking powder) or a product such as Staalfix. Never use any kind of scouring pad or abrasive product on an enamelled or non-stick pan.

Warping

If you run cold water—which is (very likely) colder than the pan itself—over a hot pan, you cause the base to warp. That isn’t necessarily dangerous, but you do need to bear in mind that you can no longer heat something completely evenly in that pan. With a large pasta pot, that’s less of an issue than with a small frying pan in which you want to cook the most delicious steaks. Decide for yourself whether you can live with it…

Non-stick coating

People don’t like hearing this, but as soon as that coating starts to flake, it’s time to get rid of the pan. Pans with a Teflon coating that were purchased before 2015 are also recommended for replacement. Before then, it was still permitted to use the substance PFOA in Teflon; a substance that has since been linked to various forms of cancer.

Time to say Goodbye

If you want to get rid of pans because you’ve simply collected too many (guilty), first check which ones are still in good usable condition and take those to a thrift store. If they need to be thrown away: in principle, they can go with the general waste, because in the Netherlands another sorting stage takes place before general waste is incinerated. But if you have the opportunity, it’s always a good idea to take them to a waste collection centre; there, they can properly assess whether the iron and metals can still be reused.

Also read:

• 15 times everything went completely wrong in the kitchen
• Do you do this with empty eggshells too? Shame on you!
• The easiest way to cook perfect rice