Okay, just what do you do when you find the teflon coating of various pans starting to peel off?

I kind of hate to just throw them out, and yet somehow they don't really seem safe to use for cooking once they start to peel.

Any suggestions beyond using 'teflon compliant' utensils when cooking with them to help keep that coating last longer?

Thanks.

-- winterwondering (winterwondring@yahoo.com), January 20, 2000

Answers

Toss them and buy cast iron.

-- >"< (nuts@upina.mizzenmast), January 20, 2000.

I've wondered myself why the manufacturer's don't come up with some spray on recoating product. Might need baking on, who knows? Email Dupont and have a whinge. Ta Perils

-- Pauline from Australia (paulinej@angliss.vic.edu.au), January 20, 2000.

the peeling is very hazardous to your health in several ways.

The flakes and flaps of the coating will trap food in uncleanable spaces. This will not only tend to reed bacteria and toxins, since the average coated pan is aluminum (which may be very hazardous all by itself) it will tend to be pitted and corroded even faster than normal by the trapped foods and oils trapping even more deris.

The coatings themselves are held on by adhesives that are not good to ingest. Teflon and later derivitives and related compounds are very dificult to glue on, so the wholesomeness of the adhesive is less selectable than that of the coating itself. Because of this, recoating in the home is virtually impossile. It takes "industrial strength" chemicals to get it all together in the first place.

Such damaged pans can be used for outdoor play, boiling water for adding humidity to the air, hanging on trip lines for cheap alarm systems, etc. But I would not suggest using them. Once such a pan gets the first gouge, it is no longer safe for food.

-- tree (thetrees@bigfoot.com), January 20, 2000.

Teflon-coated cooking appliances can be re-coated.

I've located one company in the USA (details follow) but there must be dozens of them - any company doing Teflon or "industrial powder" coatings could do it, and some of them probably do. If you've bought (or can have the gall to say you've bought) a Teflon-coated appliance a few years ago from a quality store, then phone them, and explain that you now need the appliance re-coated. They may be able to help or advise - works in Australia anyway.

First, decide if you want it recoated. Stainless steel is usually better, and easier to clean. As someone said, cast iron is a good candidate in some cases too - that, heat and a smear of fat or oil makes the original low-tech non-stick surface. Either one will last almost forever without needing re-coating, and you can get a long way toward the cost of a quality replacement for the cost of recoating an inferior appliance.

Second, decide if you want it recoated. Maybe an adequate answer would be just to scour off the Teflon, and to use it in the raw (the cooking appliance in the raw, that is).

Third, decide whether you can have it recoated. The process requires baking in an industrial oven - there are NO adhesives involved, just a Teflon covering melted over the surface - but you will need to take off any plastic pieces, handles, etc. If they're molded on, then it can't be done. If you don't take them off yourself before you send the item in, they're likely to get lost and not come back to you. These firms are using a BIG industrial oven to do lots of little domestic pots and pans - they are not set up to keep track of bits and pieces.

The US organisation I found (no guarantees, don't know it) is:

Continental Industries, Inc. 20757 S.W. 105th Avenue P.O. Box 927 Tualatin, Oregon 97062 Phone (503) 692-3400 Fax (503) 692-3401 E-mail cii@teleport.com Web Site www.continentalcompanies.co m

When you get into their site, go for "recoating frypans", then their "schedule" page also has prices.

To the perilous one: in Sydney, David Jones used to arrange it, and later at least referred you. I guess Myers would be the right ones to ask in Melbourne.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), January 20, 2000.

Thanks Don, you are a champion! Perils

-- Perilous Pauline from Australia (paulinej@angliss.vic.edu.au), January 20, 2000.

If you can find a pan with the name brand "excalibar" for the coating, buy it. I have had this type of teflon coated fry pan for over two years with no peeling or scratching of any kind. This pan is left out for the kids to use and my dh. I would not trade this pan for a whole set of Royal Diamond. I found mine at Tuesday Mornings ( a discount store). The pan is still non stick after all the abuse it gets.

-- carol (glear@usa.net), January 20, 2000.

I repeat: toss it and buy cast iron.

-- >"< (nuts@upina.cellrelaytower), January 20, 2000.

Thanks, Pauline. I've got to admit, though, I owe my success to Jeeves. Any time I want to know something, I just ask him; and he almost always has something relevant to say.

Ask Jeeves

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), January 21, 2000.

winter,

you might send to the white house - I understanding they have a way of recycling teflon coatings so nothing can stick.

jh

-- john hebert (jt_hebert@hotmail.com), January 21, 2000.

We have turned most our teflon pans into animal food or water bowls.

I won't buy another one that's for sure. I have a griddle on my stove that is teflon coated and the manufacturer has replaced it twice under warranty and I have used only a teflon spatula on it. If I could find a griddle to fit where that one goes, I would replace it as well.

-- beckie (sunshine_horses@yahoo.com), January 22, 2000.