Tefal vs. Calphalon vs. Circulon vs. Anolon: Which Makes the Best Non-Stick Cookware?

Types of Non-Stick Cookware

Traditional Nonstick

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), also known as Teflon, is what serves as the coating for traditional nonstick cookware. Pans made with PTFE are easy to use and clean, but the coatings do wear away as you use them. The biggest concerns with PTFE mainly have to do with the breakdown of the coating, which begins to happen at 450 degrees. At high temperatures, PTFE releases toxic fumes which can potentially cause respiratory health problems. 

Commonly linked to PTFE, PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) was used in the manufacture of traditional nonstick coatings, and there are some concerns about the safety of these chemicals in the long term and its effects on the environment.

Ceramic Nonstick

Ceramic coating is considered safer than PTFE coating because it does not contain toxic chemicals such as PFOA, or release fumes when heated to higher temperatures. This is why those in search of a “non-toxic” nonstick pan often choose ceramic. 

While most PTFE coatings need at least three coatings, ceramic coatings can require as little as just one layer, reducing the time and energy required to manufacture these types of pans. 

The drawback of ceramic is that it is more brittle than traditional nonstick coatings, making it more susceptible to developing surface cracks and losing its nonstick property faster. 

Hard-Anodized Aluminum

While PTFE and ceramic coatings are coated onto other metals to make a nonstick layer, hard-anodized aluminum has a nonstick surface that is essentially “baked in.” It is made by electrochemically hardening soft aluminum to make it stronger than stainless steel, and an oxidized top layer that is also nonstick and tougher than traditional nonstick coatings. Hard anodized aluminum stands up well to high heat, resists scratches, and doesn’t react with acidic foods, and because the nonstick surface is part of the actual pan (versus being bonded onto the metal), it is not prone to chipping or flaking.

Introducing with Tefal, Anolon, Circulon and Calphalon

Tefal Cookware Brand

Tefal is a French cookware and small appliance manufacturer owned by Groupe SEB Its name is a portmanteau of the words TEFlon and ALuminium.It has a reputation for high-quality, affordable nonstick cookware that can be used for years.

T-fal non-stick cookware comes with a few bells and whistles such as their Thermo-Spot® heat indicator and Sapphire/Titanium infused non-stick coating.

Tefal now uses a non-stick coating they call “Titanium Pro”. This is basically a PFOA-free non-stick coating which is said to be tougher and lasts longer than other non-stick coatings.As well as hard-anodized aluminum, Tefal also has an awesome range called the “Heritage Tri-Ply” range. They layer stainless steel with hard-anodized aluminum and a Titanium Pro non-stick coating for an even heat distribution and shiny, elegant aesthetic. This range is compatible with all cooktops (induction included) as well as oven and dishwasher-safe.

Advantages:

• Easily washes with soapy water

• Lightweight cookware

• Some brands of Teflon cookware can be placed in an oven at 350 degrees F for up to one hour

Disadvantages:

• The surface can scratch, chip, and/or flake. As the pans get older the scratches get bigger and tend to chip easily, leaving chips of Teflon in your food.

• The pans may stain.

• Needs to be “seasoned” before the first use and sometimes in between uses.

• The non-stick coating contains PFOA is a chemical that is used in the manufacturing of traditional PTFE-based nonstick cookware coatings and other products. PTFE is the abbreviated name for a remarkable polymer called polytetrafluoroethylene.

• The repellent coating that keeps food from sticking to nonstick pots and pans contains PFCs (perfluorocarbons), a chemical that’s linked to liver damage, cancer, developmental problems, and, according to one 2011 study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, early menopause. PFCs get released—and inhaled—from nonstick pans in the form of fumes when pans are heated on high heat. Likewise, we can ingest them when the surface of the pan gets scratched.

Anolon Cookware Brand

Anolon is the brand name of a nonstick cookware collection with multiple rules. Most of their cookware sets made of hard anodized aluminum andAnolon Advanced 11-Piece Cookware Set - Best Nonstick Cookware for Gas Stove heavy gauge. Heavy gauge is useful to deliver heat more evenly. Aluminium makes the products more durable and comfortable to use. Anolon also uses copper on some of their products.

They use a variety of DuPont PTFE non-stick coating surfaces for their pans which is from the Teflon brand. This coating protects the surface from scratch. Anolon brand has a great value for money, their products are inexpensive and light. But most of their products are not dishwasher safe, it is necessary to clean these products by your hand.

Advantages:

• Anolon is oven safe. However, you must be wary of the temperature inside your oven. These pots and pans are oven safe up to 450°F and give you exceptional flavor in your food.

• Generally inexpensive and light.

• Its nonstick surface is long-lasting and scratch-resistant.

• Long-term durability and increases the heating efficiency that it retained from the Aluminum.

Disadvantages:

• Anolon cookware is not dishwasher safe. Clean this cookware by hand is necessary.

• Anolon Advanced cookware is not safe under the broiler.

Circulon Cookware Brand

Circulon is a brand under Meyer Manufacturing Company Limited which is one of the well-known and most popular cookware brands for non-stick and hard anodized cookware items. They offer non-toxic and eco-friendly cookware set for healthy cooking. Most of their products also oven and dishwasher safe. The price is also comparatively lower than other similar brands. 

The reason for the name Circulon is that their main innovation is a series of raised circles on the surface of the cookware. These little circles are designed to help the food to easily release from the surface, and also help protect the surface from metal utensil damage.

They use their own total non-stick surface on their products which is a PTFE-based non-stick and that is also PFOA-free. They use the ring of circles on the surface of their pans to protect the surface from scratch. These products have stainless steel and silicon mix handles on most of their vessel.The price is also comparatively lower than other similar brands. 

Advantages:

The hard-anodized aluminum provides it a strong, sturdy construction; it makes the cookware long-lasting and highly durable.

The raised-circle nonstick coating design is one of its kind – it offers an excellent cooking experience, which allows faster food release, corrosion-free cooking, and scratch-free cookware at all times.

You don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen cleaning and maintaining your kitchenware – just a few minutes of placing the used utensils in the dishwasher and the rest will be done by itself.

Disadvantages:

• The aluminum construction is bonded with stainless steel base to provide a sturdy finish, which makes the product heavy.

Calphalon Cookware Brand

Calphalon has been around since 1963.Like Circulon, Calphalon works primarily with hard-anodized aluminum. Also like Circulon, they’re known for their non-stick coating which makes their hard-anodized cookware even more user-friendly. They do offer other materials such as ceramic, stainless steel and copper.

Calphalon cookware is a great choice if you’re looking for hard-anodized, non-stick cookware, or stainless steel/copper cookware. Calphalon brand uses stainless steel handles in almost all their products. Their cookware sets have stick fighting surface made of Anodized Aluminium rather than the more common Teflon coating.

Price-wise, Calphalon is more expensive than both Circulon and Tefal, especially if you’re looking at tri-ply stainless steel or copper. 

Calphalon products are popular for their long-term durability and increase the heating efficiency that is taken from the Aluminium. Their products are oven safe but they are not recommended for high heat. Because high heat could burn the food faster than the other brands. Though Calphalon cookware is dishwasher safe they are well known to scratch easily.

Advantages:

• Calphalon has a stick-resistant surface made of Anodized aluminum rather than the more common Teflon coating.

• Calphalon also produces the more traditional nonstick coated cookware.

• Long-term durability and increases the heating efficiency that it retained from the Aluminum.

Disadvantages:

• Calphalon expand when heated, the aluminum one expands the most.

• The original cookware was quite heavy, should be taken not to drop it on passing dogs or errant feet.

• Using high heat can cause the finish to break down and burn food faster than other cookware.

• Calphalon product that is known to scratch easily.

• Non-stick Calphalon cookware uses a proprietary polymer that is not Teflon (under suspicion as human toxic when burnt or flaked off a pan).

The Quick-fire Comparison

Choosing which brand of cookware can be a difficult decision when you really care about the healthiness. You need to consider which you can afford, and what you want to do with your cookware. If you are willing to trade some extra money for long-lasting and high-quality cookware, you may go with Calphalon. If you would instead save money, try the another three brands, but indeed you need to buy the new one when it starts getting some scratch on it.

Features to Look for in Non-Stick Cookware

Number of Pieces

Depending on your cooking style and family size, the number of pieces you need will vary.Usually,the cookware sets are all marketed as 10 to 12 pieces, which include a variety of pots, pans, lids, steamer baskets, spatulas and spoons. The most utilized nonstick pan will likely be a skillet, so be sure to choose a set that has at least one (two is even better). Another essential pan to have is a stockpot, great for cooking rice or thicker sauces and stews and allowing for easy cleanup. 

Handle

Look for a handle with a soft, moulded grip. For larger pans, look for a handle that's long enough to hold with two hands and an extra support handle for lifting heavy loads.ome have silicone-wrapped handles which generally stay cooler to the touch and feel more comfortable in the hand than metal handles. 

Materials

Nonstick cookware can be made out of many types of base material.The different materials impact heating evenness, durability and user experience.The lightest and most popular of these is aluminum, which conducts heat well and can be used on a variety of cooktops. Stainless steel is another popular choice—these pans tend to be heavier, with more substantial thickness making them less susceptible to dings and dents. Copper is another great option, as this metal has superior heat conductivity, and is also extremely responsive to changes in heat. 

Weight

How much a particular pan weighs determines how fast it preheats, what you cook in it and how quickly it approaches a potentially dangerous 500 °F. While lighter cookware may be easier to use, clean, and store, heavier cookware is likely to last longer and perform better.

Cooktop Suitability

If you have an induction cooktop you'll need a pan that's made of ferrous metal (metal that can be magnetised). For ceramic cooktops (or induction) your pan will need to match the size of your cooktop elements. For solid/radiant electric cooktop your pan will need a flat, steady base.

Cleaning

For easy cleaning, avoid painted exteriors and grooved surfaces, and make sure the frying pan isn't too big to fit in your sink!Dishwasher-safe cookware saves you time and energy — you can just pop it into the dishwasher instead of scrubbing. Keep in mind that hard anodized metal will stand up to multiple washes, whereas other coatings can fade faster with repeated washing. 

Safety

When it comes to food preparation, safety is paramount. Don't compromise the safety of your food or your health when looking at cookware, and especially not when shopping for non-stick cookware. Besides,Oven safety is also useful for a range of dishes since it allows you to move your cookware from the stovetop to the oven to finish cooking or keep warm.

Construction 

The materials and processes used to make non stick cookware directly affect the quality of the final product. Look for non stick cookware made from at least 5-ply metal cladding. This cookware features pots and pans with thoughtfully layered metals for superior performance.

Heating Capacity

Traditional PTFE coatings are generally safe to about 400 degrees, ceramic coatings can typically withstand higher temperatures (over 500 degrees with some models), and hard-anodized cookware can fall somewhere between 400-500 degrees, depending on the manufacturer. If you often start foods on the stove and finish them in the oven, make sure to check what temperatures the cookware can withstand, so you won’t have to transfer from one pan to another to finish your cooking.

Price

Nonstick cookware is available at a wide variety of price points, the least expensive of which are lightweight aluminum pans with PTFE or ceramic coating. Since medium- and heavyweight pans require more material to construct, they will naturally be a little more expensive. 

Warranty

Many manufacturers offer some type of limited warranty against defects in material, construction, or workmanship. This warranty typically will not cover damage from thermal shock, improper use, nonstick deterioration, damage from metal/sharp utensils, or damage caused by abrasive cleaners and scouring pads. Be sure to double-check the warranty provided by the vendor to ensure it is to your satisfaction.

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The Best Non-Stick Cookware for Each Brand

T-fal Signature Nonstick Dishwasher Safe Cookware Set, 12-Piece(@Amazon)

Price: $86.93

In addition to six pans (two frying pans, two saucepans, a griddle, and a Dutch oven) you’ll also get a nonstick coating-safe spoon, ladle, and spatula in this budget-friendly set. You can use these pans on any stovetop aside from induction, and they're also oven-safe up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.Safe for all cooking methods except induction.You’ll find this cookware set easy to clean and a good choice for basic home cooking. 

Pros:

1. Ergonomic heat resistant handles for a comfortable grip

2. Heats evenly

3. Thermo-spot indicates when pan is preheated

4. Inexpensive

Cons:

1. Might not last as long as more expensive brands

Anolon Advanced Hard Anodized Nonstick Cookware 11 Piece(@Amazon)

Price: from $229.21

As a pro’s favorite, Anolon Advanced offers unbeatable cooking ability in an accessible price.This 11-piece set, which includes saucepans, frying pans, a sauté pan, and a stockpot, comes with a lifetime warranty. All the cookware—including lids—is oven-safe for temperatures up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. And they are easy to hold thanks to the stay-cool handles.With all promising features and reasonable durability, this set is a great performer at mid-priced range.

Pros:

1. Oven safe to 400 degrees

2. Durable nonstick surface

3. Lifetime warranty

Cons:

1. Not induction compatible

2. Must be washed by hand

Circulon Premier Professional Nonstick 13-piece Cookware Set(@Amazon)

Price: $280

This cookware set is in exciting exterior bronze color which makes it more stylish compared to other cookware sets. It is offered in the hard-anodized form with great durability. Its heat-absorbing feature is superb as this cookware set stores a huge amount of heat which makes the cooking process fast. What’s more, the weight of this set is very light which makes it portable. Using this cookware set saves your food from getting burnt as it keeps the hotspots away.

It has high-quality shatter-resistant glass lids that stores in the delicious aroma and allows you to monitor the food ultimately making it possible for you to know whether the cooking process is going smooth or not. Dishwasher safe and oven safe also includes in the list of features.

Pros:

1. Exciting exterior bronze color

2. Dishwasher and oven safe

3. Free from toxin

4. High-quality shatter-resistant glass lids make the cooking process smooth

Cons:

1. Handles can get heat up

Calphalon Premier Hard-Anodized Nonstick 8-Piece Cookware Set(@Amazon)

Price: $359.99

Calphalon Premier Hard-Anodized Nonstick Cookware delivers a longer-lasting, superior nonstick performance—40% longer than Calphalon Classic—for effortless food release, so you can cook with confidence and serve even the most delicate food with ease. The durable, 3-layer nonstick interior is tough enough to withstand metal utensils and everyday use, and the hard-anodized exterior is dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup. Calphalon Premier Nonstick pots and pans are oven-safe up to 450 degrees F, so they can go from the stovetop to the oven for heating and cooking versatility. 

Pros:

1. Lifetime warranty

2. Oven-safe up to 450 degrees F

3. Dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup

4. Compatible with most stovetops, including gas, electric, and glass

Cons:

1. Expensive

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