The new year is all about starting afresh, discarding old habits that may be holding you back and upgrading to better practices. Likewise, in the kitchen, cookware too can become outdated or no longer serve its purpose. After all, the idea of an expiry date is not solely limited to food or medicines alone; your everyday cooking tools can wear out too. This, in turn, can affect how your food tastes, besides obvious safety concerns.
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HT Lifestyle reached out to Himanshi Tandon, co-founder and CMO of Ember Cookware, who shared key insights on the signs that indicate your cookware may be due for an upgrade.
Here are the signs she shared:
1. The coating is peeling, chipping, or flaking
The biggest red flag is peeling or flaking. Himanshi Tandon noted, “Traditional non-stick coatings can start to break down, exposing underlying layers and making the pan unsuitable for continued use.” This is most common in older Teflon-based pans. So what happens when the coating breaks down? Himanshi warned that the pan loses its performance and safety.
Non-stick properties will also begin to subside, along with alarming concerns regarding what may be mixing into your food.
{{/usCountry}}Non-stick properties will also begin to subside, along with alarming concerns regarding what may be mixing into your food.
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2. Your food develops an unusual odour or ‘off’ taste
Another telltale sign is a noticeable change in how your food tastes. No, you did not mismeasure the salt. Himanshi revealed that gravies, sauces, or stir-fried dishes can begin to taste different when outdated cookware reacts adversely with the ingredients.
She explained, “This often happens when older surfaces heat unevenly or have micro-wear that disrupts flavour balance.”
3. The pan looks discoloured, even after cleaning
One may brush off the discolouration as normal after several washes, but it actually points to deeper issues.
Himanshi hinted at possible chemical changes as well. “Discolouration is more than an aesthetic issue. When a pan’s surface darkens or develops patchy stains that don’t wash off, it indicates heat fatigue and chemical changes within the coating,” she cautioned. Discolouration also affects how your pan heats up.
4. Cleaning is becoming a daily struggle
If cleaning your cookware feels like a big challenge daily, then you may want to take a closer look. Himanshi added, “If residue sticks, edges stain, or the pan takes double the time to scrub clean, the surface has likely worn down.” This means when the coating degrades, it loses its smooth, protective layer, allowing food and oil to cling more stubbornly. It also slows you down. So it only makes sense to upgrade.
5. No longer matches your cooking style
Cooking habits also tend to shift around the New Year, especially as a lot of people adopt healthier eating and experiment with new cooking styles. Himanshi insisted that if cookware cannot keep pace with how you cook and end up overheating, warping or failing to retain heat, then it is time for an upgrade.
Choosing the right cookware for your kitchen
If you are looking for an upgrade, Himanshi shared what you need to prioritise:
- Free from chemicals: Choose cookware that does not contain PTFE and PFOA to reduce long-term exposure to harmful chemicals.
- Natural toxin-free coatings: Choose cookware coatings of cookware which are not toxic and safe for everyday use.
- Better heat control: Choose modern ceramic cookware.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional advice.