Cast-iron pans and non-stick pans are two of the most popular cookware choices. They’re pretty handy and trustworthy. So, really, who would not like them?
They are both great pans. However, if you’re here, you might be wondering which of the two is right for you. Well, allow us to help you answer that. Today, let’s put these two popular pans in the hot seat!
Getting to Know Cast-Iron Pans and Non-Stick Pans
Before we put the two side by side, let’s briefly discuss each one.
Cast-Iron Pans
So, first, let’s get to know cast-iron pans.
Cast-iron pans are one of the favorites of many chefs and cooks. You can use them from appetizers to desserts. These pans can handle high heat and retain that heat for long periods making them great all-around pans. They can help their owner with many cooking techniques.
That’s not all there is to these pans, though. They’re also durable pans, and we’re not only saying that! Cast-iron pans could last you a lifetime!
Non-Stick Pans
Now, let’s talk about non-stick pans.
On the other hand, what makes non-stick pans famous is, as you might have guessed, their ability to help you cook meals without having to worry about food sticking to the pan. That makes them easy to use.
That’s not it, though! Since food doesn’t stick to the pan, they’re also easy to clean.
Cast-Iron Pans VS Non-Stick Pans: The Similarities and Differences
You now hopefully know the two pans a little better than before. Now, let’s put the two side by side to see their similarities and differences. We’ll be looking at their performance under five categories to make things easy. Without further delay, let’s go!
Dishes and Cooking Techniques
Cast-iron pans can handle heat well. That makes them suitable partners for a wide variety of cooking techniques and dishes. You can use these pans on the stove, but you can also take them down to the oven.
As a side note, if you plan on baking with your cast-iron pans, make sure you get an oven-safe one. It shouldn’t have handles and parts that could melt right off under extreme heat.
On the other hand, non-stick pans don’t handle the heat that well. Extremely high temperatures could ruin their non-stick coating. That does not only make them ineffective but dangerous by then. As you might expect, this limits the cooking techniques and the dishes you can make in them.
If you’re looking for variety, go for a cast-iron pan. If you’re looking for quick and easy, you might want to opt for a non-stick pan instead.
However, you want to avoid dishes with acidic ingredients when possible with both pans. That’s because these ingredients can affect both pans negatively.
Durability
Now, let’s talk about durability.
As you might remember, we stated above that if you handle a cast-iron pan well, it could last you a lifetime. It might also be a good time to note that this makes cast-iron pans a good investment.
On the other hand, no matter how well you handle a non-stick pan, it will probably only last you a good five years at most. With that, we don’t recommend spending a fortune on non-stick pans. You don’t want to get a cheap one, as it might only last you a year.
On the other hand, you might not want to shell out hundreds and hundreds of dollars as well. You might be able to surpass the five-year mark if you’re extra careful with your non-stick pan, but you will still eventually have to replace it.
Cleaning and Maintaining
Right now, you might be thinking that the cast-iron pan is the clear winner here. You might want to hold that thought. Things take a turn when it comes to cleaning and maintaining.
As you might have seen, cleaning and maintaining a cast-iron pan is not that difficult per se. It could be confusing and complicated at first, though. If you do a quick search on how to clean cast-iron pans, you will find that there are different opinions on what is the right way. Some would tell you to use soap. Some would advise you not to. To add, even if cleaning and maintaining a cast-iron pan is not that hard, it takes time and effort. Not everyone has that many resources to spend on a pan.
On the other hand, cleaning non-stick pans are quite straightforward.
Whichever pan you choose, remember not to chuck in the dishwasher, though! Whether the manufacturer says the cookware is safe for dishwashing or not, it is almost always advisable to hand wash them instead.
User-Friendliness
Here, let’s talk about how user-friendly the two pans are.
The two pans both have the potential to be user-friendly.
A non-stick pan is more user-friendly for those that are only starting their cooking ventures. Like with cleaning and maintaining, using non-stick pans are quite straightforward.
Also, they’re light. That makes them easy to hold and handle. There are some precautions you might want to remember, like avoiding metals and sharp objects with them, but they pretty much work how you would expect them to work.
On the other hand, cast-iron pans are not that user-friendly for beginners. As you might have guessed from the cleaning and maintaining section already, you can’t just use them. Additionally, there are many differing opinions when it comes to using them. Don’t get us wrong, with time, we think anyone could get the hang of it. Still, it could all be so overwhelming for a beginner. I know it was for me!
To add, have you ever held a cast-iron pan? These pans are heavy! If you’re looking forward to flipping some pancakes, cast-iron pans are not your pans. Quite literally, they’re not easy to hold or handle.
Non-Stickiness
Did you know that cast-iron pans are the original non-stick pans?
When we’re talking about non-stickiness, both have something to boast about in this area.
Are you looking for a pan that will easily help you achieve the lovely brown without the food sticking to it? You want to go for a non-stick pan.
You have to keep an eye on the coating, though. Once it gets damaged, it could render the pan ineffective and dangerous by then. Additionally, even if you take good care of your pan and its coating, the coating will eventually become inefficient over time.
On the other hand, you might want to opt for a cast-iron pan instead if you want a healthier non-stick coating option. Additionally, the non-stick coating you will get after seasoning and use will only get better and better with time.
Still, like the non-stick pan, of course, there is also a downside. This non-stick coating is not easy to achieve. If you do it wrong, your food will stick to the pan. It might take some time to get the hang of it.
The Verdict
With all that, it’s time to get to the bottom of things. Which one should you choose?
As you might have seen, the two pans both have their ups and downs. The best pan for you would all boil down to which one would suit your needs.
Are you looking for a pan that can help you with making lots of new recipes? You might want to go with a cast-iron pan. On the other hand, are you after a pan that can help you with your everyday meals? A non-stick pan might be better able to help you instead.
If you’re only starting your cooking ventures, we recommend trying out a non-stick pan first. On the other hand, if you’ve been in the field for some time and you’re looking to expand your skills, then you might want to try using a cast-iron instead.
We believe the best decision would be to get both if you could. As we have said earlier, both are great pans. We think it’s a good idea to have them both in your kitchen arsenal!
Summary
Cast-iron VS non-stick pan? Are you still wondering which one to get? Well, we hope not!
Today, we talked about cast-iron and non-stick pans and their performance in five fields.
First, we took a quick look at their ability to help you with different cooking techniques and dishes. You could say that the cast-iron pan won this round.
After that, we briefly discussed their durability. Another round that the cast-iron pan won.
Next, we talked about cleaning and maintaining them along with their user-friendliness. One could argue that the non-stick pan won these two rounds.
Finally, we talked about their non-stickiness. You could say that this round is a tie between the two.
The two pans have their ups and downs. Hailing the winner between the two is not that easy. In the end, the best pan is the one that can help its user, and which one of the two that is, is not always the same for everyone.
We hope we got to help you with this concern, and if you have more, feel free to give our past discussions a visit!
Michael Johnson is the founder of The Pan Handler, Inspired by his blacksmith grandfather’s legacy has a deep appreciation for hand-crafted pots and pans, he provides invaluable guides, reviews, and recipes to enhance your culinary journey.