When to replace a nonstick pan
Replace it when the coating peels, flakes or is scratched through to the metal, or the base has warped. A pan that only sticks may need a deep clean.
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Time for a new pan
Made In names the signs that a nonstick pan is finished: the coating is peeling, chipping or flaking; scratches cut through the coating to the metal underneath; or dark discoloration from burning has built up across the surface. A coating that has started to come off keeps coming off.
A warped base is a reason too. The pan rocks on a flat surface, heats unevenly and may stop working on an induction cooktop.
Probably not yet
Fine surface scratches come with use and do not mean the coating has failed. Food that has started to stick can be a film of burnt oil or cooking spray rather than worn coating, so give the pan a deep clean with baking soda before you decide. Made In adds that a worn coating that is still intact leaves a usable pan, as long as you cook with a little more oil or butter.
Ceramic, hybrid and enameled pans
Makers draw the line in different places. GreenPan says chips of 1 to 2 mm in its ceramic coating are normal and the pan stays safe to use, and suggests pan protectors when the chips are on the rim. HexClad calls scratches from sharp utensils on its hybrid pans cosmetic. Enameled cast iron is the strict one: Le Creuset says to stop using a pot as soon as the interior enamel chips, because further chips could end up in food.
Pans that rarely need replacing
Cast iron, carbon steel and stainless steel have no coating to wear out. Rust, sticking and stains on them clean off, and iron or carbon steel can be seasoned again. A warped base is the usual reason to retire one. Lined copper is different: Made In says a worn tin lining should be repaired (re-tinned) and a worn stainless lining means replacing the pan, and no amount of cleaning brings a lining back.
Make the next one last longer
Cook on medium heat or below, use wooden, silicone or nylon utensils, wash by hand with a soft sponge, skip cooking spray and put a pan protector or cloth between stacked pans. Most coating makers ask for these habits, and they decide how long a nonstick pan lasts more than anything else; your own pan's instructions come first where they differ.