When cooking, we often find ourselves with a huge clean up job afterwards, and it is no fun at all! Who wants to spend time slaving over a delicious meal, and then have to tidy up and do the dishes?
No one. This is why we love using the dishwasher so much, you can simply load it up, switch it on, and let the dishwasher work its cleaning magic for you.
The only problem is knowing which pots, pans, plates and mugs are safe to put inside the dishwasher without damaging them.
We’ve lost so many of our favorite mugs to the power of the dishwasher, and can’t go through the heartbreak of destroying any more crockery!
Once you know what can and cannot go inside the dishwasher, clean-up time is a breeze instead of a chore. Generally speaking most kitchen crockery and cutlery can go inside the dishwasher!
However, some pans can lose their integrity when exposed to the powerful nature of the dishwasher.
With the popularity of non stick pots and pans only on the rise, this can make you wonder, are non stick pans also dishwasher safe?
What is non stick?
Non stick is a surface or coating that is used on pots and pans to ensure that foods and materials do not stick to it.
The non stick coating is used to help you brown and cook your favorite foods without worrying about it getting stuck to the pan, burning or breaking off when you take it out.
Non stick is generally made out of a chemical called polytetrafluoroethylene, or PTFE, otherwise known as Teflon, which is safe to use for food products and makes washing up quick and easy to do.
Without any leftover food stuck to your pans, you do not have to scrub and scrub until all of the particles come away.
This wonder coating is now often used on nearly all pots and pans that we utilize in our kitchens, and if you are anything like us, then you like to use the dishwasher to finish the job.
This can leave you asking if you can put our non stick pans in the dishwasher to save time and energy.
Are non stick pans dishwasher safe?
The short answer is no, however many new non stick pans assure us that they are dishwasher safe, and can be cleaned with ease.
Despite this, the general consensus is that dishwashers may damage or remove the non stick coating after multiple uses.
Although many brands of non stick kitchen products claim to be dishwasher safe, it is still a good idea to wash your non stick pots and pans by hand to ensure that your non stick pan will last longer and stay in great condition.
The dishwasher utilizes powerful washing techniques and extremely high temperatures to hygienically clean the dishes and remove leftover food particles and bacteria.
Although this is what is so great about having a dishwasher, it does not work well with a non stick pan.
Because of the high water temperature and strong detergents that are used in the dishwasher, it is definitely best to keep your non stick pans well away from the dishwasher!
Why you should never put non stick pans in the dishwasher
If a pan is non stick, it simply means that it is coated with the non stick surface. Because this is just that...a surface, it will come off after time and extensive use.
This is why we do not use high temperatures or abrasive and sharp objects with our non stick pans, because the surface can scratch or peel off.
Most non stick pans use the Teflon coating. Although this chemical coating is not toxic or dangerous for us to use with our food preparation, it can flake off and peel away and be consumed by us.
This may not be damaging for our bodies or health, but it will definitely ruin and compromise the pan’s abilities and non stick characteristics.
Sometimes when we enjoy cooking, we like to purchase only the best crockery, cutlery and appliances for making foods. Non stick pans come in all shapes and sizes, and the best ones can be quite expensive.
Even if you invest in a pricey non stick pan that says that it can go in the dishwasher, it will not take long for the non stick to deteriorate and come off, and you will have to buy a new non stick pan!
How to tell if your pans are dishwasher safe
You may be wondering how you would even check if your kitchen accessories are safe for the dishwasher.
Generally speaking, on the bottom of your dishes, pots and pans, there will be a manufacturer warning. This will usually say microwave safe, or dishwasher safe.
In addition, you can check the instruction manual or product description of your pots and pans to see whether they are dishwasher safe.
If you notice that your non stick cookware promises to be dishwasher safe, and you think you are off the hook from doing the dishes again, you are probably not.
Manufacturers will advertise their non stick products as dishwasher safe because it seems like the only fallback of using non stick cookware.
You could use the dishwasher to clean non stick pots and pans with no problem...for a few times. However, after multiple uses and many times in the dishwasher you will start to notice the integrity of the pan deteriorating and eroding away.
Verdict
For the best use, we recommend that you never put your non stick pans in the dishwasher (no matter how tempted you may be) and always strive to wash any food or grime away by hand.
Trust us, your non stick pans will love you for it, and you will be able to use them time and time again.
