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Consumer Reports Tests Green Non-Stick Cookware

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Aug 21, 2009 5:55 pm US/Eastern

Consumer Reports Tests Green Non-Stick Cookware

LINKS: ConsumerReports.org

(KDKA) While cooking a nice meal can be enjoyable, cleaning up after one isn't necessarily.

But nonstick pots and pans can make a big difference.

New, greener nonstick cookware is now being marketed over concerns that cooking at very high temperatures can break down the coating on typical nonstick pans and release a potentially harmful chemical into the air.

Consumer Reports says their tests haven't found a significant health risk.

Consumer Reports tested eight sets of "green pans" ranging in price from $100 to $500.

In one test, each pan was oiled once and then four eggs are cooked back to back. Testers check whether the egg sticks to the pan. And machines scrub the pans up to 2,000 times to see how well the nonstick surface holds up.

Another test measured how evenly a pan cooks.

In that test, the Mercola Healthy Chef burned pancakes. Another problem with the Mercola was that the ceramic handle broke on both the frying pan and the saucepan during durability tests.

But testers say some of the "green" pans actually did better overall than conventional nonstick pans.

In the end, Consumer Reports named the Earth Pan set a Best Buy. For $190 consumers get 10 pieces and they are dishwasher safe.

If you do a lot of braising and browning of foods, experts say you need uncoated pans.

Consumer Reports says their tests found that Emerilware Stainless and Kitchen-Aid Gourmet Essentials Brushed Stainless did well for under $200 for a 10-piece set. But they will be harder to clean than nonstick cookware.

MORE INFORMATION:  ConsumerReports.org

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