I have often steered well clear of non-stick frying pans in favour of steel or cast iron pans. Whilst this is somewhat down to my years working as a chef where non-stick pans were very much taboo, I also often found that when cooking at home non-stick pans just never lasted.
They’d be really easy to use in the beginning but not long after I’d be peeling off little bits of plastic coating from the top of my pan wondering where on earth the rest of it had ended up. What meal had it made its way into this time?!
I don’t know about you, but the idea of eating plastic has never appealed to me. And I can’t imagine it is doing any good for our planet either. So I was really intrigued when I discovered these eco pans from Prestige. I simply had to find out if they lived up to all of their green credentials, and whether the coating actually sticks around long enough to make it a worthwhile purchase.
Prestige were kind enough to send me their eco frying pan to review, so I decided to put it to the test and start cooking all of my meals out of it. Read on to find out my honest thoughts on this eco frying pan.
Pros
- It feels sturdy & high-quality
- It is made using recycled materials
- It is really easy to use & clean
Cons
- The plant-based coating still contains some plastic
So, I’ve done my research into the pans, the materials used to make them, and I’ve been cooking a lot of my meals using it. And now I’ve put together everything I’ve discovered below to help you make an informed decision about buying this eco frying pan.
It feels sturdy & high-quality
Unless you spend A LOT of money on a frying pan, you’ll often find that they feel super cheap. I’m talking wobbly handles and worryingly light frying pans. The type you’ll be particularly familiar with if you went to university.
This eco frying pan by Prestige definitely doesn’t fall under this bracket. It is affordable (under £30), and it feels really sturdy. It has a good weight to it in your hand which makes it really easy to manoeuvre – perfect for all you pan tossers out there.
It is made using recycled materials
As you’ll probably have noticed from the mottled look of the pan itself, it is made using recycled materials. In my eyes, this is what makes this frying pan eco-friendly. It is also made using a plant-based coating, but more on that below.
I don’t see many recycled pans in shops, if any. So it is good to see that there is a company championing this.
From what I can tell so far, these recycled materials work just as well to cook with as non-recycled. So it really isn’t to any detriment that you help the planet by choosing recycled!
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It is really easy to use & clean
Ultimately, I have found the eco frying pan a joy to use. I tried it out with many different foods, including my favourite, gnocchi. They browned really nicely without sticking.
I haven’t had to use as much oil as I would in other frying pans as absolutely nothing sticks to the surface. This means that frying is much, much easier.
The coating seems like it will last, so I can only hope that it will continue to be just as easy to use!
Moreover, the non-stick coating also makes it really easy to clean. Everything wipes off, meaning no heavy scrubbing needed (which would also wear down the non-stick).
Still contains some plastics
Non-stick frying pans are incredibly popular because of how easy they are to cook with and to clean. This is all thanks to their coating, which is usually made with PFAS, plastic materials. However, these contain microplastics which can make their way into your food and into the environment when the non-stick coating inevitably comes off.
Whilst Prestige do use a plant-based coating to create their non-stick, this is still blended with PTFE, which is made using PFAS. I assume this is because it is difficult at the moment to achieve a coating without the use of plastic.
I do think that this is at least a step in the right direction and that with more time we can hopefully end up with non-stick pans that are made using fully plant-based materials.
Moreover, I have so far found the non-stick coating to be very hardwearing and have seen no signs of it peeling off. Which is very similar to what I’ve seen others say after using their Prestige eco pans for some time.
So, if you do see any signs of cracking in the non-stick I would advise to recycle it and replace it with a new pan. But it looks like it could last quite some time before you have to do that.
Prestige Eco Pan review: Verdict
I have really enjoyed using Prestige’s eco frying pan. It is the best non-stick pan I’ve had and it really does seem like it could last longer than others.
It is great to see that it is made using recycled materials and I actually think that the mottled effect that this creates on the surface looks great.
It is really easy to cook with and is perfect for anyone who does a lot of frying! I used it on an induction hob, which worked perfectly, but I know it will also work well on all other hobs. I like that you can also put it in the oven up to 150 degrees, although I haven’t tried it out for myself yet.
It is a shame that there is still plastic in the coating, but it is definitely the most eco friendly offering on the market at the moment. Hopefully, we’ll see them create a fully plant-based coating in the future!
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding Prestige’s Eco Frying Pan.
What are eco pans made from?
Prestige’s eco pans are made using recycled metal and plant-based coating. The recycled metal makes up the main part of the pan and it is really sturdy and hardwearing.
Are Prestige pans any good?
Prestige’s eco pans work like a charm. The non-stick works perfectly meaning that absolutely nothing sticks to it whilst cooking. This also makes it super easy to clean up after, which means you won’t accidentally scrub off the non-stick using your metal scourer.
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