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- Is Hard Anodized Cookware Safe
- 1. What is Hard Anodized Cookware?
- 2. Anodized and Hard Anodized : what's the difference ?
- 3. Advantages of Aluminum Anodized Cookware
- 4. Disadvantages of Aluminum Anodized Cookware
- 5. Hard-Anodized Cookware Health Risks
- 6. How to Mitigate the Risks of Hard Anodized Cookware ?
- FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
- Final Thoughts
Is Hard Anodized Cookware Safe
Hard anodized cookware is the most important type of cookware for cooks because it doesn’t absorb any liquids. Non-stick pans are made by adding silicon or other chemicals into steel. These chemicals cause the pan to be very slippery when you use them. This means that there is less chance of food sticking to the pan.
Hard anodized is used in a variety of cookware. This layer of oxide makes the aluminum hard and resistant to corrosion. It’s an extension of the process that uses higher voltage and lower temperatures. Is hard anodized cookware safe? This question has become the main concern now. The answer, as you might expect, depends on how well it was made.
1. What is Hard Anodized Cookware?
Anodized aluminum cookware is safe and easy to use. It doesn’t react with acidic foods, but it reacts with alkaline ones. Aluminum reacts with oxygen to form aluminum oxide. Aluminum oxide is a natural substance occurring in nature. It is used by plants to protect themselves from insects. In humans, aluminum oxide protects our bones and teeth.
Anodized pans are made out of aluminum and are very durable. They are resistant to scratches and corrosion.
They won’t get chipped off or peeled off. Anodized pans are great for cooking because they’re nonstick. They also make great storage containers for your kitchen. Anodized pans come in many different colors.
What is Anodizing?
Anodizing is a type of electrochemical treatment that gives cookware its non-stick property.
A thin layer of metal oxide forms naturally over aluminum when exposed to chemicals and electricity. Cookware with this coating is said to be “anodized.”
The process begins by cleaning the cookware and then applying a clear coat or paint to protect the surface from scratching. Next, the cookware is placed into a tank filled with a mixture of water and special chemicals.
When the current is applied, the chemicals react to create a protective layer of oxides. After the anodization process is complete, the cookware goes through a heat-treating step to seal the pores and make the surface more durable.
How Does Anodizing Work?
The process creates a thin film of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) between 0.001 and 0.003 inches thick.
Aluminum is an excellent conductor of electricity. Because of this, electricity can flow easily through the oxide layer. However, because the oxide is very porous, it allows only tiny amounts of liquid to penetrate.
As a result, the surface does not stick to anything. In fact, the best way to describe it is like a super-thin piece of plastic.
Types Of Anodized Cookware
There are two types of anodized cookware: hard and soft . Hard anodized cookware is usually found at commercial cooking stores. They come in both flat and round shapes. Flat pieces include pans, skillets, baking sheets, griddles, etc.
Round items include bowls, pie plates, stock pots, etc. Soft anodized cookware comes in different sizes and shapes too. Some common ones include oval, square, and rectangular pieces.
Hard Anodized Cookware vs. Non-Stick Pans
Most people believe that if the pan doesn’t have a non-stick finish, it isn’t really anodized. That couldn’t be further from the truth! If any part of the anodization process fails, the product will not be considered anodized.
2. Anodized and Hard Anodized : what’s the difference ?
We need to know the vital differences between anodized and hard anodized cookware as it differs from the cooking experience.
Here are important facts that make anodized and hard anodized different from each other.
| Anodized | Hard Anodized |
|---|---|
| Anodized aluminum is thinner than hard anodized. It offers low abrasion resistance. | Hard anodized aluminum is thicker than standard anodized. It enhances the abrasion resistance. |
| Regular anodizing is done using Sulfuric or chromic acid electrolytes. | Hard anodizing is done with sulfuric acid with the combination of oxalic acid or amino sulfuric acid. |
| In anodized aluminum, the pores are open after anodizing. | Hard anodized aluminum comes with a thick oxide layer which delivers the best wear resistance and durability. |
| A standard anodized aluminum offers only low to medium cooking. Even it is not safe for oven cooking. | Hard anodized is best for cookware as it withstands extreme heat. The wear resistance is also very high. |
3. Advantages of Aluminum Anodized Cookware
A shortlist of the advantages of the hard aluminum anodized cookware is given below:
- Extra Hard
The extraordinary feature of this kind of aluminum cookware is very durable. By anodized cookware, it is scratch-resistant, no chip or peels easily. It is two times harder than stainless steel cookware. Though Calphalon claims that their products are over 80% harder, the strength of each product depends on the anodizing process.
- Non-Toxic Nonstick
It’s not like Teflon, the plain and smooth surface is from an electro-chemical anodizing process that creates nonstick layers. So, it does not use PFOA for production.
- Non-Reactive
The non-porous coat isn’t like other metallic pans that lock in the aluminum inside to prevent aluminum leaching possibility when you cook acidic food like lemon juices or tomato sauces.
- High Cooking Performance
By getting benefits from the whole aluminum building, it conducts heat unsurprisingly very fast and evenly. The capability of heat conductivity is inferior to pure aluminum.
- Easy to Clean
Hard anodized aluminum products are very easy to clean as smoothly nonstick. And this is the only impressive advantage of all.
So, hard anodized cookware is as great as a heat conductor. It spreads heat perfectly and evenly. This product is lightweight and easy to handle. It is stable for use with metal utensils.
Heat Conduction
Anodized aluminum is a great material for making cookware because it conducts heat well. It makes your cooking faster and easier. Cooking with anodized aluminum doesn’t make your dishes soggy or burn them. It’s also very easy to clean.
This is an electric stove. You can use this to cook many different kinds of foods, including soups, stews, casseroles, and even breads. To make sure your food stays hot, you’ll need to turn the knob back and forth.
Scratch Resistant
Anodizing makes the surface of the pan durable, but scratches and dings still happen. You should get a better quality product if you pay a higher price.
The best way to ensure you don’t scratch the finish is by using a nonstick skillet. If you do damage it, you can always apply a protective coating like Teflon. I recommend getting a stainless steel pan because they are easy to clean and won’t react with food.
Maintenance
Hard anodized cookware does not require seasoning because it is already seasoned by nature. The surface of the cookware has a layer of aluminum oxide that protects and seals in the flavor, making it easy to clean. It also makes food release easier from the pan.
4. Disadvantages of Aluminum Anodized Cookware
A shortlist of disadvantages about the hard aluminum anodized cookware is given below:
- Expensive Than Conventional Nonstick
This kind of aluminum cookware is rather costly than usual nonstick pans but worth buying. For a better option, you can try to look for long warranty products.
- Avoid High Heat
This cookware absorbs heat very quickly, for long cooking, this does well for medium to medium-high temperature. And you have to avoid pre-heat on high too.
- No Cooking Spray
Any kind of aerosol sprays has water and a chemical propellant. When you preheat the pan, the chemical and water will instantly evaporate and leave a sticky remainder which is very hard to remove. This makes the pan stickier later. If you buy this pan then try to use some oil or butter to wipe the inside surface of the pan.
- Hand Wash
Any nonstick or hard anodized products are not good for dishwashers. Though some of them are labeled dishwasher-safe, such as Calphalon Unison, Circulon Symmetry, and T-Fal Ultimate, typically the experts still suggest washing these by hand to last longer.
- No Abrasive and Scratchy Sponges
As traditional pans, soft bristle and dishwashing detergent and, like Scotch Bright, is good and enough to clean. For burnt spots, soak the pan for 10 minutes in hot soapy water and keep it cool, and follow this with regular cleaning. By following the death of an aluminum anodized surface, a sealer is applied to close the pores effectively and prevent staining, fading, or bleeding out of color.
- Not Induction-Safe
As induction stoves require a magnetic referral in the bottom, most of the gears are not compatible with induction cooktops. However, some products are designed for this kind of stove, such as Circulon Symmetry.
Everything in this world has positive and negative sides and we all know about it. So, hard-anodized aluminum cookware products also have some advantages as well as disadvantages. But the disadvantages have a health risk and the advantages are not that much impressive.
5. Hard-Anodized Cookware Health Risks
The hard-anodized aluminum coated cookware does not allow the aluminum to leach into the food. That means food does not in contact with the metal directly. According to FDA reports, “The use of hard-anodized aluminum cookware is not so harmful to health”.
It is not toxic. The levels of high heat will not damage the anodized finish. Anodized surfaces are heat resistant to the melting point of aluminum that is 1,221°F.
The most important thing for cookware, hard-anodizing makes its surfaces so extra smooth that they become virtually nonporous means without pores. Our health and aluminum were brought to our attention in the 1970s when a research team of Canada linked aluminum with Alzheimer’s disease and then they found high concentrations in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients of aluminum.
Since then, the research has been anatomized in a manner quite similar to the chicken and the egg story. Which came first, the aluminum or the disease?
6. How to Mitigate the Risks of Hard Anodized Cookware ?
Hard Anodized Cookware is safe to use. Avoid abrasive and scratchy cleaners. Mild soap is recommended to prevent staining. Do not wash in dishwasher.
Do not use your hard anodic cookware to store your foods. Only use low to medium heat when using hard anodic cookware. For high heat cooking there are other types of nonstick cookware that can safely do the job. Don’t bake with hard anodic cookware, because you’ll burn yourself!
Do not cut or chop foods on your hard anodize cookware.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
1. Is Hard Anodized Cookware Toxic?
No hard anodized is not toxic cookware. Anodized aluminum is a metal that is protected from leaching issues. The metal never reacts with food to create acidic reactions. Anodized aluminum offers superior conductivity, and it is much more durable than regular aluminum.
2. Does Hard Anodized Cookware Have PFOA?
No hard-anodized cookware doesn't have PFOA. The hard-anodized cookware goes under a hard anodization process. In this process, aluminum gets harden by the electrochemical process. The anodized cookware serves better life and performance with no harmful reaction with the food.
3. Does Hard Anodized Cookware Have Teflon?
Yes, you may find hard anodized cookware with Teflon coating on it. However, hard anodized cookware comes with various coating types; it may be Teflon or something like Teflon. All nonstick coating suffers from wear and tear issues, but still, the hard-anodized protects your food from any chemical reaction.
4. Does Anodized Aluminum Wear Off?
No anodized aluminum doesn't wear off easily. Anodization is a permanent process that grows from the base of the aluminum sheet. Even anodized aluminum doesn't react with acid. Anodized aluminum is closed packed metal with the smallest pores, which prevents the metal from staining, bleeding out of color, and fading.
5. Is Anodized Aluminum Bad For You?
No, anodized aluminum is not bad for you. Anodized aluminum is a sealed metal variant that protects your food from acidic reactions. However, lightweight aluminum cookware suffers from reactions with acidic foods like tomatoes and lemon in ordinary, lightweight aluminum cookware. So, it is always safe to use anodized aluminum cookware for a safe and healthy life.
6. Can I Put Anodized Pans In The Dishwasher?
7. Is A Hard Anodized Cookware Oven-Safe?
Yes, if your anodized cookware is from a good brand, then it is oven safe. Most hard-anodized cookware comes with long-lasting and superior quality nonstick performance. The anodized aluminum is safe to handle extreme temperature cooking. So, anodized cookware is perfectly compatible to work with an oven.
8. How Hard Is Anodized Aluminum?
Anodized aluminum offers hard and durable construction. The composition eliminates heat resistance and corrosion which makes it a perfect choice for cooking in extreme environments. An anodized aluminum sheet offers hardness of 70C and 850 to 900 DPH, which makes it more durable than a chrome plate.
9. Does Anodized Aluminum Scratch?
Yes, you can scratch an anodized aluminum. Anodized aluminum cookware indeed comes with a high-quality hard coating. But the metal sheet underneath is soft which can be easily starched with a sharp object. 10. Does Hard Anodized Cookware Need To Be Seasoned? No, it is not necessary to season hard-anodized cookware. However, if you think that your pan's nonstick performance up to the mark, it is always better to add butter or oil for the first time. It helps you with effective food release.
11. Is Hard Anodized or Ceramic Cookware Better?
Well, it is very difficult to conclude which one is better. However, if you want something more durable and serves constant performance, then anodized cookware is best for you. As you know, ceramic cookware always comes with the risk of chipping and cracking. On the other hand, ceramic cookware offers healthier cooking when compared with anodized cookware.
12. Is Hard-Anodized Better Than Nonstick?
Yes, hard anodized cookware is better than nonstick cookware. You will find nonstick cookware with stainless steel base in the market, but anodized aluminum cookware offers better heat distribution. Anodized cookware is much more durable and falls under the affordable category.
13. Can you use cooking spray on hard-anodized pans?
No, it is not recommended to use cooking sprays on hard anodized pans. As you know, anodized cookware distributes heat very fast, so never preheat the pans under extreme temperature. When you use cooking sprays, it forms residue around the edge of the cookware, which spoils the pan's original texture in the long run.
14. How Long Do Hard-Anodized Pans Last?
A good quality hard anodized pan can easily last for 5 to 8 years. However, make sure the anodizing done is of superior quality and satisfies all safety measures. It is also true that budget-friendly anodized cookware can compete with an expensive premium option. So always consider the one which satisfies good anodizing properties.
15. What Is The Best Hard Anodized Cookware?
T-Fal Ultimate Hard Anodized Nonstick Piece Cookware Set is the best hard anodized cookware. It ships with a hard titanium-reinforced scratch-resistant coating. The cooking surface of the pan offers the user a Thermo spot indicator which delivers better preheat stability.
Final Thoughts
I suggest you avoid hard-anodized aluminum cookware. The problem is not about the small single dose, it is about the accretive effect it can have. Just like eating a small chocolate bar is not going to cause serious disease.
If most of the meals are cooked with anodized aluminum frying pans, saucepans, sauté pans, and stockpots, the creative effect, as well as with the aluminum you already get from other items in our environment, may cause a serious health issue.
So is hard anodized cookware safe for everyday cooking? The decision is yours whether you want to risk your health or not.
Photo Credit : shutterstock and Video Credit : Youtube
References :
The Fretting Fatigue of Commercial Hard Anodized Aluminum Alloy
