9 Stainless Steel Cookware Myths Debunked (With Proof)

Does stainless steel cookware really last forever? Is it as durable as everyone says? Are thicker pans actually better? And do you need a ton of oil and butter to cook eggs without sticking, or is everyone just doing it wrong?

I’ve tested and reviewed dozens of brands, and in this guide, I break down the nine most common myths about stainless steel cookware. 

You’ll find out which myths are true and which ones you can stop believing.

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Use the links below to navigate the guide:

• Myth 1: Eggs Stick
• Myth 2: Meat Sticks
• Myth 3: Difficult to Clean
• Myth 4: Dishwasher Safe
• Myth 5: Lasts Forever
• Myth 6: Thicker Is Better
• Myth 7: Welded Handles Are Secure
• Myth 8: Rounded Handles Are Better
• Myth 9: Expensive

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Myth: Eggs Stick

The biggest myth about stainless steel cookware is that you can’t use it to cook eggs because they’ll stick. 

And that’s absolutely true. Eggs will stick if you don’t follow a few simple steps. But if you learn to do it right, you’ll have no issues with sticking, and you don’t need a ton of grease. 

The first step is to preheat your pan on medium or just below medium. After 2-3 minutes, test to see if the pan is ready by adding a drop of water. If the water immediately evaporates, the pan isn’t hot enough. If it balls up and floats around, you’ve reached the right temperature.

With most pans, this phenomenon, called the Leidenfrost Effect, will happen between 400 and 430 degrees Fahrenheit.

The next step is to grease the pan. But before you do that, turn the heat down to low. If you leave the heat on medium, the temperature of the pan will continue to increase, the fat you’re about to add to the pan will get too hot, and the egg will burn.

Once you’ve turned the heat down to low, add a small amount of oil to the pan. I’m adding exactly one teaspoon. Once the pan is coated with oil, add butter. I’m adding .20 ounces or 5 grams of butter. The butter adds flavor, and through lots of trial and error, I found that the combination of oil and butter provides the best non-stick surface. 

You don’t need much fat to prevent sticking. One teaspoon of oil is around 40 calories, and 5 grams of butter is about 36 calories.

So you’re adding less than 80 calories to the eggs, and that doesn’t consider the fact that a large percentage of the fat stays in the pan, and you don’t actually eat it. So, in reality, you’re probably eating less than 50 calories from the oil and butter.

Once the pan is greased, drop the eggs in and let them cook for 20-30 seconds without touching them. After that, shake the pan, and the eggs will slide around just like a non-stick pan.

If you want to see it in action, I walk you through the exact steps to cook eggs in a stainless steel pan without sticking in this video.

So, if anyone tells you that you can’t cook eggs in stainless steel, tell them it’s a myth and send them this guide. 

Myth: Meat Sticks

Meat is another food that some people think is difficult to cook in stainless steel because it sticks. 

And that is actually true. After you preheat the pan, grease the surface, and put down the meat, it will stick for the first couple of minutes. But if you let it sear and form a crust, it will naturally release from the surface.

The mistake most people make is that they try to move the meat around the pan or flip it too early. Let it cook for a little bit, then give it a nudge. If it moves without any resistance, it’s ready to flip.

Sticking in the first couple minutes is more of a feature than an issue. The sticking creates direct contact between the meat and the hot pan surface, which helps form a delicious, browned crust. 

The sticking also leaves behind little browned bits called fond, which are packed with flavor.

After you’ve removed the meat, you can deglaze the pan with wine, stock, or other liquids to dissolve the fond and create the base for a flavorful pan sauce. 

Myth: Difficult to Clean

One of the most common criticisms of stainless steel cookware is that it’s difficult to clean. With the name stainless steel, you’d think these pans don’t stain, but they do. 

As I just mentioned, tiny bits of food get stuck to the surface and oil can spill over the sides and bake into the exterior. You can also get these rainbow stains from oxidation and white spots from minerals in your tap water.

Fortunately, many of these stains are easy to remove. Most of the time, you just need to scrub the pan with dish soap, warm water, and a sponge. White vinegar will instantly remove the rainbow stains and white spots. 

But for discoloration and grease that has baked into the metal, you need to scrub a bit harder with Bar Keepers Friend. It can take several minutes to completely remove these stains, and it takes quite a bit of pressure.

So yeah, this myth is partially true. Although everyday cleaning is easy, if you don’t clean your pans thoroughly after each use, stains can bake it and be difficult to remove. 

Myth: Dishwasher Safe

Brands often advertise stainless steel cookware as dishwasher safe, but just because you can put it in the dishwasher doesn’t mean you should. The high heat and detergents can tarnish the finish over time, and more importantly, it can give the cookware sharp edges.

The edges right along the rim of most stainless steel pans are not sealed, which allows you to see the bonded layers of aluminum sandwiched between two layers of steel. When you put these pans in the dishwasher, the aluminum core can shrink and recede over time. When this happens, the thin steel layers on the top and bottom stick out and become sharp. 

In fact, All-Clad recently settled a class action lawsuit because of this. The lawsuit alleges that All-Clad advertised its cookware as “dishwasher safe,” but when cleaned in the dishwasher, one or more of the bonded layers became thin and sharp.

All-Clad did not admit wrongdoing but agreed to a settlement and to refund or replace any damaged pans. Since the settlement, All-Clad now recommends hand washing.

Myth: Lasts Forever

Another common belief is that stainless steel cookware is indestructible and will last forever. This is one of the main selling points of stainless steel. And it’s how some brands try to justify higher prices. 

Stainless steel cookware is strong and doesn’t have a non-stick coating that will eventually fail. So, in theory, it can last for many many decades.

However, there are a few things that can shorten its lifespan. The most common problem is warping. If you expose it to drastic temperature changes, like rinsing it under cold water when it’s piping hot, the metal can expand and contract unevenly. And that leads to a wobbly, unusable pan.

The second issue is pitting. Salt and moisture can cause the steel to corrode if left on the surface of the pan for extended periods.

One less common issue is denting. Good quality pans that are around 3 mm thick, like Made In, won’t dent if you accidentally drop them or knock them off the counter.

To prove it, I dropped a Made In stainless steel pan from about waist high several times on my basement floor and there are no dents or structural damage from the impact at all.

So, if you take care of your stainless steel pans, they absolutely can last forever. But if you don’t, there’s no guarantee.

Myth: Thicker Is Better

A common piece of advice is that thicker stainless steel cookware is better. It heats up more evenly, retains heat better, and is less likely to warp. 

All of those things are true. However, thick cookware also heats up slower and is less responsive to temperature changes. So you don’t have as much control when you’re cooking. 

To prove this, I heated a Made In pan, which is about 3 mm thick on medium. After exactly one minute, the center of the pan was right around 360 degrees Fahrenheit. I did the same thing with a Demeyere pan, which is 5.5 mm thick. After one minute, this pan only reached 301 degrees Fahrenheit. 

I also heated both pans to exactly 400 degrees before removing them off the stove. After 5 minutes of cooling, the thinner Made-In pan was around 130 degrees, and the thicker Demeyere pan was 159.

So thicker pans win on heat retention, but they’re not necessarily better. For everyday cooking, 3 mm pans offer the ideal balance between heat conduction, heat retention, and weight.

Myth: Welded Handles Are Secure

Cookware brands are looking for every advantage, and one feature I’m seeing more often is welded handles. 

Instead of rivets, pans with welded handles have a smooth, uninterrupted cooking surface that’s easier to clean. The companies that make these rivetless pans claim the welds are secure.

However, that’s not always true. I learned that the hard way when the welded handle of a frying pan I was testing broke off after a few months of use.

I’m not saying this happens frequently, or you should avoid all pans with welded handles, but it’s a risk most people don’t consider.

Myth: Rounded Handles Are Better

Staying on the topic of handles, people often think that rounded handles on stainless steel pans are better. You pick them up in the store, and they feel great. 

The problem with rounded handles is not the comfort; it’s the safety. There’s no issue when there’s nothing in the pan, but when the pan is piping hot, full of food, and your hand is a little wet or greasy, the last thing you want is a rounded handle. 

You want a handle that’s flat on the top and bottom or has a slight groove. This design allows you to grip and tilt the pan without the handle rotating or slipping in your hand. 

Myth: Expensive

Stainless steel cookware can be intimidating for beginners, especially when brands like All-Clad, Hestan, and Demeyere make single pans that cost hundreds of dollars. 

But the idea that you need to spend a lot to get high-performing cookware is simply not true. You can buy brands made of the same materials that perform the same or better for significantly less.

Some brands cost less because they have cheaper materials, but brands like Made In, Misen, and Goldilocks are less expensive because they sell primarily online and avoid retail markups.