For a cast iron cookware guy like me, it was hard to accept that ceramic nonstick cookware gives me a lot of liberty in the kitchen.
When I got my 12-inch Lima GreenPan, I suddenly discovered that I could whip out sumptuous omelets and paper-thin crepes without afterwards having to soak the pan in toxic solutions for days to remove stuck pieces of food.
And since ceramic surfaces of ceramic pans like mine look they can be damaged easily, I have been asking myself what I can do to use ceramic cookware safely. There are various considerations. One of the more important ones is how to select best cooking utensils for ceramic cookware.
It goes almost without saying that the most important quality you will look for in such utensils is that they will have to be gentle enough not to damage the surface. So, unlike metal utensils for cast iron where the opposite is true, you will look for softness over sturdiness, smoothness over sharp edges.
After days of extensive testing, I will give you the scoop (pun intended) on the best utensils for ceramic cookware sets. Having weighed pros and cons of many possible criteria to evaluate my utensils, I consider the most important to be the following: material, design, functionality, and durability.
What kind of spatula do you use for ceramic pans?
- Material: As I mentioned, even the hardiest ceramic nonstick coating cookware can lose its non stick properties, if scratched. Thus, silicone, wood, plastic and rubber are the materials that you will prefer. And while stainless steel is not out of question, I recommend that the tips of your metal utensils are either plastic or silicone to avoid cookware damage.
- Design: I wanted my utensils to feel good and to look good. That’s why a good ergonomic design combined with a nice aesthetic was my winning combination.
- Functionality: Of course, I wanted my spatulas to do what I want them to do: flip, turn, and stir. And I want them to do it well: you would be surprised how many sets are out there that give you more headache than help with your cooking.
- Durability: It goes without saying that I want my utensils to last as long as my pots and pans, and not break after a couple of uses. Also, since cooking is a process of applying high temperatures to food, I don’t want the utensils to melt either.
With the above criteria in mind, here’s what I thought were the best of the best. I hope you will find my recommendations useful for your ceramic pans.
Spatulas, Turners, and Spurtles
U-Taste Silicone Spatula Set
Talk about practical. This U-Taste Silicone set of three spatulas may look very Spartan (in a minimalist kind of way), but it gives you pretty much all functionality you need to have in a spatula.
It will not melt if you accidentally leave it in on a hot Dutch oven (the marketing material says it stands up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit, but I only dared to test it up to 550 degrees).
It is neither too hard nor too soft, so you can flip your burger patty and mix pizza dough using a single tool. I even forgot to wash it for a day, remembered to do it the day after with hot water, and was pleasantly surprised at how easy to clean with soapy water it was compared to other cookware. They are also PFOA free. In short, these spatulas may not look like much, but they will truly help you be the best cook you can be.
Di Oro Seamless Series Silicone Spatula 3 Piece Set
These utensil pros, position Di Oro Seamless Series 3 piece silicone spatula set at a higher end of the spectrum. And for a good reason! The inside of these sturdy pieces house solid stainless steel for better weight, better handling and the overall more professional feel to them.
I loved the ease with which I could scrape dough off the sides of my mixing bowl, just as much as my ceramic pans loved the gentle handling. The quality of the silicone itself is not something I was too crazy about, as some people found it somewhat lacking on the durability side. But the overall performance, as well as a nice, modern design deserve a definite thumbs up.
Crate Collective Pakka Wooden Spoons Set
There is a whole subclass of utensils and other cookware made from fully biodegradable pakkawood: a composite material that combines some of the best qualities of wood and plastic. This Crate Collective’s Pakka Wood spoon set is a great example of a very sturdy set of spatulas for your everyday cooking needs, and it looks very cute too!
My ceramic coating cookware loved it as well, as it was as gentle as it was effective in performing their scraping and turning duties. And they made my kitchen look a lot more festive in the process with their Scandinavian-esque design.
Best Wooden Cooking Utensils
Dihuruuo 4 Wooden Spurtles and a Spatula
Some wooden utensils deserve praise not only for aesthetics, but also for their versatility. Here is the Dihuruuo Teak Wooden Utensils Five Piece Set.
It is made of teak, as the name implies, which is superior to bamboo and acacia because it is easier to care for and will last you longer. I also found this set came odor free, which is obviously a requirement of anything I use to prepare my food. It comes with four spurtles and one slotted spatula.
Sets of Tongs
Aschef 4 Pack Silicone Cooking Kitchen Tongs Kit
Honestly, I was sold immediately on one cute – and very useful – feature that makes these Aschef 4 pack silicone tong set unique. They have little lets near their tips to help them rest on the counter while you are not using them without having to lay them down on their side. These are very helpful. Of course, their silicone tips are ideal for my ceramic nonstick cookware. I also found that having more than one type of tongs is very helpful, and these include such cool utensils as pasta tongs and spatula tongs.
Dreamfarm Clongs
I must admit that the first time I’ve heard of ‘clongs’ I was extremely skeptical, as I expected to see something useless and gimmicky. Luckily, I was wrong. Dreamfarm’s clongs are indeed different as far as tongs are concerned, but in a good way. Their special unique shape allows you to rest them on the edge of your ceramic pots and pans to keep the counter surface clean and tidy. Other good features include a click button that keeps them together while not cooking. And, unlike their silicone tips, their body is made from solid stainless steel: sturdy in your hand, gentle on the cooking surface. Perfect!
The Best Utensil Sets For Non-Stick Cookware
Umite Chef 43 Piece Heat Resistant Kitchen Utensil Gadgets
Sometimes, I just want to have it all. Why think again about buying various kitchen gadgets piece by piece if I can just buy the largest possible set and forget about cookware shopping for years to come? I don’t know if Umite Chef 43-piece kitchen gadget set is in fact the largest there is. but I certainly think that it is extremely versatile. In addition to the usual spatulas and tongs must-haves, there are other helpful gadgets such as a pizza cutter, lemon squeezer, openers for beer, wine and cans, vegetable peeler, measuring cups and many more.
Umite Chef Kitchen Utensils 14pcs Cooking Utensils Set
If you are like me, you want to make one purchase that will fulfill all your kitchen utensils needs, and keep your ceramic sets happy too. And, sometimes a good do-it-all, middle of the road utensil set will fulfill those requirements. Umite’s Chef Kitchen 14-piece utensil set is one such set. It has just enough ladles, spatulas and tongues in its arsenal to help you work wonders in the kitchen, while the pieces’ silicone tips will keep your pan’s nonstick ceramic coating scratch-free. It is an everyman’s everyday set, no more, no less. Just make sure to hand wash your utensils. It is not dishwasher safe, as dishwashing may leave the metal parts of the utensils discolored.