Whether a classic PTFE-based non-stick pan / non-stick pot can generally be cleaned in the dishwasher is initially decided by the respective manufacturer. Please check the information on the original packaging or in the instructions for use.

In principle yes, but....

According to the manufacturer, most non-stick pans are dishwasher-safe. Nevertheless, we recommend manual cleaning in the sink. Why?

Reason 1: Wear and tear

The hard spray of the dishwasher has a wear-promoting effect on the coating over time. The smallest particles are "shot out" of the coating in wash cycle after wash cycle, causing microscopic damage to the surface. Regular cleaning in the dishwasher therefore makes the non-stick pan look old much more quickly than if it is washed gently by hand.

Reason 2: Aluminum corrosion

Another reason not to clean non-stick pans in the dishwasher is aluminum corrosion. Most non-stick pans are made of aluminum, either cast (cast aluminum) or pressed or forged. And most of these non-stick pans made of aluminum have a raw, uncoated outer base (i.e. the surface with which the pan is placed on the stove), which means that the bright, silvery aluminum is visible. (With induction-suitable pans and pots made of aluminum, the aluminum on the base is usually only partially visible due to the additional induction-suitable disc made of ferromagnetic stainless steel).

This bare aluminum can corrode, especially during the drying phase in the dishwasher, depending on the temperature and humidity control of the respective machine. The result is grayish stains in the uncoated aluminum.

But don't worry, aluminum does not rust like iron. There is no destructive, rapid progression of oxidation, as with brown iron rust, with aluminum. Instead, aluminum forms a stable grey-white oxide layer. Aluminum corrosion on cookware is therefore primarily a visual impairment.

Conclusion

Cookware with a non-stick coating is so extremely easy to clean that, in view of the possible negative consequences, it hardly makes sense to clean it in the dishwasher, even if the manufacturer approves it in principle.

If you still want to clean your non-stick cookware in the dishwasher, please select a short program without a drying phase if possible, and remove the pan/pot from the dishwasher immediately after the end of the program and dry it thoroughly.

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