Non stick coating wearing out?

[oldrustycars]

I have a 10 inch omelet pan I bought at a restaurant supply store 3 years ago. Until recently just a bit of oil or butter and eggs would slide right out. Now they are sticking. I've used shortening, coconut oil, butter and margarine, no help. The coating show no signs of flaking. Does it just wear out over time, and lose it's slipperiness? It was just a cheap pan, $25, no idea if it's T-Fal or something else. Maybe it's just me?
I should point out that only nylon utensils ever touched this pan, it never saw a dishwasher, and not overheated. I only use it for eggs.

 

[bakechef]

It could be a buildup on the pan's surface. Non-stick sprays can leave a buildup as well as milk solids from real butter.

You could try a paste of baking soda and water with a plastic scrubber. If you start seeing the paste turn brown while cleaning the pan, then it's likely that you have a buildup. The buildup is hard to see on a dark surface like a non-stick pan.

 

[oldrustycars]

That makes sense. I never use sprays, but do use real butter. The way I see it, the spray is an extremely expensive way of buying cooking oil.
I'll give that a try. Thank you.

 

[Andy M.]

Nonstick coatings on cheap vans are typically cheap as well. They will wear over time and lose their nonstick quality even though there are no defects on the surface. Your best choice may be to buy another pan.

 

[Steve Kroll]

They wear out. Replace it. I buy a new one every 3-5 years like clockwork.

 

[oldrustycars]

It's just worn out. I can feel the difference in texture in a new one. Thanks everyone.

 

[bakechef]

I'm not sure if they are still made but I have a Wearever that was "safe for metal utensils" that I've had for 12 years (fairly light use) and it's a fantastic pan, much better than I expected for a $20 pan.

 

[RPCookin]

Even the best wears out eventually. I have a set of what has been the best nonstick cookware I've ever seen (An early style of Emerilware, believe it or not, that was discontinued shortly after I bought mine), but the 3 frying/saute pans are starting to be less nonstick now after 10 years of heavy use. They still work better than a regular pan, and I've certainly gotten my money's worth out of them, but they aren't as slippery as when they were new, particularly with something like scrambled eggs.

None of them shows even the smallest scratch though, which isn't bad for a decade of almost daily use.