Is a Teflon-coated skillet with a "hole" of the coating missing safe to cook with?

I wouldn’t use it. The tiny pieces that are being flaked away to form the hole are going into your food.

Generally, once I begin to see deep scratches in my non-stick pans, I replace them. This is why I don’t use any metal utensils in these pans.

And yes, some will tell you that crossing the street is more dangerous than eating small amounts of Teflon. But I’m not comfortable with this kind of risk where my food is concerned.

The insttruction doesn’t say “Do not use if the coating is missing.”. But for some reason I wouldn’t take a chance anyway.

I would not use Teflon at all, but especially if parts of it are coming off.

@glacial nailed it. Your food will stick and be flavored and textured with the same polymer used to coat ammo and body armor.

It is also common to get rid of Teflon pans if you have small animals esp birds. Because in enclosed spaces or heated to highly Teflon releases toxins in the air.

Generally most people find the conveniece of them worth a little risk but the polymer contains a carcinogen that has made Teflon come under the scrunity of the cancer community.

I would say knowingly consuming flakes is a risk not worth the cost.

Here is a good article related to Teflon. http://m.wisegeek.org/is-teflon-dangerous.htm

It’s no longer non-stick, so it’s working like a $5 pan from the dollar store. I’d replace it.

My 12-year old skillet was getting sticky and I was very happy to find the same model (Farberware Restaurant Pro 10 inch aluminum skillet) is still around. It’s thicker than the cheaper models so it simmers well. I see it on-line for as little as $19.99.

If you get Teflon again, be religious about using only wood and plastic utensils in it.

Interesting. I did not reference the utensils I used in the question’s title or details, and yet some posters have assumed I use metal ones. I haven’t. As a matter of fact, I don’t own a metal spatula to cook with. I have not used a metal spoon in the pan either. My utensils are some kind of German-made heavy plastic.

Nevertheless, I am going to stop using the skillet with the hole in the coating. I have other pans.

@Hawaii_Jake I actually didn’t make an assumption about your utensils, just described what I don’t use (what I do use is silicon spatulas). For what it’s worth, I did have a roommate for a while who was in love with a particular hard-plastic spatula, and it wreaked havoc on my pans, which I’ve since replaced. Along with the roommate.

But only you know what caused the hole in your pan. :)

I can see a wooden spatula causing a scratch if there is a splinter in it, but how would it get splintered?
I have always used.plastic spatulas, and no sos pads, and still there is little scratches.

@glacial I honestly don’t know how the scratch got started. It is a mystery.

@Hawaii_Jake Hmm! I think this has the makings of a Fluther storytelling challenge.

Sorry about the above… my iPhone had a seizure when I was trying to type.

I was just going to add an aside that we got the Zwilling Thermolon coated pan earlier this year and we liked it so much we’ve added a couple more to our collection. We use those and cast iron.

Yes, perfectly safe. The amount of teflon that you might ingest (if any) is microscopically small and will not hurt you.

You will need to scrub harder, though.

Ohhhh… Roommates and boyfriends are terrible with pans.

I thought I scored once a boyfriend that cooked healthy and gluten free… And breakfast in bed.

Well I noticed a scratch in one of my 10 inch skillet. So when we were grocery shopping I picked up another. No biggie.

He was cooking that night and I was reading his homework aloud to save time. He grabbed a metal spatula that came with a set I got and was browning quinoa. He insisted on using metal because it cleaned easier. That was the shortest life span of a pan I ever had.

Oh and he took off with a couple of glass pots I loved when we parted ways.

Just goes to show he can be a cook and still be an ass.

Ah, Teflon – treat it well, and your food won’t stick but your relationships will. :)

It has a ring to it. I do like it.

Personally I’m not a fan of Teflon cookware because of what it does when heated and the fact that they tend to stick more than stainless steel or well-seasoned cast iron, but I expose myself to far worse during the course of a normal day so I wouldn’t worry too much about toxicity. Besides, if the fumes from heated Teflon haven’t hurt you yet,eating a few microscopic flakes won’t kill you.

I did not reference the utensils I used in the question’s title or details, and yet some posters have assumed I use metal ones

I came across that way, but I meant to be giving the general public a warning.

Also, I never used metal utensils, but I used green 3M scratch pads to clean all my dishes. I think that’s what wore away my Teflon.

I’m not using green scratch pads on my new Teflon.

Teflon is commonly used in medical implants. It is safe to be in your body. Heat it to 500°F, however, and it will break down and give off Fluorine, which is really bad. So if you can avoid heating it to 500°F, it is safe to use.