Have you ever had food stuck onto your pan while cooking? When you try to scrub off the food stuck to the bottom of it, you realise its not coming off? You start to think that maybe its time to get a new frying pan or cooking wok but only to realise the last time you purchased one was only two months ago?
You do not have to buy a cookware so frequently if you get the right one from the start.
Have you heard of the combination of a non-stick ceramic coating and a stainless steel cookware? The union is an ultimate cookware that guarantees use for a good few years, and a hassle-free cooking and clean-up. How does that sound as compared to the frying pan you just chucked away?
Zenez – The Ultimate
Zenez – The Ultimate is V-Care’s new series of cookware that combines the best of both worlds: non-stick ceramic-coating that is environmentally safe and free of PTFE and PFOA, and stainless steel cookware that everyone loves for its high resistance to temperatures and rust.
What is a non-stick ceramic coating?
A non-stick ceramic coating is made from a sand derivative that is free of PFOA and PTFE, and has non-stick properties. In the past, PFOA was used in the production of Teflon (also known as PTFE) non-stick cookware and was linked to various health conditions like kidney and liver diseases.
Today, all Teflon cookware are PFOA-free. However, some Singaporeans are still skeptical about Teflon cookware and are making a conscious change to other alternatives that offer safety guarantees.
Non-stick Ceramic-coated Cookware
A non-stick ceramic-coated cookware is one that is made with a metal base such as aluminum and coated with a ceramic coating. Because of the ceramic-coating, non-stick ceramic-coated cookware is becoming a popular choice of cookware amongst Singaporeans.
We previously shared 3 reasons why ceramic-coated cookware is the best, have a read to find out why so many people are getting a ceramic-coated cookware!
What exactly is stainless steel?
Stainless steel is an alloy of iron with chromium which makes this material rust-resistant. Chromium basically creates a thin layer on the surface of the steel which prevents any further corrosion. Stainless steel can also contain varying amounts of carbon, manganese, silicon, nickel and molybdenum. – Alice’s Kitchen
Food-Grade Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is a popular choice of material for manufacturing cookware because of its high resistance to corrosion. Health and safety is extremely important during cooking, therefore only food-grade stainless steel is used in the production of stainless steel cookware. The grade of the stainless steel refers to its quality, durability and temperature resistance.
| 300-series | This series of stainless steel consists both chromium and nickel, with about 18% and 8% by mass respectively. They are non-magnetic. |
| 400-series | This series of stainless steel consists of mostly chromium with a small number of other assortments of other elements, and no nickel. They are less resistant to corrosion as compared to the 300-series, and are magnetic. |
300-series
Type 304 is the most commonly used and safest food-grade stainless steel in the production of stainless steel cookware. Under Type 304 are two very common grades of stainless steel namely 18/8 and 18/10. Now you may ask, “What do these numbers mean?”
These numbers tell you the composition of chromium and nickel in the product or cookware. For the 18/8 stainless steel, the first number 18, refers to the percentage of chromium present and the number 8 refers to the percentage of nickel present. This means its comprised of 18% chromium and 8% nickel.
Type 304 stainless steel also consists of at least 50% iron with no more than 0.8% carbon For stainless steel cookware, the chromium binds oxygen to the surface of it to protect the iron from oxidation (rust). Nickel also enhances the stainless steel cookware’s resistance to corrosion.
400-series
Type 430 stainless steel is most commonly used in the production of kitchen utensils. You may occasionally see the numbers 18/0 on kitchen utensils and this means it comprises of 18% chromium and no nickel. In the absence of nickel, products are less resistant to corrosion and are more likely to rust as compared to its Type 304 counterpart. Because there is no nickel in this grade of stainless steel, it is significantly less expensive than Type 304.
Stainless Steel Cookware
As mentioned earlier, most stainless steel cookware are made of Type 304 stainless steel. This new series of Zenez cookware is made of 304 stainless steel. Stainless steel cookware are much loved by many for it can withstand high temperatures, are resistant to corrosion and extremely safe.
Key Highlights of the New Non-stick Ceramic-coated Stainless Steel Cookware
1. Intricate honey-combed web design
The intricate honey-combed web design is what makes this stainless steel cookware scratch-resistant! This means you can safely use metal utensils to cook and not worry about it scratching off the non-stick ceramic coating!
2. Non-stick properties
Now, when we say “non-stick” we mean you can cook with literally no oil.
Previously, our first series of Zenez ceramic-coated cookware, though non-stick, still requires you to add a little bit of oil during cooking. With this new Zenez – The Ultimate non-stick ceramic-coated stainless steel cookware, you do not have to add oil at all!
The technology behind the intricate honey-combed web design ensures there are air spaces between the bottom of the stainless steel cookware and the food in it, preventing it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Of course, oil gives your food more taste and texture so why compromise on that? Besides, adding a little bit of oil does not mean your food is unhealthy!
3. Use of steel utensils
Some will tell you that you cannot use steel utensils while cooking with a ceramic-coated cookware because it will scratch off the layer but Zenez – The Ultimate is resistant to it! The use of steel utensils will not damage the surface, giving you a wonderful cooking experience.
4. Safest non-stick cookware
We dare say that this non-stick ceramic-coated stainless steel cookware is the safest cookware you will ever own! With no PTFE or PFOA present in the production process, you can be assured that no toxins will seep into your food during cooking.
5. Suitable for use on various cooktops
Whether you prefer the conventional gas stove or a modern induction cooktop, this stainless steel cookware can be used on both!
Gas Stove
The beauty of the conventional gas stove is the flexibility for heat control which cannot be achieved with the modern induction and electric cooktops. Gas stoves have been in our kitchens for the longest time ever before induction cooktops came about.
Induction Cooktop
An induction cooktop uses the power of electromagnetism to transfer currents to heat up magnetic cookware, which in this case, the non-stick ceramic-coated stainless steel cookware. It heats up way faster than a gas stove and clean-up is also easier since induction cooktops have a flat surface. If you are interested to find out more about induction cooktops, we have a separate article on it here.
Dishes you can now cook with the new Non-stick Ceramic-coated Stainless Steel Cookware
Name us a few of the dishes you love but cannot cook using your conventional non-stick cookware. Did we hear some “crabs” and “shellfish”?
With this new non-stick ceramic-coated stainless steel cookware, you can now cook your favourite chilli crab and “la la” (clams) without the fear of scratching off the ceramic coating.
Previously with your typical non-stick cookware, you often hear things like these:
“You can’t cook crabs or any other shellfish else you may risk getting the surface scratched off!” or “Do you know the chipped off ceramic coating will get into your food and you will eventually be ingesting them?”
Let us tell you now, you no longer have to worry about these anymore! Well, to begin with, the ceramic-coating is non-toxic so it is not hazardous when consumed but for those who are especially particular, this new cookware series eliminates your need to worry about it.
As mentioned earlier, the stainless steel cookware is designed with an intricate honey-combed web design that makes it scratch-resistant. Therefore, you can cook your shellfish dishes with ease, knowing that the surface will not be scratched off.
First thing to do after purchase
After purchasing your Zenez – The Ultimate, the first thing you should do is to pour half a cup of vinegar into the non-stick ceramic-coated stainless steel cookware, fill it up with tap water and bring it to a boil for 1 or 2 minutes. Then, drain the vinegar mix and wash it with detergent and baking soda. This is because some metal residues from the manufacturing company may still be present on its surface.
Where can I get this Non-stick Ceramic-coated Stainless Steel Cookware?
This new series of non-stick ceramic-coated stainless steel cookware comes in three sizes – Zenez – The Ultimate 36cm cooking wok, Zenez – The Ultimate 32cm cooking wok and Zenez – The Ultimate 26cm frying pan. We have just launched this new series at Ang Mo Kio FairPrice Xtra and OG Albert. You can now make your purchases at the two outlets. Alternatively, you can also make your purchases through our store on Lazada and Shopee.
We will be making this new series of stainless steel cookware available across all our usual FairPrice outlets, and OG Orchard Point and OG People’s Park. If you wish to be updated on the launching of this new series of cookware in other stores, then sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know about it. You can also drop us a message via our contact form for more information.
What do you think about this new series of Zenez cookware that combines both the non-stick ceramic coating and stainless steel together? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
2 Responses
Hi, I bought a deep frying pan, or more like a wok from you. In less than 6 months, it seems every cooking, the food sticks on the pan and it is so frustrating. Is there any way to make good the pan?
Hi Karen, thank you for your comment. Kindly note that when using our Zenez cookware, you need to add oil. If there are any burnt spots, we advise our customers to use a 3M green sponge to scrub it off before next use. If the sticking persists, please do not hesitate to contact us.