Granite, Ceramic or Aluminium: Cookware Coatings Compared
Non-stick pans in Kenyan kitchens rarely die of old age — they are killed. High heat, metal utensils and a scourer will ruin any coating in under a year, whatever it cost. Knowing which coating you have tells you how to treat it, and how long it should reasonably last.
The three coatings you will be offered
| Granite / marble-look | Ceramic | Plain aluminium | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-stick | Very good | Very good when new | None |
| Heat tolerance | Medium-high | Medium — degrades fastest on high heat | High |
| Typical life | 2–4 years with care | 1–3 years | Indefinite |
| Best for | Everyday frying, eggs, chapati | Low-oil cooking | Stews, ugali, boiling, heavy use |
A 10 Piece Granite Non-Stick Cookware Set covers the everyday frying and simmering. If you want the coating without PFOA, the 9 Piece Forged Aluminium Ceramic Coated Set, PFOA Free is the ceramic route. For the pots that live on the fire — stews, githeri, boiling water — an Extensils 10 Piece Aluminium Cookware Set is what actually gets used daily and does not care how you treat it.
Six rules that double a coating's life
- Medium heat, not high. Coatings break down above roughly 250°C. Nothing you fry at home needs more.
- Never preheat empty. An empty non-stick pan reaches damaging temperatures in a minute.
- Wood or silicone utensils only. One metal spoon is all it takes to start a scratch.
- Let it cool before washing. Cold water into a hot pan warps the base, and a warped base never sits flat again.
- No scourers, no steel wool. Soak instead; a coating that needs scrubbing is already being damaged.
- Do not stack bare. Put a cloth or a liner between stacked pans.
What to buy first if you are starting out
Full sets look like value and usually contain two pieces you never use. If you are equipping a first kitchen, the honest core is: one large sufuria, one medium sufuria with a lid, one non-stick frying pan and one saucepan. Add from there as you find out what you actually cook. See our kitchen essentials checklist for the full list.
When to throw a pan away
Once a non-stick surface is flaking, it is finished — not dangerous in small amounts, but food will stick permanently and more coating will come off with every meal. A warped base that rocks on the hob is also the end for an electric or induction cooker. Bare aluminium, by contrast, can be scrubbed back and used for decades.
Frequently asked questions
Is granite or ceramic coating better?
Granite-style coatings generally last longer; ceramic is the choice if you want PFOA-free. Both need medium heat and soft utensils.
Can I use metal utensils on non-stick?
No. Use wood or silicone. A single scratch spreads and the coating lifts from there.
Is a flaking non-stick pan dangerous?
Small flakes pass through, but the pan is finished as cookware. Replace it — food will stick and more coating will shed.
How many pots do I actually need?
Four to start: two sufurias, a frying pan and a saucepan. Buy the rest once you know what you cook.
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