We Do Not Use Aluminium! You Ask Why?
Most cookware on the market is coated over an aluminium body. Since 1958 we have coated steel instead. Here is why, plainly.
Two bodies, two lifespans
Cooking tools used in kitchens are produced by coating on steel or on aluminium.
In addition to being abundant, aluminium is widely used because it is strong for its weight, light, versatile and recyclable. Its lightness and low cost attract manufacturers — but aluminium is a soft metal that warps easily with heat and knocks.
What happens when the coating wears through?
Aluminium cookware is usually coated, but the coating tends to wear. Once it is scratched the aluminium underneath meets the food directly, and transfer into the food rises with acidic dishes in particular.
The health effects of high aluminium exposure have been debated for a long time, and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has set a tolerable weekly intake for it. Removing needless exposure is the simplest precaution a manufacturer can take.
On a steel body, even a damaged coating exposes carbon steel — no aluminium reaches the food.
The healthy, long-lived choice: coating on steel
Healthy and long-lasting cooking utensils are enamel coated on steel.
Coating materials such as enamel, teflon and granite are healthy when produced using the coating technique on steel. When the coating is applied on aluminium, the aluminium released from the material scratched over time is harmful in terms of health. The structure of the pan deteriorates, your meals are affected and so is your health.
As the Eternity brand we produce our products with the coating-on-steel technique, aluminium free. The body is steel across our enamel, non-stick and granite series alike.
What to look for when buying
- Does a magnet stick to the body? Then it is steel — and it will work on induction.
- Does the box say “on steel”, or only name the coating?
- Weight tells you how thick the body is; a very light pan is usually thin aluminium.
- Are the handles riveted or bolted? Replaceable handles extend the life of the pan.
Which coating suits you is covered in our comparison article and on the choosing a pot page.
Frequently asked questions
Is aluminium cookware harmful?
An aluminium pan with a sound coating is fine in normal use; the risk begins when the coating wears and metal reaches the food. A steel body removes that risk.
What are Eternity products made of?
Carbon steel, coated with enamel, non-stick or granite. We use no aluminium bodies.
Are steel pans heavier?
Slightly, for the same volume. In return they keep their shape, hold heat more evenly and work on induction.