How to Season a Non-Stick Pan Before First Use

How Do You Use a Non-Stick Pan for the First Time?

To use a non-stick pan for the first time, peel off every label and wash the pan in warm, soapy water. Rinse it and dry it fully. Then rub a few drops of cooking oil over the inside and wipe off the extra. That light oil wipe is all "seasoning" means for a non-stick pan. Now cook on low to medium heat.

This is what the pan makers say. Tefal tells you to wash a new pan in hot soapy water, dry it, and "rub a little cooking oil into the non-stick coating before using for the first time" — Tefal UK care guide. Hawkins, an Indian brand, says of its Futura non-stick pans: "It is not necessary to season the pan" — Hawkins Cookers. Hawkins adds that seasoning helps if your first dish is a fried egg made with no oil.

First-use checklist for a new non-stick pan:

• Remove all labels and stickers.
• Wash in warm soapy water with a soft sponge. Rinse and dry.
• Wipe on a few drops of oil. Wipe off the extra.
• Cook on low to medium heat. Never heat the empty pan on high.
• Use wooden or silicone spoons.

Can You Season a Non-Stick Pan, and Do You Need To?

Yes, you can season a non-stick pan, but most makers say you do not have to. Seasoning a non-stick pan means rubbing a thin film of oil onto the clean coating before first use. It can help your first eggs slide off. It takes about 5 minutes.

Most people skip this step. They open the box and start cooking. For most pans, that is fine. Still, a light oil wipe does help. America's Test Kitchen says seasoning helps a non-stick skillet work better and last longer — America's Test Kitchen. It gives no figure for how much longer.

Think of it like moisturizer for your skin. The coating is smooth already. But a thin oil layer adds extra protection. It reduces friction. It stops food from grabbing onto the surface.

Key fact: We found no study that measures how much longer a seasoned non-stick pan lasts, so we give no number. What does shorten a pan's life is heat. Tefal says a pan that is often overheated gets a weaker non-stick coating.

What Do You Need to Season a Non-Stick Pan?

You need three things to season a non-stick pan. A clean pan. One teaspoon (5 ml) of cooking oil — the amount Hawkins uses. A paper towel or soft cloth. That is it. No special tools.

Best oils for seasoning:

• Refined sunflower oil: A good choice. It smokes at about 227 to 254 °C, based on how it is refined. It has a mild taste.
• Rice bran oil: Good alternative. Refined rice bran oil smokes at about 232 °C.
• Vegetable oil: Works fine. Available everywhere. Hawkins seasons its pans with vegetable oil.

Oils to avoid:

• Extra virgin olive oil: Lower smoke point, about 190 to 207 °C. Save it for salads.
• Virgin coconut oil: Lower smoke point, about 177 °C. Refined coconut oil smokes at about 204 °C.
• Butter: Its milk solids burn and stick. Butter smokes at about 150 °C. Ghee is different: it has no milk solids and smokes at about 250 °C. But a plain oil is cheaper for a wipe.

Honest note: for a thin wipe at low heat, any plain cooking oil works. Smoke point matters most when you heat the pan. All smoke points here are from the Wikipedia smoke point table.

How Do You Season a Non-Stick Pan for the First Time? (5 Easy Steps)

Season a non-stick pan by washing it, heating it gently, rubbing oil on the surface, heating again for 1 minute, and wiping off extra oil. This takes 5 minutes total. Do it once before first use.

1. Wash the pan. Use warm water and mild dish soap. Wipe with a soft sponge. This removes factory dust and oils. Dry it fully with a clean cloth.
2. Heat on low flame for 30 seconds. Place the pan on the stove. Turn to low flame. Let it warm up. Not hot. Just warm to the touch.
3. Add oil. Turn off the flame. Pour 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of sunflower oil into the pan. Use a paper towel to spread it evenly. Cover the entire cooking surface. Go up the sides too.
4. Heat again for 1 minute. Turn the flame to low. Let the oil heat for 60 seconds. You should see a faint shimmer on the surface. No smoke. If you see smoke, the flame is too high.
5. Cool and wipe. Turn off the flame. Let the pan cool for 10 minutes. Wipe off extra oil with a dry paper towel. The surface should feel smooth and slightly slick.

Done. Your pan is ready to cook.

Want the simpler way? Hawkins skips the heat. Rub 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil over the clean, cool pan with a paper napkin. Wipe the oil off. Then wash and dry the pan.

How Do You Season the InstaCuppa Multicook Kettle?

The InstaCuppa Non-Stick Multicook Kettle has a non-stick coating inside its 1,000 ml pot. The heating element is built into the pot, so it never goes on a stove and never goes under water. So the first-use steps are a little different from a pan.

1. Remove the plastic film. Our product video says to take off the plastic film before first use. Take off any stickers too.
2. Wash the inside. Wash the inside with warm soapy water and a soft sponge. Rinse well. Never dip the kettle or its base in water.
3. Boil water once. Fill with water up to the max mark. Boil it once and pour the water away. Our product page says this clears any factory residue.
4. Wipe on oil (optional). When the kettle is cool and dry, rub a few drops of oil over the inside with a paper towel. No heat needed. The kettle has only two modes, keep boiling and keep warm. It has no low heat setting.
5. Wipe and cook. Wipe off extra oil with a paper towel. For eggs, add a little oil each time. Use silicone or wooden spoons.

The InstaCuppa Non-Stick Multicook Kettle costs Rs 1,999 and was in stock on 28 September 2026. It runs at 600 W. It comes with a 1-year warranty and a 10-day free trial. The warranty covers manufacturing defects. It does not cover scratches from metal spoons or normal wear, so treat the coating gently. If you have a problem, write to our support team at support@instacuppastore.com.

What Are the 5 Biggest Seasoning Mistakes?

The five biggest mistakes when seasoning a non-stick pan are using too much oil, heating too high, using the wrong oil, skipping the first wash, and not wiping off extra oil after seasoning.

Why low heat matters: most non-stick pans are coated with PTFE, the plastic sold as Teflon. PTFE starts to break down at about 260 °C — Wikipedia, PTFE. Its fumes can cause a short, flu-like illness in people and can kill pet birds. Most cooking oils smoke before 260 °C, so smoke is your warning sign. Hawkins says the heat must be no more than medium when you preheat an empty non-stick pan. Read more in Teflon Flu: Can Your Non-Stick Pan Make You Sick?

How Do You Re-Season a Non-Stick Pan, and How Often?

Re-season a non-stick pan whenever food starts to stick a little more than before. No maker we checked gives a fixed schedule. Tefal says to repeat the oil wipe from time to time, and after every wash if you use a dishwasher. Re-seasoning takes the same 5 minutes as the first time. It refreshes the thin oil film on the coating.

Signs you need to re-season:

• Eggs stick slightly even with oil.
• Food leaves marks that are hard to clean.
• The surface feels rough instead of smooth.

Stuck-on marks first: Tefal says to soak the pan in warm soapy water, then rub gently with a paste of baking soda and water on a soft sponge. After that, wipe on a little oil again.

Note: Re-seasoning helps with a worn surface. But it cannot fix a peeled or flaking coating. If the coating is peeling, it is time to replace the pan.