Recently, induction cookers have been making waves in kitchens, quickly becoming the new mainstay for home cooks. Loved for its efficient heating and safety features, gas and electric stoves are starting to be put aside in favor of sleeker induction burners.
However, while this new kid on the block might be proving itself better in efficiency and safety, does it really fit in with the rest of your kitchen?
To be more specific, how well does it work with your typical clean-up routine?
Sure, it’s great to have a smoother cooking experience with induction cookers, but after that, will you still be able to chuck your pots and pans into the dishwasher?
Wouldn’t it be a shame if, sure, you get to cook with more even heat and get better results but have a pile of pots and pans to wash all by yourself after?
So, let’s get to the bottom of it: Are induction pots and pans dishwasher safe?
Is induction cookware dishwasher safe?
The quick answer to this would be that it depends. Usually, the material of the cookware is going to dictate whether or not the dishwasher is going to be a safe place to do your cleaning.
But what is induction cookware anyway? Is there some kind of special metal that makes a pot, pan, or other cookware induction friendly?
Well, the simple answer is induction cookware isn’t really some special kind of technology. In fact, most of the cookware in your kitchen right now might already be considered induction cookware.
What makes a pot, pan, or dutch oven induction-friendly is whether or not it is ferromagnetic.
Or, simply put, if you hovered a refrigerator magnet over your cookware, would it attract and stick? If it does, then you’ve got yourself some induction cookware.
Usually, these types of cookware come in the form of predominantly iron or materials that are iron-based.
See, this magnetism is necessary because it’s the science behind why induction cooking works so well. The induction stovetop uses electromagnetic energy to work up the atoms inside your pan. This creates friction between them and makes them heat up.
Check out your kitchen. Do you have any cast iron or aluminum pots and pans? Well, there you go! You’ve got induction-friendly cookware in your arsenal.
What pans can you put in dishwasher?
So, now that you know that induction cookware isn’t made of some kind of extra special alien material, the next step to figuring out if you can put them in the dishwasher or not is by examining the material your pots and pans are made of.
The most common material used in induction-friendly cookware can vary widely. Some of these include:
- Stainless steel (only if they’re magnetic!)
- Enameled carbon steel or cast iron
- Cast iron
- Carbon steel
- Non-stick induction cookware
But more importantly, what kinds of pans can you put in the dishwasher? Can you wash induction pans?
Is stainless steel dishwasher safe?
Can you put stainless steel pots and pans in the dishwasher?
Absolutely! Stainless steel pans are as hardy as they get.
The biggest reason why a lot of cookware will get ruined in the dishwasher is because of corrosion–also known as rusting.
But when it comes to stainless steel, this is its claim to fame! Stainless steel is considered stainless because it doesn’t rust.
This is thanks to its being an alloy or a mix of different metals besides iron.
Iron alone is highly prone to oxidizing when exposed to water and oxygen, causing rusting. But the metals blended in with iron in stainless steel protects it from oxidizing, making it safe to use in the dishwasher.
Is Enameled Carbon Steel or Cast Iron dishwasher safe?
Enameled cookware might just be the prettiest induction-friendly cookware out there. These usually come in bright, vibrant colors and are fawned over by people who love a rustic aesthetic.
Besides their adorable looks, enameled cookware is also non-stick and relatively easy to work with. All of this, of course, alongside being quite durable.
So, yes, technically, you can stick enameled cookware in the dishwasher. The porcelain coating protects any metals that might be prone to corrosion.
However, it is recommended to avoid the dishwasher at all costs and to handwash your enameled cookware in order to prevent damage and scratches.
The dishwasher can get a little rough with your cookware and utensils, and you don’t necessarily have control over what goes on inside.
Your enamel might get dinged up and chipped away by constant dishwasher cleaning.
Can cast iron go in the dishwasher?
No. Never!
It’s no secret that cast iron’s biggest nemesis is rusting. Putting it in the dishwasher makes it prone to corrosion.
Aside from this, seasoning is the reason why cast iron stays non-stick. Putting it in the dishwasher can weather away the seasoning you’ve built up on the pan.
The best way to clean a cast iron pan would be to hand wash it with mild soap and water and dry it completely immediately.
However, it’s not the end of the world if you accidentally put your cast iron induction cookware in the dishwasher. They are meant to last anyway.
Just inspect your cookware for any rusting, remove the rust using steel wool or de-rusting agents, and then thoroughly dry your pan.
You might need to season it again to get it back to its best shape, but as long as you don’t make it a regular practice to clean it in the dishwasher, your cast iron pot or pan should be just fine.
Can carbon steel go in the dishwasher?
Nope!
Unlike its cousin, stainless steel, the iron in carbon steel isn’t mixed up with other metals that can protect it from potential corrosion.
This means that a trip to the dishwasher can spell out rust and damage to your carbon steel kitchenware.
Can Tefal induction pans go in the dishwasher?
Tefal is the brand that popularized non-stick cookware. Its name is a nod to Teflon, the substance that makes non-stick pans work their magic. So, this piece of advice should work well for Tefal and other non-stick Teflon pans.
This is another case of “yes, you can, but it’s not recommended”.
Tefal can withstand a lot of wear and tear, but it’ll render your cookware pretty annoying to use if you get a few scratches on it. As you might already know, the dishwasher is one of those places that can get those scratches to happen.
If you can’t avoid putting your Tefal induction pans in the dishwasher, use mild detergents and never put them in with other metals that might cause scratching. Otherwise, the best practice is still to wash it by hand.
Conclusion
So, what makes the best induction cookware dishwasher safe? It all boils down to the material.
The simplest rule of thumb you can follow is to ask whether a certain pot or pan is prone to rusting.
If it is, skip the dishwasher. If it isn’t, ask yourself if you’d mind potential scratches on this particular piece of kitchenware. If you think your pot or pan can withstand it, it’s off to the dishwasher you go!
It’s all in the material that makes induction cookware dishwasher safe.
So, now you know which pots and pans will be great for induction cooking and come with a quick clean-up and which ones might need a little extra TLC.
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