The Real Reason You Should Never Put Some Frying Pans In The Oven

Most people spend a lot of their time attempting to preserve their prized pans that cost them an arm and a leg — the ones they so admirably scoured department stores for, compared online, and obsessively researched before committing. Whether it's a pan from Williams Sonoma, Sur La Table, or a set from Costco, the truth is that no matter where you go these pans don't come cheap. While the price tag on some might make it seem like they can be placed anywhere — even in an oven — the unfortunate truth is that they can't.

Although some pans are built to be able to go from stovetop to oven, others are not. You might be tempted to take that delicious pan-seared strip steak from the stove to the oven, but you'll want to make sure your cookware is oven safe before doing so. 

So what's the worst that can happen if you put a pan in the oven? If it's not an oven-safe skillet, let's just say you might wind up with melted handles, a ruined meal, and a foul smell of fumes from the burnt plastic clouding your kitchen, according to World of Pans.

You might as well burn your money if you place a non-oven-safe pan in the oven because ultimately that's exactly what you're doing. While the best word of advice for preserving your pans is to keep certain types away from the oven, there are ways in which it can be done if you're in a bind, as long as you take the proper precautions.

For instance, pans with plastic handles will need to have their handles wrapped in double layers of wet paper towels and aluminum to help preserve them while in the oven, according to Cook's Illustrated. If you're using a non-stick pan, make sure the temperature doesn't go above 500 to 600 F degrees while in the oven, as at 500 degrees the chemical PTFE in the nonstick coating begins to degrade (via Reviewed). Instead of living on the edge, it's best to play it safe and be sure the skillets you're planning to use for baking are 100% built for oven use.