The colorful Bialetti Aeternum nonstick saute pan is a high-performance, eco friendly nonstick pan that’s easy on the eyes. It’s made by Bialetti, the Italian housewares brand.
The cherry red silicone exterior and the striking white cooking surface make this cookware beautiful enough to go from stove to table, but does this pan offer performance in addition to its good looks? Let’s explore.
Bialetti Aeternum’s aluminum core provides great heat conductivity so that the pan heats evenly. The white surface is designed to make it easier to monitor your food while cooking — so you can easily see what’s going on in the pan. The nano-ceramic nonstick coating is water based and made of titanium and suspended silicate micro-particles (the same stuff used to make glass).
Are Bialetti Aeternum Pans Safe?
Bialetti Aeternum nonstick pans are PTFE free and PFOA free, which means they won’t give off toxic fumes at high temperatures. Bialetti states that the cooking surface is also scratch resistant and stain free. However, the nonstick surface on these pans has been known to chip off really easily, which means your food could be exposed to the aluminum underneath. (More on this below.)
Is Bialetti Aeternum Cookware Oven Safe
While Bialetti says it’s safe on the stove top up to 750 degrees F for searing and other high-heat cooking, the Aeternum is NOT oven safe because of its stay-cool silicone handles. The handle is great for gripping and maneuvering the pan, but the silicone severely limits its versatility.
Bialetti Aeternum cookware comes with a 5 year manufacturer’s warranty. The Bialetti Aeternum saute pan is available in 8 inch, 10 1/4, and 12 inch sizes.
One of the biggest complaints I’ve heard from long-term Bialetti Aeternum cookware owners is that the nano-ceramic nonstick coating only lasts a few weeks or a couple of months at most. After that it peels off or gets chipped away in spots — leaving your food in direct contact with the aluminum underneath. This is despite washing by hand and using wooden utensils.
On the one hand, you can argue that it’s a benefit to be able to see when the nonstick coating wears off of a pan so you know when to throw it out or replace it. But no one wants to pay good money for a cookware with a coating that wears off quickly.
Though Bialetti Aeternum cookware is really pretty, and it’s easy to fall in love with the gorgeous design, the fact that it’s not oven safe and that the nonstick surface is so delicate makes me question its value. I also find it curious that Bialetti has not publicly addressed customer’s concerns or tried to remedy the issues, given how fiercely customers are complaining about it online. (My own inquiry to Bialetti was not responded to.)
A better performing eco-friendly alternative to Bialetti Aeternum (that customers are thrilled with) is the Ozeri Green Earth pan I cook with my Ozeri pan pretty much daily, and the nonstick coating is holding up nicely.
Watch this video to see more features of Bialetti Aeternum cookware:
