Between: £ –£
You might be wondering what on earth Parrots, or indeed Birds, are doing on a Dinnerware site. Or you may be visiting because, as a Parrot owner, you are seeking safe or bird friendly cookware which will not harm your feathery friend.
The wrong type of cookware used in the vicinity of a parrot or any other bird, can be a silent killer. The fumes exuded by the heating of the cookware during cooking, can give off toxic gases which destroy a bird's fragile respiratory system very quickly. The fumes are not known to harm humans, and there is no smell to them, so you may never know how your parrot or your pet bird is being harmed, until it is too late.
Cookware, pots, frying pans and baking utensils and pans which are marked as NON-STICK or PTFE coated or Teflon-coated (check the small print on the products packaging or contact the manufacturer if unsure!!!) are not safe to use in households with birds. Now there are people who would say they have pet birds and have used these productys for years without problems, but it is now known that as these products age, or become a little worn or damaged during use, or are overheated in any way, they give off more and more PTFE fumes. And these are the silent bird killers.
We are including special categories to bring together the best selection of Bird and Parrot Friendly Cooking and Baking Ware as a tribute to our own special feathered friend, our beloved Medium Sulpher-crested Cockatoo Coco, who shared our lives for nearly 20 years until his sudden tragic death due to PTFE toxicity. We have put together a wide variety of Ceramic Coated cooking and baking products which do not exude toxic fumes and are bird friendly. Please ensure you check carefully before purchase of these products, that they are Ceramic Coated and free from any form of PTFE.
Please contact us with any comments or other products you would like to see which are bird friendly, so your parrots can stay healthy while you make lovely dinners.
TOXIC COOKWARE
You are probably wondering how cookware on sale in modern society can be "toxic" and why it is sold in large quantities world-wide every year. Well for starters, there are huge companies behind the manufacture of these goods and money = power all the time. The companies making these items have produced pages of so-called proof to show that there is no proven risk to humans with the use of their product.
However, for years and years, they have not been required to state that their cookware is lethal to birds of all description given the right circumstances and that while there has been no categorical proof that humans can be fatally affected, it surely is not heatlhy to inhale fumes so toxic that a pet parrot can die within 20 minutes of inhaling them! Rather like the miners use of canaries in the past to indicate the presence of toxic, odourless gas - if the canary collapsed and died, the miners knew they needed to get out of that area very quickly, before they too succumbed to the toxic, odourless gas that killed the canary.
Cookware coated with a slippery, "non-stick" surface, which is also easier to clean than more conventional cookware, is unfortunately to blame in this area - coated with a subtance called PTFE or PTFOA, these pans and pots give off a toxic,odourless gas when heated which can kill pet birds very quickly. Insufficient testing has been done on humans in this area, and anyhow, in my opinion, would I really want to be inhaling fumes that can kill other animals quickly? Or would I want my children to do so? Manufacturers are quick to defend the cookware and state that the gas is only emitted when the pans are overheated or the coating
is scratched and damaged and then food burnt in the pan. I know from bitter experience that this is not true, having lost a beloved pet parrot by using an unblemished, new pan and not burning or overheating any of the food cooked in it either. So normal use at normal cooking temperatures in an undamaged pan, killed my bird in a rapid, fulminating fashion.
This toxic chemical is also not limited to cookware - it is now found on dozens of other household articles and is even used in the manufacture of school uniforms! Items such as hair straighteners, curling tongs, hair dryers, mini grillers, kitchen electrical applicances for baking, toasting, and just about everything else now seem to carry the coating. In fact, it is really, really difficult to find Bakeware, in particular, which is NOT coated with the stuff. Even silicon bakeware is not safe around pet birds, although not quite as toxic as the PTFE coated stuff.
Supermarkets and large stores often carry very little else other than the non-stick cookware - these days it is cheap, albeit not so cheerful when you consider the potential toxic effects and the fumes given off which you and your family will inhale.
Non-toxic cookware is often carried only by better department stores or specialist kitchen shops and is generally more expensive than the non-stick equipment. What price your health, that of your family, and your pets?
Alternatives to this awful stuff include ceramic coated cookware, stainless steel, copper, cast iron and enamel wares. Ceramic coated cookware is similar in look and feel to the toxic PTFE coated pans, but is a much safer coating which is chemically inert and therefore does not emit any toxic gas. Basically, it is a glass, or ceramic, coating instead of the chemical PTFE. These pots and pans are also non-stick and easy to clean, but with the advantage of being non-toxic as well. They are not usually seen on supermarket shelves but can be readily sourced from big-name department stores, kitchen specialist shops and online.
They are more expensive than the PTFE coated pans, but are also more durable and many can also be used on Induction Hobs.
The secret here is to CHECK THE LABEL. Read the manufacturers details on the product - if you are unsure or it isn't correctly labelled, walk away. Non-toxic pans will state this on their label details - manufacturers will also state things like PTFE FREE or PTFOA FREE or NON-TOXIC, or INERT COATING or something similar. Don't buy it if there is no indication, simple!!
Other cookware options include:
-Cast iron wares, with or without enamel coatings. Cast Iron is a wonderful item and can last for generations, but must be correctly seasoned and cared for - it should not be placed in dishwashers for instance, and if cared for correctly, should not need washing or scrubbing, but that is another topic for another time!! Cast iren wares are heavy in use, of course, can smash or cause damage if dropped, and are expensive compared to cheap non-stick pans, but are an investment for generations and produce wonderful food in correct use without any of the toxic gasses being released as PTFE coated
pans do.
-Stainless Steel. Good quality stainless steel cookware, with at least an 18/10 rating, is an investment in family life and will last for many years. This metal is also intert and will withstand years of family cooking life, although cleaning burnt foods can prove more difficult than the non-stick types.
-Enamel coated cookware: This cookware is a base metal which is then coated with enamel to make a smooth cooking surface which is easy to clean. The well-known Le Creuset bran uses cast iron as the base which is then coated with enamel. Other pans use a lighter metal but still use the enamel coating. Enamel is easy to clean and can be used in an oven or on the stove top, but it can be damaged just like any glass can, and chipped. This cookware is a premium brand, usually, and relatively expensive, but is again safe, a joy to use, and will last a long time.
- Copper cookware. The luxury usually enjoyed by celebrity chefs, this is viewed by many as the ultimate cookware. It is usually coated with a high quality stainless steel, although some of the early French pots are "tinned". These are pricey items and a considerable investment, but will last a lifetime and beyond.
- Toughened or Pyrex type Glass: These glassware items can be used in an oven but not generally on a stove top. They are durable and reasonably priced, but do scratch over time and of course, can break if mishandled or dropped.
So there are many other safer, healthier options other than a cheap set of non-stick pans from a supermarket - they may cost a little more, but will definitely last longer and your family and pets will be spared the odourless toxic fumes emitted by PTFE-Coated cookware and bakeware. Protect your family and pets today and renew your cookware with non-toxic items.
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