[DowagerDave]

you're only focusing on the immediate, literal replacement cost though; what if (and there are as credible papers as this one, stating so) using a metal spatula on my teflon pan causes it to get into my food and that's what will kill me? Or various metals are an even bigger health risk?

>> should be pretty obvious even before this study that plastic, heat, and ingesting the result do not go together.

I don't think this is true.

[kelipso]

If you are using teflon pans, then metal spatulas are probably worse for you. But you should not be using teflon pans on the first place!

Also wood spatulas exist as a very good replacement for plastic spatulas for teflon pans anyway.