Frying pan

Seanachai · 11-04-2017 5:43pm #1

I'm looking to buy a good frying pan, I've bought pans advertised as being non stick in the past that turned out to be duff. Can anybody recommend a good brand/model preferably with a ceramic coating.

Dizzyblonde · 11-04-2017 7:32pm

Mod note: I've moved this from the Cooking Club into the food forum

coleslaw · 11-04-2017 10:30pm

Bourgeat pans and pots not ceramic though,best pans you can buy and not expensive

Gloomtastic! · 12-04-2017 2:15pm

coleslaw wrote: »

Bourgeat pans and pots not ceramic though,best pans you can buy and not expensive

Whilst mighty impressed initially with my ceramic frying pan, it didn't last long and is now just a regular pan that yuou have to oil etc......:(

janmaree · 12-04-2017 2:29pm

My ceramic pan didn't live up to the promises either and I mollycoddled that thing like no other. I won't buy any so-called non-stick pans now, instead I've gone back to my old cast-iron pan for searing steaks and use IKEA's stainless steel pans, they do two sizes and they work for me. Heat them up dry first and then add some oil, let that heat up before adding the food and the pans pretty much release for turning when the first side is done and nicely browned. I'm just not spending money on these non-stick things again, no matter how careful you are, they eventually DO stick and they shed goodness knows what into the food as the coating fails and flakes off. Just my 2 cents worth.

kylith · 12-04-2017 8:02pm

I too have given up on my ceramic pans, mine is now relegated to pizza duty.

I actually love my Ikea non-stick pan.

Tree · 12-04-2017 8:36pm

I just pick up whatever is on offer in TKMaxx. Non stick pans aren't meant to last forever, so buy at a price you'd be happy disposing of in 3 years. Got a ceramic pan there recently, bit annoyed by having to chase things across the pan to turn them, but it's super non-stick for now.

janja · 13-04-2017 9:28am

I bought a circulon ( guaranteed non stick) ang I'm thrilled with it have it about 8 months now .

Kintarō Hattori · 13-04-2017 1:25pm

As the missus works in IKEA I bought some non-stick pans from there. I didn't find them great so bought a set of 3 from Tefal in TK Maxx-. Absolutely delighted with the quality and many years later they are still as good as the day I bought them.

TimeUp · 06-05-2017 12:04pm

I bought a Tefal non-sticking pan in Tesco about 8 months ago and it's still perfect. I don't know wheter it will eventually end up sticking, but so far so good. What I do is to scrub it only with the soft side of the sponge, never the hard one. I don't know whether this will be useful for anyone. I used to scrub my non-sticking pans with the hard side of the sponge just as all the crockery

stimpson · 08-05-2017 10:48pm

janja wrote: »

I bought a circulon ( guaranteed non stick) ang I'm thrilled with it have it about 8 months now .

I loved my Circulon pan so much I bought a whole set of pots. Then I overheated the pan one day and it was never non stick again. Then someone left a pot on the hob overnight and killed it. We couldn't get the smell out of the house for a week.

I then bought a pair of cast iron pans (one flat and one griddle). I seasoned them with flax seed oil over a really hot BBQ and it is as non stick as you would ever need and will last forever. This site has all the info: http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/. I also bought some manly old antique ones on adverts. Been meaning to season them too. Must get round to it. Pots are currently getting replaced with Stainless steel.

dos30 · 09-05-2017 11:20am

Look on Amazon for De Buyer frying pans.
They're professional quality pans and will last a lifetime.
They need to be seasoned before use, this takes about 10 minutes. Then just rub a little bit of oil into them after washing and you'll have non stick pans that'll last forever.
I have 5 or 6 in different sizes, stocked up on them at very good prices.
e.g. Here a huge one(36cm) for £10, https://www.amazon.co.uk/Buyer-Coupe-Lyonnaise-Frying-Sheet/dp/B000ECOFQO/ref=sr_1_4?s=kitchen&rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1494324914&sr=1-4&keywords=de%2Bbuyer%2Bfrying%2Bpan&th=1

A more normal sized one 24cm is £15.
They should be multiples of that price.

Loire · 09-05-2017 11:52am

They have those small, non-stick pans in Aldi for 8.99 at the moment. They are tripple coated in non-stick stuff. They seem quite good - I have bought 2 and will probably go again..

Skill Magill · 09-05-2017 7:42pm

dos30 wrote: »

I have 5 or 6 in different sizes, stocked up on them at very good prices.
e.g. Here a huge one(36cm) for £10, https://www.amazon.co.uk/Buyer-Coupe-Lyonnaise-Frying-Sheet/dp/B000ECOFQO/ref=sr_1_4?s=kitchen&rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1494324914&sr=1-4&keywords=de%2Bbuyer%2Bfrying%2Bpan&th=1

A more normal sized one 24cm is £15.
They should be multiples of that price.

They are now! Coming in at 26 euro

T-Maxx · 09-05-2017 7:48pm

Forget all these non-stick fads. Buy a proper heavy stainless steel pan and be done.

Skill Magill · 09-05-2017 7:55pm

Not a fad though, once seasoned properly.

kylith · 09-05-2017 10:17pm

Jaysus, I'm awful to my non-stick pans, if stuff burns on I scrape it off, I put it in the dishwasher, and scour it with the rough side of the sponge. My little one is on the go the best part of 10 years now, and still better than my new ceramic one.

Seanachai · 10-05-2017 8:35am

T-Maxx wrote: »

Forget all these non-stick fads. Buy a proper heavy stainless steel pan and be done.

I have a small cast iron one, it takes a while to heat up and I find that eggs stick to it. It weighs a tonne, it's a great workout for the forearms.

stimpson · 10-05-2017 9:10am

Seanachai wrote: »

I have a small cast iron one, it takes a while to heat up and I find that eggs stick to it. It weighs a tonne, it's a great workout for the forearms.

Strip it back to the metal with oven cleaner and reseason according to the link I posted. Be grand.

Seanachai · 10-05-2017 9:39am

stimpson wrote: »

Strip it back to the metal with oven cleaner and reseason according to the link I posted. Be grand.

I'll have a look at it, mine has some kind of white covering on it, not sure if it's paint or ceramic of some kind. My mother has an iron one that her mother had and I remember her cooking fried brown bread on it years ago.

B8XA

stimpson · 10-05-2017 9:42am

Seanachai wrote: »

I'll have a look at it, mine has some kind of white covering on it, not sure if it's paint or ceramic of some kind. My mother has an iron one that her mother had at home and I remember her cooking fried brown bread on it years ago.

If it's ceramic you're out of luck. I'm talking about the old style cast iron ones. This type of thing: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00006JSUA/

McMurphy · 31-03-2018 10:02am

I'm in the market for a new pan myself now too, I have been using a heavy based Tefal pan for the last 5 years or so, and tbf it's been flawless, I've always kept it well seasoned and looked after it properly, food never sticks to it.

Unfortunately, it has a handle that was made from plastic that was loosening over time, and gave up the ghost altogether there a few evenings ago and came off completely.

I have a welder in my garage, but I'm not that desperate to keep the pan that I'd resort to welding a bit of 25mm flat steel to it, as a stopgap handle

Gonna head out later and pick a new one up, (might keep the old one, minus the handle as a spare/extra frying space for visitors etc)

Anyone any suggestions for a semi pro pan, preferably a good solid heavy base, oven proof too, in a bricks and mortar over the weekend?

LirW · 31-03-2018 4:19pm

Go for the stainless steel Ikea pan, doesn't cost a fortune and I'm in love with how great that pan is, it's oven-safe too, used it a few times in it.

https://www.ikea.com/ie/en/products/cookware/frying-pans-woks/sensuell-frying-pan-stainless-steel-grey-art-60324544/

McMurphy · 31-03-2018 4:49pm

LirW wrote: »

Go for the stainless steel Ikea pan, doesn't cost a fortune and I'm in love with how great that pan is, it's oven-safe too, used it a few times in it.

https://www.ikea.com/ie/en/products/cookware/frying-pans-woks/sensuell-frying-pan-stainless-steel-grey-art-60324544/

That would actually be perfect.

Done.

Dizzyblonde · 01-04-2018 1:00pm

You can't beat the €15 Ikea pan. There's one for €12 but the slightly dearer one is better.

McMurphy · 01-04-2018 1:30pm

Fried a couple of eggs in the stainless steel pan this morning, Jesus lads, they're not easily cleaned.

Is their a certain nack to it or what?

Dizzyblonde · 01-04-2018 2:33pm

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

Fried a couple of eggs in the stainless steel pan this morning, Jesus lads, they're not easily cleaned.

Is their a certain nack to it or what?

They're a nightmare, and I wouldn't fry an egg on one. My sauté pan is stainless steel, but the Ikea frying pans I buy have a non-stick surface.

McMurphy · 01-04-2018 4:18pm

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

They're a nightmare, and I wouldn't fry an egg on one. My sautan is stainless steel, but the Ikea frying pans I buy have a non-stick surface.

Dam, I'm not sure what is the correct method for cleaning them, maybe it needs a proper seasoning and a wipe down straight away, this morning after the eggs, I sat down and ate my breakfast and drank my tea etc before cleaning.

Prob do no harm to get me another pan with a non stick surface.

rubadub · 01-04-2018 4:34pm

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

Dam, I'm not sure what is the correct method for cleaning them, maybe it needs a proper seasoning and a wipe down straight away.

if there is no coating on the stainless steel you can scrub away all day with aggressive pads. That is what I like about it. But it is terrible non stick wise. I have seen videos saying to heat it up really hot, and then add oil, but then it would be too hot for me to say fry an egg, so would have to let it cool again. I don't think they are seasoned in the say way a cast iron pan is -and as there is no seasoned surface you can scrub away like mad.

Just searching there I found this page claiming it CAN be seasoned...
https://wholelifestylenutrition.com/health/how-to-cook-on-season-a-stainless-steel-pan-to-create-a-non-stick-surface/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1376ITxF1Oc

I have a stainless pot with a very thick base. I fry steak and burgers in it, get it roaring hot and often bring it out the back garden as it smokes like mad, yet retains heat well. The pot will look utterly destroyed afterwards but I have a heavy duty scourer that gets it like new.

McMurphy · 01-04-2018 6:49pm

rubadub wrote: »

if there is no coating on the stainless steel you can scrub away all day with aggressive pads. That is what I like about it. But it is terrible non stick wise. I have seen videos saying to heat it up really hot, and then add oil, but then it would be too hot for me to say fry an egg, so would have to let it cool again. I don't think they are seasoned in the say way a cast iron pan is -and as there is no seasoned surface you can scrub away like mad.

Just searching there I found this page claiming it CAN be seasoned...
https://wholelifestylenutrition.com/health/how-to-cook-on-season-a-stainless-steel-pan-to-create-a-non-stick-surface/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1376ITxF1Oc

I have a stainless pot with a very thick base. I fry steak and burgers in it, get it roaring hot and often bring it out the back garden as it smokes like mad, yet retains heat well. The pot will look utterly destroyed afterwards but I have a heavy duty scourer that gets it like new.

I followed a guide I found online for seasoning it, pretty much as you had described, it basically said to heat the pan medium to high for 3 minutes, then add some oil or lard, and make sure the pan gets a good coating.

Once it starts to smoke, remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Dump excess oil, and give the pan a run with kitchen roll.

It said the pan never needs to see soap, just wipe with kitchen paper after each use, and tbh I fried an egg in mine , just to try it out straight after seasoning it, and it was perfect. Egg d8dnt stick, and I just rubbed it with paper towel and it looks grand. (The dog thought it does good eggs

)

I will have to get testing it with a big lump of steak next, but I reckon I'm gonna be happy with this pan.

Faith · 02-04-2018 10:59am

I’m glad I read this because I have an Ikea stainless steel pan and EVERYTHING sticks to it! I fried eggs in a load of oil one day and they still totally stuck. I thought it was just me, and that I was missing something crucial

Dizzyblonde · 02-04-2018 1:20pm

Faith wrote: »

I’m glad I read this because I have an Ikea stainless steel pan and EVERYTHING sticks to it! I fried eggs in a load of oil one day and they still totally stuck. I thought it was just me, and that I was missing something crucial

You barely need a drop of oil on the €15 stainless steel one with the non-stick coating. It's brilliant for eggs and pancakes.

Tree · 02-04-2018 6:40pm

I've not done anythnig special to my stainless steel ikea pan (and it gets put in the dishwasher all the time), but frying eggs on it is no problem. Get it super hot, lash on a load of oil, bring it down to half and put the egg straight on. Get a lovely crispy bottom on it. Quick flip when the white is mostly set and you're away.

rubadub · 02-04-2018 7:11pm

Tree wrote: »

I've not done anythnig special to my stainless steel ikea pan (

Get it super hot, lash on a load of oil, bring it down to half and put the egg straight on.

You say you did nothing special, but you have effectively pretty much described the seasoning techniques that are on youtube.

What I would like to know is can any old pans be seasoned, I had a couple of crappy free uncle bens woks and the non stick came off. These were rusting so not aluminium. I wondered if I stripped off all the coating the a blowtorch or heat gun and an abrasive pad or those wire things for drills, -could I then season it.

And can aluminium pans be stripped and seasoned. I used to think it was something special about cast iron. But there seem to be videos of people seasoning aluminium pans too.

EDIT: seems people do strip them but its a lot of effort to do it properly.

Tree · 02-04-2018 9:54pm

rubadub wrote: »

You say you did nothing special, but you have effectively pretty much described the seasoning techniques that are on youtube.

What I would like to know is can any old pans be seasoned, I had a couple of crappy free uncle bens woks and the non stick came off. These were rusting so not aluminium. I wondered if I stripped off all the coating the a blowtorch or heat gun and an abrasive pad or those wire things for drills, -could I then season it.

And can aluminium pans be stripped and seasoned. I used to think it was something special about cast iron. But there seem to be videos of people seasoning aluminium pans too.

EDIT: seems people do strip them but its a lot of effort to do it properly.

Micro seasoning of the steel pan every use is basically the instructions that came with the pan. And yes, it all comes off like a dream in the dishwasher, hence I keep a non stick for omlettes and the like.

McMurphy · 04-04-2018 2:26pm

Barkeepers friend is supposed to be the ticket for cleaning the stainless steel pan, I'm curious as to whether this is a specific product, or is there a generic product available in an Irish shop, such as Tesco etc?

Made scrambled eggs in mine for breakfast this morning, eggs didn't slide about the pan with the ease I expected them to, with a bit of an egg coating left on the base, in fairness they came off with little effort (warm water and a wooden spatula) but in lots of the youtube videos I'm seeing, guys are seasoning the pan, (like I did) cooking, then just simply giving the pan a wipe with kitchen paper afterwards.

There's no way I could get away with that with my pan, perhaps it needs another few rounds of seasoning (one youtuber recommends seasoning it 5 or 6 times)

McMurphy · 16-05-2018 5:25pm

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

You barely need a drop of oil on the €15 stainless steel one with the non-stick coating. It's brilliant for eggs and pancakes.

Hey, had a bit of business out in the D15 area this afternoon, and decided I'd lunch in IKEA seeing as I could kill 2 x birds etc.

Picked up one of these pans you mentioned, and literally just did an egg in one there to test it out, and all I can say is whoa.

I've bought pans 2 or 3 x times the price of this, and they were nowhere near the quality, egg just slid around the pan with barely a drop of oil.

And perhaps it's better suited for the "here's what i had for lunch thread" but I had the Moroccan chicken with giant couscous.

Quality.

Tays · 29-05-2018 12:22pm

Johnny Just wondering where did you get the Giant Couscous? Ive been trying to get my hands on some!!

McMurphy · 29-05-2018 6:40pm

Tays wrote: »

Johnny Just wondering where did you get the Giant Couscous? Ive been trying to get my hands on some!!

Hey there.

The.giant couscous I was referring to was served up to me in the ikea restaurant, but Aldi do it in the freezers.

Been a while since I had it from there in fairness, but I recall it being fairly nice the last time I bought it.

lazeedaisy · 29-05-2018 6:46pm

Faith wrote: »

I’m glad I read this because I have an Ikea stainless steel pan and EVERYTHING sticks to it! I fried eggs in a load of oil one day and they still totally stuck. I thought it was just me, and that I was missing something crucial

Oh god, mine does too, I've relegated it cos it's useless

Cheshire Cat · 29-05-2018 7:04pm

Tays wrote: »

Johnny Just wondering where did you get the Giant Couscous? Ive been trying to get my hands on some!!

You can buy it in Aldi! I have two packs in my pantry

LirW · 29-05-2018 9:28pm

Cheshire Cat wrote: »

You can buy it in Aldi! I have two packs in my pantry

I bought it in Aldi but can't find it anymore unfortunately, I think it was part of the health food week they had.

McMurphy · 30-05-2018 9:42am

lazeedaisy wrote: »

Oh god, mine does too, I've relegated it cos it's useless

I used mine this morning to do a few sausages (it's the dogs 'birthday' apparently) (seriously) and they turned out brilliant.

I think the point of them is that you will have them for a lifetime more or less, as there's no Teflon coating to come off. This morning I just poured some hot water into mine afterwards, quick scrape with the wooden spoon to dislodge some sausage remnant, then quick wipe with kitchen paper, and it was as good as new again.

If you season them right, you can get eggs done fairly ok, not a patch on a dedicated non stick pan, I'll grant you that, but scrambled eggs etc come out grand.

Stainless steel pans are great overall, but like everything else in the kitchen, they have their uses. Fried eggs just aren't up there with being their first.

Zascar · 10-06-2018 6:30pm

I've had a few of the stone type frying pans and they are great at the start but start to wear after 6-12 months. The last one I bought I kept the receipt and intended to bring it back but then I couldn't find the dam receipt and it was over the year probably too..

Anyway I was in Home Store and More where I bought it, started taking to one of the lads asking for advice on frying pans. He said dont bother with any of the gimmicky ones - Tfal are just better that any other pan - full stop. I told the guy how the last one was rubbish and he actually gave me an exchange on it and just pay the extra - really sound of him. He said he's had one for 5 years and he could put it on the shelf its like new.

Super happy with it so far and will definitely buy another one. I think it pays to buy quality withy things like this that you use every day for years

L1011 · 18-06-2018 8:23am

Tefal aren't magically better than other brands. Probably has a higher margin for the store.

If you want premium brands, Brabantia change designs so often the older models end up in discount stores. You'll never get a matching set and there's no magic about them either but it'll be cheaper than homestore

budgemook · 15-01-2021 11:34am

Hi, I hope it's okay to resurrect this thread. There is some great information in here about frying pans - I guess the summary would be:

* Non-stick - buy cheap as you can (while looking for quality of course) as the non-stick will come off no matter how much is paid.
* Stainless steel pans - apparently can be seasoned and could be an alternative to cast iron. Probably not for me though as I have a good enamel one.
* Cast Iron - lasts a lifetime and can be non-stick if looked after properly - season, rub with oil after use, dry properly and don't use soap etc.

So I am planning to upgrade my cast iron pan - it was a bad buy as there are way to many griddles on it making it very difficult to clean. It's gathering rust in the shed now and I'll probably just bin it. I am going to get a flat cast iron pan and really look after it this time.

I see nisbets have some for under 30 euros - does anyone have experience with these? I was also looking at some that have enamel on the outside - I think this could be a good option as the outside won't rust and I'd only need to worry about the inside. Might be cleaner to store too as I wouldn't be rubbing the outside with oil.

Finally - I came across this spun iron pan that is apparently excellent - all of the benefits of cast iron but much lighter. Does anyone have one? It's a crowd in the UK that does them, they are sold out until March!

https://www.netherton-foundry.co.uk/double-handle-pans/12inch%20two-handled-pan

So right now I am torn between a) cheap nisbets pan b) expensive enamel coated pan and c) this spun iron pan.

Suggestions very welcome!

stimpson · 15-01-2021 12:11pm

One issue with CastIron is it doesn't spread heat well, so you need a good heavy pan to ensure you have enough thermal mass, hence I'd be sceptical of the spun iron pans - plus they are super expensive.

I have stopped using my griddle pans. The marks look great, but it means less meat has ben in contact with the pan, so less Maillard reaction, so less flavour.

If you're in the market for pans, I have some that were due to go on adverts. Some no name, some Amazon essentials and a good 12" Lodge. PM if you're interested.

the beer revolu · 15-01-2021 12:16pm

Couple of things.
I have a set of really cheap cast iron pans - been using them for decades. I don't see the point of paying loads for premium brands.

Griddle pans are a pita, smoke fest.

I always use soap when cleaning them - it doesn't take off the seasoning. Just don't scour them.

I rarely oil my pans - just no need. I'd dry them well on the hob after washing.

Getting them well seasoned is key.

budgemook · 15-01-2021 12:26pm

stimpson wrote: »

One issue with CastIron is it doesn't spread heat well, so you need a good heavy pan to ensure you have enough thermal mass, hence I'd be sceptical of the spun iron pans - plus they are super expensive.

I have stopped using my griddle pans. The marks look great, but it means less meat has ben in contact with the pan, so less Maillard reaction, so less flavour.

If you're in the market for pans, I have some that were due to go on adverts. Some no name, some Amazon essentials and a good 12" Lodge. PM if you're interested.

Thanks, I'll have a think about it! Yeah the whole "lightweight" thing would make me doubtful but the BBC reckon these things are the bees knees!

the beer revolu wrote: »

Couple of things.
I have a set of really cheap cast iron pans - been using them for decades. I don't see the point of paying loads for premium brands.

Griddle pans are a pita, smoke fest.

I always use soap when cleaning them - it doesn't take off the seasoning. Just don't scour them.

I rarely oil my pans - just no need. I'd dry them well on the hob after washing.

Getting them well seasoned is key.

Yeah, smoke fest is exactly right. It was a bad buy but wasn't expensive at least. I also have a cast iron plate for my bbq - I seasoned it when I got it but it has rusted too. I was told before to oil it after use and it won't rust but maybe it's something else causing the rust there. Anyway, when I get a new pan I'll grind the rust off the bbq plate and season them together and just look after them a bit better.

stimpson · 15-01-2021 12:57pm

Soap used to be a problem because it contained lye - thats not the case with fairly liquid. I use it all the time with mine and even leave them to soak - once it has been well seasoned it would be 100%.

Ley is basically Oven Cleaner. You can use it to completely strip the pan back to bare metal if you want to begin from scratch. use one of the ones from Dealz that comes with a plastic bag. This will remove rust too - DO NOT GRIND THE RUST OFF - you will ruin the surface.

The key thing here is seasoned properly. I have tried all sorts of methods and oils. My go-to now is:

- grapeseed (not rapeseed) oil. Tesco sell 500ml bottles. Also great for high temp frying!
- preheat oven to max
- wash and dry the pan
- Stick it on the hob and get it good and hot.
- Switch on the extractor
- get 2 paper towels and fold each in 4
- apply a small amount of oil to one towel (literally towel on top of bottle and briefly upend it to apply the smallest amount of oil to it)
- while it's still on the hob lightly rub it around the bottom of the pan. Literally 3 or 4 light swipes - no need to cover everything
- take the dry towel and remove as much excess oil as you can
- give it a minute or two to smoke off
- repeat this for at least 10 minutes
- cover the rest of the pan in as little oil as you can, removing the excess with a dry towel
- put it in the oven for 15 mins
- repeat this 2 or 3 times.

Bam! Bulletproof seasoning.

the beer revolu · 15-01-2021 1:04pm

Cast iron will rust in humid conditions.
If dried really well and kept in the kitchen, it shouldn't rust.

Frying pan

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