Recommend me a decent Frying pan

[maxwell]

The cheap pans are too thin and all Ive found that are Teflon coated usually end up with the coating coming off within a relatively short time and subsequent black bits in the food.

So what I need is a good size pan with a decent thickness good base and decent handle, also must be suitable for a gas hob.
Something cast aluminium or a proper cast Iron pan like my grandmother used to have maybe.

Over to you

 

[AdrianMills]

The cheap pans are too thin and all Ive found that are Teflon coated usually end up with the coating coming off within a relatively short time and subsequent black bits in the food.

So what I need is a good size pan with a decent thickness good base and decent handle, also must be suitable for a gas hob.
Something cast aluminium or a proper cast Iron pan like my grandmother used to have maybe.

Over to you

Over the years I've spent a small fortune on non-stick frying pans; some of them have set me back over a £100 (and that was years ago!). Most, even the really expensive ones, have had substandard longevity to say the least. Yes, I probably have used too high heat on many occasions so put it down to bad usage if you must.

Believe it or not, the very best I've bought was in Ikea here in Norway; I've looked at the UK Ikea and, I'll be damned, but it looks like this one here - FAVORIT Frying pan - IKEA It was so good, I bought a 2nd one as a replacement in case the 1st one wore out and Ikea didn't sell them any more. After 4 years (at least), the 1st one is still going strong on my induction hob.

I use a cast iron pan for cooking steaks with very high heat. Very nice but a pain to use for most other things compared to non-stick. A little more maintenance and care is required. I've had mine for 10 years now though so they last forever if not abused.

 

[Lancia34]

I swear by my Raymond Blanc "Anolon" pan. It's a type of pan with a similar teflon style non-stick coating but is supposed to be much more hard wearing. Also they come with a lifetime guarantee

I've found them much better than teflon and easy to clean as the whole pan is covered in the stuff and they also seem to heat up much more evenly than any other pan I've used

 

[mr97]

I use a cast iron pan for cooking steaks with very high heat. Very nice but a pain to use for most other things compared to non-stick. A little more maintenance and care is required. I've had mine for 10 years now though so they last forever if not abused.

Cast iron gets my vote, but as mentioned a lot of care is needed to prepare them for use (seasoning) and for cleaning.
I've also got a frying pan from Le Creuset's toughened non stick range. There are expensive but definitely worth the expense: metal utensils can be used on the non-stick surface; the pans can be used on all heat surfaces; the non-stick surface is very thick and covers the entire pan making washing-up ridiculously easy. I've had this two years and it still looks new.
The only negative aspects I have found - apart from price - is there are quite heavy.
I also have a Tefal shallow fry pan. I find the non-stick surface excellent; its fairly light so easy to move around and a doddle to wash. No real negatives with this pan, but as its new I can't comment on durability.

To a degree you get what you pay for with frying pans especially non-stick, however, if you are prepared to forgo the ease of non-stick re. washing up, then cast iron or black steel pans trump the best of the rest.

Unlike newer nonstick pans that degrade with use, the much cheaper and extremely durable cast iron & black steel pans get better the more there are used. When these pans are "seasoned" a natural non-stick coating covers the pan that only gets better the more you use it and, of course, look after it. Its recommended that you don't use washing up liquid on these pans but rather scrub them in hot running water to preserve the season.

If the seasoning and washing precautions put you off cast iron, there's always the enameled cast iron pans/cookware. These have all the benefits of raw cast iron, heat retention etc. but can be washed in hot soapy water like any other pan.

 

[mo]

the new tefal isnt bad but if you want amongst the very best then look at Woll , life time guarantee and very non stick, around £90.
its cast aluminum so its lighter and a better arounder than the cast iron stuff

 

[Moor]

Whatever you do don't buy circulon, they are designed for low to moderate heat only according to circulon, the whole point of frying is you need a higher heat! The lifetime guarantee will not be honoured if used for high heat which I found out when I tried to claim on my expensive year old pan which subsequently went in the bin.

 

[DIYlady]

I've got one of John Lewis one make which seems to be lasting well (including going in dishwasher)

 

[Palladio]

If you do go for a Non stick pan be warned that there are potential dangers and I'm pretty sure that nearly all Non Stick Pans will come with instructions not to put in a Dishwasher as it helps break down the surface coating and potentially makes them more dangerous.

Plenty of information in a Google search.

http://www.you-be-healthy.com/2011/04/be-informed-non-stick-pans-pose-danger/

 

[Member 577490]

Hi there,

There are some high quality cookware sets, and frying pans coming out of a lesser known manufacturer called Butterfly Appliances. They will soon be in some of the big retailers, but until they are the prices remain very good.

Check them out if you like:

www.butterflyappliances.com

 

[fizl]

I'm making good use of an M+S one. Copper bottomed, nice and heavy, good even temp distribution. Was about £40 if I remember rightly

 

[Megaross]

Bougeat is what I use and most restaurants use, excellent heat distribution, good weight, indestructable and they've got the metal handle so you can put them in the oven/ under the grill. You'll never need another pan again.

I've had cast iron and they're good but it's the care thats a nightmare, seasoning them, keeping them clean without washing. And you cannot fry an egg properly in a cast iron pan without having to scrape it and reseason after. If you go cast iron le creuset are the kings of it, but I don't recommend it as a main pan.