How to choose a pan: from which materials the pan is better and safer, rating and reviews

It is simply impossible to imagine any kitchen without a frying pan - universal utensils that are used by housewives for frying, stewing, and even for baking. However, you can’t just go to the store and choose the first available option, the assortment today so large that it’s quite possible to choose kitchen utensils that fully meet the requirements cookery. For the right choice, you have to decide what parameters your dream frying pan has, and for this you need to deal with existing varieties.

Materials from which kitchen pans are made

The base material from which it is made is of the utmost importance in using the pan. This parameter primarily affects the thermal conductivity and strength of the product, which directly affects the quality and style of cooking.

Cast iron

Cast iron pans are sturdy and heavy, difficult to scratch or break. The big plus is uniform strong heating and slow heat transfer - this is ideal for braising or deep-frying. The porous surface of the material is filled with oil, which creates a film on the surface that protects against burning. One-piece (with metal handles) can be used for baking in the oven. A great advantage of a cast iron pan is its versatility - it can be used even on induction hobs, not to mention ordinary gas and electric ones. Among the minuses include:

• heavy weight;
• high cost;
• difficult care (you need to thoroughly wipe dry after washing, lubricate with oil to avoid rust);
• not suitable for storing dishes.

Aluminum

Pans made of aluminum are lightweight, comfortable and have a low cost. A huge advantage of this material is its high thermal conductivity - it is 15 times better than steel, which allows you to quickly get a high surface temperature. This makes the pan ideal for frying, creating a crisp. The disadvantages include the tendency to deformation when exposed to temperature, frequent burning of products, difficulties in maintenance (the material is easily scratched) and the inability to use on glass-ceramic electric plates. In addition, pure uncoated aluminum emits toxic substances, so such pans are only available with a protective layer.

Stainless steel

Stainless steel is a durable and stable material, but its thermal conductivity is lower in comparison with others. It is such dishes that can most often be found in professional kitchens - it allows you to maximize the preservation of the taste and color of the products. It is allowed to use on all types of plates, but it is important that the selected pan has an additionally thickened bottom. Cons can be considered the cost, the risk of quick burning products.

Other

There are other materials used to create pans, but they are not so common and popular:

• Titanium pans. By their properties, such pans are similar to cast-iron, but they are lighter and even more durable. Such dishes quickly heat up and are resistant to mechanical stress. The main disadvantage of titanium is its high cost, and therefore there are few proposals from such material.
• Copper pans. They have high thermal conductivity, faster than others react to changes in the temperature of the burner. In its pure form is not available today, can only be found in the professional segment with a stainless steel coating. Such pans are difficult to care for, and they are also very expensive.
• Wrought iron pans. This is a heavy dish suitable for cooking with the need for quick heat treatment (for example, scrambled eggs or steak). Forged pans are durable and can be used in the oven, but very expensive.

Types and safety of coatings

The inner cover of the pan is responsible for how exactly the food will be cooked into it and whether it will burn. Today you can meet several options for coatings:

• Teflon. Expensive material protects against burning and helps to ensure uniform temperature distribution. However, Teflon is very sensitive to temperatures and when it exceeds 200 degrees, it begins to release hazardous substances and collapse. It is easily scratched, therefore it accepts only silicone and wooden spatulas.
  

  Teflon coating is very sensitive to mechanical stress.

• Ceramics. It is a safe, scratch and temperature resistant coating. Ceramic-coated pans last longer than Teflon pans, but also cost more. Such dishes must not be dropped, placed hot in cold water and washed in a dishwasher.
  

  Ceramic coating does not tolerate sudden changes in temperature and drops

• Titanium. The material is mainly used as a coating for modern aluminum and cast-iron pans - this way food does not burn on them and the risk of rust disappears.
  

  Titanium coating is commonly used for aluminum and cast iron pans.

• Granite (marble). The coating is stronger than Teflon, but can withstand heating only up to 250 degrees, so you can not overheat it. It is an environmentally friendly material, completely safe for humans. A marble pan is afraid of drops and sudden changes in temperature.
  

  Be careful! You can find inexpensive frying pans with supposedly granite coating, but they are simply covered with an imitation pattern.

  

  Granite coating is absolutely safe for humans

How to choose a pan for its intended purpose

In addition to the material and coating, the pans differ from each other in their purpose and shape.

Tables: what types of frying pan are there by purpose

Photo gallery: types of frying pans for their intended purpose

The subtleties of choosing a good frying pan in the store

Having decided on the main parameters of the pan and its purpose, it can still be difficult to choose, since the assortment is very large. You can make your choice easier by paying attention to other details:

• Sizes. All types are available in different versions, usually a diameter of 18 to 28 cm. An important point is the diameter or length of the side (for square and rectangular shapes) is measured only on the bottom of the product. In choosing the size, it is important to rely on the number of family members - small pans up to 24 cm are suitable for dishes for 1-2 people, and large (28 cm) - for families of 4 or more people.
• Bottom thickness. Regardless of the material, the recommended bottom thickness for normal operation of the pan is 3-5 mm or more.
• Handle material. It is better if the pan has handles coated with bakelite - it will not heat up and slide in your hand. You can’t grab a frying pan with a metal handle with your bare hand, but it will have an additional plus - the ability to mark in the oven.
• Marks on the packaging. The manufacturer always indicates the parameters of the product, in particular, for what type of plate it can be used. Better not to rush and study the packaging.
• Cost. A cheap frying pan is unlikely to serve well and for a long time, usually high-quality options start at 1000 rubles.

Rating of the best brands

In all the variety of offers, it is not surprising to get confused, so before buying it will be useful to get acquainted with the ratings of manufacturers and ongoing research on quality. Rostest Moscow conducted a study of frying pans with a non-stick coating, which evaluated the thickness of the bottom, whether the coating was solid and how much the products adhered. Based on the results, a rating of manufacturers that meet consumer requirements was compiled:

• Ballarini (Italy);
• Tefal (France);
• Birletti (Italy);
• Epicure (Poland).

According to users' ratings on YandexMarket, you can make a rating of popularity of manufacturers of kitchen pans:

• Tefal (France);
• Rondell (Germany);
• Gipfel (China);
• Neva Metal Utensils (Russia);
• Frybest (South Korea);
• Bergner (Germany);
• Tescoma (Czech Republic).

Usage Reviews

In my kitchen operated a huge amount of dishes. I love to cook and cook a lot. Therefore, it was always upset when the pancakes burned and the meat came off along with the non-stick coating. Be that as it may, but traditional non-stick coatings very quickly failed, and cooking in such pans was already dangerous for health. And the design of such pans is very gloomy, and the color scheme was limited to two colors - black or gray. The BERGNER ceramic non-stick frying pan first attracted me with its vibrant mix of olive colors on the outside and snow white inside. I thought that the snow-white inside would not last long, nothing like that. For 6 months, the color has not changed, despite the fact that I do not use any abrasive detergents. And most importantly, cooking in this pan is a pleasure, the food does not burn, does not stick to the bottom. I add oil a little bit and only when stewing vegetables. The handle of the lid is also ceramic and never heats up.

I have these pans Teflon teflon pieces of 9 different diameters. I use them from 3 to 7 years (even an old working woman has existed for 9 years) The other day I collected and threw away (a few pieces, left only 2, and they I’ll throw it away without regret when I buy cast-iron or ceramic of the quality and diameter I need), have long served their term, Teflon coating it was shabby and burnt, I was cooking them the last time, but it was already scary because I read about the dangers of Teflon pans, especially old ones. I only regret that I poisoned myself and her family poisoned with old Teflon, it was necessary to throw them much earlier (the prospect of big expenses for new pans frightened), but everything was finally decided HEALTH EXPENSIVE. Mom told me a long time ago to get rid of them and go over (return to cast-iron). I will say that even in such a new pan, cooking without oil will not work, and in the old and even more so, you pour no less oil. In addition, in such a frying pan it is not possible to achieve a rosy crust, for example, on cheesecakes. And it is also bad to fry cutlets on it, it is more suitable for stewing and frying in a quick potato, omelet. A huge plus - non-stick properties. But fully retains non-stick properties only in the first year (with constant use).

I have a bunch of pans, but 2-3 are constantly used. One of my favorites was the recently acquired cast aluminum frying pan - the Titanium line EXAMPLES series from Neva Metal Crockery JSC. But the main conditions in this pan came together. It is non-stick and maximum (as much as possible in the current dangerous time) is safe. The pan is pretty heavy. But not enough to raise it with an effort. The pan is really great. It manages to fry everything, it has a sufficiently thick bottom for good frying over low heat.

You can choose a good frying pan only after deciding which tasks it should fulfill. Such dishes are produced from different metals, may be uncoated or with it, of various shapes, sizes, etc. The manufacturer is also of no small importance - he must have good ratings and customer reviews.