How to choose a pan and not to miscalculate
Educational Program How To Choose / / December 19, 2019
Decide on the purpose
We will not go into the pan for paella and chestnuts, eskargoterki and other rare dishes. Let us leave it to professional chefs. We focus on the embodiments, which will be useful for any kitchen.
For meals per day is suitable pan classical form. This dish is fried, stewed, Passer and beyond.
Similar to the roaster it has high thickened walls, a thick bottom and two small handles. It is suitable for roasting and stewing, is often used for cooking in the oven.
Another option - a grill pan round or square shape. Her once you learn along the bottom with high grooves from which the image of a beautiful pattern on the dishes. Grilled roast meat, poultry, fish and vegetables.
Fans of Oriental cuisine in handy wok. This pan bottom with a small diameter and thin walls expanding upward. Ideal for quick frying vegetables, meat, poultry and fish.
But the pancake is useful to those who love pancakes, hash browns, cheesecakes. It is characterized by low bumpers, so that it is convenient to distribute and turn the dough.
What to buy
- Universal pan from Tefal, 890 rubles →
- Brazier on "Seaton," 1499 rubles →
- Square pan grilled by Tefal, 4990 rubles →
- Wok from Rondell, 2690 rubles →
- Pancake pan by TVS, 1 190 rubles →
Note especially his plate
Correctly selected cookware corresponds to the plate.
Gas stove
For it to fit any pan bottom thickness of 5 mm thinner may change shape when overheated and quickly come into disrepair. It is better if the bottom will furrow.
Induction cooker
You can only take the pan with a ferromagnetic bottom. They have a special marking, as in the picture below.
However, you can not look for a label, but simply attach to the bottom of dishes magnet. If it is attracted, the right choice.
ceramic hob
For optimum frying it with a smooth flat bottom, preferably matt and dark. Aluminum and copper cookware without coating on the outside does not fit: it can leave marks on the surface of the plate.
Electric stove
Feel free to take any of the pan with a flat bottom. Do not buy only the aluminum stamping, which quickly lose its shape by heating.
What to buy
- Frying pan for gas cookers from Tefal, 1390 rubles →
- Frying pan for induction cookers from Polaris, 2790 rubles →
- Frying pan for glass-ceramic plates of Rondell, 3 990 rubles →
- Pan for all types of stoves from Polaris, 1590 rubles →
Select body material
How serve dishes depends on the material from which it is made.
Aluminum
Aluminum pans are inexpensive, lightweight and rapidly heating. They are stamped and molded. Punching is quite thin, deformed due to high temperatures. Use it is better to heat, not cooking.
We cast frying pan sides and bottom are thicker and longer service life. Although any utensils made of aluminum is not as durable as made of other materials. It is easily scratched spatula made of metal or rigid brush.
Aluminum pans without coating are good for any food except acidic. Reactions of organic acids with aluminum spoils the taste of cooked. So no experiments sauerkraut, Vinegar, lemon and even tomato sauce. Also not recommended to cook in a pot spicy dishes.
Taste quality may suffer and food storage.
Wash uncoated aluminum must manually using a soft sponge.
Copper
Copper pans are heated and quickly cool down due to the high thermal conductivity of copper. This helps to clearly monitor the temperature in the cooking process, as with decreasing fire utensils will not be long to keep warm.
Such good pans for cooking over low heat.
All dishes from this metal is quite heavy. But weight when buying one can understand that this is a copper, not just the copper coating. Suffice it to compare with steel or aluminum.
Such coating pan without washing by hand and soft jaws. Oxide cleaned with a special paste.
Stainless steel
stainless steel frying pan uncoated lightweight and durable, does not deform, do not break and do not rust. Any blade will not spoil them.
Utensils are not afraid of high temperature and is suitable for any product. The main thing - do not forget to stir, or dishes of Undermountain.
It can be washed in the dishwasher. If hands - better than a soft, rather than a metal sponge and without tools with abrasives.
Cast iron
These pans are perhaps the most durable. If properly care serve for decades. They are heavy, long heated, but well keep warm and give it evenly. They are fried, stewed and tantalized any meals.
Ready meals need to immediately clean out the pan, or cast iron quickly rust. For the same reason, you need to wipe dry the dishes immediately after washing. Use detergents and dishwasher can not.
After the purchase of a cast-iron frying pan without coating have a good rub with oil and ignited. Smokescreen is guaranteed in the kitchen, but then there are no problems. Some brands offer already prepared pan. An indication of this is on the label.
What to buy
- Aluminum pans 850 rubles →
- Copper pans, of 12 990 rubles →
- stainless steel frying pans, from 1 990 rubles →
- Cast iron pans, from 3 990 rubles →
Decide coated
Often in a pan smeared with a special coating. They food is undercooked, you can cook without oil. The more layers, the longer the dishes.
diamond coating
It is applied to the aluminum pan and allowing to wash them in the dishwasher and use metal spatulas and teaspoons. Disadvantage - the high cost.
ceramic coating
Used for frying pans of aluminum, steel and cast iron. It withstands high temperatures, but deteriorates their abrupt changes. So pour the cold water into the hot frying pan is not necessary.
Wash by hand, soft sponges. Rigid blades are not suitable.
marble coverings
Suitable for aluminum dishes and allows you to use dishwasher. Feature - from perekalivaniya and a sharp temperature drop at the surface microcracks appear.
Blades are allowed only plastic, silicone or wood.
tin coating
The inside protects the copper pans from oxidation. Deteriorate at high temperatures and generally more suitable for pots. In case of damage it is possible to restore, which will have to refer to specialists.
steel coating
Is applied to the copper pans for protection against oxidation. It lasts longer than the tin, and is well suited for frying different products.
Teflon coating
Often the pans from steel and aluminum. Acceptable for use temperature - 200 ° C. In larger allocates dangerous substances. Quickly scratched, especially because of the hard brushes and blades. Damaged by sharp temperature jumps. Rarely is more than a year.
titanium coating
It occurs on containers of steel and aluminum. Mechanical damage will not intimidating, but any suitable blade. The price is quite high.
Lacquer
Is applied to the cast-iron frying pan. Dishes with this coating does not have to be calcined, can be placed in the refrigerator and wash in the dishwasher. It does not absorb odors and is non-corrosive.
But these pans can not overheat, otherwise the enamel crack. Another danger - chipped. In their place there is rust.
What to buy
- Frying diamond coated from 1 590 rubles →
- Frying with a ceramic coating, from 2 190 rubles →
- Frying marble coated by 789 rubles →
- Frying with a titanium coating, from 1 → 999 rubles
Decide on the size of
An important parameter - diameter. He is always shown on the label, and it can be measured at the top.
Frying with a diameter of 20 cm is sufficient to cooking for one24-26 cm - for two, 28 cm - a big family.
But the size of the bottom must fit the hotplate.
What to buy
- Frying pan of 20 cm diameter, 950 rubles →
- Frying diameter of 24 to 26 cm, from 690 rubles →
- Frying diameter of 28 cm, from 1 → 190 rubles
Note the thickness of the bottom and sides
Classic pan with thick walls (not less than 4-5 mm) and a massive bottom (4-5 mm) and last longer practical. Thin-walled (3 mm) is easily deformed, and heating therein is not always uniform.
The bottom may consist of one or more layers, it is an indication on the label. Multilayer preferable, it is not deformed and is long. The dish with the bottom dish can be brought to readiness and weary after turning off the stove, the heat will continue for a long time.
A single-layer model suited more for fast cooking or reheating.
Note the handle and lid
pans handles are different. Monolithic maximally reliable and can not fall off.
Handles with attachment - welded, riveted or screwed - last a long time if done qualitatively. Although sometimes have to tighten the screws.
Removable handles allow to put in a frying pan ovenAnd after to take out, without fear of getting burned. Compact size for storage too assured.
It has its own characteristics and material. Wood and Bakelite (a type of plastic) is almost not heated, but also in the oven dish with non-removable handles so you will not put.
Metal (stainless steel, aluminum, cast iron), durable, non-flammable and suitable for the oven. The only negative - can not do without tack.
Another important point - cover. Better if it comes in the kit. It does not have to look for the desired diameter. After all, the lid should fit snugly to the frying pan and strictly conform to it in size.
What to buy
- Monolithic pan from Polaris, 2 390 rubles →
- Pan with a handle on the support and a cover of Tefal, 2 280 rubles →
- Frying pan with removable handle from TVS, 2990 rubles →
Check for defects
carefully inspect the pan that you liked before buying. If on the surface there are chips, scratches and roughness, it is better to look for another. The rough surface of the touch is permissible only in cast iron.
The bottom should be smooth and flat, without flaws.
And be sure to hold the pan in her hand. It is easier to understand if it is convenient.
Buyer's checklist
- First of all, think about what you are going to cook more often.
- Buy only those pans that are suitable for your stove.
- When choosing a body material and the coating decide what is more important to you: the service life, cost, features of care or other settings. Thus, heavy cast-iron frying pans will last for decades, and care for them is not too difficult. Long term use and dishes with a diamond and a titanium coating that's just call them the budget will not work. On inexpensive aluminum pans with Teflon coating easy to cook, but they do not last for very long.
- Give preference to the pan, the dimensions of which are suitable for you.
- Make sure that the bottom and the walls are not too thin, if you want the pan served for a long time.
- Check how easy to hold the handle.
- Immediately pick up the cover, if it is not included.
- Examine the pan from different angles, so as not to miss defects.
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see also🥘
- How to quickly clean utensils: 6 useful tricks
- How to choose a good cast-iron cookware, and take care of it properly
- Things to know about the induction plate, so as not to be disappointed in buying
- How to wash your dishes better, faster and more fun
- What can not be put in the dishwasher