In order to surprise and delight their loved ones with mouth-watering and tasty dishes, there are few quality products and skills. Of great importance are the kitchen environment and utensils for cooking. Pots, stewpan, cauldrons and, of course, pans. Probably every housewife has her own favorite, the best pan. And most likely not even one. Indeed, in their characteristics and purpose, they are very diverse. And if such a kitchen helper has not yet been found, then it's time to make a choice.
Pan Selection Basics
Considering a wide range of pans, you should consider several basic parameters that are inherent in each device.
- Bottom. It should not be thin. The optimum thickness is about 5-6 mm. It is better if the diameter of the bottom of the pan coincides with the diameter of the burner on which the cooking process is supposed to take place. If the bottom is embossed, then the bulges should be as voluminous as possible. Observance of these parameters will allow you to waste less heat and evenly warm the cooked food.
- A pen. Should not be too thin and light or thick and heavy. When buying, it is advisable to try out the pan, hold it. The handle should fit comfortably in the palm of your hand and have a fairly smooth surface. Particular attention should be paid to fixing the handle to the pan, even if it is removable. When moving there should not be a sense of looseness.
- Weight. The pan should be of average weight, regardless of its type. But the total volume and dimensions are determined based on the destination.
Selection of a frying pan by destination
When deciding which pan is best to choose, you need to consider its main purpose. Namely, it will be a universal pan or frying pan for a particular dish.
- For stewing and languishing, a pan with thick walls and a thick bottom is best suited. It warms up slowly and evenly and also cools slowly. Food is prepared at the optimum temperature conditions, necessary for the gentle heat treatment of products.
- A pan with thin walls and a fairly thin bottom is best for frying. The required temperature is reached quickly, and the products are fried as efficiently as possible.
Fry the bulk of products, from meat to vegetables, best in a ceramic pan. And pancakes, pancakes and other flour products - on Teflon.
Choosing a pan by type of coating
When considering various pans, you need to take into account that each one has a special type of surface coating. Choosing the right surface is important, as the best pans can only be with a quality coating.
- Ceramic.
Safe coating, is particularly durable both in cooking and in care. Withstands high temperatures and provides uniform heating of the surface.
2. Teflon.
It has excellent non-stick properties. But at the same time it requires careful care, since it becomes toxic when damaged.
3. Titanium.
Environmentally friendly coating. Wear resistant and very durable. The cost of such a pan is an order of magnitude higher than average, but it fully pays for itself by the duration of use.
4. Enamelled.
Proven over the years and familiar to many. Such dishes are available financially, but the coating itself is fragile and easily deformed.
The most popular coatings today are ceramic and teflon.
Ceramic coating
How to choose a good ceramic coated pan? In itself, any ceramic pan consists of an aluminum, steel or cast iron base. Outside, a ceramic coating is applied to it. It is formed from chemically active substances. It can be completely safe only with proper use and care.
The main distinguishing feature of any ceramic pan is the ability not to use oils and fats in the cooking process. This type of non-stick coating allows you to fry meat, fish or stew vegetables without additional fat base.
Use and maintenance of a ceramic pan
Even the best ceramic pans require careful use and care. Otherwise, the pan from a faithful helper can turn into a secret enemy for the health of the body.
- Such dishes should be washed and wiped only with soft sponges and rags. In order not to damage the surface, it is not recommended to use hard brushes and sponges. The cleaning agent should be neutral, without alkaline and acid additives.
- Do not experiment with sudden changes in temperature. For example, put a heated pan on a chilled surface, and vice versa, a pan of room temperature - on a hot burner.
- Cooking utensils - spoons, spatulas - should not be metal. It is best to use silicone appliances.
Important! When thinking about how to choose a good ceramic pan, it should be borne in mind that they are not intended for use on cooking surfaces and induction hobs .
Ceramic pan manufacturers
When choosing such a pan, you must definitely find out who the manufacturer is. After all, the quality of the product depends on it.
The main thing that you should pay attention to: ceramic dishes cannot be cheap. A manufacturer (brand) offering “quality” ceramics for a penny should immediately raise suspicion.
Popular manufacturers respect their customers and offer only high quality cookware.
The main leaders can be identified:
- Italian manufacturer of TVS. Users respond positively, especially pleasing affordable prices.
- Belgian company BEKA. It produces frying pans with chrome ceramic coating. Also combines affordable prices with decent quality.
- The Japanese brand Patlon takes its place of honor among the preferences of customers. There is every reason for this, since the pans are made of high quality aluminum and coated with the most safe ceramics.
Also widely known are brands such as Kukmara, Rondell, Pensofal.
Advantages and disadvantages of non-stick pans
It is believed that the Teflon coating of dishes is unsafe, and it is undesirable to cook in Teflon pans. In fact, such beliefs are misleading.
Respecting themselves and their customers, manufacturers use only high-tech developments and thereby offer the best non-stick pans.
The main thing to remember and always take into account is that non-stick Teflon pans can be used only at temperatures not exceeding 200 degrees. At temperatures exceeding the permissible maximum, Teflon begins to emit vapors that can actually be harmful to health. Hence the allegations of the harmfulness of this type of coverage. But if you use the dishes, observing safety precautions, it will serve for a long time without causing any harm.
As for ceramic pans, for Teflon there are rules for use. And they are no different. The same soft sponges and gentle cleaning products. The same silicone or wooden cooking appliances. Damaged Teflon pans cannot be used.
Manufacturers of non-stick (Teflon) pans
The leader among the producers of such pans is, of course, the French Tefal.
Quality, tested for decades, is only being improved today. Customers trust the brand and speak positively about Tefal pans .
Also well-known companies that produce high-quality non-stick cookware are the TVS already mentioned above and the equally well-known Kulinar, Burletti, Epicure, Ballarini. Users highlight the various positive qualities of each of the brands. This and Ballarini's special compacted bottom. And high-quality solid surface from almost all of the above manufacturers. One of the main advantages of dishes of each brand is the coating to which products do not stick.
The choice of the pan in appearance and purpose
The entire wide range of dishes can be divided into categories. Pans differ in appearance and in intended use.
There are universal pans of various sizes and volumes. But progress, as you know, does not stand still. And in the world of kitchen utensils as well. Manufacturers produce pans not only from various materials, but also for certain types of heat treatment and even for certain dishes.
Knowing the main types, it is much easier to decide which pan is better to choose.
According to the material of manufacture, the following types can be distinguished:
- Cast iron.
- Steel.
- Titanium.
- Aluminum.
- Ceramic.
- Teflon.
We can distinguish another rather interesting group of pans. Let us dwell on it in more detail.
Best pans - pancake, grill, wok
How to bake delicious pancakes without burning your fingers and not worrying about the notorious first pancake com? There is no secret. You just need to use a special pan - pancake. This pan has a thick and absolutely flat bottom and very low sides. In combination with a long handle, it is ideal for easy cooking of pancakes, as well as fritters and omelets.
How to cook fried, corrugated steak? Easy. The best grill pan will help. It has a specific ribbed bottom, thanks to which the products are not thoroughly saturated with oil and perfectly fried, covered with a crispy crust. Most often, grill pans have a quadrangular shape and a significant weight.
Wanted a real exotic cuisine? It is not necessary to fly to Asian countries. You can cook with a twist in the WOK pan. It has a specific shape - a flat narrow bottom and widening edges. The obligatory part of the design is two handles. Wok is perfect for any stove and hob.
Rating
Having considered a large number of all kinds of materials, types, shapes of pans, you can make a rating of the most popular parameters, as well as figure out which pan is the best.
The most popular basics of pans: cast iron, titanium, stainless steel, aluminum.
The most popular coatings: ceramic and teflon.
The most popular types: pancake, grill, WOK.
Most common use: frying and stewing.
The most necessary additions: a pen and a cover.
The most important matches are the diameter of the bottom of the pan and burner, the type and material of the dishes, and the type of stove.
Based on the main noted nuances, you can safely choose the necessary pan. And best of all, not one, but at least three, because using one is unlikely to fully reveal their culinary talents.
Rating of the best manufacturers
Above we examined the most popular manufacturers of ceramic and teflon pans that have won the trust of customers.
But you can also highlight other brands that are the standard for quality and decent dishes, including the best pans. These include:
- Tefal.
- Rondell.
- TVS.
- Kukmara.
- Ballirini
- Swiss Diamond.
- Neva-Metal Tableware.
- Biol.
Which pan is not worth buying
In addition to all the advantages and basic properties and functions that have the best pans, there are unpleasant moments that are best avoided.
When choosing a pan, you need to carefully study its internal and external sides. On their surface there should be no chips, scuffs, scratches. If a drawing is applied, it should be uniformly stained and not erased when touched. If the bottom of the pan is embossed, the pattern should be uniform, with no clearly visible or sunken fragments.
Additional elements, such as the cover and handle, must also be of proper quality, without cracks and inconsistencies in the seams. Dishes should not have an unpleasant odor.
Often low-quality goods are sold on stocks with attractive discounts. But defective dishes will not last long and will most likely cause damage to health.
Having made the decision to buy a pan and considering, for example, which ceramic pans are better or which is better to choose - grill or WOK, you need to weigh all the arguments. Well, and if the opportunity allows, you can replenish your dishes by several frying pans at once. The main thing is to choose the dishes carefully and carefully.