[Closed] Best Frying Pan - Chefs of STW reccommendations requested

Treat them as disposable, £10 from TKMaxx.

(I have a Le Creuset, coating lasted months)

Bog standard Tefal. Le Creuset lasted months for me too. Tefal still going strong years later. When it dies, £20 in Tesco will sort it.

Steel from David Mellor had mine for 25 years now

Why do you need a non stick coating?

Just get a cast iron one and stop burning stuff.

We have a few Raymond Blanc pans from John Lewis. Got them as a wedding present 4 years ago and apart from a few black bits on the outsides where spills have been fired on, they're all like brand new. It's like they made out of non-stick, rather than just non-stick coated. I think the frying pan on its own is about £50.

I'd suggest a Bourgeat frying pan from a catering suppliers - will be about £25 for that size; they've got a tough non stick coating and last really well. Tried one for the first time a few years ago and honestly wouldn't go back to a 'consumer' brand again...

a cast iron one you season for about 20 quid, AND a similarly priced non-stick for stuff that will stick.

Non stick pans can't be doing with high heat, temperature changes, or metal implements.

Don't put either in the dishwashe, and no soap on the iron one.

Just had a look on the website and its the 22 cm omelette pan it will out live me.

I like Circulon stuff. Hard anodised aluminium with no coating to wear off.

I do have a cast iron frying pan for doing indian bread or steak on, but it's hard work tossing pancakes in 🙂

Clearly I need a pancake pan too.

You can get Circulon stuff from TK Maxx.

brant - Member

I like Circulon stuff. Hard anodised aluminium with no coating to wear off.

Circulon here too, had them about five years. Debenhams often have deals on two pans for £40-50.

+1 on circulon - have their pans and roasting tins too which are really hard wearing.

My Tefal frying pan also seems to be lasting and working very well despite costing a lot less than other pans I've had which haven't lasted so well. I do keep a separate pan for frying steam though (since that needs to be really hot which trashes non-stick pans).

Sainsburys Select bought one in their sale a couple of month back, it's copper bottomed too it's brilliant was about £12 in the sale. That's the 3rd pan I've bought from them all are excellent.

Forget non stick - they never last. Use stainless steel - last forever & you can really see when they're clean.

I'd suggest a Bourgeat frying pan from a catering suppliers - will be about £25 for that size; they've got a tough non stick coating and last really well. Tried one for the first time a few years ago and honestly wouldn't go back to a 'consumer' brand again...

^This although I use: [url= http://www.nisbets.co.uk/brand/vogue-8012/a0101a3301.r10.1 ]Vogue pans from Nisbets[/url]

Buy them, beat them up, use metal utensils in them, sling them in the oven to finish things of, dishwash them. Replace them when knackered (about 3 years later, but they'll last forever if you don't abuse them)

Watch Cooking programs on TV and you see them widely used in all the professional kitchens they show. They're great.

As much as I love Le Cresuet stuff do not get one of their cast iron frying pans - coating is terrible.

Currently I am using a Lodge non-enabled cast iron pan which I picked up in TK-Maxx for £12 and it is honestly the best frying pan I have ever used - with the exception of not being able to cook acidic things (a trait of non-enabled cast iron).

Other than that I would suggest having a look down TK - they tend to have a lot of decent stuff at disposable prices.

interesting thoughts there. Will have a look into those.
I'd always wondered what the professional catering shop ones lasted like. could be a good option.

Whatever you choose, hand wash them. Putting them through the dishwasher shortens the non stickability regardless of the mak in my personal experience.

I'd always wondered what the professional catering shop ones lasted like

Very hard wearing, and very cheap, I have some that are 6 years old, and still going strong. I'm not precious about them either, as they're so cheap I'll just replace them.

Our ceramic one from Asda* is doing really well, like new 6 months in and far more slippery than anything I've used. Never been in a dishwasher, mind, as per instructions.

* not nearly STW enough for most on here, how can I possibly serve up anything cooked in something that cost less than £200?

I have a Jamie Oliver Tefal, been going 5 years now, and still as good as the first day...

Carbon steel like a wok. Cheap and last forever

Sainsbury's do surprisingly good pans. I have one that is 10 years old, non-stick saute type, it's still non stick. Just bought a replacement as they had them discounted. Seems as good, although not had it long.

Also got a Scanpan wok that was bought as a present. Previously used to buy a cheap one every year. The Scanpan is great but will see if it lasts!

Have a look at Nisbets for catering stuff...

My preference is for iron/blue steel frying pans, the Vogue ones they do on Nisbets are okay, but a little thin, the De Buyer ones are thicker and better quality, but also more expensive... and quite weighty too!

With all iron/blue steel pans, you do need to treat them correctly in the first place and get them seasoned, but this is usually just heating them for 30 mins or so with an inch or so of oil in them.. once seasoned they are just brilliant to use, and you won't ever need to buy a new frying pan again!

Carbon steel like a wok. Cheap and last forever

How does that work for you with scrambled eggs?

Sainsbury's do surprisingly good pans. I have one that is 10 years old, non-stick saute type, it's still non stick. Just bought a replacement as they had them discounted. Seems as good, although not had it long.

We've got a copper bottomed Sainsburys non-stick saute pan from a couple of years ago which is treated well but he non-stick has started to come off round the rivets.

molgrips... just fine for me with the scrambled eggs I made yesterday, and also fantastic for fried eggs as well! The pans actually build up a non-stick-like coating on them as you use them over time...

I'd strongly recommend a Berndes Tradition skillet, I picked up mine for a bargaintastic tenner from a local bargain shop but I'd say it's definitely worth the RRP. The non stickiness is still very effective years later and is very easy to clean, it cooks very evenly because of the thick base too.

I inherited a Tefal pan from my folks. It'd spent its life on an ancient electric spiral hob and the base had warped convex.

I took it back to Tefal ("lifetime guarantee") and they said it'd been misused on the crappy hob and would I mind awfully jogging on, which I couldn't really argue with. Bought another Tefal when I replaced the cooker with a modern halogen hob, looked after it, and that's now turning convex as well. I wouldn't have another, personally.

Non-stick is rubbish, it doesn't last. As above buy something cheap if its non stick. Also only use wooden or plastic implements to prolong life. If you want a decent pan buy a stainless steel one.

I made the mistake of spending £80 on some Le Cruset teflon pans, rubbish. The steel pots we have are 20-30 years old. I have 30yr old stainless pans too.

Best saute pan we ever bought was from Woll. Very hard wearing non stick surface that actually works and is tough enough to not be damaged by metal implements. Handle detaches for use in the oven.
Weighs a bloody ton though.

Unfortunately when we moved, the new house had an induction hob and our Woll pans were not compatible.
Bought a set of Stellar stainless pans from TK MAXX to tide us over until we have gas fitted, and they have been really good.

I got a Jamie Oliver Tefal one and the non stick coating didn't last anywhere near as long as a normal Tefal one so went back to those.

Might be giving those Vogue ones that cb has linked to a go next, their site is down at the mo so cant check them out.

We've got a couple of Scanpan ones, they are great. Have a different (not Teflon) non-stick that technically should be fine even with metal utensils but we use plastic/wooden only anyway just to make sure.

Anyway, we've had them for years and the non-stick is as good as ever.

Also have an SKK saute pan with a similar non-stick tech that we've had even longer and it is also still non-stick, though it has worn a bit round the top edges. I think the Scanpan ones just edge it though.

They should also come in under your budget (but only just).

the sainsburys copper bottom non stick frying pan is the best I have ever owned.

Damn I love STW, no firm favorites here though which isn't helping my search..

Non-stick is rubbish, it doesn't last.

Got a le cruseut for bacon, sausages and steak. Everything else tefal.

Cast iron and seasoned, lasts forever and cheap. Mine was £2.50 (30 years ago but still going and used almost every day)

de Buyer

[url= http://www.debuyer.com/en/products/mineral-b-element-0 ]de Buyer website[/url]

"MINERAL B ELEMENT

The iron MINERAL B ELEMENT fry pan: a 100% natural material with protective organic beeswax finish. It is guaranteed coating-free (no PFAO or PTFE). No added chemicals and made with an environmentally-friendly manufacturing process. Eco-friendly, recyclable and long-lasting product. The fry pan reaches high temperatures and quickly seals food, thereby preserving vitamins and nutrients. Ideal for Sealing, Browning, Grilling. Seasoning: the more you use the fry pan, the better it cooks.[b] The blacker it gets, the less it sticks[/b]."

I'd search out an uncoated cast iron frying pan. I've had one for about 15 years now, bought very cheaply from tkmax as I remember.

It's been spot on and i'd pay a lot to replace it if it was lost