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So, after 4 months of dust, dirt, rubble and disruption, if I'm not careful we 'may' be getting our new kitchen units fitted in the next couple of weeks (depends if the mind-numbingly expensive floor has to go down first*)..... yay!
I've finally ditched the range with gas hobs and have gone for a big induction hob - but nearly all our existing pans have copper bottoms so will not work and I'm looking for some new ones.
Don't mind spending some money as they get used almost every day and 'should' almost last a lifetime.
I'm not really interested in non-stick as I find it usually goes wrong eventually and becomes 'stick'! So probably stainless steel, good quality pan recommendations sought. What have you got?
* I'm currently having an issue with the kitchen designer who wants the floor under the new units to be tiled before the units are fitted. Not sure I'm keen on spending £500 on flooring I'll never see!
went with le creuset TNS, because they most closely resembled the loved pans they were replacing and figured that if they weren't suitable, with them being a desirable brand, could probably ebay them without much of a loss. The TNS isn't a coating as such, it's a pan material layer so won't scrape off (by the looks and feel of it). They're pretty heavy and solid and can be used with metal utensils. bought thru Dawsons of Skipton, their online is ecookshop. The only regret was and still is the cost and I'd like to think I got them quite heavily discounted, but they are excellent as you'd expect.
Yikes!
I wasn't mentally prepared for those prices.
We opted for a Pro Cook set, tri-ply. Signature I think. They heat up super quickly, easy to clean and a good range of sizes.
Wow, exactly what we're going through now. Hob was installed Tuesday and yesterday found most of our pans were not induction-capable.
I just bought a set of Tefal Jamie Oliver on Amazon reduced from £200 to $59 to get me going. I'll let you know how I get on. If they're passable I'll keep then slowly replace with good quality as time goes on. If they're brilliant I'm all set.
Tefal Jamie Oliver
I've had some of those foe years. Excellent pans, solid bottoms, heavily rivets handles, didn't know they were still made. Also some very similar ones made by Anolon.
We bought a Pro-Cook ceramic set. Didn't really like any of the stainless stuff, but the ceramic looks good and works well.
This stuff (although we didn't get the 12 piece set) https://www.procook.co.uk/product/procook-professional-ceramic-cookware-set-12-pieces
We've got the Meyer Select set which has been great so far.
I have that Meyer stainless steel set. After a few years, the handles became wobbly, the rivets were pulling out. So I drilled out the rivets, and replaced them with bolts. Seem pretty good otherwise.
John Lewis classic? Circulon?
Something that's all stainless steel will last longest. Glass lids are useful sometimes but, since pans come in pretty consistent sizes, we've found the glass lids that came with the 'free' set supplied with our Neff induction hob (which actually weren't bad quality at all and you can pick up for half rrp - about £60 on eBay) fit our other pans.
You want tri-ply stainless steel.
Costco Kirkland for a reasonable set.
https://www.costco.co.uk/Furniture-Home/Kitchen-Dining/Cooking-Bakeware/Kirkland-Signature-Try-Ply-Clad-Stainless-Steel-Induction-13-Piece-Cookware-Set/p/987640
Procook Tri-ply.
https://www.procook.co.uk/shop/cookware/procook-elite-triply
Ikea Sensuell
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/collections/sensuell/
De Buyer for excellent quality but budget friendly frying pans, the black iron ones take a really good seasoning and become non stick.
https://www.nisbets.co.uk/de-buyer/frying20pans/_/a33-1.f8-1?sort=match-rate-desc
Then you have the Le Creuset stuff for a lot more money and then the Mauviel stuff for even more.
I have a Mauviel frying pan, which is not non-stick coated for doing steaks and chicken with pan sauce etc and the Ikea saucepan and pot along with a cast iron enameled casserole dish from Sainsburys. If I never inherited the Mauviel pan I would have a De Buyer one instead.
Robert Welch Campden cookware
Pros
The handles are welded on so you can dishwash the pans and not worry about the handle falling off because the aluminium rivets almost every other brand use to fix on their handles have dissolved.
The pans nest neatly with the lids ( which have a flat top handle) inside, 3 pans in the space of one.
Stunning minimalist design IMHO
Cons
the handles on the lids are not insulated so I need to put on an oven glove or use a utensil to lift them.
I’m currently having an issue with the kitchen designer who wants the floor under the new units to be tiled before the units are fitted. Not sure I’m keen on spending £500 on flooring I’ll never see!
Your kitchen designer is right. You'll be paying £500 to have a completely sleek finish.
We got a mixture of Le Cruset, Scanpan and some other stainless pans. All have been faultless. I agree with not bothering about non stick (it's just not needed provided you get the pan hot enough) but I'd make an exception for an omelette pan. Oh and I agree about glass lids being useful.
Robert Welch Campden cookware
lovely. I bought a set of Meyer pans on sale when i moved into my first flat and they'll last forever. Have never managed to find an excuse to replace. They work well enough on induction (though the small pans not as well as the cheap panset that came free with the hob).
I actually think expensive pans have fewer benefits on induction - ie cheap compatible pans work really well - since the whole of the bottom of the pan is heated so you don't need high conductivity to spread the uneven heat from a gas flame in the same way. Those expenisve bonded copper layers and the like are probably a waste of money
Ikea 365 are brilliant.
Fully SS, riveted, properly scrubbable.
The non-stick will see cheesy beans sliding out without touching them.
As above Tri Ply are the way to go.
We had a few pans that worked with induction already when our kitchen was done so we only really needed a 3 piece set of saucepans....
We bought these from M&S (unfortunately out of stock at the mo) and they seem insane value for money compared to other we looked at. Really solid stainless steel, decent sizes and stainless lids (not glass). Worth keep an eye out incase they come back in stock. They also sell them separately i think.
Circulon / Analon or the Tesco Go Cook alternatives. The latter are not perfect, but a great compromise for the bargain price.
Less keen on Le Creuset. Too heavy so get dropped and banged about a lot. They may not get damaged, but everything around them tends to - sinks, worktops, other pans etc etc etc.
Much as I like the le creuset pans I'm always worried that I will drop one on the induction hob and smash it to bits, as they are so heavy even when empty.
Thanks for all the info.... properly helpful [for once 😉 ]
We've already got a couple of Ikea stock pots and they really are very good VFM but we were there a few weeks ago and couldn't see the same ones so maybe they've stopped them?
I put an induction hob in our other place last year and bought a mix of ProCook pans from TK Max for not much money and they're also fine (I like the draining lids) but I think MrsSB will want a matching set in our main house.
Those Robert Welch Campden pans really do look lovely though - I suspect we may have a rather expensive winner (casserole pots look good too 🙁 )
.... although pan lids that get hot are not brilliant.
Really liking our John Lewis pots and pans, all metal, solid handles, etc. I think it was https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-classic-saucepan-set-3-piece/p2647369.
I’m currently having an issue with the kitchen designer who wants the floor under the new units to be tiled before the units are fitted. Not sure I’m keen on spending £500 on flooring I’ll never see!
We had the units fitted without the kickplates, then put the flooring in so it went under slightly, then the guy came out and fitted the kick plates without hassle. They basically just clip on.
Much as I like the le creuset pans I’m always worried that I will drop one on the induction hob and smash it to bits, as they are so heavy even when empty.
My mum dropped a Le Creuset pan lid on the hob, and cracked the hob. Though the hob still seems to be working OK. Not sure if worth trying to repair/glue the crack in some way?
We were prepared to go for the expensive le creuset but were advised to go Jamie Oliver instead, nothing to complain about so far and as others have said a much easier price to deal with.
We had the units fitted without the kickplates, then put the flooring in so it went under slightly, then the guy came out and fitted the kick plates without hassle. They basically just clip on.
You don't need to fully tile under units - you *could* just go back far enough that the front feet sit on tiles, back on floor (as theres enough adjustment in most feet to cater for this, or the rears could be blocked up). Better finish if the whole floor is done though, and fewer issues if you have spillages or floods (overflowing sink....)
According to my tiler it looks like the kitchen units are going to be fitted before the floor is tiled - but my kitchen guy hasn't passed this info on to me yet.
I used the same guy to fit the existing units 17 years ago and back then they did the units first and then tiled up to feet - the plinth obs hides the untiled part. He's a proper perfectionist - which is why he'd rather tile beneath the new units. Most of the existing units are staying though (but being repainted and new granite fitted throughout) so there will always be some parts without tiles underneath.