How to Choose the Best Frying Pan – Tips Before You Buy
A frying pan is essential equipment for chefs. For that reason, it should be durable and reliable for use for years without failure. It is basic cookware that is used for many functions inside the kitchen. The uses vary from preparing a vegetable dish for diner to preparing a sautéed shrimp and breakfast dishes. Looking at these functions, it is important to get the best stone frying pans in the market in order to serve you well. So, how do you go about picking a good frying pan? Here are some important tips to follow…
Material of Manufacture
The material used to make a frying pan is key in your choice consideration. They usually are made of different materials such as stainless steel, copper, aluminum and cast ion. However, the most popular ones are aluminum and stainless steel. Aluminum is most preferred for cookware due to its corrosion resistance, thermal conductivity, and lightweight characteristics.
On the other part, stainless steel is stronger and more durable than aluminum. That makes it expensive as well. Again, the method of manufacture is also a key aspect to consider. A casting procedure ensures even distribution of heat and prevents the pan from warping. However, a stamped metal is susceptible to warping on exposure to heat. If you are buying a frying pan for an induction cooktop stove, it should have a flat surface with high metal conductivity.
Nonstick Frying Options
A nonstick option is helpful in reducing preparation time and most importantly help in cleaning your frying pan. The coatings on these pans also enhance healthier cooking since less oil will be needed for preparing foods. However, they also tend to scratch easily hence should handle it with care. Don’t use stainless steel scrubbers lest you scratch them. If you go for the nonstick options, you will also not use high heat settings on it and that means it may take somewhat longer to cook.
Pan Thickness and Size
Frying pans come in different sizes but if you are going to use it for different functions, the biggest size is highly recommended – a 12-inch frying pan. It will serve you in different ways with your varying cooking demands. Most of these frying pans range from 10-gauge to 22-gauge thickness in construction.
Thicker options are tougher and provide more even heating compared to thinner options. Again, the thicker pans are resistant to warping more than the thinner ones. They are, however, expensive and have a low response rate to heat. A pan with a thin bottom makes food to cook too fast and may lead to uneven cooking especially inside the food. Cast iron is, therefore, a good option to prevent all these issues since it is a good heat conductor allowing even cooking due to its thickness.
Type of Handles
Handles are important to check when buying a frying pan. Hollow metal handles including both stainless steel and aluminum handles don’t conduct heat and therefore will give you an easy time when using your pan. Ensure that the handle is thick enough and that they are well riveted. Riveted handles don’t need frequent tightening. If you can get options that are not riveted, that would even be better because they will give you an easy time especially in keeping your pan clean.
Pans for Multipurpose Use
If you are going to need a versatile frying pan, there are options to choose from. There are pans with lids and safe to use in the oven allowing for many uses with it. This cuts down on the number of cookware items you will have to buy for your kitchen use. Sometimes, the cost is not a determining factor to use when choosing the best frying pan. Don’t assume that any metal cookware out there in the market is durable. Choose your pan objectively.
Final Advice
In your search for a good frying pan, you will be looking for an option that will give you an all-round experience – during cooking, cleaning, and storage among other things. Therefore, it is important to study the available options in the market before settling on the best frying pan for your kitchen use. Where possible, ensure that you get a multipurpose pan that will serve you in many ways.
