How to choose a good frying pan. The best frying pan - rating of quality cookware manufacturers

A frying pan is one of the indispensable acquisitions in every home. And really, what is a kitchen without a frying pan? And fry cutlets, and sauté onions, and, at worst, make scrambled eggs - for all these needs you simply need a frying pan. Yes, not just any, but a good one.

And today let's talk about how to choose the right frying pan.

Everyone has probably encountered a problem too large selection in the hardware departments of supermarkets. And if there is little experience in this matter, then the buyer will be seriously puzzled: which frying pan to choose - coated or uncoated? Lighter or heavier? With a removable handle or will it do just fine?..

Cast iron: reliable, durable - cast iron frying pans

As everyone well knows, frying pans differ primarily in the material from which they are made. Each of us remembers from our grandmother’s kitchen with burnt edges, which produces excellent pancakes. Just a classic of Soviet cooking!

Experts believe that a cast iron frying pan is ideal for preparing foods that require long-term heat treatment. Cast iron conducts heat very well, so it gets very hot. At the same time, burning of products to the surface is extremely rare.

This is due to the fact that cast iron is a rather porous metal, so during cooking, a non-stick coating forms on the inner surface of the cast iron frying pan. natural origin- fat film.

Another good thing about a cast iron frying pan is that it is completely resistant to acids. Can be safely added to food lemon juice or vinegar essence - nothing bad will happen to the frying pan.

But ultra-modern detergents and cleaning products are contraindicated for such a frying pan, since they remove fat without a trace and destroy the natural protection of the frying pan.

If you ask your grandmother, she will tell you that . As a rule, it is wiped after use, or the heated one is rinsed plain water, then wipe dry.

What other precautions do you need to know to ensure that a cast iron frying pan serves faithfully for many, many years?

The first and most important thing is not to store cooked food in it. Second, do not leave any remaining water in the pan.

The only downsides to cast iron frying pans are, perhaps, weight and... fragility. Yes, strange as it may seem, cast iron often breaks when dropped.

If you opted for a brand new cast iron frying pan in the store, then remember: you can’t fry anything in it on the first day without special preparation.

The dishes must first be washed well, dried, generously greased with oil on the internal surfaces and heated in this form over a fire or in the oven for about an hour.

Now, after the formation of that very protective fat film, you can cook food in a cast iron frying pan!

Steel Aged - Stainless Steel Pans

A frying pan made of stainless steel is an option for lovers of tasty and healthy food. Why? The answer is simple: stainless steel melted in such a way that it no longer interacts with any materials at all. Consequently, the taste of products cooked in such a frying pan does not spoil, and various oxides do not enter the human body.

The only thing bad that can happen to it is the colored stains that appear on careless housewives if they forget empty dishes on the fire.

The lightest - aluminum pans

It is known that aluminum is the lightest metal known to us. In this regard, a logical question arises: is it correct to use it for making frying pans?

On the one hand, such products are extremely light (even a guilty husband will not face the risk of going to hospital if he gets hit on the head by his missus), conducts heat well and is very inexpensive. On the other hand, everyone knows that frying food in such a frying pan is like flour. The food will certainly burn and be thrown away. You cannot use such a frying pan when baking in the oven: the food will stick, and you won’t be able to wash the dishes afterwards.

The disadvantages of aluminum frying pans also include the low acid and alkali resistance of this metal.

You can only turn and stir food during cooking in such a frying pan with a wooden spatula, otherwise the surface will be scratched. You cannot overheat aluminum - in this case, the dishes will become deformed.

When choosing an aluminum frying pan, carefully look at the thickness of the bottom: it should be at least 5 mm, especially if you plan to use the pan for frying meat. Also pay attention to this factor if you take aluminum cookware with Teflon coating. Any curvature of the bottom of the pan can lead to damage.

There is an option to buy not a stamped, but a cast aluminum frying pan. Such a product will be more reliable in operation due to thicker walls and bottom.

But in general, there are no long-livers among aluminum frying pans. Only if you use them once a week and only a short time. For example, to cook scrambled eggs on Saturday morning.

Guest from America - Teflon frying pans

This continent gave us not only coffee and tobacco, but also Teflon.

In the 1930s, American specialists from a large chemical enterprise developed the new kind ethylene based polymer.

The new material turned out to be thermo-, acid- and alkali-resistant. And received a market name - “Teflon”, because it chemical name– polytetrafluoroethylene – too bulky and completely inconvenient for mere mortals.

And after a few years it came finest hour a new polymer - it began to be used in the production of kitchen utensils. In particular, Teflon-coated frying pans are so beloved by housewives that the price of such products sometimes skyrockets.

Modern aluminum or steel frying pans are often coated with Teflon.

The advantage of Teflon is that it allows you to fry any food well without sticking.

True, some manufacturers also claim that such miracle frying pans can be used to cook “without fat, water and salt,” but this, of course, is nothing more than an advertising gimmick.

If vegetables rich in moisture can still be fried in a Teflon frying pan like a grill, then it will be much more difficult to cook fish and meat without adding oil.

Therefore, when buying a frying pan, you need to think about whether it is suitable for your type of stove.

As we already wrote above, if there is a gas stove in the kitchen, then the housewife can safely use any type of frying pan.

If – normal electric stove, then you can buy everything except aluminum ones made using stamping. But you need to use frying pans in proportion to the diameter of the electric “pancakes”.

If the kitchen has glass ceramics, then only pans with a flat bottom are suitable. Do not use stamped aluminum cookware.

If you are using induction hob, That ideal option For you, there will be frying pans made of aluminum or “stainless steel” with a steel bottom.

Purpose and reason

Agree, in the kitchen you can’t get by with just one frying pan. Every housewife – and even more so the chef! – there is a clear division of which frying pan is intended for what.

Sometimes there are standard round frying pans - for all types of cooking. They are good for frying vegetables, preparing side dishes, frying cutlets and meat.

For fish, many people buy special oval-shaped dishes.

For baking pancakes, there are pancake pans - these are round frying pans with low walls and non-stick coating.

There are also grill pans on sale, which come in both round and square shape. They have a very ribbed bottom, and the juice released by the food accumulates in the gutters, as a result of which the dish turns out juicier than when cooked under normal conditions.

conclusions

The modern world knows many manufacturers of frying pans and many non-stick coatings.

So before you buy kitchen utensils, you need to know exactly for what purpose you need a frying pan and on what stove it will be used.

The same Teflon - it can be applied directly to the multilayer bottom of a steel base, or it can be part of a non-stick ceramic coating, which is safer from the point of view of the environment and human health.

A product in a supermarket may even indicate such know-how as “granite coating”, but we do not recommend buying such copies - the likelihood that you will not come across a fake is too small.

It is important to look at the brand of the product: large concerns use it in production advanced technology, which significantly improves the properties of the cookware and directly affects its price.

If you can’t buy an expensive branded frying pan, then pay attention to middle-segment manufacturers, in particular domestic goods. So, in hardware departments and stores you can find good frying pan with non-stick coating price category from 500 to 1500 rubles, while European brands will cost 3-5 times more. But resist the temptation to buy dishes for 100 rubles on the “lying” market. Such a frying pan will not last long for you, and besides, it may turn out to be unsafe.

Happy shopping!

Let's talk about frying pans? Like dishes and utensils, what could be special about them? However, of all the frying pans that I have had over... many years, only one is still in use - my grandmother's cast iron. The rest are thrown into the trash in two or three years, if not sooner.

Specifically, I would like to find out which frying pan with a non-stick coating is better: lasts longer, does not emit harmful substances, does not require careful treatment?

Player 1 – Teflon pans

Teflon is the very first and so far the most popular non-stick coating, and the most famous manufacturer of such frying pans is the French company Tefal, which was the first to launch them on the market. Therefore, Teflon coating is often called Tefal.

But these are not the only names: you can find in stores, under the guise of new products, frying pans coated with:

  • adgelasta,
  • stalaflon,
  • Steloflon, etc.

In fact, they are all the same substance: polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or, for short and more pronounced, Teflon.

What you need to know about Teflon and cookware with such coating

There are many conflicting opinions and reviews of Teflon, as well as concerns about its use. Some claim that these are the best frying pans, others complain about the fragility and rapid abrasion of the coating.

To understand where the truth is, you need to know how to choose them correctly and what not to do when using them:

  1. Firstly, maximum term The operating life of such utensils, as stated by the manufacturers, is 5 years. And this is when proper care and careful use. Therefore, you should not count on a miracle.

  1. Secondly, Teflon cannot withstand heating above 230 degrees, so frying pans with such a coating are recommended to be used only on gas stoves, the heating temperature of which is lower than that of electric ones.
    When overheated, the coating cracks, and particles of Teflon that have fallen off the walls and get into food will not add health. Although they do not cause harm - this is a common myth. PTFE, which is absolutely neutral to acids and alkalis, is excreted unchanged from the body.

  1. Thirdly, the instructions for any Teflon glass prohibit eating directly from it using ordinary cutlery, as they instantly scratch the surface. For the same reason, you should not use metal spatulas when cooking - only wooden, silicone or polymer ones.

Of course, all this is about high-quality Teflon. If you take into account all the manufacturer's recommendations, it will serve its purpose. And a fake will reveal itself almost immediately, despite all precautions.

But not only the quality of the coating matters, but also the frying pan itself, its base. If it is made of thin extruded aluminum, then its bottom will deform when heated, which does not contribute to the integrity of the Teflon film.

The bottom must be thick, at least 5 mm. It would be even better if the walls had the same thickness.

Review of popular models

Of course, I am not able to buy a bunch of cookware and test it, so this impromptu rating was compiled based on customer reviews.

  1. Tefal E4400612

Made of die-cast aluminum, with a grooved bottom, temperature sensor and non-removable bakelite handle. The cost is about 2500 rubles.

  1. Tefal 04081400

And it costs almost half as much - 1350 rubles. Because it's thin extruded aluminum.

  1. Rondell RDA-290

Thick bottom, removable handle, oven safe. Price 2500 rubles.

  1. Rondell RDA-073

The bottom thickness is 2.5 mm - not so bad for stamping. And affordable for your wallet - 790 rubles.

  1. Supra SAD-K240P

670 rubles for cast aluminum and a 4.5 mm bottom - an excellent purchase!

  1. Vitesse VS-1191

An interesting combination: cast iron with Teflon coating. For 900 rubles I would have bought it without it.

  1. Rondell RDA-119

Grill pan made of cast aluminum with a bottom of 5.5 mm and walls of 2.5 mm. The price is reasonable - 1750 rubles.

  1. Becker BK-631

Excellent cast iron pot with a volume of 3.6 liters. Costs 1250 rubles.

  1. Gipfel 2405

Expensive steel model with a removable handle for 4,200 rubles.

No one can say which frying pan is the best, because some value versatility, others value durability and quality, and others value affordable cost. Choose optimal ratio these parameters - and you will be happy.

Player 2 – marble pans

Surely everyone has seen cute frying pans in stores that look like they were made of marble. This is hinted at not only by the multiple shiny specks on the surface, but also by the name itself: many manufacturers proudly write on the label: marble coating. Or even diamond.

In fact, it is still the same polytetrafluoroethylene, but, indeed, with the addition marble chips. Or artificial diamond.

Despite some embellishment of reality, such a coating actually has greater strength and resistance to mechanical damage than conventional PTFE. And “marble” dishes heat up faster and retain heat longer.

The cost is almost three thousand. But also appearance, And long term her services justify her. There are also much more expensive ones...

...and much cheaper

Player 3 – Titanium Pans

And again the picture is similar: there is no pure titanium coating; this element is built into the PTFE structural lattice, improving its properties. Either the pan itself is made of an alloy or aluminum with titanium.

Coating features

In terms of their properties, products made from this metal are similar to cast iron: they hold heat well, do not oxidize, and do not deform. Plus they don't rust. But they cost more.

Titanium frying pans have the following pros and cons:

  • Very high resistance to damage and wear. The highest among all “non-stick” ovens. So high that it allows the use of metal accessories when cooking.

  • However, it’s still not worth eating from such a frying pan with a fork and knife. How to clean it wire brush or abrasives. This can be considered a disadvantage;
  • Quick cooking food due to the high thermal conductivity of the titanium coating and uniform heat distribution;
  • Long-term preservation ready-made dish hot;
  • Coating safety;
  • Durability of dishes;

Review of popular models

  • The most famous manufacturer of such frying pans is the Whitford company, and QuanTanium is precisely its invention.

  • The production of the European “monsters of frying pan production” is much higher. For example:

I would not make a choice of frying pan based on the promotion of the brand or the high price, which supposedly guarantees appropriate quality. It's better to rely on reviews. Although they can also be “custom-made”, so you can’t guess.

Player 4 – Ceramic Pans

I haven't had any luck with these pans yet. As it turned out, due to lack of information. Or rather, because I was simply too lazy to study the item of purchase.

Firstly, I took something cheaper, and such dishes could very well turn out to be fakes with an enamel coating. And secondly, I washed them in the dishwasher, which is very undesirable to do.

Advantages and disadvantages

Ceramics are a priori safe natural material, consisting of clay, sand and other natural components. When heated, it does not emit harmful substances, of course, if the manufacturer did not mix them in there. Which is unlikely.

What other advantages does this coating have?

  • It, unlike Teflon, is not afraid of strong heat and can withstand temperatures up to 450 degrees;
  • The cookware heats up quickly and evenly;
  • The ceramic surface is more resistant to damage. Some manufacturers don't even warn us against using metal spatulas. But I still wouldn’t risk it;
  • You can use very little oil for cooking. We can’t do without it at all, because we need the food not to burn, and the concept “non-stick” means that it will not stick to the surface, that’s all.

Now about the cons:

  • The frying pan is not afraid of strong heating, but it is very afraid of sudden changes in temperature. That is why you should not wash it in a PMM - only with your own hands. Also, do not put frozen foods into hot dishes or rinse them cold water, barely removed from the heat;
  • The coating, despite its strength, is quite fragile - if you drop the frying pan on a tiled floor or accidentally hit it with something hard and heavy, chips may appear;
  • Since such dishes are usually covered with ceramics on all sides, they lose their magnetic properties and therefore cannot be used on induction cookers. Although, given this feature, manufacturers often leave the bottom uncoated.

These are the features you need to consider before choosing a frying pan with a non-stick ceramic coating.

Review of popular models

“Everyone is the same in the arena.” I want to say that everyone is the most famous manufacturers Teflon cookware was also produced in ceramics. Perhaps its popularity is due to the fame of the brands.

Choose.

  • Gipfel 2556

  • Supra SCS-H231P

  • Kukmara S262A

  • Tefal C6204072

  • NMP 3130W

On my own behalf I would like to advise: do not buy frying pans with light coating. Meat juice, flour, oil during heat treatment leave too obvious dark marks on it, which are tempting to wipe off with something abrasive if you do this by gentle means it doesn't work right away. The result is obvious.

Conclusion

I think it makes no sense to advocate for any particular type of non-stick coating - everyone will decide for themselves what they like best. Moreover, in any form you can find both very expensive and cheap models.

But I would like to listen to the arguments - why this particular one was chosen, and not that. Besides real reviews in the comments, as well as the video in this article, will help someone not to make a mistake or get rid of doubts.

P.S. I almost forgot: I appoint the goalkeeper cast iron frying pan. Nothing sticks on it even without any coating.

Not only the taste and quality of food, but also the convenience of cooking depends on the inner coating of the frying pan - no one likes to scrape burnt scrambled eggs or pancakes from the bottom. Let's look at what types of non-stick coatings there are, how they differ from each other and what advantages they have.

Structure of the coating

The inner coating of the frying pan is made of various materials and can be single-layer or multi-layer. The more layers, the longer the pan will last. The highest quality (and most expensive) models with five or more wear-resistant non-stick layers can last up to 25 years. Coatings are made of Teflon, ceramics, titanium, excalibur, and are also enameled.

Teflon coating

The Teflon polymer, invented in the mid-20th century by DuPont, is now used everywhere in the production of cookware, and it is used to coat most frying pans. However, some companies (for example, Tefal) develop and produce their own non-stick coatings based on polytetrafluoroethylene.

Teflon-coated pans are lightweight, comfortable, retain the natural taste of food and are easy to clean. You can cook with them without oil. However, the coating is soft and sensitive to scratches, so metal accessories cannot be used with such pans, and it is recommended to wash them with a soft sponge and gel detergents.

Ceramic coating

The ceramic coating is based on silicon, which is extremely hard. chemical element, from which stones and sand are made. These pans can be heated up to 450 degrees, so they cook meat, fish and vegetable dishes with a golden brown crust well. The oil does not burn on it, and the heat is evenly distributed over the coating. Ceramic frying pans difficult to scratch, but they are sensitive to shock, temperature changes and chemically active environments. For example, if you put frozen food in a hot frying pan, it may crack. Microcracks will also form when washing the pan in dishwasher. At correct use With proper care, such a frying pan will last up to three years.

Titanium coating

This is a non-stick coating reinforced with layers of titanium particles. Frying pans with titanium coating are the most reliable and wear-resistant. Even if you periodically scratch the bottom of the pan with a fork or knife, there will be no marks left on the titanium coating. Frying pans with titanium coating heat up quickly and evenly. Some manufacturers claim the service life of such pans is up to 25 years.

Enameled coating

Enameled pans can be used for stewing and simmering. The enamel frying pan does not oxidize, so you can safely leave cooked food in it. However, if the dishes become chipped or scratched, you will have to throw them away because enamel particles may get into the food.

Excalibur Coating

Excalibur coated pans are durable, scratch resistant and distribute heat evenly. It is almost impossible to spoil such a frying pan; it is resistant to any damage. You can use any metal accessories while cooking. This type of coating has one disadvantage - it is significantly more expensive than others. Its service life is at least 5 - 7 years.

A reference article based on the author's expertise.

It is probably impossible to find a house that does not have a frying pan. This kitchen attribute cannot be replaced by anything. But it’s not enough to have it in the kitchen; it’s important to choose it well. After all quality frying pan– this is a guarantee not only of deliciously prepared food and a good mood, but also a reduction in the amount of work required to wash dishes after cooking. Much in this matter depends on the material from which the dishes are made. This raises the question, which coating is best for a frying pan? I offer you an overview of modern non-stick options, as well as my own own review about the best coverage.

To date, scientists have created several modern non-stick materials that are successfully used in the production of kitchenware:

  • made of teflon;
  • made of ceramics;
  • made of titanium;
  • made of marble.

How to choose a non-stick frying pan? To do this, you first need to get acquainted with all the pros and cons of each material. That's what we'll do now.

Teflon coating

Such frying pans were among the first to appear among the “know-how”. To this day, Teflon cookware is popular due to its many advantages. Most often, the frying pan itself is made of aluminum and is therefore quite lightweight. From experience I can say that they are very convenient for frying pancakes.

Pros:

  1. Food does not burn even if used minimal amount oils
  2. The pan is easy to clean with a soft sponge and detergent.
  3. The surface warms up very quickly.

But despite obvious advantages, frying pans with a Teflon layer inside are far from perfect. This is also evidenced by several disadvantages, which sometimes still “pop up” during operation.

Minuses:

  • Teflon is easily scratched if used carelessly. In this case, you can no longer use the utensils.
  • Spatulas should be made of soft material, for example, wooden or made of special plastic.
  • If the surface is heated very strongly (over 200 degrees), the Teflon coating begins to release toxic gas, which has a carcinogenic effect.

Ceramic coating

Beautiful pans with pleasant light shade are now no less popular among housewives. And it must be said that appearance is not the only advantage of ceramics. Although in reality this material has nothing to do with real ceramics. It is made not of clay, but of polymer, which contains numerous inclusions of sand.

Pros:

  1. Even if the contents are burned in such a frying pan, it never burns to the surface.
  2. The dishes are easy to clean with a regular sponge and detergent.
  3. Withstands heat up to 450 degrees.
  4. Does not emit harmful substances.
  5. It is possible to fry without oil.

Minuses:

  • The coating becomes unusable due to mechanical damage as a result of impacts or scratches.
  • Ceramics cannot withstand sudden temperature changes. That is why you should not immediately wash a hot frying pan or place a frozen product on a heated surface.
  • Not suitable for use on induction hobs.
  • Cannot be washed in the dishwasher.

Analyzing the pros and cons of the two options considered and choosing which coating is preferable for a frying pan: ceramic or Teflon, it seems to me that ceramics wins. Still, the ability to heat the frying surface to high temperatures and the absence of hazardous emissions are a significant advantage during cooking.

Marble covering

The material for the top layer of such pans is prepared using a special technology - by adding marble chips to Teflon. This gives the coating not only special properties and high quality, but also very nice looking. The frying pan really looks like marble. If you always choose the best for yourself, then buy good models with a five-layer coating and a thickened bottom (more than 6 mm) - they are of higher quality and more durable.

Pros:

  1. They are not afraid of mechanical damage (scratches and impacts).
  2. It is possible to fry even without oil.
  3. Withstands the strongest fire.
  4. After heating, they retain heat longer.
  5. Do not suffer from temperature changes.
  6. Long service life - up to 25 years.

As you can see, a marble grilling surface has significant benefits. But since shortcomings also need to be found for the sake of objectivity, we will find them.

Minuses:

  • Real marble frying pan It's not cheap.
  • There is no cover included in the kit; you have to search additionally for the required diameter.

Titanium coating

This is one of the most recent developments in the field of nanocomposite alloys. The material contains titanium oxide, hence the name. Although this coating has synonyms that are often found in colloquial speech. It is also called diamond or granite.

Pros:

  1. The surface heats up quickly and evenly.
  2. Not afraid of mechanical damage, you can use metal spatulas.
  3. Very long service life - up to 25 years.
  4. Does not emit toxic substances when frying.

If we compare titanium cookware with regular classic cookware, it will be closest to cast iron. It also heats up well and, judging by the reviews, cooking on it is very convenient. Choosing a marble or granite coating can be difficult. Because with all the advantages, the latter has the same drawback. Although it may not be considered a disadvantage, since a one-time investment will pay off in durability and great mood when cooking.

Minuses:

  • High price.
  • Not suitable for induction hob.

In this review, we looked only at non-stick surfaces, since they are the most popular and, to be honest, the most convenient to use. Which frying pan you choose for yourself is up to you.

In practice, I have only ever used three of the types described above: Teflon, ceramic and marble. And my opinion is very clear: the most best coverage, in my opinion, it is made of marble. I would even call it a magic frying pan - you can fry almost anything on it and nothing will ever burn! Ceramics and Teflon, although they have the same plus on the list, are somewhat inferior to marble. And cleaning the pan literally takes less than a minute - fantastic.

I would be glad if you leave your feedback in the comments on which frying pan coating you think is better. This will be very useful for those readers who have not yet made their choice.

Let work in the kitchen always save good mood! Nadezhda Goryunova

Probably not a single person can imagine a set of kitchen utensils without a frying pan. But when purchasing a new model, questions may arise about which coating is better.

Which coating is best for a frying pan: materials

Which coating is better for a frying pan: Teflon

Teflon is a modern and widespread material that is used not only to coat kitchen appliances, but also in electronics and textile production. The material of such pans is aluminum and steel. The inside of the container can be textured or smooth. Advantages of Teflon coating:

1. Ease of cooking. Food does not burn or fry.

2. Minimum oil for frying. This means savings and fewer calories.

3. Light weight and easy to use.

But there are also disadvantages.

1. Food should not be turned over or stirred with iron forks or spoons; wooden spatulas are best suited for this purpose. Otherwise, Teflon is easily damaged and is of little use.

2. You need to take care of such a frying pan carefully and carefully.

3. And the safety of this material is in question, so many are interested in which coating is better for the frying pan, and are trying to find a more acceptable material.

Cast iron

Good old cast iron frying pans have proven themselves to be excellent devices for long-term cooking (frying and stewing). The pan gets very hot and this ensures quality cooking. IN cast iron containers Products should not be stirred frequently: a natural non-stick fat film forms on the walls of the appliances.

Cast iron should not be washed with detergents. It is best to heat it and rinse with cold water. After cooking, it is better to transfer the dish to another bowl.

Ceramics

Ceramic coating is a sign from the distant past. Despite this, such coverage has many advantages, and the only disadvantage is the price of such devices. According to their own positive characteristics They are on par with Teflon, but differ in safety and durability of use. Dishes in ceramic containers do not burn, but acquire a delicious crispy crust.

Do not forget that ceramics react negatively to impacts and sudden temperature changes. Such executions will lead to the frying pan being covered with a mass of microcracks.