Frying pans... but wife proof ;-)

JohnN

JohnN

Messages
6,293
Name
John
Edit My Images
Yes
Imagine if you will a tired (and a little grumpy) me trying to make pancakes last night - try one, sticks, adjust mixture, sticks - get grumpier, try three sticks - pan goes in sink followed quickly by the bin...
Pan two, pancake one, sticks - but at least tries to move - modify mixture gain - pancake two sticks, pancake three tosses!! Pancake four sticks... and so on - the dog was very happy :rolleyes:

No the problem is as I see it that when we get a new pan I'm all precious and wipe, clean properly (as per the instructions) etc then after time I loose interest and I find the poor thing with fry up burnt on, abandoned in the sink etc. I really should do a parody of a RSPCA\NSPCC advert with frying pans :coat:

Anyway are there any mystical pans out there that can live up to abuse and neglect but keep their non-stick?

Certainly the Tefal Intensium is not one of them.

I'm hoping this time I can get something that will last and not add to my already extensive pan graveyard!

BTW I did see the thread a couple of months ago (I was amazed to even find a frying pan thread!) but thought rather than resurrect an old thread I'd make a new one pointing out the neglect and poor treatment this poor pan will eventually receive :jawdrop:
 
We have the Tefal hard anodised pans, branded Jamie Oliver, as sold at John Lewis.
My family haven't destroyed them yet and we've had them quite a few years now.

http://www.jamieoliver.com/products/home/cookware/hard-anodized

Of course the secret to good pancakes is to have a proper pancake pan, that's just reserved for that purpose. These are flat, thin and need to be very hot.
 
Last edited:
Go to home bargains. Buy the cheapest non stick you can find. When it stops being non stick go buy another. They were about £5 last time I looked. Saves becoming attached to them too ;)

I've had cheap ones and expensive non sticks. There doesn't seem to be much difference in time they last for.

Also make sure all sharp utensils are kept away from them, ditto scouring pads. Any burnt on much should just come straight off.
 
srichards said:
Go to home bargains. Buy the cheapest non stick you can find. When it stops being non stick go buy another. They were about £5 last time I looked. Saves becoming attached to them too ;)

I've had cheap ones and expensive non sticks. There doesn't seem to be much difference in time they last for.

Also make sure all sharp utensils are kept away from them, ditto scouring pads. Any burnt on much should just come straight off.
Click to expand...

That's were I suggest also, I paid £1.99 for a small one and about £2.99 for a medium sized one and they are great. Don't worry too much over the pan, as they are so cheap you replace them as soon as they are past it. But they last a reasonable amount of time.
 
We have lecruset ones ( which weren't cheap) and the nonstick one we use most is starting to losing its non "stickiness". I agree with the above- just get a cheapo one and chuck out when it wears out. TK Max normally have some cheap but good stuff.
 
What about the granite pans as advertised on tv, shows them cooking alsorts including a bread wrapper and it not sticking i think it is a JML product ?
 
Robert dyas have the granite pans with the video playing about how amazing it is!! No idea if it's any good.
 
My folks have one of those granite pans. Not sure how long it'll last but it does what its advertised to do at the moment.
 
Thanks guys - these look good - Regis Stone Pan - going to check in Tesco
 
Last edited:
The 'stone' coating seems very thin on the ones I've seen.

My hob is an induction one, it's hell on pans because of the way it works. The Ceramic frying pan I bought a few months ago has become non slip as opposed to non stick though it was very good while it lasted. I think I'd go with the cheap throwaway type now too.
 
Well, by luck found a middle ground. Went to Tesco and found some Jamie Oliver stainless steel tefal pans for £11.50, so not bad hopefully.
 
Steel frying pan/wok or cast iron and season them properly with oil. If you clean them with just hot water they'll be non stick but if someone ruins the surface by washing aggressively you can just start again by seasoning them. Last a lifetime.
 
I had a beautiful le Creuset frying pan - it was wonderful :)

UNTIL

I landed in Hospital with a Pulmonary Embolism and then nearly added a heart attack to that as my husband came in and said

" you know that Red frying pan "

"yes " said I

"well it's now clean - don't know what you did to it to get it in that state . I'd to take the electric drill + sanding disk to it to get it clean !!"

I think you can imagine my response
 
It doesn't matter how 'good' or 'bad' the frying pan and the cook is the first pancake will never work and nor, very often, will the second.
By the time the third portion of mixture goes in the pan it will have been 'prepared' and the pancake will cook properly.
Be sure the mixture is very smooth and light, keep the pan moving in a slow swirling action as you pour in on a hob only just hot enough to cook the pancake and use a wooden spatula.
Hereby endeth the lesson
 
lol, actually I'm pretty good at pancakes, but you're right - the first one (almost always) goes south.

Still fingers crossed the new one can take it - thankfully my wifes not likely to sand it :D

Edit: Well day one went well - all pancakes including the first perfect.. still it'd be pretty poor if it was rubbish this soon! Now all I have to do is remember to give feedback in six months!
 
Last edited:
Have to agree with sphexx. But recently I have moved to coren non stick flat based wok's. Nice and big but very light(without lid).
No non stick/teflon pan will stay good for ever. I tend to buy good pans but still replace them yearly as I cook alot and sometimes my wife gets ahold of them.

On the story side.. I worked as a chef and in one place I had been for a few years we had 3 omelette pans than only ever got wiped and then re oiled after use. A new head chef started and told the KP to scrub them with a scouring pad oneday after using them at lunch.. to which knowing the score he protested. But did it anyway after getting a bollocking. Next time he went to use them he coukd understand why everyone stuck.. even with re treating them they never worked tye same.
 
Tefal pan (reasonably cheap) and the first pancake rarely sticks.
 
We just bought a 30cm Vita Verde ceramic pan in TKMax for £19.99, and although it is early days it seems to have a fantastic non stick finish.
However, it will probably not deter my wife from "testing" it, by trying to cook something without oil, and then letting it carbonise and burn onto the surface.
We have had a couple of Circulon pans for a while, but she has managed to do her magic on the large one, and I am gradually trying to put it right, with careful cleaning and seasoning.
 
I need to buy a kitchen that's wife proof. Many say that women need to stay in the kitchen but in my house that's my territory lol. I like my kitchen, garden and garage the way I like it and if it gets "tidied up" by someone else and something is out of place I am not a happy bunny lol. OCD? probably...
 
we've got those fissler pans that Tesco had a voucher offer on last year - they seem pretty good so far
 
I've got Meyer Anolon hard anodised frying pans and after about 10 years of use they are still non-stick.
 
+1 for steel. Mine lasted 9 years so far and still going strong... There are new ceramic coated pans (usually white surface) - I am not sure how well they hold together but may be worth a try if you are desperate not to use oil. I would certainly avoid teflon as it tends to degrade (chemically) over time releasing nasty things. Oh and if you smoke and put cigarettes to teflon pan, watch out for extra special hazardous fumes... (I honestly don't know why anyone would do that - let alone smoke, but that is actually documented in the literature).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top