Frying pan advice

[kalomeli]

Dear PSers, I need help!

I'm sick of the countless amount of teflon frying pans I've had over the years. Apparently I either buy crappy pans or teflon is just not suited for me! My grandma still uses the cast iron frying pan her mom got as a wedding circa 1920 and it's pretty amazing so at first I thought of buying one of those but some googling gave also the option of carbon steel pan.

Does anyone of you own one? Are carbon steel frying pans as good as cast iron?

 

[kenny]

Yes.
I LOOOOOVE my french deBuyer carbon steel pans.

You have to season them before the first use, and after every use but over time they develop the most fantastic durable non-stick black coating.
You never use soap or an abrasive pad on them.

After removing food I pour hot water into the pan.
Then, in about 15 minutes I rinse under hot water and scrub with a plastic round thingie.

BTW, I heard teflon pans will no longer be sold as of 2015 because of the health concerns.

 

[kalomeli]

Great to hear, kenny! I was actually planning on buying a deBuyer myself if I decide to go with the carbon steel pan(s).

I hadn't heard about the teflon banning thing! I didn't know they are that bad!

 

[kenny]

With high heat Teflon produces a gas that can kill pet birds.
I have no idea whether this is the reason it is being discontinued.

BTW, here is the kind of plastic scrubber that does not harm the non-stick coating that real carbon-steel or cast-iron pans are famous for.
An old credit card removes stubborn stuck-on food without scratching the coating.



The sides of deBuyer frying pans slope steeply to make it easy for restaurant chefs to slide to food out onto plates.

That means the bottom is much smaller than the top.
Since they are measured at the top you may want to buy a larger size.

 

[kalomeli]

Thanks for the advice, kenny! I'm going tomorrow to see some pans and probably going home with a de Buyer!

 

[dk168]

I spent a lot of money on expensive non-stick frying pan in the past, 50+ GBP a pop, and they were supposed to last forever, however, the coatings came off eventually.

Nowadays I don't bother with expensive frying pans anymore.

I quite like the look of the ceramic coated frying pans, and may buy one to see if they are as good as they claim.

DK

 

[JulieN]

Teflon is not being discontinued. No way in hello.

 

[kenny]

Thanks Julie.
I googled around and see nothing saying Teflon is being discontinued.
I can't recall where I heard this, but I should check my info before posting it.

Sorry.

 

[Karl_K]

Kenny your right and your wrong.
One formulation of Teflon is being banned.
The phase out which started in 2006 ends in 2015 with a total ban of that type.
There however are many other types that will stay totally legal.

http://www.webmd.com/news/20060127/epa-urges-teflon-chemical-ban

You likely saw the mistruth that Teflon is being totally banned in a commercial for a competing product that is widely seen on tv and print.

 

[kenny]

Thanks Karl.

 

[ksinger]

I spent a lot of money on expensive non-stick frying pan in the past, 50+ GBP a pop, and they were supposed to last forever, however, the coatings came off eventually.

Nowadays I don't bother with expensive frying pans anymore.

I quite like the look of the ceramic coated frying pans, and may buy one to see if they are as good as they claim.

DK

I bought one for $20 at Bed Bath and Beyond for the same reason - to see if they lived up to the hype, and I have to say, it delivers on the non-stick and easy clean-up promise. For a really good sear my husband is still a fan of his cast iron which I'm certain holds heat much better than the ceramic, which IS very lightweight (which can be very nice when you're not in a mood to hoik around a heavy pan), but I use the ceramic one for eggs, grilled cheese, veggie saute, etc, and it works extremely well. Can't beat it for $20 bucks. I think it's the 10 inch one? And it's green (like literally green). I can't recall the actual brand at present...

 

[vc10um]

Well, I know nothing about the carbon steel pans, but I L.O.V.E. our cast iron pans!

I am also loopy for our Scanpans. They're coated with a non-stick titanium ceramic coating and they're oven safe up to 450 degrees. They're more expensive than some more standard options, but well worth their cost, IMO. (And thanks to ladypirate for the suggestion to add these to my wedding registry way back when...)

 

[tyty333]

I told my mom that she had better give me her cast iron skillet in her will!

Its made a lot of really good food plus it just reminds me of her so much!

 

[kenny]

Cast iron skillets, griddles, and dutch ovens are the first thing I look for when walking up to a garage sale … oh and aquariums too.

 

[Roxy]

DH does the majority of the cooking and he loves Calphalon. I think he prefers their anodized aluminum(?) and the cast iron.

I remember them being expensive when we first got married, but he's still using the same ones 17 years later so they hold up really well.

I love Kenny's idea about yard sales though, excellent idea!!

 

[OUpearlgirl]

I work in a high end kitchen store.. so I might be able to help!

Can't go wrong with cast iron. Lodge is a brand that's American made and will last you several years. if you decide to spend more money for something that will last you (and your next of kin) forever, go with Le Creuset or Staub.

The problem with cast iron is that for daily use it is VERY heavy. If you want non-stick without all of the negatives, look into ScanPan. It's PFOS/PFOA free, none of the coating will end up in your food, is oven safe up to 500 degrees and pretty all around awesome. I have a ScanPan and it's about all I use anymore!

 

[kalomeli]

Thanks everyone! I still haven't had the time (or energy to be honest) to visit our local kitchen store so no purchases made yet. Maybe tomorrow I'll steal a moment for that. I'm looking for something to last a lifetime (like my grandma's cast iron pan! ) so everyones advice is very helpful.

 

[aviastar]

I work in a high end kitchen store.. so I might be able to help!

Can't go wrong with cast iron. Lodge is a brand that's American made and will last you several years. if you decide to spend more money for something that will last you (and your next of kin) forever, go with Le Creuset or Staub.

The problem with cast iron is that for daily use it is VERY heavy. If you want non-stick without all of the negatives, look into ScanPan. It's PFOS/PFOA free, none of the coating will end up in your food, is oven safe up to 500 degrees and pretty all around awesome. I have a ScanPan and it's about all I use anymore!

American made is important to me; I looked at Lodge cast iron and All Clad stainless steel. I ended up with a Lodge dutch oven and an All Clad frying pan. Both were purchased at Marshalls for great prices.

I really love my All Clad; it is really heavy but it cooks beautifully and I haven't had any issues with sticking. I only use my other frying pans now if I need two going at the same time and I'll be keeping a sharp eye out at Marshalls to start replacing some of my other pieces, too. My Marshalls had Le Creuset, too, very reasonably priced.

 

[Roxy]

Hi oupeargirl, this is totally off-topic but I had to come back and say that I really love your wedding ring set!!

I was so drawn to the ring in your avatar that I just HAD to go hunt down your ring thread. What a beautifully classic, and yet unique, setting. It shows off your center stone w/out overpowering it, LOVE IT .