As for saucepans in general, I have a set of copper based polished stainless steel jobs that must be about 25 years old.

They look like new.

(they are not non stick though)

The only problem I have is the stainless cover on the bottom of the frying pan is starting to separate from the copper.................but it's had a hell of a lot of use.

 

I have no idea what brand they are.

We have had a Tefal for 3-4 years. Its fantastic.

 

the teflon coating only comes off if you immediately wash the pan in cold water after use. You need to let it cool then clean

At the moment I am using a hand me down Bessemer pan that I inherited from my dear old mum. It works a treat, nothing sticks and is very easy to clean . They are not cheap but this is an old one and I have heard the new ones are not as good.. YMMV

Edited September 24, 201312 yr by holdencaulfield2007

As for saucepans in general, I have a set of copper based polished stainless steel jobs that must be about 25 years old.

They look like new.

(they are not non stick though)

The only problem I have is the stainless cover on the bottom of the frying pan is starting to separate from the copper.................but it's had a hell of a lot of use.

 

I have no idea what brand they are.

 

Estelle were popular back then LP

I cook outside with the barbie's side burner so it isn't particularly hot. I found the best ones to get heat conduction with the limited heat are the anodised pots from Baccarat and Le Creuset. I bought the 28cm Baccarat wok on sale from Robin's kitchen for about 60 bucks. The 28cm Le Creuset frying pan was bought using points from FlyBuys. 

 

These are non-stick though, but they are designed to work with metal tools. That said, I still use mainly wooden utensils. 

 

I do find that most cookware benefit from occasional treatment with oil after washing to condition the surface. 

Estelle were popular back then LP

 

I just checked......................there's no brand name on them and I can't post a pic because the kids have knocked off all my phone cords!

I don't think my Estelle have names either LP. But the were the bees knees back then. Actually I just looked and they have the name on the lids, on the black bakerlite handles: "Silcraft Estelle".

 

Did you know that you can beat an egg better in a copper pan? No? Either did I till today but apparently it's true.

 

 

 

Are copper bowls better for beating egg whites?

Yes, beating or whipping egg whites in a copper bowl will produce a yellowish, creamy foam that is much

harder to over-beat when compared to using plastic, ceramic, glass or stainless steel bowls. For more

information, consult our

How to Beat Egg Whites guide

 

 

.

This from the Mauviel FAQ pdf guide....

must be something about circulon. we chucked a couple of ours on the scr@p heap at the last hard rubbish collection. were completely hopeless lost all their non stick. we bought a couple of baccarat instead supposedly with life time non stick. theyre really good ! 

If Teflon is out of the question then just about all non stick frypans are out. Teflon is just a registered trade mark of Dupont and just because a non stick says it doesn't use Teflon doesn't mean it does't use the same PTFE or PFOA chemicals, in fact one well known brand was caught out for stating they don't use any Teflon in their cookware but in fact uses the same chemical Teflon is made from and then had to reword their website to state that they used the chemical in their non-stick frypans and pots.

 

I have two birds and never use non-stick as it can kill birds instantly. I use cast-iron, well treated and it's great. never wears out just needs a good oiling every now and then

You'd have to seriously abuse any non-stick pan before it would instantly kill birds.

 

And not all non-stick frypans use PTFE or PFOA.

 

Greenpan doesn't, for instance;

 

 

Thermolonâ„¢ healthy and eco-friendly non stick technology

• A natural, non-stick mineral-based coating.
• No potentially dangerous chemical’s inside: It’s completely PTFE-free and contains no silicone oil.
• Manufactured without PFOA and applied in an environmentally friendly way, resulting in 60 % less CO2 emissions.
• Heat resistant up to high temperatures.  If you accidentally overheat your pan, even up to 450°C/850°F, no toxic fumes will be released and the coating will not blister or peel.
•  

A lady I've been working for for a few years has one of these and although it's expensive she says she never has any trouble cooking with it and that it will be a family heirloom which she will give to her daughter.

 

I watched her cooking with it and with a little dab of oil I never saw anything stick to it and it heats up like you've never seen a pan heat up, extremely quickly and when she's finished she rinses it, wipes it out with straight steel wool if need be or just a kitchen scourer and that's it.

 

Mauveil ,and they have a huge range.  I'm looking at one of these >>> M'Heritage 30cm

 

 

I wouldn't pay that much for a pan........................having to worry about damaging it would stop you concentrating on cooking!

 

You'd have to seriously abuse any non-stick pan before it would instantly kill birds.

 

And not all non-stick frypans use PTFE or PFOA.

 

Greenpan doesn't, for instance;

 

 

Thermolonâ„¢ healthy and eco-friendly non stick technology

• A natural, non-stick mineral-based coating.
• No potentially dangerous chemical’s inside: It’s completely PTFE-free and contains no silicone oil.
• Manufactured without PFOA and applied in an environmentally friendly way, resulting in 60 % less CO2 emissions.
• Heat resistant up to high temperatures.  If you accidentally overheat your pan, even up to 450°C/850°F, no toxic fumes will be released and the coating will not blister or peel.
•  

 

As I said just about all non stick pans and no you don't have to seriously abuse a PTFE pan to kill a bird. Most non stick pans that have the coating flaking is from over heating the pan, over heating the pan it's quite easy to release the chemicals that birds die from very easily. I know of few cases of people forgetting about the pan it over heated and their birds dropping dead very quickly, one including a $6000 Macaw. 

I've had a good run with a Circulon pair of frypans, 4-5 yrs old and still going well.

My grandma got one of those Circulons about 5-6 years ago and really wants to keep it.

 

I don't think she's so chuffed about her tribal tattoo however.....

As I said just about all non stick pans and no you don't have to seriously abuse a PTFE pan to kill a bird. Most non stick pans that have the coating flaking is from over heating the pan, over heating the pan it's quite easy to release the chemicals that birds die from very easily. I know of few cases of people forgetting about the pan it over heated and their birds dropping dead very quickly, one including a $6000 Macaw. 

The things you learn hanging around here

At least this thread has given me a way to stop her bloody cockatiels from waking me up on the weekends.

A bit of an update - a few months back we got a whole heap of these Circulon Commercial pans from Victoria's Basement. I've just gone and got another 2.

 

 

These are hands down the best pans I've ever used (regardless of price). I've not touched my 30cm Mauviel since (actually I lie, I've used it one for a sauce that is better in a SS as opposed to non-stick)....that's a $400 pan from France v a $69 pan I am guessing made in China (need to check the paperwork)

 

Highly recommended. I guess time will tell for the longevity question, but who cares for this money. Its supposed to have a lifetime satisfaction gtee.

 

http://www.victoriasbasement.com.au/Product/Details/74555

 

Outstanding value. Only downside is you can whack them in the dishwasher like a SS pan

Flavorstone! Ha I laughed at the infomercial, but a mate's wife bought some and love them. I persevere with stainless which seems to get less sticky over time for some reason (or I'm getting used to it).

We have a set of Flavourstone pans and since getting them just after Xmas (a gift) we cook in nothing but them, Yep! Love em.

Edited August 18, 201411 yr by Grumpy

A bit of an update - a few months back we got a whole heap of these Circulon Commercial pans from Victoria's Basement. I've just gone and got another 2.

How do you find the "hi-low" surface for cleaning? My parents had a similar pan a few years ago, not sure if it was Circulon or not, that just ended up pretty non-stick as small amounts of food would not get cleaned out of the low channels - they didn't want to clean them too aggressively to get it all out as they thought that would ruin the surface quicksmart, so they erred on the side of caution with each clean and still ended up with the same result.

We tried the Circulon pans and weren't impressed at all with the uneven surface and although they were nicely friction free for a few months, the surface deteriorated within 6 months. Bought some high range Tefal pans and 18 months later in the same type of usage, they are still perfect.

 

It seems like everyone has differing experiences with non stick cookware.

From what I gather there is Circulon and Circulon. There were several different ranges in store, these "commercial" ones are superb.

 

Cleaning is easy. Wait for it to cool, soak for 1 minute, clean of with a sponge

 

The high/low thing works remarkable well. I just wish they made a larger wok, as I'd replace my Allclad in a heartbeat. The heat transfer is unreal. Little things like I've never seen water boil so consistently well

I think most people would be surprised by how "non-stick" stainless steel is when basically seasoned with vegetable oil and moderate heat. 

 

My personal choices in cookware have settled on some cast iron (casseroles, one frypan), a non-stick saucepan and frypan (Analon) and the majority copper (frypans, pots, saute). For copper, I use Falk which has a thin bonded layer of stainless steel so doesn't need tinning and which has a matte finish, so looks fine without constant polishing and can be "brushed" with steel wool if you don't like the patina (which I like anyway).  

 

Copper pans are comparatively heavy but there really isn't anything like them to cook with. The modern Aluminium based pots heat up beautifully and are fantastic to cook with. But nothing compares to the temperature control you have with copper, where minor changes to the gas are immediately visible in the pan. 

 

I reckon most people will benefit from having a range of materials to choose from in their arsenal, rather than a "full set". And, although they're terribly expensive, every serious cook deserves at least one copper saucepan (stainless steel lined). 

Agree --I cook exclusively and do recommend -and use Circulon Pans but not for all --

 

i.e in Indian /Asian where you need maximum heat--smoking oil to commence carbon steel still wins out

 

Good Cooking!

 

Willco

I'm enjoying using well seasoned cast iron frying pans for omelettes and sautéing mushrooms, etc. Their great advantage is that they don't wear out. They also do a very good job.

I've got stainless steel pots, stock pot, and large frying pan. If you cook on a sensible heat, then soak them in some water, everything falls off them.

 

I've also got a blue steel frying pan, heavy as hell, lovely to cook with, again if you cook with sensible heat, swish some water in it while it's hot, it wipes clean. 

 

My biggest problem is getting the gas flame low enough.