All about pan diameters

A frying pan is an indispensable assistant in the kitchen. Every housewife is faced with the problem of burnt meat, sticking to the surface of pancakes or poorly prepared vegetables. For the preparation of various dishes several options are required. Each product needs its own degree of roasting, stewing or boiling - it depends on the quality of the material of the dishes, the thickness of the bottom, the height of the sides of the pan and the diameter of the surface. From this article you can learn about what sizes of such dishes are and how to correctly measure the diameter of pans.

You need to figure out how to measure the diameter of the pan correctly. Most people measure the diameter of the pans on the bottom or around the circumference, and this is considered incorrect, as the size is determined by the top of the inside.

The standard sizes of pans vary from 18 to 32 cm - on the labeling manufacturers indicate exactly such numbers. For example, it’s convenient to bake pancakes on a surface with a diameter of 20 to 22 cm. It is better to stew or fry meat in dishes with a surface diameter of 30 cm. Each housewife herself chooses the required size of kitchen utensils depending on the application and preparation of any dishes.

The options for the size of the dishes can be found below, although they are usually presented in a special table.

• 18-20 cm. Products with such dimensions are designed for cooking for one adult. Such dishes are intended for stewing vegetables, frying pancakes and fried eggs, for heating a small amount of food.
• 22-24 cm. Such products usually fry meat, scrambled eggs or potatoes.For sauces, pans with high sides are suitable. Dishes with this diameter are designed for cooking and heating food for one or two people.
• 26-28 cm. On surfaces with this diameter, food is prepared for 3-4 adults. This pan is a universal assistant in the kitchen. On it you can warm up a large amount of food, stew or fry vegetables, meat, cook cabbage rolls or meatballs.
• 30-32 cm. The main purpose of products with such a diameter is cooking for a large family. A burner up to 22.5 cm in size is suitable for such pans. In this dish it’s convenient to do absolutely everything: stew meat or cabbage, fry fish, cook vegetable caviar, sauces or dough.

Choosing a pan of the right size is quite simple. The conclusion suggests itself: products of small diameter (18-20 cm) are suitable for heating food or baking pancakes, omelettes or fritters, and dishes from 22 to 32 cm in diameter are designed for cooking and heating food for a large family or company.

The most common classic product is made with high and low sides - it depends on the type of dishes that need to be prepared. In the pan you can cook absolutely everything: fish, meat, meatballs, pancakes, scrambled eggs or fried eggs. For the preparation of sauces and lecho, the usual frying pan is replaced with a stewpan.

There are also Chinese wok pans. In such products, you can fry and stew meat, cook fish and vegetables. The walls of such dishes are concave, the bottom surface is quite wide.

Wok pan will do for the preparation of pasta, meat, fish dishes, pilaf and lecho. Uniform heating and heating will give the friable products an ideal taste. The only negative is that you need to stir the products on time, otherwise the food may burn or stick to the surface.

Grill pan - This is another variety of such dishes. It has a ribbed bottom. When cooking, the oil spreads over the ribbed surface and fills the gaps between the metal ribs. Food is fried the same way as grilled. The food is very juicy.

Another cooking option is brazier. Such a product has a rather large weight. The bottom of the dishes is made of thick metal.

Warming up and cooking occurs evenly. Products retain useful properties, and food does not stick to the surface. This dish is suitable for baking and stewing various dishes.

Technology does not stand still: now in the household appliances market there are quite a few options for stoves for the kitchen. The dimensions of the hobs and the properties of the hobs also differ.

There are several options for cooking stoves:

• with gas hobs;
• with glass-ceramic coating;
• induction;
• electric.

Every housewife is familiar with the gas stove. Cooking takes place over an open fire. Heating is uniform over the entire surface.

Glass-ceramic coated plates also allow for uniform heating of the surface of the pan. For this type of plate, dishes with a flat bottom are suitable. It is worth considering that when using these plates, it is worthwhile to raise the dishes and rearrange them from place to place. No need to move the pan or other product with sliding movements, as this can damage the glass ceramics.

Cookware of a special category is used for cooking on induction hobs. Products must have a bottom with electromagnetic properties - this will ensure magnetization of the dishes to the surface of the plate.

Any pans can be used on electric stoves, but only except those made of aluminum without coating. An important feature of the choice of a pan for such plates is the compatibility of the size of the pan and burner.

Below are the main aspects of choosing quality dishes.

• Cover (sometimes included). You should immediately purchase a lid if it does not come with the pan. Its dimensions are often the same, but not all models can fit it.
• Existence of the valve on a cover for release of air.
• Removable handle.
• A heating indicator that indicates the start of cooking.
• The figure at the bottom in the form of a relief. It eliminates the burning of food and ensures uniform heating of the surface.
• A device that measures the temperature on the surface of dishes.

To the above points, it is worth adding the compatibility of dishes with dishwashers.

Of course, the choice of a pan of a certain diameter depends on many factors: the number of people in the family, preferred dishes, the type of stove on which the cooking process will take place.

Below are a few nuances that you should know when choosing a pan:

• burner size on the stove;
• hob properties;
• the average size of the diameter of the dishes is 18-22 cm;
• the average height of the sides of the product for cooking is 3 cm.

It is worth paying attention to the thickness of the bottom of the pan. The minimum thickness of the bottom of a product made of high-quality metal should be from 3 to 4 mm. Such dishes are more suitable for baking pancakes, pancakes and omelettes. Dense metal is evenly heated, which contributes to thorough frying, stewing or boiling without burning products.

When choosing a pan, you should pay attention to the handle. Many housewives do not attach much importance to her. But the pleasure of the cooking process depends on the quality handle of a convenient shape. There are no special selection criteria here - each mistress is prone to her specific sensations.

Frying pens are divided into several types:

• with rivets;
• with screws;
• cast products.

Handles with rivets are not so convenient to use. Products with screws are more practical in operation. One-piece handles are also easy to use and wash.

It is worth noting the options for metal handles - they have a high service life. But they tend to heat up quickly.

You should also pay attention to removable handles for frying pans. They are very convenient for cooking in the oven - just put the pan in the oven and remove the handle. Pot holders in this case can not be used.

To see which pans are best and how to choose them, see the next video.