How to choose the best pan for pancakes?

Our grandmothers were able to cook delicious pancakes, and there was no choice in their frying pans, because industry did not indulge in an abundance of goods. It is more difficult for our contemporaries. Stores are full of products from different materials with all kinds of coatings, which have different thickness and diameter. How they differ and which model is better to choose, let's talk about this in the article.

Making pancakes is a delicate matter that requires some skill and a reliable frying pan. Therefore, the industry produces special cooking utensils for frying pancakes. It has a thick bottom, small sides and a long handle. She needs to meet the following requirements:

• the dough in the pan must be distributed evenly;
• in no case burn out;
• pancakes should be fried quickly, have a uniform structure;
• it is important that they are easily turned over and removed, without creating problems;
• thin openwork and thick fluffy pancakes should work equally well in a pan.

To meet the above requirements, the product must have several parameters.

• The optimal height of the sides should be no more than 1 centimeter, then the pancakes are easily turned over. On sale you can find models with sides from 2 to 10 millimeters, if offered above, then the pan is intended not only for pancakes.
• The thickness of the bottom of the product for frying pancakes is 4-10 mm. With overestimated parameters, the pan will heat up for a long time and slowly fry. A small bottom thickness will result in burning.
• To make the pancake cooking process safe, the handle should be long, convenient in shape and not heat up during frying.The length of the handle matters if oil is used during cooking and splashing it can cause burns. For frying pans that do not require greasing, the size of the holder is unprincipled.
• The industry offers various forms of pans. Round is considered classic, pancakes in it are universal. They can be served with and without filling. A square shape can be used to make stuffed pancakes. If there are children in the house, they will like curly pancakes. Special pans are produced for their manufacture, but it will be more difficult to handle them - to turn such a pancake, you will need certain skills.

For the preparation of pancakes, high demands are placed on the material from which the pans are made. The amount of oil consumed during the frying process will depend on it. Some coatings do not require grease at all. In the past, pancakes were fried in universal cast iron pans. The process was uncomfortable, but the dish was excellent.

Today, less and less manufacturers use cast iron for their products. The emphasis is on lightweight materials with a non-stick layer, using coatings of marble chips or ceramic composition. Case material can be found from various types of metals and ceramics.

This material in use has its pros and cons. The advantages include the following indicators:

• despite having a thick bottom, the pan is fairly light; it is easy to work with, and the compacted bottom provides stable uniform baking;
• the presence of a non-stick layer makes it possible to fry the product without oil;
• pancakes are easily turned over and removed;
• the pan is washed with an ordinary sponge, but it can not be scratched with hard brushes and other abrasives.

The minuses include the following points:

• the crepe maker should not be heated to a temperature of +220 degrees; over a large fire, surface deformation occurs over time, cracks may appear, the protective layer will be broken, the product will release toxic substances;
• To work with this type of pans, you need special blades made of wood or silicone;
• Teflon coating is afraid of mechanical impact - bumps, scratches, chips.

Ceramics in the manufacture of pans is used in two ways: they completely make the product from ecolone or thermolone or cover the metal with a nanocomposite material. The first products by weight are lighter than the second. The pluses include the following:

• environmental component that does not harm health, while maintaining the taste of the product unchanged;
• pancakes can be fried without the use of grease;
• ceramics are more scratch resistant than Teflon coating;
• does not create thermal deformation of the product;
• the pan heats up quickly and retains heat for a long time;
• the dough does not stick to the bottom, does not form carbon deposits;
• with careful use, the product has a long service life.

The disadvantages are as follows:

• pottery cannot be washed in a dishwasher; they are afraid of alkaline environment;
• have heavy weight;
• are expensive.

This coating is similar to ceramic. It is made of marble and granite chips. The basis of the product is cast aluminum. Advantages are manifested in the following:

• the marble layer withstands mechanical stress;
• crepe makers look beautiful, decorate any kitchen;
• optimal bottom thickness promotes uniform baking;
• pancakes do not burn, they are easily removed from the pan;
• the product is durable and versatile; you can fry other types of products on it.

This is a budget type of kitchen utensil. Steel has poor thermal conductivity and contributes to the burning of products. To improve the situation, pans are made with a bottom consisting of five layers. But this does not always save. It is better to choose products with a combined bottom, in which steel layers alternate with aluminum. The advantages of such products include the following:

• the ability to leave dishes in a pan for storage, their taste does not change over time;
• suitable for dishwasher;
• has a low cost.

Aluminum is most often used for cabinet use, products from it are stamped or cast. The first have a bottom thickness of 2.7 millimeters, they are less reliable and the product can burn, even if you use high-quality pancake flour. Cast pans are available with thick walls and a bottom thickness of 5–7 mm. They are heavier than stamped, but more suitable for cooking. The advantages of aluminum include the following:

• fast heating;
• a light weight;
• Can be washed in the dishwasher;
• budget cost.

The following disadvantages should be noted:

• when frying, use oil;
• over time, the metal is deformed from high temperatures, the effect of a “pressed bottom” is created, which leads to uneven baking of pancakes;
• sometimes the appearance of oxide can be observed on the product.

In cast iron pans, any food is prepared in a special way, it languishes, concentrating its taste. In addition to pancakes, it is possible to fry fish and meat products on it, stew vegetables. If you need a universal product, you should choose a model with high sides, but its weight will be too heavy. The pan, designed only for making pancakes, should be small, with low walls and a long holder. Advantages are as follows:

• heats up slowly, for a long time and evenly retains heat;
• the dishes on such a pancake are very tasty;
• environmentally friendly material;
• resistant to mechanical stress;
• durable, without expiration dates.

It should be noted such disadvantages as:

• the product is heavy;
• cast iron has a porous structure and at first during the frying process there is a large consumption of oil, but gradually the pan acquires a natural non-stick layer, while reducing fat consumption;
• cast iron reacts to an acidic environment and can change the taste of food if tomatoes or lemon juice are used during cooking;
• the cooked dish should not be left in the pan, it is better to immediately place them in containers.

Copper pans can decorate country-style, provence, rustic or chalet-style kitchens. This is an expensive metal, but it has such advantages as:

• products from it are beautiful and bright;
• durable, they can be inherited;
• environmentally friendly;
• warm evenly and quickly, keeping heat for a long time;
• pancake frying is perfect;
• gourmets highly appreciate the taste of food cooked in a copper pan.

In the manufacture of such pans, titanium oxide is added to the ceramic coating, the product acquires super-strong non-stick properties. For the case base cast aluminum is used. The following advantages should be noted:

• the product is safe for health;
• light weight;
• resistant to mechanical stress;
• material is durable, can serve more than 20 years;
• heats up quickly, gives off heat for a long time;
• suitable for different types of plates;
• suitable for use in the oven;
• pancakes can be fried without adding oil.

The diameter of the pan can be measured at the bottom and top of the product. If the emphasis is on the size of the pancakes, bottom parameters are important. If you need to place the crepe maker on the shelf allocated to it, the capacity is measured at the top. When buying, consider the size of the burners. This does not apply to gas stoves, but to ceramic, induction. The standard burner sizes are 14.5, 18 and 22.5 cm. When choosing a frying pan, family preferences are taken into account: for small fluffy pancakes, the diameter of the product should not exceed 15 cm, for stuffed pancakes, the optimum size will be 25 or 26 cm.

The rating of pancake models is based on customer reviews, those who have bought and tested the pan in practice. We offer the top of the most popular models.

• "Biol" - This pancake pan is made in Ukraine. It has a diameter of 24 cm, a bottom thickness of 4 mm, a wooden handle of a removable type. A cast iron product guarantees uniform heating. The model has a budget cost. It is not provided with a non-stick coating, it requires preliminary heating.

• Pancake pan Nadoba - This is a modern type of kitchen utensil that does not require oil for cooking. It is endowed with a comfortable silicone handle.

• Tefal - a pan made in France with Teflon coating. The diameter of the product is 20 cm, it is endowed with an indicator that determines the degree of heating. It does not require the presence of oil during cooking, the bottom warms up evenly, ensures homogeneous frying of pancakes.

• Kukmara Tradition - a pan of Russian production (Tatarstan). It refers to aluminum models protected by ceramic coating. The bottom thickness is optimally balanced for frying perfect crepes. The pan has high sides (6 millimeters), which makes it possible to use it for cooking various dishes. The amount of oil used during frying is slightly used, the bottom diameter is 26 cm. The model is equipped with a transparent cover and a pair of removable holders.

• Rondell mocco - This is a product of German quality with a beautiful design. It has a heavy-duty non-stick aluminum-based titanium coating. The diameter of the pan is 22 cm, the bottom thickness is 4.5 millimeters. The conveniently shaped handle is endowed with silicone anti-slip parts. The disadvantage can only be the high cost of the goods.

Judging by the reviews, pancake pans are in great demand, people share their impressions and tips. After analyzing them, we can conclude that for many, the cast iron models on which our grandmothers fried pancakes are still the best product. They are heavy, but they bake perfectly. There were several negative reviews about the corrosion that sometimes occurs on these crepe makers.

Pans rated highly Tefal as well as expensive ceramic and marble products. They satisfy literally everyone, with the exception of a few users with excessive requirements. For example, they were looking for a pan in which the minimum amount of dough is able to instantly spread a thin layer in a pan and also quickly fry. We bought Tefal, the product did not cope with the task.

Judging by the reviews, An ideal frying pan does not have to be expensive. If taken care of properly, any product will last a long time.

See which pancake pan is better to buy.