SantiagoDraco

Because 2 is better than 1! I use 1 daily, the second is more for when I'm cooking something in big batches where I may need to brown a lot of meat (say Green Chili Pork Stew, or Beef Stew, etc), or cooking multi-part recipes in parallel. I cook a lot of omelets and sauces. The second unit is also the one I take with me camping or for parties or events with friends. Overkill quite likely

Well, it's been a while since I last posted here. probably 3 years. I'm going on 4+ years for my 2 Control Freaks and both work like they did when they were brand new and look brand new as well. Probably the best purchase I've made for kitchen equipment ever. Well worth the price. How are you other old timers doing with your units?

Cast iron would be a bad choice since cast iron has very poor heat conductivity. Heat would be focused at the coil and not spread evenly compared to steel.

Just saw this. Interesting but not sure why anyone would pay those prices for the Vollrath over the Control Freak which to me seems to be a much more capable (and certainly better looking) product. I'm sure the Vollrath is rugged and all but the CF has it all, including an actual physical probe for the pan (very important for accurate temps) vs the under glass probe of the Vollrath.

That is the set. I have it myself and it's super. I don't have any issues with tipping.

So how's everyone enjoying their Control Freaks? I'm curious how they've worked for those that have used them for some time. My experience has been pretty stellar I have to say and I haven't used my gas range but maybe a few times in a couple of years as a result. I bought my first unit in 2018 and it's still going strong with daily use. Second unit bought a bit over a year ago. Other than great experiences so far if I had anything that I found to be an issue it would be that I had difficulty using it with one of the T-Fal nonstick thermospot 12" pans since the pan is not flat and is even less flat when heated. This caused the surface to "lift" far enough up in the middle that the probe did not have good contact and the pan would not heat. Gave the pan to a friend and have been using my Anolon and All-clad pans ever since then. For liquids I find I don't use the probe much with the possible exception of frying. I'm currently thinking about ways to make a lid that will have a slot for the probe to fit, maybe some kind of semi-rigid silicon lid that I can cut a slot in for the probe. For deep frying it's not an issue of course. Overall I think the CF has had the biggest impact on my cooking experiences than any other tool I've used.

I think the Paragon surface probe is likely shorter and maybe has less upward pressure/resistance. Also the mat on the Paragon likely helps reduce tipping by keeping the pan from sliding relative to the probe. To tip there needs to be some minute movement across the surface. Now if we are talking about tipping due to the weight of a handle being too much in relation to the pan that would be a different story. I have pans that tip on any surface. Not sure why they would even build them this way

Yep, you won't regret it. The Analon's are especially good for Induction as they have a copper core in the base which further enhances heat distribution. Fantastic pans.

If referring to the tipping issue it's due to the temperature sensor that protrudes from the glass top of the Breville. It has some resistance to it (it drops down as you put a pan on it) so that it remains in constant contact with the pan it is sensing the temperature of. Very light pans, or pans with an ungainly handle weight (in relation to the pan itself) can wobble. This would likely be somewhat of an issue on any surface for those pans but the sensor adds a bit of pressure that can be enough to cause the tipping.

Oops! Sorry I thought they were older pans with issues lol. Didn't mean to imply you made a bad purchase

To be honest? You probably need to replace the pans. I use the Anolon Nouvelle Copper Hard Anodized Nonstick skillets. Super pans for induction (or other). I also have a pair of All-Clad non stick skillets (8 and 10") and like them both. The smaller pan is a bit lighter and can tip slightly when empty. The only real solution to the problem you describe is a different pan. The Anolon Nouvelle are really great pans for the money.

Sorry for the late reply. Sorry, no idea

Are you using a non-stick pan? I generally do for poaching. Not that it's necessary. As for temps you should probably be closer to a very very low simmer with the Breville. But I'm not an expert though. I think the other suggestions are good also. I use some poaching cups that are non-stick for my poached eggs. The Breville will make for some wonderfully easy eggs benedict

I have several AC and Demeyere pans and they all work great. I have no D5. The D5 isn't as good as either the D3 or the D7 for heat distribution due to it having thinner AL layers than the other two. At least that's what I understand has been found in testing. This is more important for induction since the induction ring is not as big as the pan itself so heat conductivity is critical for even heat distribution. I have a 12" D7 frying pan, one of the best pans for high heat frying I've used. I also have the D7 dutch oven which is great if not using my La Creuset. But yeah too bad they discontinued it. If you can find a 12" D7 fry pan I'd recommend grabbing one. Otherwise I'd go D3 or if your budget is higher Demeyere. As for sets.... my recommendation is to never buy a set. Buy the pieces you need as you can afford them. Sets almost always have half of what you need and half of what you don't. I'd suggest waiting for the next All-Clad VIP sale on homeandcooksales.com where you can get some great deals on All Clad. I also highly recommend the Demeyere "Silver 7" line which is exclusive at Sur La Table. I love the conical saucier and saute pans.

Hmm, ok. Not sure what they got wrong but maybe there's more to the story than what I see on the free article pages.