ISO induction-friendly frying pan (gift)

[TdeV]

Gift recipient is getting older, so cast iron is too darn heavy.

 

Suggestions?

[lemniscate]

All the frying pans I have seen at IKEA recently are "cooktop agnostic" meaning induction ready.   They range in price for $4.99 to $80 depending on size and materials.   I have had pretty good results with the mid price pans on all my cooktops, induction and traditional.

[weinoo]

Everyone I know who uses them likes the Made In cookware.

 

https://madeincookware.com/products/stainless-steel-frying-pan/10-inch

[Laurentius]

How much do you want to spend, and does your giftee hand wash?  Also, what size are you considering?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

16 hours ago, TdeV said:

Gift recipient is getting older, so cast iron is too darn heavy.

 

Suggestions?

 

Is a wok close enough to a frying pan?  If so I can recommend WANGYUANJI:

(eG-friendly Amazon.com link)

 

I've used mine three times and so far it hasn't needed cleaning.  The pan is very light.

 

[TdeV]

On 11/23/2024 at 9:46 PM, Laurentius said:

How much do you want to spend, and does your giftee hand wash?  Also, what size are you considering?

 

Not sure about price. All pans are handwashed, yes? Somewhere between 10 and 12 inches.

[TdeV]

Tthe Wirecutter (NYT) review website is negative about 5 ply cookware, which they say is slow to heat up. Not sure how important that is? (Made In is 5 ply). @weinoo ?

 

I don't think they would accept a wok in place of a frying pan, @JoNorvelleWalker.

 

 

Edited 23 hours ago by TdeV
Just attractin' attention. (log)

[Laurentius]

2 hours ago, TdeV said:

All pans are handwashed, yes? Somewhere between 10 and 12 inches.

 

Um, no. A huge % of the pan-buying public is addicted to automatic dishwashers.  If your giftee is among them, the choices for the best (and lightest ones) narrow.

 

If s/he is a hand washer, the next question in the algorithm is what is the household's stovetop heat source.

[TdeV]

@Laurentius, I think they have moved to, or hoping to move to induction.

 

i never saw cooking pans in their dishwasher (some years ago). (Do old dogs develop new tricks?)

 

Wirecutter also says that clad cookware makes a whining noise on induction. (I have All Clad cookware which doesn't make a whining noise, but I'm not on induction 😜)

 

TIA.

 

 

[Laurentius]

18 hours ago, TdeV said:

Wirecutter also says that clad cookware makes a whining noise on induction.

 

Take that with a grain of salt.  I would bet the farm this noisemaking had as much to do with the hob as it did the pan.  All-Clad has good manufacturing, and many giftees are thrilled to get one.  If you go that route, I would stick with the D3 line--no point in spending for pricier lines.  Pick the handle option carefully.

 

Since we're on clad, there are many other makers who do triply on a par with DC at lower prices.  Cuisinart French Classic is one.  Tramontina is also a good entrant.

 

Up a couple clad rungs are the offerings from Demeyere and Fissler.  These would be slightly heavier because they are thicker (thicker is almost always better on induction).

 

Nonstick is sort of a wildcard.  I would only buy a NS skillet for eggs and other low heat applications.  There is one premium pan I would except from this, Demeyere's ControlInduc.  It features technology that prevents the pan from getting too hot.  This is very useful, especially for aged and forgetful cooks.

 

There are many more options.  How advanced a cook is the giftee?