Cooking on diamonds

[Smithy]

I had no idea before this that diamond is a good heat conductor. A quick check (Google is a wonderful thing) shows that this isn't just some marketeer's hype. Thanks for showing us the brochure.

You've talked before about the relative thicknesses of the Swiss NanoPro pan vs. the Swiss Diamond pan. Where does the Ikea non-stick that you used upthread fall into the mix? I'm wondering if pan thickness/mass is at least partly responsible for the different tenderness you got from the two steaks. I don't know why that might be, but we've been seeing a correlation between pan thermal mass and meat tenderness over in the braising discussions.

[SWISS_CHEF]

I had no idea before this that diamond is a good heat conductor.  A quick check (Google is a wonderful thing) shows that this isn't just some marketeer's hype.  Thanks for showing us the brochure.

You've talked before about the relative thicknesses of the Swiss NanoPro pan vs. the Swiss Diamond pan.  Where does the Ikea non-stick that you used upthread fall into the mix?  I'm wondering if pan thickness/mass is at least partly responsible for the different tenderness you got from the two steaks.   I don't know why that might be, but we've been seeing a correlation between pan thermal mass and meat tenderness over in the braising discussions.

←

I was stumped by this too until I spoke to the boss at the factory today and he explained the importance of the thickness to me. The thicker the pan, the more heat it can store, so when you add the meat the pan has so much stored energy that it can cook the steak instead of cooling down from the cool meat.

I was talking to Boris-A (from eGullet) and he has a Molteni stove. Same principle, massive amounts of material store the heat and cook food very differently. Perhaps if Boris sees this he will comment on how it works.

The Ikea pan is just 4mm thick. Because the thin pan lost it's heat when I added the steak it 'rendered' the fat in the steak instead of sealing it in. So the fat ended up all over the pan instead of sealed in the steak, resulting in a tough piece of meat.

Also notice the brown 'goodness' left in the Ikea pan. There was no 'goodness' left in the Nanopan which means all that flavor is in the steak.

Edited April 12, 2005 by SWISS_CHEF (log)

[Scott_S]

Great info! I have been lurking around here for weeks, but finally joined when I needed to ask for some information about non-stick pans. Based on the information I have gotten here so far, it was definitely worth it! :)

The NanoPro brochure is interesting. However, I wonder if anyone else noticed that the charts for both the hardness and thermal conductivity were the same chart? Looks like the Swiss' copywriter missed that one.

I have sent out a couple inquiries about the non-stick coatings on both the Scanpan and the Swiss Diamond pans. Both companies imply in their advertising that what they are using is better than teflon (ie. not teflon). So, I must admit I'm really curious about exactly what this non-stick stuff is... no offense intended Swiss_Chef, but I just like to hear things "from the horse's mouth" as it were.

Thanks for all of your help!

Scott

[SWISS_CHEF]

Great info!  I have been lurking around here for weeks, but finally joined when I needed to ask for some information about non-stick pans.  Based on the information I have gotten here so far, it was definitely worth it!  :)

The NanoPro brochure is interesting.  However, I wonder if anyone else noticed that the charts for both the hardness and thermal conductivity were the same chart?  Looks like the Swiss' copywriter missed that one.   

I have sent out a couple inquiries about the non-stick coatings on both the Scanpan and the Swiss Diamond pans.  Both companies imply in their advertising that what they are using is better than teflon (ie. not teflon).  So, I must admit I'm really curious about exactly what this non-stick stuff is... no offense intended Swiss_Chef, but I just like to hear things "from the horse's mouth" as it were.

Thanks for all of your help!

Scott

←

I'm not sure excatly what Scanpan uses but Swiss Nano Pro uses PTFE mixed with synthetic industrial diamonds so the coating is actually better than PTFE alone.

Here is some more info on PTFE/POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE/Teflon

http://www.enflo.com/what_is_teflon_ptfe.php

[Scott_S]

Swiss_Chef,

I got a response from Scanpan today...

This is a partial quote from an email I sent to Scanpan...

... However, the problem with all the traditional non-stick pans I have used appears to be that they are teflon-based.  Apparently, PTFE begins to break down at about 400-500F (or so, depending on the info sources I have found) and lose its non-stick properties over time (due to heat and dishwasher(?) use)...

This is the response from Scanpan I received today:

PTFE starts breaking down into its components between 660 and 700 degrees F (not 400 - 500 degrees), a temperature that is never reached under even the highest heat applications, for instance for searing or stir frying. The only way such temperature levels can be reached is by cooking the pan dry and letting it sit on high heat without any food on it, for an extended period of time. That would be an accident, not normal use.

The SCANPAN nonstick element is based on PTFE and is formulated to work with our patented ceramic titanium foundation. It is temperature safe to 500 degrees F.

Let us know if we can be of further assistance.

Thank you!

SCANPAN USA Inc

Customer Service Department

10 Industrial Ave

Mahwah NJ 07430

Phone 201 818 2280

FAX    201 818 2295

e-mail:  scanpan@scanpan.com

Internet: http://www.scanpan.com

This email should unequivocally put to rest any questions anyone like myself may have had about whether or not Scanpan is using PTFE as its non-stick coating. Oh, you were right!

I did notice a couple interesting, if implied, tidbits of information in Scanpan's reply.

First, apparently the only way you can get a pan on the cooktop over 500F (260C) is if you put it on a burner dry for an extended period of time or by putting it in the oven at the highest heat. This is good news (at least to me). Now I wish I had an infrared thermometer.

Second, Scanpan believes that PTFE only begins to "break down" at temperatures exceeding 660F. However, there are a few threads here on eGullet that have discussed PTFE beginning to break down at temperatures as low as about 330F. While there have not been any studies that have shown that the gasses/particulates that are released at temperatures below 500F actually affect adult humans, they do have an affect on pet birds. Since I have two girls (2 and 5), it makes me wonder if there is any effect for small children.

The above two tidbits should also apply to the Swiss Diamond/NanoPro products.

One thing I did find interesting in the page on teflon that you supplied, was that one of the properties of PTFE is as "an excellent insulator". This means that the heat that is being provided by the cooktop and through the pan, is not reaching the food to cook it... at least not efficiently.

This explains (at least in part) why pro chefs have always told me that "stainless cooks better than non-stick" though they couldn't explain why. While stainless steel has a very poor heat transfer ability (in comparison to other metals), at least it isn't an insulator.

Because of this, I would guess that the thermal conductivity of the diamonds in the PTFE/diamond matrix in the Swiss Diamond/NanoPro products do a lot to overcome the insulating property of PTFE. On the other hand, I do not know how much thermal conductivity is in the ceramic/titanium foundation of the Scanpan products. My bet is that the edge goes to Swiss Diamond/NanoPro. I guess it means that I have one more question to ask Scanpan though...

Scott

[SWISS_CHEF]

Hi Scott,

Nice bit of research!

PTFE is a sprayed on thermoplastic resin so it would have to have some insulating effects. That is 50% of the reason why Nanopan added diamonds to the mix. The other 50% of the reason is additional durability. You might ask Scanpan what do they add to their PTFE and how thick is their pan? These are the two issues as I see them.

Regards, Ed

Edited April 13, 2005 by SWISS_CHEF (log)

[Scott_S]

Ed,

Yeah, I did forget to mention the durability benefit of having the diamonds in the matrix... Doh! {sound of hand slapping forehead}

According to Scanpan, if I remember correctly, their pans are 6mm thick pressure cast aluminum. About the same as the Swiss Diamond. Unfortunately, I cannot find the web link for that specific information. I guess I will have to send off another email tonight.

You can get more information here (I wish Swiss Diamond/NanoPro had as much info):

http://www.scanpan.com/classic/faq.html

One other area I am interested in the comparison is the warranty. Oh, I know that both Scanpan and Swiss Diamond have essentially the same lifetime warranties. However, one thing that I have consistently heard is that Scanpan provides effectively unflinching fulfilment of its warranty. If the product isn't working properly, send it back in and they will replace it with another. I have yet to hear of anyone who wasn't surprised at how painless the process was.

On the other hand, I don't know of anyone who has had any experience with the Swiss Diamond product warranty. Then again, that may be a positive for Swiss Diamond, though it may just mean there aren't as many Swiss Diamond products out there.

Anyway, as soon as I get some more information, I will post it.

Scott

[SWISS_CHEF]

Hi Scott,

I went to the Scanpan site you posted and it is quite informative. I can't say for sure why the Swiss Diamond site isn't as detailed but I do know why Swiss Nano Pro isn't. In Switzerland Swiss Nano Pro is only marketed to the restaurant industry and only available here at restaurant supply stores so an elaborate web site isn't really necessary. Most Swiss chefs see the Nanopans for the first time in the supply stores. All they have to do is pick one up and they will see and feel the difference.

I thought this statement from the Scanpan site question 16 was interesting:

http://www.scanpan.com/classic/faq.html#16

They really make it sound like you are actually cooking on the ceramic-titanium surface. I do find that a bit misleading.

Regards, Ed

[Scott_S]

Ed,

You got that one right one the money. It is even worse on the Detailed Features pages. However, to their credit, they do address the PTFE thing as well as the issues with birds in this one:

http://www.scanpan.com/classic/faq.html#18

I have had some time to think this through and came to a decision. First, the Swiss Diamond product fell down in the comparison. The handle wasn't up to snuff when compared to the NanoPro. Also, when I get down to it, the lack of thickness of both the pan and coating compared to the NanoPro also hurt. However, the warranty is better than the NanoPro... go figure.

So it came down to the Scanpan and NanoPro. Well, the warranty (lifetime vs. 2/10 year) and the customer service (no hassle replacement vs. ???) come clearly down on the side of Scanpan as does the availability here in the States. I recently found that the thickness of the Scanpan is about 6.8mm on at least some of their pans (I'm waiting on confirmation), so the thickness still goes to the NanoPro, but not by as much. The surface seems to come down on the side of the NanoPro. Cost on the other hand, seems to clearly favor Scanpan.

Unfortunately, I'm faced with an "oranges and apples" decision. Scanpan and NanoPro are not as directly comparable as Scanpan and Swiss Diamond are.

So, for me, the breakdown is as follows:

Scanpan:

Lower cost

Warranty

Customer service

Performance compared to NanoPro ?

Availability

Ceramic-Titanium coating nearly as tough as diamonds

NanoPro:

Thickness

- Aluminum

- Coating

Diamond toughness

Diamond thermal conductivity

Higher cost

No local (US) availability

The bottom line is I would prefer to have a NanoPro, but cost, warranty, and local availability come down on the side of Scanpan.

Hopefully, once I finish my degree, I'll be able to afford some NanoPro pans that will be available here in the US.

The upside is that I'll be able to review a Scanpan alongside Swiss_Chef's Swiss NanoPro, so people can make a comparison. If someone were to get a Swiss Diamond pan and review it, we'd have a trifecta!

Ed, thanks for your time and reviews. Too bad the good stuff isn't available over here in the US right now!

Scott

Edited April 14, 2005 by Scott_S (log)

[Shalmanese]

The email is a bit disingenious. Sure, no part of the pan thats actually cooking the food is likely to go over 500F, but if you put a steak in that pan to sear, then any place NOT in contact with the steak is quite likely to reach much higher than 700F if you leave it for long enough. Personally, I would never use a non-stick pan to sear with, even sauteing is a bit iffy as there might be very limited contact between the pan and the food, not enough to suck all the heat out. A good rule of thumb to find out how hot a pan has gotten is to try and deglaze it and see how much deglazing liquid evaporates. I've found that when sauteing, you can easily get a pan about as hot as an empty pan left over heat for 5 minutes.

[Scott_S]

The email is a bit disingenious. Sure, no part of the pan thats actually cooking the food is likely to go over 500F, but if you put a steak in that pan to sear, then any place NOT in contact with the steak is quite likely to reach much higher than 700F if you leave it for long enough. Personally, I would never use a non-stick pan to sear with, even sauteing is a bit iffy as there might be very limited contact between the pan and the food, not enough to suck all the heat out. A good rule of thumb to find out how hot a pan has gotten is to try and deglaze it and see how much deglazing liquid evaporates. I've found that when sauteing, you can easily get a pan about as hot as an empty pan left over heat for 5 minutes.

←

This is exactly why I wish that I had an infrared thermometer. That way I would be able to tell exactly what is going on. It would be easy to tell exactly what temps are being reached other than just "cool", "warm", "hot", "very hot", "too hot", and "woohoo that's hot!"

Perhaps you can clarify for me exactly why non-stick pans are not that good for searing? I seem to be able to do it very well on the non-stick I own and they are very cheap pans from Wal-Mart.

The same questions apply for sauteing and deglazing. What is it about a non-stick pan that makes them inappropriate for doing these cooking techniques? And why would there be a more limited contact between a non-stick pan and the food than with a "stick" pan? Maybe it is because I'm not a chef. To me it seems like these cooking techniques are a matter of heat, food, and time.

The thickness of SCANPAN Classic pans is 7 mm.

The ceramic titanium surface is measured in microns and has zero impact on conductivity or heat distribution. Same is true for the nonstick component of the surface.

Thank you!

Maybe it is just me, but I get the feeling that the Scanpan people are not quite so patient with me anymore...

The 7mm sounds pretty close to the 6.8mm I remembered from somewhere, so I'm glad I didn't miss it by that much.

However, I don't know about this ceramic-titanium (CT) surface only being microns thick... well, maybe it is 100's of microns thick. At least to me, it calls into question the accuracy of their information.

If it is really only that thick, then perhaps that is why there are some people who have said their pans had flaked off. To be fair, Scanpan replaced them without question and said it might have been part of a bad batch. In fact, I haven't heard any recent complaints.

Oh, BTW, if you go out to the Scanpan web site, they have a couple movies under the classic and ergonomic links that show brief pictures of how the pans are made, including the CT surface.

By comparison, I submitted essentially the same questions to the Swiss Diamond people and they have yet to reply. I'm going to wait a couple more days and then resumit the question, but via their web page form rather than an e-mail address.

Scott

Edited April 14, 2005 by Scott_S (log)

[SWISS_CHEF]

Hi Shalmanese and Scott,

I wish we could get to the bottom of this heat issue. I would really like to know at exactly what temperature does PTFE start to break down? 500 or 660 degrees?

Scanpan makes it sound like their pans will withstand hotter temperatures than other pans, but I wonder if that is the case since they use PTFE too. I will ask the Nanopan factory for some solid answers and post their replies.

I usually sauté....sauté means ‘jump’ in French. In other words the meat you put in the pan should jump around the pan, thereby always coming in contact with a very hot part of the pan and searing the meat perfectly. This is based on the "don't let cold meat cool off the hot pan" theory. It's really the perfect cooking method for a thin pan, and the same principle as a stir fry.

As for deglazing, I never use a nonstick pan if I want to deglaze. Simply because, with a nonstick pan there is nothing left in the pan to deglaze because it all sticks to the meat. If you need to make a sauce and want to deglaze the pan after you cook the meat then use a stainless steel pan.

I use several different pans, including; stainless steel, copper with tin lining, copper with stainless steel lining, Calphalon (anodized aluminum) and last but not least, Le Creuset (enamel lined cast iron). Different pans are used for different things, but I have to say the Nanopan has really become my work horse because of cooking features and ease of cleaning.

Concerning the questions you submitted to the Swiss Diamond company: I just want to clarify that Swiss Diamond and Swiss Nano Pro are NOT the same company (nor I suspect, run in the same way) and they do not carry the same product. If you have a specific question about Swiss Nano Pro then ask me I will find the answer even if I have to call the owner! The people who make Nano Pro are totally into their product.

As far as I can tell, anything concerning melting points or toxic fumes that is true of PTFE/Teflon is true of all nonstick pans including Scanpan and Swiss Nano Pro. To my knowledge one form of PTFE is NOT safer than the next. As I understand it, as long as you do not exceed 660 degrees Fahrenheit you and your birds are safe, regardless of who's PTFE pan you use.

Regards, Ed

[Shalmanese]

I think 500F is when PTFE starts giving off chemicals that are toxic to birds and 700F is when the coating starts flaking off.

When you are searing a steak, you have 1 part of the pan in contact with the steak but a large area exposed to open air. The part under the steak may only be at 300F but the edges of the pan could quite easily get up to higher than 700F.

Similarly, when sauteing, theres only a certain amount of heat food can "suck" out of the pan. For example, If you have something like dry green beans with very little oil, I've found that the conductivity is so poor that you might as well be heating an empty pan.

[SWISS_CHEF]

I have been searching the web for more information about the potential dangers to humans of PTFE. I have found some alarming comments from sites like: yourlawyer.com and budgies.org and mercola.com but I have yet to find a single respected source like New England Journal of Medicine, or an important University to condem either PTFE or Teflon. In fact, Teflon seems to be used regularly in medicine and frequently used in alot of human implants.

Here are some things I found on the web from some very respected resources.

From Columbia University

From Dupont

[Scott_S]

Here is some information about Teflon I have been able to track down:

From eGullet.com:

Teflon info on eGullet.com

From DuPont:

DuPont Autograph Teflon Coating <-- See also links on left side of page

How does Teflon work?

Teflon Consumer Products Help

From Environmental Working Group: (anti-DuPont/Teflon site)

EWG General Teflon Information

EWG - DuPont 1967 Teflon tests

EWG - "Canaries in the Kitchen"

EWG - Pan temperature testing

EWG - Teflon Temperature Graphic <-- See also .pdf file with references

From USA Today:

Teflon pans can create sticky situation when overheated

The majority of the articles deal with the dangers of chemicals used to create teflon. However, I have also included some information regarding the dangers of high-temp mis-uses of teflon pans. The main problem I have with the articles is that they do not indicate the power in watts or btu required to achieve the various temps listed.

FWIW, while I still plan on using non-stick pans, I am going to buy an inexpensive infrared thermometer so I can understand how my stove works with the pans and what temps it reaches (I also have other uses... ). Another thing I'm tempted to get is a black iron pan to see how they work.

One other thing about the medical use of teflon. Much of the information regarding teflon talks about how chemically stable it is... in a given temperature range. The medical use of teflon falls squarely in that range, which is why it is so useful. Where I have seen indications that even DuPont says it can be a problem is out on the upper fringes of that temp range, where high temp cooking goes on. Because of this, that comparison isn't as useful as we'd like.

This sure has turned out to be one heck of an informative thread!

Thanks!

Scott

Edited April 16, 2005 by Scott_S (log)

[SWISS_CHEF]

One other thing about the medical use of teflon.  Much of the information regarding teflon talks about how chemically stable it is... in a given temperature range.  The medical use of teflon falls squarely in that range, which is why it is so useful.  Where I have seen indications that even DuPont says it can be a problem is out on the upper fringes of that temp range, where high temp cooking goes on.  Because of this, that comparison isn't as useful as we'd like. 

This sure has turned out to be one heck of an informative thread!

Thanks!

Scott

←

Hi Scott,

Thanks for your additional posts. Your comments have been very helpful to this topic. I wanted to mention the medical use of Teflon/PTFE because in our discussion there has been some concern about ingesting Teflon/PTFE peelings and I see there seems to be no reason to worry about that. I would have to agree with the eGullet comments....there are other things we could heat/burn that might be considerably more dangerous to us. Some natural (like chile peppers or mustard) and some man made.

We have to be rational about these things and quit assuming that everything that is man made will kill us. Teflon/PTFE has been produced for 40 years and has been used in billions of frying pans. I have yet to find even one confirmed human death (or even a permanent injury) due to Teflon/PTFE used during cooking. Hundreds of thousands of us die every year in automobiles but I wonder how many of are willing to give up driving?

Regards, Ed

Edited April 16, 2005 by SWISS_CHEF (log)

[Scott_S]

Ed,

I see your point. However, I don't think that most people (at least here in the States) automatically assume that modern technology is bad. I do think that they are suspicious of corporations because of the poor track record corporations have in looking out for the well-being of their customers (the list is too long to get into right now).

I think that the main thing that I see coming out of this is an increased awareness of how hot pans should get (or not, as the case may be) before there can be some health issues. If nothing else, this is good information for people who have birds... especially expensive birds.

As for the medical vs. flaking off teflon, I still question that this is a valid comparison. Medical teflon has not been submitted to high temperatures. The teflon that is flaking off probably has been. Such high temperatures may well affect the chemical composition of the teflon. In addition, to get teflon to stick, a "primer" is used. It is unclear what the chemical composition of this primer is and how it reacts to the same high temperatures.

IMO, based on what I have seen, some type of temperature sensitive paint (or metal, etc.) should be incorporated into pan designs that change color when the temperatures exceed safe limits. Apparently there is already a brand that has a small disk that turns red when the pan has reached its pre-heat temperature (T-Fal?), but not one that indicates its maximum temperature. Of course, this would only be valid for non-stick cookware.

Then again, no one asked me...

Scott

Edited April 17, 2005 by Scott_S (log)

[Scott_S]

Here is an interesting article (from the archives) that Dave the Cook wrote about the creation of teflon. It is quite entertaining and informative. Here it is:

The birth of Teflon... and other talking frog stories.

Scott

[Smithy]

Here is an interesting article (from the archives) that Dave the Cook wrote about the creation of teflon.  It is quite entertaining and informative.  Here it is:

The birth of Teflon... and other talking frog stories.

Scott

←

I am continually fascinated with the role of serendipity in science. Thanks for posting that link, Scott. It is indeed an informative and entertaining article.

[SWISS_CHEF]

Here is an interesting article (from the archives) that Dave the Cook wrote about the creation of teflon.  It is quite entertaining and informative.  Here it is:

The birth of Teflon... and other talking frog stories.

Scott

←

Thanks for that Scott! Best information yet in my opinion.

[JC]

Swiss Chef,

How much is the Nano Pro in Switzerland, say for a 10" pan?

[SWISS_CHEF]

Swiss Chef,

How much is the Nano Pro in Switzerland, say for a 10" pan?

←

Hi JC,

I have been contacted by several people asking me to send them some pans directly from Switzerland and the factory has agreed to let me do this.

The prices for Nanopans are as follows for a 28 cm (11 inch) pan.

$105 + postage for the 4.5 cm (1.75 inch) deep

$115 + postage for 7.5 cm (3 inch) deep

Smaller pans are available so let me know if you are interested.

You can pay via pay pal and I will only charge actual postage no extra handling.

One note: I am pushing for a lower price schedule when we bring them to the States because of the weak dollar. If the factory agrees then the pans may be slightly cheaper when they hit the States. The prices I am quoting are based on Swiss prices figured on the current exchange rate.

Regards, Ed

[CtznCane]

With Ed's help (for which I am very grateful) I just got the Swiss Nano Pan in the 11" - 1.75+ deep pan. So far I've really been amazed by this pan.

Ed is right when he calls this pan a tank. It is incredibly thick at 10mm and looks indestructible. The company also claims that while the pan may begin to show scratches over time that it will have no effect on the quality of the coating seal.

So far, over the last 3 days I've used the Nano Pan to cook Ahi Tuna, Filet Mignons, boneless chicken breasts, and an omelet this morning for breakfast. On all counts it perfomed admirably. Actually better than that it was flat out great.

With the Filet's and the chicken I seared them first and then finished them in the oven. I liked the fact of the steel handle for use in the oven. The steaks were finished at 450 (with convection) and the chicken at 350 (without convection.) Normally I'll cook the chicken in my Calphalon tri-poly saute pans, and steak I do in my trusty Lodge Cast Iron pan. What impressed me on both (as well as with the tuna) was the color I got from a non-stick pan. The browning I got was as good as with my cast iron and better than with my tri-poly.

One thing I will say is that my normal non-stick pans are basically cheap pans but have served the purpose. (Bialetti) I've just never been impressed with other non-sticks I've seen.

I tried doing an omelet this morning, noting andiesenji's test and it came out perfect. No problems whatsoever.

The only downside I can see to this pan would be if for some it was too heavy. As mentioned it is a tank. Like Ed, I like the long handle, it is just more comfortable for me. I think too, for myself or others, that if one wanted to toss the food using two hands this also becomes a bit easier.

The metal handle is seperately attatched and it is nice there are no rivets inside the pan. A big plus. I will say though that the lower part of the handle, the first inch or two of the metal handle did get quite hot though the rest of the handle remained comfrotable. At the same time, my burners are 15,000 btu's and I had it cranked all the way up initially.

Bottom line is, I love the pan. I'll consider getting other sizes down the line. When it comes to price versus cost, price is a one time issue as opposed to cost spread out over time. I think this will far outlast the other pans, so to me, it makes no sense to buy an inferrior product planing to replace it periodically, when my long term cost can be relatively the same by getting a pan that is going to do what I want it to do (and more) to begin with.

I ain't no rocket scientist, hell, I'm lucky if I can spell science, so for that part I don't pay too much attention. Plain fact is, it works. It works good. It works damn good, and that's what I think is most important.

[SWISS_CHEF]

With Ed's help (for which I am very grateful) I just got the Swiss Nano Pan in the 11" - 1.75+ deep pan.  So far I've really been amazed by this pan. 

    Ed is right when he calls this pan a tank.  It is incredibly thick at 10mm and looks indestructible.  The company also claims that while the pan may begin to show scratches over time that it will have no effect on the quality of the coating seal. 

    So far, over the last 3 days I've used the Nano Pan to cook Ahi Tuna, Filet Mignons, boneless chicken breasts, and an omelet this morning for breakfast.  On all counts it perfomed admirably.  Actually better than that it was flat out great.

    With the Filet's and the chicken I seared them first and then finished them in the oven.  I liked the fact of the steel handle for use in the oven.  The steaks were finished at 450 (with convection) and the chicken at 350 (without convection.)  Normally I'll cook the chicken in my Calphalon tri-poly saute pans, and steak I do in my trusty Lodge Cast Iron pan.    What impressed me on both (as well as with the tuna) was the color I got from a non-stick pan.  The browning I got was as good as with my cast iron and better than with my tri-poly. 

    One thing I will say is that my normal non-stick pans are basically cheap pans but have served the purpose. (Bialetti)  I've just never been impressed with other non-sticks I've seen. 

    I tried doing an omelet this morning, noting andiesenji's test and it came out perfect.  No problems whatsoever.

    The only downside I can see to this pan would be if for some it was too heavy.  As mentioned it is a tank.  Like Ed, I like the long handle, it is just more comfortable for me. I think too, for myself or others, that if one wanted to toss the food using two hands this also becomes a bit easier.

    The metal handle is seperately attatched and it is nice there are no rivets inside the pan.  A big plus.  I will say though that the lower part of the handle, the first inch or two of the metal handle did get quite hot though the rest of the handle remained comfrotable.  At the same time, my burners are 15,000 btu's and I had it cranked all the way up initially.

  Bottom line is, I love the pan.  I'll consider getting other sizes down the line.  When it comes to price versus cost, price is a one time issue as opposed to cost spread out over time.  I think this will far outlast the other pans, so to me, it makes no sense to buy an inferrior product planing to replace it periodically, when my long term cost can be relatively the same by getting a pan that is going to do what I want it to do (and more) to begin with.

  I ain't no rocket scientist, hell, I'm lucky if I can spell science, so for that part I don't pay too much attention.  Plain fact is, it works.  It works good.  It works damn good, and that's what I think is most important.

←

Thanks for the sterling review!

[JohnN]

Hey Ed,

Just wondering how the cookware is holding up?

Thanks,

-john