I use T Fal, and all is well except the 12 Frying pan. I have bought that and several other brands and they all warp. I read it’s because the burner is smaller than the bottom of the pan, and of course, not cast iron or heavier material to deal with the heat distribution. MIL got me a Williams Sonoma $50 gift card and I went to look at their 12” fryers. The cheapest will cost me more than the gift card…but they are so heavy! One was 5 lbs.! Has great reviews except for complaining about the weight. I found a set online (10 and 12”) for$60 and those are over 3 lbs. I weighed my TFal and it’s just a smidgen over 1 lb.
So, for those of you who use the higher end cookware, what is your opinion of these super heavy pans?
I have a 12” Calphalon “everyday” nonstick pan that is a commercial grade. I don’t find it heavy, Amazon says it is 4 pounds but I think that includes the lid. It isn’t a skillet with a long handle arm but more of a fry pan with a small handle on each side. I love it! I also have a similar stainless steel pan without the nonstick finish from AllClad. It is heavier but I use them for different things so I don’t compare them.
Thank you! I bet it does include the lid. I suppose it will help with my arm workout. Here are the ones I’m considering. The first says 6 lbs, but the bottom is stainless steel so no warping. The 2nd is about half the weight but not steel. It does come with another pan though, which I could use.
Choosing between the 2, I would go with the Allclad. That sale price is making me consider adding one to my collection! It will definitely be heavier than you are used to. I just weighed my lid on a postage scale and it is almost 2 pounds so if you deduct that from the total weight of the 12” pan you are considering, it will about 4 pounds.
I have a cast iron frying pan that was given to my parents as a wedding present when they were married. We almost never use it specifically because it weighs so much. My guess is that it weighs about 5 pounds.
I think that you would probably notice the difference between 3 pounds versus 5 pounds.
Thank you everyone! @AlwaysMoving, what type of stovetop do you have? I just read one of the first reviews and they were complaining about warping. I have a glass top and the 12 inch overlaps the largest burner. The big momma at Williams Sonoma is cast iron bottom, so won’t warp. But it’s $90, more than my $50. I’m on my 3rd 12”, though, which is more than that extra $40. I suppose I can buy it and see how I like it, or if it’s just too heavy for me.
I have 3 All-Clad (medium saucepan with lid, medium skillet with lid, large skillet with lid). It’s all I need. They are oven-safe and go in the dishwasher, and conduct heat well. I love them. They are all I need. Cast iron is a pain. We have several (DH got infatuated with them a few years ago) but never use them now.
I have a large commercial Calphalon and medium Le Creuset enamaled cast iron that are my regular go-tos. I especially love the Le Creuset line and have several pieces of their cookware. I also have an old cast iron skillet that was my grandmothers. I use it less frequently because of the upkeep but I do love the way it cooks. The Le Creuset enameled is my compromise as it has the benefits of the cast iron even cooking but is easier to clean with the enameled surface. I have a gas cook top.
My mom has a “smooth top” stove and uses Cuisinart stainless steel cookware. She has been very pleased with it.
I have Calphalon and All-Clad, but daily use the cast iron skillet (when that size is needed. The 7" others for smaller needs.) Yeah, heavy, but so easy. I don’t worry about the size of the botton relative to the burner (glass top stove.) It’s close enough.
I recently found my Calphalon instgructions and they say it can be adding cold water to a hot pan ( after cooking) that causes warps. YMMV.
I don’t really see how the size of the pan relative to the burner would cause warping of a good quality pan. I regularly use pans that are significantly larger diameter than my gas burners and none of them have warped.
It might be that you’ve had thin pans (it sounds like that’s the case, if your 12” pan only weighs 1 lb). Thin pans are certainly more prone to warping. Also, do you ever put hot pans in the sink to soak? Sudden cooling with water can also cause warping.
Anyway, I have calphalon and all-clad pans (and one hexclad) and they are indeed pretty heavy. I’m pretty sure they’re all aluminum core which you generally want for heat distribution, but the triple ply construction adds to the weight.
@anomander, I think it might have something to do with the glass top stoves. My 10” and smaller and all pots never warp, as they fit on the ring. But the 12” does. I can’t of any other explanation.
I have the All Clad and like them very much. They do not seem heavy to me. Then again, I use a cast iron fry pan and Le Creuset Dutch ovens so it’s all relative. Those ARE heavy to me.
“Good quality” being the operative term. Cheap pans will warp Thin pans will warp. Multi-ply pans should not warp assuming one does not immerse a hot pan in cold water.