What type of frying pan to get?

[Enrique3]

I'm looking to buy a half decent frying pan and I have no clue what to look for. I'm pretty new to cooking but learning and I just want to know what would be best. I would like to spend as little as possible really but I want something that is good quality, that will last and improve my cooking but which is good value. Thanks.

[Andy M.]

Hi Enrique. Welcome to DC.

As a versatile all around pan, nothing beats a cast iron skillet. You can get a 12" pre-seasoned skillet from Lodge for about $20-$25. It will last forever, is oven-proof and can be used for all kinds of dishes/foods.

[Enrique3]

Hi, thanks. Lodge are American though and I'm English, I think you can buy online but does anyone know if they sell in England or where best to buy from? Or any other brands worth looking at? Cheers

[Claire]

Having had to start kitchens from scratch a few times in my life, I always start with the largest, heaviest, flattest-bottomed nonstick skillet. You can almost always make a larger skillet do instead of a smaller one, but not the reverse. They're usually relatively inexpensive. This workhorse can do almost anything from frying up a steak to stir fries to paella to bacon and eggs. Eventually I buy something of higher quality, but this one piece of equipment has worked on all kinds of stoves and all kinds of circumstances in my many moves. The one I have now is a Circulon Millenium. I have more expensive skillets that I do use, but this one gets used several times a week.

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by Enrique3

Hi, thanks. Lodge are American though and I'm English, I think you can buy online but does anyone know if they sell in England or where best to buy from? Or any other brands worth looking at? Cheers

I don't know if Lodge is available in the UK. Check your local outlets and online vendors.

[Biser]

You can get Lodge cast iron from Amazon UK. There is also this:

ICD Cast Iron Skillet (11.5" Diam): Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home

although I've never seen ICD cast iron. Cast iron is very nice to cook in due to the even heating and ruggedness. The downside to it is the weight. I own a large skillet, two different sizes of dutch ovens and the round griddle that's pictured on the Amazon site. I believe that the griddle ( a legacy from my grandparents ) is between 75 and 100 years old. It's still in perfect condition.

Aughhhh! You had to make me look for Lodge, didn't you? Now I'm lusting after this:

Lodge Skillet, 17 Inch: Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home

A 17 inch skillet... superb for cooking large quantities for a party.

[Andy M.]

This is the pan and size I would recommend for a first pan.

Lodge Logic Round Skillet With Helper Handle 12" dia

[Enrique3]

What exactly do these better quality pans give you apart from lasting longer. Obviously non-stick helps and I know they say better heat distribution and stuff, but what diference does it make to the food?

[Chef Munky]

Originally Posted by Enrique3

What exactly do these better quality pans give you apart from lasting longer. Obviously non-stick helps and I know they say better heat distribution and stuff, but what diference does it make to the food?

It makes the food. It's something unless you've tried it and tasted for yourself it's hard to explain. Bacon fried in it on a camping trip is the best you'll ever have.

They don't just last longer they will out live you. Your grand kids if lucky enough will inherit them. That's something I'm hoping happens with all of my CI.

You can take it anywhere. Use it on any cooking surface you please.
They retain the heat like nothing I've ever used. It's great being able to cut down some of the cooking times get out of the kitchen a little early. Having the versatility of each pan, dutch oven, skillets, you name it. The only limitation is with the user. A little imagination goes a long way.

Munky.

[Zhizara]

One of the best investments is an electric skillet. It's really good for long simmers like chili. The temperature is very adjustable so that you can, for instance, brown some pork chops, add a can of cream of something soup and some gravy master for color and simmer for an hour, turning the chops every 15 minutes. When you get that nice slow simmer going, the gravy won't stick and the meat is falling apart tender. The reason for turning every 15 minutes is mainly to make sure that the gravy isn't sticking. If it sticks at all lower the temperature a little more. Keep it covered so there's less evaporation.

A teflon electric skillet is also great for making pancakes and french toast because of the adjustable temperature and the square shape. A griddle would be nice for this, but with a small kitchen, I want my appliances to be as multi-purpose as possible.

[Enrique3]

Thanks for the advice. I went for a lodge cast iron skillet. Literally the next day though, I saw a pan that looked and felt very much the same as the one I've just got for about £6. It was in an Indian/Continental supermarket and I didn't see a brand. Is it likely to be any good? How can you tell?

[CharlieD]

Do you have Sam's club near by? They sell a commercial quality pans. You can get a non-stick pan for about $20 bucks. They are pretty good and will work for everything. They have them in every size.

[Joshatdot]

Originally Posted by Enrique3

Thanks for the advice. I went for a lodge cast iron skillet. Literally the next day though, I saw a pan that looked and felt very much the same as the one I've just got for about £6. It was in an Indian/Continental supermarket and I didn't see a brand. Is it likely to be any good? How can you tell?

Can ya take pics of it .. from camera or cell phone?