Our Guide to Picking the Perfect Pan - Modernist Cuisine

Our Guide to Picking the Perfect Pan

MCNovember 27, 2012

Are you looking for a new set of pans this holiday season? Scott Heimendinger, our Director of Applied Research, explains the science behind heat diffusion in stove-top cooking on MDRN KTCHN on CHOW.com. The end result: Thickness is more important than material, no matter how shiny and expensive those copper pans may be. He also gives you a few work-arounds for uneven stoves.


12 Responses to “Our Guide to Picking the Perfect Pan”

  1. Two results from this video:

    Look into Swiss Diamond skillets – they rivet the handles to bolsters cast as one piece with the body of the pans. That means no disgusting rivets to clean around, without sacrificing the strength and stability of riveted handles. Ranked #1 nonstick this year by Consumer Reports, with nice thick bodies and great heat distribution (even on small burners).

    Look into Swiss Diamond induction cookware. Instead of fusing a single small magnet into the core of the pan, like most induction cookware, they actually coat the entire bottom with magnetic material. That means better heat distribution and eliminates the possibility of that annoying buzzing and jumping that occurs with some induction cookware over time.

  2. One of my favorite pans for not only induction but also gas is the Centurion Line from Volrath. Really well made stuff and cooks beautifully. Has a HUGE disc of aluminum coated with magnetic steel.

    Mind you, I still also have my grandmother’s Descoware and a few Griswold Cast Irons as well.

  3. Paulustrious

    I like my copper pans – although hey don’t gleam. I wonder if you can use a slab of magnetic steel/iron between an induction cooktop and a non-magnetic pan – or even a large cast iron skillet.
    I use the pan-in-a-skillet method when cooking “sous-videy” as it lowers the ultimate water temperature. Using the right combination I can get a fixed temperature +/- 2 degrees.