There are a couple of posts about it but they seem to date back to '22.
So just wondering if
A) Choice will do a review soon (and out of curiosity why hasn’t one been done?)
B) Anyone can point me in the right direction to get a good review on frying pans in the market atm?
FYI: The best one (best = value for money) was a cheap $20 one but I can’t remember where I got it. It definitely isn’t Kmart because I got one about 2 months ago and it is struggling to cook an egg atm It may have been Woolies or Aldi.
Member content only on the CHOICE website is the 2024 review of frying pans that may be helpful to you (some usefulness if a non member but much more so if a member).
I was under the assumption that the below are the categories I can view (stops at food processors) … but as you have shown if one scrolls further down on the page then it can be seem. Trap for the new players
I just did a search on the site for frying pan and got the listing
Lots of results that apply to frying pans and some may be of use to you. Keep pressing the Next button at the bottom of the listings and there are more pages of possible interest for you (it gave me 100 results in total).
You can’t go past De Buyer frying pans, no nasty non stick, French made. Last forever, get better with age and the Mineral B pans are actually healthy to use. If properly used they don’t stick. The French know a thing or too about cooking and I find generally speaking French kitchen products are far superior. And as a bonus the De Buyers aren’t even expensive.
It may interest others coming to the Community if you could share which pans from this brand you use most often, (size and style), and how they are used. A quick look online suggests the product range of pressed steel pans retails in the $100’s. Inexpensive over a lifetime assuming one has the mindset and commitment to look after them and maintain the seasoning.
The products appear to be of similar manufacture to those made by Australian supplier Solidteknics with similar pricing and options.
The US Consumer Reports (cousin to Choice) looked into non-toxic claims of non-stick pan manufacturers. It is worth reading what they say about PFTE:
While products usinfg PFTE (Telfon) as its non-stick coatings no longer contains PFOAs, it isn’t without risks:
I wouldn’t be relying on statements made that PFTE (Teflon) non-stick is non-toxic, as its use can cause the release of chemical polymers which are known to cause health issues.
Non-stick? It can mean different things depending on what one is marketing.
De Buyer market an extensive range of cooking products. Premium pricing to the Australian market. The headline cookware includes carbon steel pans in at least two different grades. They market the bare finished steel pans as non-stick. The heavier “Mineral-B” range come pre coated with a bees wax compound. Assume this improves product surface protection and aids first seasoning?
The brand also has a selection (your link) of aluminium PTFE coated cookware.
It’s assumed @deb2 was referring to the use of seasoned carbon steel pans which do not have a factory (PTFE) non-stick coating.
P.S.
For certain cooking tasks the coated aluminium pans are far less fuss and easy to use. The arguments in our household for include the lighter weight - (should older Aussies with arthritis be too concerned if it’s a quality product), and ease of zero maintenance clean up. The Choice Guide provides a useful reference to the different types of coatings and pan materials - good and bad points.
I never buy non stick pans of any brands so I don’t know about that. I was suggesting the De Buyer Mineral B carbon steel pans, should have been more specific. I don’t know why ANYONE uses non stick cookware.
Thanks for the clarification. These pans are carbon steel coated with beeswax (the ‘mineral B’). The beeswax would disappear after the first use and wash. The beeswax is possibly used to prevent the pan rusting immediately after its manufacture.
Like any carbon steel plan, the more it is used and oils build up (baked) on the surface, it has higher non-stick properties to a new pan. It isn’t a true non-stick.
The De Buyer pans aren’t overly unique, with exception possibly of using a beeswax to coat the pans so they don’t rust before first use. Rust on cookware is also a turnoff for prospective purchasers.
Beeswax, as mentioned before, is used as part of the seasoning process for the pan. The pan is heated on the stove, but a very hot oven is best, until the melted wax “seasons” the pan. All raw metal pans like cast iron and wrought iron should be seasoned first before being used for cooking. At times, it can become necessary for a pan to be seasoned again if the seasoning is damaged or removed. Often this removal will happen if very vigorous cleaning is undertaken.
A how and why to season link that may be useful for those who like their cast/wrought pans.
In my experience a few years ago of trying to find a carbon steel pancake pan suitable for use on induction, De Buyer was the only brand available that had the size I wanted and in a heavy gauge suitable for induction. Thin steel pans are not suitable - they’ll heat up all right, but they deform (learned from experience).
So from my point of view, De Buyer were unique because they alone had what I wanted!
My De Buyer mineral B is close to 10 years old and has never shown any sign of rust. They need to be correctly seasoned and cared for but it’s not complex, they are tough and I would guess much longer lasting than any non stick pan. You are completely wrong about the reason for the beeswax…it has nothing to do with preventing rust!
Finished with French beeswax for an all-natural protection against oxidation and to facilitate the seasoning of the pan.
Oxidation of iron objects is rusting, the result is called rust.
Most rustable steel pans (not stainless nor enamel) come with some kind of coating to prevent rust before first use. Mild steel woks for example typically are sprayed with lacquer. How you treat the coating when seasoning the pan depends on its nature.
Manufacturers usually also recommend a good wash before first use to remove coatings or residues left as a result of the manufacturing process.
We have a carbon steel wok which is about 15 years old. It is also rust free, but we ensure it is very dry before storing and don’t place it in the dishwasher. If we leave it on the dish rack for some time (say overnight because we couldn’t be bothered drying up immediately), it will develop reddish surface discolouration where moisture has sat for some time. A little vegetable oil on a paper towel is usually enough to remove it.
