- Compatible Stove Type : Gas; Electric Smooth Top; Glass & Ceramic; Induction
- Material: Stainless steel
- Oven Safe: Yes
- Total Number of Pieces Included: 5
- : 1 Milk pan, 3 saucepans and 1 stockpot
I was a bit dubious about buying disc-bottomed pans as I've read that they're the worst of both worlds. I wasn't sure whether to get another cheap set and continue to save for a fully-clad set (the one I wanted was almost £500), or go in between with this set. I've been using them for a couple of weeks and I'm really glad I bought them.
Least important of all, they look pretty - I have all but the stockpot (lids and all) hanging on my kitchen wall. They're shiny and a perfect blend of oldy-worldy and professional-esque. Everyone that's been to my house has commented on how lovely they are to look at.
I was a bit worried about the handles being comfortable, but a bit slip-prone when trying to pour or strain large quantities. So far I've found the handles to be really ergonomic and comfortable and not had any slips, even when using a tea-towel. They also don't get hot at all, which is great!
The lids are heavy enough to hold their own against a lot of steam pressure, though a tea-towel and/or some foil are needed (as with most pans) when cooking grains via the absorption method. They are designed in a way which means that they can be weighted down if desired, but I've not had a reason to do this yet.
The pans themselves conduct heat beautifully and aren't too slow to react to heat changes. I deliberately took a hollandaise almost to the edge this morning, just to see if the pan would hold enough residual heat to cause the sauce to split, happily the pan cooled quickly enough that there were no problems. I've also not once had a scorched fond when browning meat and that's quite an accomplishment for this type of pan! The measurement markings have actually been surprisingly useful in making and reducing sauces and the spouts on the milk pan pour perfectly with no drips.
I've now used these pans for most of the basic culinary techniques and they've performed better than I'd hoped in every case. Are they as good as the fully-clad pans I wanted? I genuinely can't imagine why not and for the price, they've been a HUGE bargain! I don't regret this purchase one bit!
I wouldn't recommend these pans to a beginner cook in the same way that I wouldn't recommend a Lamborghini to a learner driver - this would just encourage disaster. I'm also sure that professional cooks and chefs know what to look out for anyway and don't need my advice. But for any middle-of-the-road food enthusiasts like me, who love to cook and have a bit of know-how, I can't recommend these enough!. Michael. GB. 2019-08-20 11:03:45
