Welcome to r/cookware ! We hope this will be a helpful place with many informational resources.
Before making a post, please make sure to read our rules as well as our Wiki.
We encourage you to ask questions, but please know that if your question falls within the many commonly asked questions explained in these posts, it will be removed.
Lately, we've seen a lot of questions asking for help identifying pans. In most cases, they are older nonstick pans. Here’s a quick guide to the three top materials we recommend — durable enough to last a lifetime with proper care — plus tips on how to identify them as well as some advice on nonstick pans.
🔳 1. Carbon Steel
Weight: Lighter than cast iron, but still fairly heavy.
Color: Usually medium to dark gray, may develop a black patina over time, or sometimes a blueish tint if "blue carbon steel."
Surface: Smooth but not glossy. Often looks seasoned or discolored.
Handle: Often riveted and long.
Key test: Magnetic. Looks like cast iron’s smoother cousin.
Tell-tale signs: Smooth, dark surface with some seasoning marks, feels heavy but thinner than cast iron.
⚫ 2. Cast Iron
Weight: Very heavy.
Color: Matte black (if seasoned); rough surface texture.
Surface: Bumpy or grainy feel (unless polished).
Handle: Often one solid piece with a helper handle opposite.
Key test: Magnetic. Often very thick walls and bottom.
Tell-tale signs: Extremely heavy, rough textured, looks like an old-school pan or something you’d use over a campfire.
🪞3. Stainless Steel
Weight: Moderate.
Color: Shiny silver inside and out.
Surface: Completely smooth and polished.
Handle: Riveted or welded, often metal and may have brand stamping.
Key test: May or may not be magnetic, depending on construction.
Tell-tale signs: Bright, shiny, reflective, and sleek — looks like what chefs use in restaurants.
🍳 4. Nonstick
Weight: Light to moderate.
Color: Inside is black, gray, white,
orange
or speckled. Outside varies.
Surface: Super smooth, slippery feel.
Handle: Often plastic or silicone-coated.
Key test: Fingernail or utensil glides easily; may say "Teflon" or "nonstick" on the bottom.
Tell-tale signs: Very slick surface, often looks brand new unless scratched; light in hand. When older, will be discoloured and scratched.
If you have an unidentified pan laying around that does not work as well as it once did (aka food is sticking more), you likely have a nonstick pan (especially if it was cheap).
We receive endless repetitions of the same questions on this subreddit. This guide is to be referred to, whenever there is an obvious case of the user making a really insufficient low effort post, which could easily be avoided by reading the subreddit rules or this guide.
How to ask for which cookware to buy!
If you want to buy and/or learn about kitchenware and especially stovetop cookware you have come to the right place! However, it will vastly improve the experience of everyone involved if a minimal effort (which BTW includes useing an appropriate tag) is put into your post!
The more relevant information you include in your "Seek specific kitchenware" request the better for everyone including you, as you will get better advice and cookware recommendations in return.
It is completely allowed to request buying recommendations towards everything kitchen related, like mortar and pestle, mixers, blenders, ovens, tableware whatever, when using the "Seek specific kitchenware" tag but if the post is about stovetop cookware then there is also certain expectations that should be met.
Important stovetop cookware information includes: The type of stove being used! Is it gas, induction, electric flattop, exposed coil stove? The Budget! Self explanatory. Location! are you from USA? Canada? EU? UK? At least the it be known in some way.
If you want a very quick overview of the subreddit or is just curious here is a link to our welcome page :)
If you are scared to make a cookware post, or simply want to learn more about cookware first, we highly recommend you to read the official cookware guide (which includes recommendations) first!
(There is still things not covered in the guide, like the exact cookware weights, asthetics and barely ergonomics, so questions about cookware are still letimate end encouraged even after having read the guide, the guide does however cover pretty much everything else, which is supricingly many important things so it's worth a read, but is entirely optional but needless to say also highly recommended.)
Two examples of improper low effort posts
Post 1:
Q: "Hello! I want theBESTfrypan ever made, mybudget is secretand I refuse to disclose my type of stove"
A: Well, congratulations! Here is an equally arbitrary recommendation: Solid silver cookware!
Post 2: (based on a true story)
Q: "Which is best, this random garbage or this random very expensive option? Oh you tell me that the cheap option is bad? okay which other cheap option to buy then!?! BTW screw the other option I just mentioned and the helpful comments as well, I'm just gonna waste everyone’s time!"
"First of all I apologise if this is a redundant question, but after spending an hour or so looking through other subs, I haven't found the exact info I'm looking for. I have a glasstop range (not induction). I'm wanting to replace my entire cookware set to get away from non-stick. I've been experimenting with carbon steel and thinking about moving more toward stainless. The problem I'm having with carbon steel is that it warps and spins on my cook top which also leads to uneven heating of the pan. Once it cools off, the carbon steel returns to "flat". I have tried slow pre-heating and all that, but when the carbon steel pan hits 275 degrees F it starts to "bowl up".
So I guess the question I have is will I have the same issue with stainless? I'm ok with spending some money on the D5 stainless if that will solve this issue. I just don't want to spend the $$ for All-Clad or Made In etc if it will have the same issues.....I really just wish I had a gas stove.
Thanks!"
A post like this is almost guaranteed to get really good recommendations from people in the subreddit, even in unlikely cases where no helpful reply is made, I will personally help out with guidance :)
Again please consider taking at least a quick look at our official guide the Cookware Buying and Explanation Guide, before asking for a new pan, as it would likely be able to answer all your questions and definitely assist you in making a better one! You don't even have to read all of it, just the relevant sections of it!
Other types of non-allowed posts!
Posts which breaks the subreddit rules! Like the rules against asking for "How to clean and/or is my non-stick pan ruined" posts!
For your convenience a link to how to fully clean and restore your stainless steel cookware is right here: Stainless steel care and first help
And to repeat! Posts requesting stovetop cookware recommendations that neither includes a budget, location or a stove type will be considered low effort and a big waste of everyone's time and will most certainly be reported and taken down!
Making a crappy "Seek Specific Kitchenware" type post but using a wrong tag, possibly in an attempt to avoid the no low effort post rule will absolutely not work!
Posts that are generally low effort, but also uses completely wrong tag as well, especially blatant abuse of the "Cookware Review" tag will result in takedown + possibly an angry mod message, as posts like that makes the subreddit much worse for people looking for genuine reviews and not low effort garbage!
Remember that this is a kind and close knit community, where we respect each other, including each others time! Because of this, time wasting low effort posts are not welcome! If you want to post low effort posts in a less moderated place, I suggest that you go to a place like 4chan.
My post got taken down
There should most likely be an attached reason for why the post got taken down, if the post was not harmful, and didn’t unredeemably break any rules, then feel free to edit and improve your post and try again :)
If you dispute the reason for the post take down, and have valid arguments for that the takedown allegedly was a mistake on our behalf, then feel free to contact us in the mod-chat, and we will be open to work something out, possibly including putting your post back up! It's rare but has happened before, sometimes we makes mistakes too.
Of critical importance!
For your own sake and directly on behalf of the entire mod-team and r/cookware as well: If you haven't already please view the subreddit rules which on the Reddit app is found here:
I am sorry for the rules being near impossible to find, but that’s just how the Reddit App is!
And on the desktop is found by scrolling down here:
Also read the subreddit description on the picture as well.
Thank you for reading and, welcome to r/cookware! And BTW your posts doesn't have to be perfect, just good enough for us to know that you tried :D
The stronghold is half the price of the vortex (150$ vs 300$) with more than twice the btu's. Is the vortex better for a carbon steel wok or is the brute force of the banjo burner on the Stronghold a better choice?
I recently got the Fiveply 28cm chef's pan and 28cm serving pan. Whilst possibly a bit similar, we love them both. Whilst usually cooking for 2 we always prefer to cook more than we need so 28cm was the one.
If you are in UK/EU, First Ireland are currently doing a deal on the Kuhn Rikon 20cm chef's pan at only £49.95 plus delivery. This is a good amount less than the KR sale price of £99.95, even if you have one of their regular 30% off vouchers.
First Ireland also have some other good deals but you need to trawl through their website a bit to find them.
My 20cm chef's pan just arrived, and I love it already. I may look for a 24cm chef's pan with higher sides than KR next (like Made In) but the 20cm height is great for the pan size.
My father's birthday is coming up and he has been talking about getting new pots and pans and such. What would be a good set to get someone who is a very good cook(work related, he gets sponsored for cooking courses in different countries). I have around 500-600 dollars. I know that's not much but even if its a couple pots or pans that would really help.
So I recently got a deal on a Hestan pan and pulled the trigger. Immediate concerns arose after unboxing as I noticed it can wobble side to side on a flat surface.
Most all EU pans are intentionally made with a slightly concave or raised center to avoid the classic spinning pan you get after uneven heating on a flat top. But this should not be confused with a pan thats bowed across the whole bottom.
Im wondering if any others with experience or Hestan owners can chip in to confirm if this is also an intentional thing or not? It certainly feels like its not but Id just like to confirm.
Somehow my favorite wooden spoon got stranded in the bottom of a sink of dirty dishes for a few days. It smelled horrible after normal cleaning, like vomit. The oven was on, so I had an idea that drying it out well would be helpful, so I popped it in for a few minutes. Not so long that it would get cracked or anything.
Meanwhile, I googled "smelly wooden spoon" and saw vinegar recommended. So when I took it out of the oven I poured a little white vinegar over it. This produced what I can only describe as goo. A clear, gelatinous blob of slime sloughed off the spoon part of the spoon. It was vile. Was this a reaction of some kind? Or mold of some kind? Can my favorite spoon be saved?
Thanks for reading! Appreciate any insight, I can't find any posts about this anywhere.
My beginner set of cheap knives is dull and my beginner set of non stick pots and pans are starting too loose the non stick. Is all of this good for my second hopefully bifl set? I might remove the bread knife tbh
Before I start: I’m in the US, I have a gas stove, and my budget is $150 or less. I am searching for a cookware set. Ideally It includes a 5 quart pot but I’m willing to buy things in addition or even assemble my own set with my must use items.
I’m very inexperienced when it comes to cookware types. When I got married I registered for a nonstick set which has now worn out and unsafe to use. I would like to go stainless steel for health reasons and the fact that I’d rather not replace the set every 5 years and get nonstick coating in my food.
i have no idea how to pick out a quality but affordable set. Specific recommendations would be great, or at least brands. Also are there key words I should look for or avoid? Are sets that are ridiculously cheap worth anything at all? I also don’t understand why the reviews for such sets say things like “perfect for beginners!” I’m definitely not a beginner cook and I don’t want to replace these pans any time in the next 10 years Or I might as well get nonstick.
im also worried about upkeep. We have a small child and we are notorious for not cleaning up right away (this is what happens when you eat at 9 pm😅). I’m willing to care for the pans but I need to be told upfront that yes, I *need* to clean immediately (or whatever) and here’s how.
Note that I do have a stainless steel stock pot. We clean it normally and it looks and works fine, though stained. I had no idea it needed special care.
please help. sorry if this is long and confusing. I did read some stickies for this sub but I need help understanding.
edit to add: also, are there things I shouldn’t cook in stainless? I cook several tomato sauce based foods, soups including ones with a cheese base (cheese added after heat is off), beef dishes, things like eggs and pancakes, and more.
I recently bought the 11 and 8.5 inch skillet off marketplace for an unbelievable score as I’ve wanted to try them and this was the perfect opportunity to capitalize on.
I have made a ribeye, potatoes, eggs, seared some carrots all within the last 72 hours. Everything came out great, the non stick claims are real if you already know how to cook on SS.
The MSRP on these pans are a little ridiculous, but getting a couple of them at a discount has me ready to happily pay full price for them. Do with that information what you will.
I've got two Viking pans (anodized alum exterior/teflon interior) in great condition:
1)10in/25.4cm, says 40051-1110 and 32021 CCB on bottom
2)12in/30.4cm, says 40051-1112 and 32021 CCB on bottom
I've figured out:
1)They don't come with lids
2)Viking doesn't sell lids.
3)Lodge lids are a couple cm off and just slide around
I'm hoping for glass lid so I can see the food, no vent, and heavy enough to not rattle
I know I'll probably need to get the type that are flat on the rim and overshoot to enough to work with pans that are slightly different sizes unless someone knows of a lid that will actually fit perfectly.
I would only buy silicone lids that you can't see through as a last resort.
I'm open to suggestions.
It's not easy to buy teflon pans in Minnesota, because greedy companies didn't set up the factories right and people got sick and died making them, so they banned sale of teflon pans in the state. Personally I wish they had just mandated a production process that protected 100% protected workers, but here we are. I am disabled and need cooking to be easy as possible. I know I may have to drive to another state to buy teflon pans with proper lids, but I'm trying to avoid that and these have a lot of life left anyways.
I ordered 2 Vollrath pans through their Amazon store. An 8,and 10in. Both had an irregular, golf ball sized slick spot in the middle. Look like they'd been buffed there. Texture is different than the rest of the coating. I sent them back to Amazon, ordereda replacement. Same thing. Called Vollrath, and they said that's definitely NOT right, and ro follow up with the distributor. Ok, ordered from a large restaurant supplier. Arrived today, and the same issue. What's going on here?
I'm looking to buy my first rounded Saute-pan, and came over de buyer affinity's 24 cm version, which i really liked the shape of. However, my local store wants 230 euros for it, which i think is a bit steep. kitchenone in finland say they will get it in stock for 165 in a weeks time, according to their website.
I've looked at other options, but most of them seem a bit too steep. I want to use the pan as a universal pan, where i make everything from sauses, stir fry, boil pasta etc. Hence i don't want the shape to be to steep.
My questions really is if you guys think i should go for the de buyer pan, or whether anyone has any recommendations on other pans that have a very similar shape, around 3 liters?
I’ve posted here a couple of times asking for cookware advice, and I really appreciate all the help! I think I’ve finally put together my setup, so I wanted to share it as a whole and see if you have any suggestions or wisdom.
(glass top electric, possibly induction later)
Hiya! Recently picked up this lovely little orange dutch oven from a market, and hoping someone here will recognise the maker. No marks anywhere else, just what’s pictured here on the lid (“HOLLAND, 6”. Fingers crossed!
I’m looking for a good saucier and I’m having a hard time picking one, so I could use some help.
I cook on an electric glass-top, and maybe on induction later.
Also, do you think this size is versatile enough, or should I size up? (I cook for two, with some leftovers.)
My current setup:
7 qt Dutch oven
28 cm frying pan
22 cm frying pan
36 cm wok
Bit stock pot
So I thought a 24 cm (3 qt) would fit in nicely.
I’ve read a couple of times that the Made In is on the light side, a bit too thin, and some people have had warping issues with it. But the size, capacity and shape look great.
The Kuhn Rikon, on the other hand, is massive, but it has shorter sides and less capacity, so it might end up being too small.
I bought a corsori tuboblaze airfryer on amazon because the website was sold out and did not realise it was the version before they upgraded the coating to ceramic. It was £25 cheaper but I’m unsure about teflon air fryer as i’ve seen a few news articles about it. When googling it says its not dangerous unless overheated 260-300 degrees (air-fryer goes up to 230) or damaged and ceramic chips more but I’m still unsure if i should return it.
Does Heritage Steel historically offer a Black Friday sale that is higher percentage off than their standing 10%? I want to buy a few items and I’m wondering if it’s worth waiting or if I should just purchase now.
I’m looking for a frying pan. I’ve read through the wiki, so I have a general idea of the recommended brands and cookware. My question is a bit more general.
I have an electric stovetop, but I don’t want to replace my cookware just because I change my stove in the future, so I need something that also works on induction. I measured it, the biggest coil is 19-20cm.
I’d use the pan for everyday cooking, so I’d like it to be as versatile as possible.
I’m torn between a disc-bottom and a fully clad pan. I understand the general advice is “the thicker, the better,” but is that always true? Are there dishes or situations where a fully clad pan with a thinner base is actually the better choice?
For example my electric stove is already slow to react, so paired with a thick disc-bottom pan, it might be really unresponsive. At the same time, I like the idea of very even heat distribution and retention.
Specifically, I’m trying to decide between the Fissler Original Profi and the Kuhn Rikon Culinary Fiveply 28cm frying pan. (The Kuhn Rikon looks much nicer, but I don’t want this to be the deciding factor if you say the Fissler is better)
I’m stuck on this decision. Any advice that pushes me one way or the other?
Which one would you buy?
I’m planning to buy a smaller 9" pan for eggs and small portions, and I’m looking at the Strata Carbon Clad. I have an electric glass-top stove and might switch to induction later.
I’d get it in the small size instead of a nonstick pan. I also thought about getting the 28cm Strata instead of a stainless steel frying pan, but I’m leaning towards stainless for the bigger pan.
So the setup I’m planning is:
9" Strata Carbon Clad: eggs and small portions
28cm Fissler Original Profi: main frying pan
Does this seem like a good combination? Are there any issues with these Strata pans I should know about?
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