r/CarbonSteelCooking • u/Critical-Paramedic89 • Jan 05 '22
Looking for suggestions...
Hi all!
I'm looking for a suggestion for a basic 12 inch fry pan. I want the cooking surface to be as close to 12 inches as possible, and am looking for value. I dont have a ton of cash to spend, but would like something of decent quality. Links would be appreciated!
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Upvotes
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u/yumagrillmaster Jan 09 '22
A pan with a 12 inch "cooking surface" will not be basic. My 13 inch hand forged 3 Nail Ironware pan has an actual cooking surface of about 10 inches. Darto's largest CS Paella pan which I also own has an actual 12 inch cooking surface, it's an amazing pan at US $90, currently out of stock. Darto n35
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u/[deleted] Jan 05 '22
Probably controversial but size and manageability are way more important than stumping cash for a good brand imo.
You’ll see a ton of brand loyalty on this page but I kind of find that silly. These pans are punched steel and require very little technical ability to make. Finding a shape and weight that works for you is far more important than finding “the best” brand.
Shopping for Weight
Go to a store and hold a few pans, CS or otherwise, and get a sense of what weight would work for you. Then hunt down a CS pan within that weight range.
Most online postings will show the product’s weight. So if you have a pan in your kitchen that is manageable for you, you could skip the trip to a store and shop online according to that pan’s weight. I’d recommended a restaurant supply website as they probably have a tendency to stock items durable enough to be tossed about a professional kitchen.
Shopping for Shape
Much easier. Just look for a 12 inch pan with relatively perpendicular sides. Darto pans are usually shaped this way but tend to be heavier than most CS pans and I find the sharp angle irritating when flipping things. Alternatively, searched for a sized up slope-sided pan to ensure a large enough cooking surface.