Stand aside, cast iron: stainless steel has entered the chat. Already a staple for pro chefs, these durable, versatile pans are making their move into home kitchens. “I love them because they heat evenly, handle high temps and give you an excellent golden-brown sear,” says chef (and fan) Ben Lippett. “But the main attraction is that they’re practically bulletproof. They don’t react with food like a seasoned pan, so you can cook literally anything in them and, if well maintained, they should last forever.” Home cooks often shy away from stainless steel due to the (incorrect) belief that it’s not nonstick. “If you want to fry a piece of meat or fish, the key lies in preheating before adding any food or oil – the pan will let you know when it’s ready,” says chef and food writer Kenji Morimoto. “Sprinkle some water on to the surface. If it beads and dances, it’s good to go.” “And sometimes a little sticking is good,” says Lippett reassuringly. “If I’m cooking a ragù or caramelised onions, I want to build some flavour.”
‘Stainless-steel cookware, if well maintained, should last forever’
‘Stainless-steel cookware, if well maintained, should last forever’
Looking after stainless-steel pans is a doddle – a scourer and elbow grease will take care of it. “It’s important to clean the top and bottom of the pan and the handle, not just the cooking surface,” says Lippett. Morimoto goes one step further, occasionally buffing his with a little Bar Keepers Friend to keep them gleaming. You may be anticipating a price-related crash-to-earth moment, and while it is possible to spend a fortune, there’s a spectrum of options available. A key difference lies in the number of steel layers used. More = better performance. That said, I personally have two budget-friendly workhorses in daily rotation, and while their finish isn’t as pleasing as more expensive options, their performance has never let me down. Durable, versatile and practically indestructible? It sounds too good to be true. Except it isn’t.
M&S X Tom Kerridge from £25, marksandspencer.com
Vogue Sauté pan £37.78, nisbets.co.uk
Hestan ProBond essential pan 28cm, £300, souschef.co.uk
All-Clad copper core frying pan from £209, boroughkitchen.com
HaWare baking trays (set of 4) £24.99, amazon.co.uk
Alessi spaghetti tongs £19, uk.alessi.com
Bevo butter dish £48, davidmellordesign.com
French press from £70, service-projects.com
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Food mill £59, davidmellordesign.com