Deep dish skillet?

[Beth Andrea]

I'm looking for tips/advice/suggestions for a skillet, either electric or regular pan style.

Gotta be with a cover/lid.

I was thinking at first the electric, because it was such a versatile thing in the kitchen when I was growing up, but for right now the primary dish I'd be making with it is a "chicken + red potatoes + peas x gravy" which is very, very good...but it fills up my regular 9" fry pan to heaping, and I risk spillage because the sides are so low relative to the internal load...

So, enter the skillet search:

Oven top skillets (the electrics were similar, in terms of coments/complaints):

I looked at a $60 "Rachel Ray" skillet, very nice, but some reviews talked about the teflon coming off in a month...

I looked at T-Fal (aka "Tefal" in Europe), about $30, very nice but again some reviews talked about the teflon coming off soon after purchase and use...

I looked at West Bend, and Presto, and Circulon...they all had one or several reviews talking about teflon coming off.

And warping! All had mentions of warping! All these brands I've used (or rather, my ex used) in the kitchen, or growing up...

Are these real issues do you think? Or just a bunch of grumpy people? One reviewer said "This electric skillet is nothing like my mom used 40 years ago (which still works, but was inaccessible to the poster)...much thinner material, paint chips easily, teflon comes off..."

So...please give me some advice on skillets, and the warping/teflon issues that seem to be common. (It's weird when one sees 128 comments giving an item 5 stars, 92 comments giving a 4 star, 0 for 3, 0 for 2, and 4 for 1 star...and all 4 of the one stars mention coating, warping, and glass shattering)...

Thanks!

[Danielle Emmalee]

I'm looking for tips/advice/suggestions for a skillet, either electric or regular pan style.

Gotta be with a cover/lid.

I was thinking at first the electric, because it was such a versatile thing in the kitchen when I was growing up, but for right now the primary dish I'd be making with it is a "chicken + red potatoes + peas x gravy" which is very, very good...but it fills up my regular 9" fry pan to heaping, and I risk spillage because the sides are so low relative to the internal load...

So, enter the skillet search:

Oven top skillets (the electrics were similar, in terms of coments/complaints):

I looked at a $60 "Rachel Ray" skillet, very nice, but some reviews talked about the teflon coming off in a month...

I looked at T-Fal (aka "Tefal" in Europe), about $30, very nice but again some reviews talked about the teflon coming off soon after purchase and use...

I looked at West Bend, and Presto, and Circulon...they all had one or several reviews talking about teflon coming off.

And warping! All had mentions of warping! All these brands I've used (or rather, my ex used) in the kitchen, or growing up...

Are these real issues do you think? Or just a bunch of grumpy people? One reviewer said "This electric skillet is nothing like my mom used 40 years ago (which still works, but was inaccessible to the poster)...much thinner material, paint chips easily, teflon comes off..."

So...please give me some advice on skillets, and the warping/teflon issues that seem to be common. (It's weird when one sees 128 comments giving an item 5 stars, 92 comments giving a 4 star, 0 for 3, 0 for 2, and 4 for 1 star...and all 4 of the one stars mention coating, warping, and glass shattering)...

Thanks!

I always consider the problems that 1 ratings complain of by thinking about this:  "Could this be from improper use?"
Never underestimate the stupidity of people who rate products.

[Beth Andrea]

I'm looking for tips/advice/suggestions for a skillet, either electric or regular pan style.

Gotta be with a cover/lid.

I was thinking at first the electric, because it was such a versatile thing in the kitchen when I was growing up, but for right now the primary dish I'd be making with it is a "chicken + red potatoes + peas x gravy" which is very, very good...but it fills up my regular 9" fry pan to heaping, and I risk spillage because the sides are so low relative to the internal load...

So, enter the skillet search:

Oven top skillets (the electrics were similar, in terms of coments/complaints):

I looked at a $60 "Rachel Ray" skillet, very nice, but some reviews talked about the teflon coming off in a month...

I looked at T-Fal (aka "Tefal" in Europe), about $30, very nice but again some reviews talked about the teflon coming off soon after purchase and use...

I looked at West Bend, and Presto, and Circulon...they all had one or several reviews talking about teflon coming off.

And warping! All had mentions of warping! All these brands I've used (or rather, my ex used) in the kitchen, or growing up...

Are these real issues do you think? Or just a bunch of grumpy people? One reviewer said "This electric skillet is nothing like my mom used 40 years ago (which still works, but was inaccessible to the poster)...much thinner material, paint chips easily, teflon comes off..."

So...please give me some advice on skillets, and the warping/teflon issues that seem to be common. (It's weird when one sees 128 comments giving an item 5 stars, 92 comments giving a 4 star, 0 for 3, 0 for 2, and 4 for 1 star...and all 4 of the one stars mention coating, warping, and glass shattering)...

Thanks!

I always consider the problems that 1 ratings complain of by thinking about this:  "Could this be from improper use?"
Never underestimate the stupidity of people who rate products.

You know...you don't HAVE to quote the OP when you're the first one to reply...I think we can find our way back to the post you're replying to...LOL 

Just sayin'....*hugs*

And yes, +1 to the Interwebz for showcasing people who don't read the box (Do Not Wash In Dishwasher), or overheat the pan (warping only happens for one reason, people...)

[Danielle Emmalee]

hahahahahaha I guess you're right.  Its more of just force of habit to hit the quote button instead of the reply button.

[V M]

No teflon for me thanks, I really don't like the stuff and avoid it at all costs

I've used several types of of skillets over the years and have decided that it somewhat depends on what you are cooking    For the most part I tend to like using cast iron pans, I have a skillet and a grill pan that work quite nicely for either stove top or oven cooking    Care is fairly simple but must be carried out properly... Hot water, very little dishsoap, a plastic spatula to use as a scraper, rinse well, dry immediately and coat with a thin layer of olive oil

I have one of these
One of these
and would like to get the deep dish pan

For other things like an omelette or other light duty stove top cooking I tend to like using a Bialetti Aeternum Ceramic pan    Well made non stick (no chipping or warping), heats well and lasts    There are other companies that make ceramic pans, I just happen to use these



Hope that helps some

[Beth Andrea]

Thanks VM...I've heard cast iron is the best for heat distribution and durability...but the "seasoning" and the care/cleaning always kinda put me off.

Is that really all one needs to do? Just use olive oil thinly?

[V M]

Thanks VM...I've heard cast iron is the best for heat distribution and durability...but the "seasoning" and the care/cleaning always kinda put me off.

Is that really all one needs to do? Just use olive oil thinly?

Yup, I was the same way until I found out how easy it actually was    Once you clean and dry the pan put a circle of oil and wipe it around the inside with a paper towel

The oil coating keeps the pan from rusting and creates a fairly good non stick coating of it's own

The problem most folks make is that they over scrub and damage the seasoning and let the pan air dry and neglect the oil, then they wonder why they have a messed up rusty pan

A whole 5 min.s to do it right makes all the difference

I tried teflon pans and decided that they were just hyped up crap for people who like buying new pans every few months, but that's just my opinion

[Ms. OBrien CVT]

And a cast iron can go in the oven, or on a campfire.  Great for making corn bread.