BIFL cookware (pots & pans) for induction
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What’s your favorite brand of BIFL cookware for induction?
I’m looking to upgrade my kitchen with industrial-quality pots and pans. After about a month of searching, I came to the conclusion that the most important requirements are:
- 3-ply (or 5-ply). Fully clad (not just the bottom disc).
- 18/8 or 18/10 stainless steel on the inside
- 18/0 (or 200- or 400-grade) magnetic stainless steel on the outside.
- Thick layers of metal (ideally >= 3mm of aluminum)
- Strong, serviceable rivets on handles (not welded)
- Handles on both sides of the pot (helper handle)
- Handles have a hole in them on the end (for hanging)
- Fits a 28 cm (or 11”) lid (easily replaceable standard size that’s interchangeable between metric and dumb units)
- Top rim should either have a pour spout or flared lip (for easier pouring)
- NSF certified
From what I’ve read, stainless steel isn’t a very good conductor (NIST says that aluminum transfers heat 16x better than stainless steel). But stainless steel is a better surface to cook-on, because it’s less reactive and won’t absorb flavours. So, 3-ply sandwiches a thick aluminum layer between two different types of stainless steel (nickle-free [eg 18/0 or 200- or 400-grade] on the outside, which – though less corrosion resistant – is important for it to work on an induction cooktop) and either 18/8 or 18/10 on the inside.
5-ply is also a thing, but my research suggests that it doesn’t really matter how many layers. What’s more important is the thickness of the material.
And that’s why I’m here. Because, confoundedly, the manufacturers of these pots don’t seem to even know how thick the layers of their 3-ply cookware is!
Ideally I’d just find the technical specifications of their cookware on their website, make a spreadsheet, and then buy the one with the thickest material (or close to the thickest, depending on my trade-off between quality vs weight & cost).
But I’ve called maybe a dozen manufacturers, and none seem to know the specifications of their own cookware
So, fediverse, I ask you: does anyone know what the thickness of the layers in these manufacturer’s 3-ply cookware is? Otherwise, what’s been your experience? How do you feel about these brands? Is there some other one (not listed) that you prefer?
- Browne Thermalloy
- All-Clad
- Made-in
- Tramontina
- Cuisinart
- Other?
Edit: I should be clear that I’m specifically asking about 3-ply or 5-ply stainless steel cookware. This is for a community house, so I need something that can be (ab)used by housemates who don’t know or care for the seasonings on the pans. And I don’t want cast iron, because it’s more likely to break the glass-topped induction cooktop.
I have all clad, but i hear nitrogen hardened steel is better. Cast iron does uneven heating from what i hear.
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I guess I should have mentioned that this is for a community house whose kitchen will be shared with others.
I’m afraid one of my younger housemates will break the induction glass cooktop with cast iron. And I certainly can’t expect them to take care of the seasonings on the pans. That’s why I was thinking (3-ply) stainless steel. It’s more, err, forgiving
Also, if you’re looking for something light and strong, carbon steel is your answer. It’s still going to need seasoning, but it’s a lot lighter than cast iron.
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How are rivets serviceable, and what is wrong with welded?
New rivets can be made with a rivet gun forever. You can also re-weld, but it’s harder (and you’re more likely to damage the pot if you don’t do a good job welding it).
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It is, but stainless doesn’t work with induction. There are some stainless alloys that do, but they do rust and take more effort than true stainless. If a magnet won’t stick to it, it won’t work with induction.
OP, ignore this person.Many stainless pots and pans work just fine with induction hobs - including lots of older stainless cookware from the years before induction hobs were popular.
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As long as there is a layer of magnetic steel, it will work fine on induction.
I don’t think your gonna accidentally melt aluminium either, getting it up to 660c on a stovetop is a feat requiring a serious effort.
Yes you can melt aluminum cookware by accident. Ask me how I know. Well you can probably guess.
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New rivets can be made with a rivet gun forever. You can also re-weld, but it’s harder (and you’re more likely to damage the pot if you don’t do a good job welding it).
A good stainless steel weld is VERY unlikely to ever break or need repair. My welded stainless pans are decades old.
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Second the thrift store stainless steel and cast iron and have an induction cooktop. Much more economical than a brand new top of the line cookware. They still last a good amount of time (haven’t had one fail yet) and IF they fail, replacing with another thrift store pan is also pretty inexpensive.
Just bring a magnet to the store with you. If it sticks to the bottom then it’ll work with induction
haven’t had one fail yet
It it even possible for an uncoated pot or pan to fail, other than by melting? Ok I’ve had some handles come loose, but that’s tolerable or probably fixable.
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What’s your favorite brand of BIFL cookware for induction?
I’m looking to upgrade my kitchen with industrial-quality pots and pans. After about a month of searching, I came to the conclusion that the most important requirements are:
- 3-ply (or 5-ply). Fully clad (not just the bottom disc).
- 18/8 or 18/10 stainless steel on the inside
- 18/0 (or 200- or 400-grade) magnetic stainless steel on the outside.
- Thick layers of metal (ideally >= 3mm of aluminum)
- Strong, serviceable rivets on handles (not welded)
- Handles on both sides of the pot (helper handle)
- Handles have a hole in them on the end (for hanging)
- Fits a 28 cm (or 11”) lid (easily replaceable standard size that’s interchangeable between metric and dumb units)
- Top rim should either have a pour spout or flared lip (for easier pouring)
- NSF certified
From what I’ve read, stainless steel isn’t a very good conductor (NIST says that aluminum transfers heat 16x better than stainless steel). But stainless steel is a better surface to cook-on, because it’s less reactive and won’t absorb flavours. So, 3-ply sandwiches a thick aluminum layer between two different types of stainless steel (nickle-free [eg 18/0 or 200- or 400-grade] on the outside, which – though less corrosion resistant – is important for it to work on an induction cooktop) and either 18/8 or 18/10 on the inside.
5-ply is also a thing, but my research suggests that it doesn’t really matter how many layers. What’s more important is the thickness of the material.
And that’s why I’m here. Because, confoundedly, the manufacturers of these pots don’t seem to even know how thick the layers of their 3-ply cookware is!
Ideally I’d just find the technical specifications of their cookware on their website, make a spreadsheet, and then buy the one with the thickest material (or close to the thickest, depending on my trade-off between quality vs weight & cost).
But I’ve called maybe a dozen manufacturers, and none seem to know the specifications of their own cookware
So, fediverse, I ask you: does anyone know what the thickness of the layers in these manufacturer’s 3-ply cookware is? Otherwise, what’s been your experience? How do you feel about these brands? Is there some other one (not listed) that you prefer?
- Browne Thermalloy
- All-Clad
- Made-in
- Tramontina
- Cuisinart
- Other?
Edit: I should be clear that I’m specifically asking about 3-ply or 5-ply stainless steel cookware. This is for a community house, so I need something that can be (ab)used by housemates who don’t know or care for the seasonings on the pans. And I don’t want cast iron, because it’s more likely to break the glass-topped induction cooktop.
Ikea 365+ stainless is good value, induction-compatible, and IME lasts for decades despite abuse from careless housemates.
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New rivets can be made with a rivet gun forever. You can also re-weld, but it’s harder (and you’re more likely to damage the pot if you don’t do a good job welding it).
But the rivets in most pans aren’t the same as the rivets in a consumer rivet gun?
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Yes you can melt aluminum cookware by accident. Ask me how I know. Well you can probably guess.
Can I ask how you did it? I’ve used aluminium pans on gas and induction, never got it close to melting. The coating would have smelt awful long before it got close to melting.
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haven’t had one fail yet
It it even possible for an uncoated pot or pan to fail, other than by melting? Ok I’ve had some handles come loose, but that’s tolerable or probably fixable.
Yeah, most likely the rivets holding the handle on to the pan are what fail
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What’s your favorite brand of BIFL cookware for induction?
I’m looking to upgrade my kitchen with industrial-quality pots and pans. After about a month of searching, I came to the conclusion that the most important requirements are:
- 3-ply (or 5-ply). Fully clad (not just the bottom disc).
- 18/8 or 18/10 stainless steel on the inside
- 18/0 (or 200- or 400-grade) magnetic stainless steel on the outside.
- Thick layers of metal (ideally >= 3mm of aluminum)
- Strong, serviceable rivets on handles (not welded)
- Handles on both sides of the pot (helper handle)
- Handles have a hole in them on the end (for hanging)
- Fits a 28 cm (or 11”) lid (easily replaceable standard size that’s interchangeable between metric and dumb units)
- Top rim should either have a pour spout or flared lip (for easier pouring)
- NSF certified
From what I’ve read, stainless steel isn’t a very good conductor (NIST says that aluminum transfers heat 16x better than stainless steel). But stainless steel is a better surface to cook-on, because it’s less reactive and won’t absorb flavours. So, 3-ply sandwiches a thick aluminum layer between two different types of stainless steel (nickle-free [eg 18/0 or 200- or 400-grade] on the outside, which – though less corrosion resistant – is important for it to work on an induction cooktop) and either 18/8 or 18/10 on the inside.
5-ply is also a thing, but my research suggests that it doesn’t really matter how many layers. What’s more important is the thickness of the material.
And that’s why I’m here. Because, confoundedly, the manufacturers of these pots don’t seem to even know how thick the layers of their 3-ply cookware is!
Ideally I’d just find the technical specifications of their cookware on their website, make a spreadsheet, and then buy the one with the thickest material (or close to the thickest, depending on my trade-off between quality vs weight & cost).
But I’ve called maybe a dozen manufacturers, and none seem to know the specifications of their own cookware
So, fediverse, I ask you: does anyone know what the thickness of the layers in these manufacturer’s 3-ply cookware is? Otherwise, what’s been your experience? How do you feel about these brands? Is there some other one (not listed) that you prefer?
- Browne Thermalloy
- All-Clad
- Made-in
- Tramontina
- Cuisinart
- Other?
Edit: I should be clear that I’m specifically asking about 3-ply or 5-ply stainless steel cookware. This is for a community house, so I need something that can be (ab)used by housemates who don’t know or care for the seasonings on the pans. And I don’t want cast iron, because it’s more likely to break the glass-topped induction cooktop.
-
What’s your favorite brand of BIFL cookware for induction?
I’m looking to upgrade my kitchen with industrial-quality pots and pans. After about a month of searching, I came to the conclusion that the most important requirements are:
- 3-ply (or 5-ply). Fully clad (not just the bottom disc).
- 18/8 or 18/10 stainless steel on the inside
- 18/0 (or 200- or 400-grade) magnetic stainless steel on the outside.
- Thick layers of metal (ideally >= 3mm of aluminum)
- Strong, serviceable rivets on handles (not welded)
- Handles on both sides of the pot (helper handle)
- Handles have a hole in them on the end (for hanging)
- Fits a 28 cm (or 11”) lid (easily replaceable standard size that’s interchangeable between metric and dumb units)
- Top rim should either have a pour spout or flared lip (for easier pouring)
- NSF certified
From what I’ve read, stainless steel isn’t a very good conductor (NIST says that aluminum transfers heat 16x better than stainless steel). But stainless steel is a better surface to cook-on, because it’s less reactive and won’t absorb flavours. So, 3-ply sandwiches a thick aluminum layer between two different types of stainless steel (nickle-free [eg 18/0 or 200- or 400-grade] on the outside, which – though less corrosion resistant – is important for it to work on an induction cooktop) and either 18/8 or 18/10 on the inside.
5-ply is also a thing, but my research suggests that it doesn’t really matter how many layers. What’s more important is the thickness of the material.
And that’s why I’m here. Because, confoundedly, the manufacturers of these pots don’t seem to even know how thick the layers of their 3-ply cookware is!
Ideally I’d just find the technical specifications of their cookware on their website, make a spreadsheet, and then buy the one with the thickest material (or close to the thickest, depending on my trade-off between quality vs weight & cost).
But I’ve called maybe a dozen manufacturers, and none seem to know the specifications of their own cookware
So, fediverse, I ask you: does anyone know what the thickness of the layers in these manufacturer’s 3-ply cookware is? Otherwise, what’s been your experience? How do you feel about these brands? Is there some other one (not listed) that you prefer?
- Browne Thermalloy
- All-Clad
- Made-in
- Tramontina
- Cuisinart
- Other?
Edit: I should be clear that I’m specifically asking about 3-ply or 5-ply stainless steel cookware. This is for a community house, so I need something that can be (ab)used by housemates who don’t know or care for the seasonings on the pans. And I don’t want cast iron, because it’s more likely to break the glass-topped induction cooktop.
Falk Culinair Copper Coeur
I haven’t switched to induction yet, but these things are spectacular in evenness of heat and ergonomics.
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Can I ask how you did it? I’ve used aluminium pans on gas and induction, never got it close to melting. The coating would have smelt awful long before it got close to melting.
Regular electric stove, the kind with the resistance coils. I left a pot on top and the contents boiled away and then a big chunk of the pot bottom melted.
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Yeah, most likely the rivets holding the handle on to the pan are what fail
Yeah I have an old farberware saucepan with a loose handle. I keep using it but may have to look into some hacky repair if it gets too much worse. There’s a metal lug riveted to the pan and then the bakelite handle is somehow connected to the lug. I think it’s the handle-to-lug joint that has gotten loose, but I haven’t examined it closely to figure out what’s wrong. I might try J-B Weld epoxy if I have to fix it. J-B Weld is supposed to be good up to 600F or so, and I think the top part of the pan (where the handle is attached) won’t get nearly that hot.
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But the rivets in most pans aren’t the same as the rivets in a consumer rivet gun?
No, but real rivets are cheap and available though special order.
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Yep, as I said, there are stainless alloys that do work, but only if a magnet sticks. If it doesn’t conduct magnetism, there’s nothing for the induction circuit to act on.
-
What’s your favorite brand of BIFL cookware for induction?
I’m looking to upgrade my kitchen with industrial-quality pots and pans. After about a month of searching, I came to the conclusion that the most important requirements are:
- 3-ply (or 5-ply). Fully clad (not just the bottom disc).
- 18/8 or 18/10 stainless steel on the inside
- 18/0 (or 200- or 400-grade) magnetic stainless steel on the outside.
- Thick layers of metal (ideally >= 3mm of aluminum)
- Strong, serviceable rivets on handles (not welded)
- Handles on both sides of the pot (helper handle)
- Handles have a hole in them on the end (for hanging)
- Fits a 28 cm (or 11”) lid (easily replaceable standard size that’s interchangeable between metric and dumb units)
- Top rim should either have a pour spout or flared lip (for easier pouring)
- NSF certified
From what I’ve read, stainless steel isn’t a very good conductor (NIST says that aluminum transfers heat 16x better than stainless steel). But stainless steel is a better surface to cook-on, because it’s less reactive and won’t absorb flavours. So, 3-ply sandwiches a thick aluminum layer between two different types of stainless steel (nickle-free [eg 18/0 or 200- or 400-grade] on the outside, which – though less corrosion resistant – is important for it to work on an induction cooktop) and either 18/8 or 18/10 on the inside.
5-ply is also a thing, but my research suggests that it doesn’t really matter how many layers. What’s more important is the thickness of the material.
And that’s why I’m here. Because, confoundedly, the manufacturers of these pots don’t seem to even know how thick the layers of their 3-ply cookware is!
Ideally I’d just find the technical specifications of their cookware on their website, make a spreadsheet, and then buy the one with the thickest material (or close to the thickest, depending on my trade-off between quality vs weight & cost).
But I’ve called maybe a dozen manufacturers, and none seem to know the specifications of their own cookware
So, fediverse, I ask you: does anyone know what the thickness of the layers in these manufacturer’s 3-ply cookware is? Otherwise, what’s been your experience? How do you feel about these brands? Is there some other one (not listed) that you prefer?
- Browne Thermalloy
- All-Clad
- Made-in
- Tramontina
- Cuisinart
- Other?
Edit: I should be clear that I’m specifically asking about 3-ply or 5-ply stainless steel cookware. This is for a community house, so I need something that can be (ab)used by housemates who don’t know or care for the seasonings on the pans. And I don’t want cast iron, because it’s more likely to break the glass-topped induction cooktop.
Part of why you are having problems getting specs on cookware is because most companies just buy from factories. Most brands (in all industries) don’t actually design their own goods anymore. This is the reason you can go to Amazon and find the exact same item with 20 different brand names on it.
Although I don’t have any recommendations for you, because quality can change from model to model, I would say, stop looking for a brand to follow and look for an item that fits your needs.
Here is an interesting article on the mess this has created with “quality” brands.
https://www.worseonpurpose.com/p/your-cookware-got-worse-on-purpose -
I wonder if you’d need a special tool for the “real” rivets. I have a loose handle on one of my saucepans and haven’t yet carefully investigated how to fix it if it falls off, but putting in a stainless steel screw seems like a possibility. Heat resistant epoxy is another. I hadn’t thought about riveting. Welding came to mind but I don’t have the equipment for it so don’t feel likely to go that route.
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Yep, as I said, there are stainless alloys that do work, but only if a magnet sticks. If it doesn’t conduct magnetism, there’s nothing for the induction circuit to act on.
only if a magnet sticks
That’s simply untrue.Many stainless pans have an aluminium core. Aluminium isn’t magnetic, but is very inductive.Some stainless pans are made of 316 stainless steel. It is inductive, but not magnetic.
