Cladded pan vs Disc pan

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blokey

blokey

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Just come across this video on youtube, this channel has a lot of good information on different pans. I use to think only cladded pans and pots are good but the Fissler blew me away with its godly heat distribution. Anyway here's a interesting video, he also did alot of good comparison on different pans.
 
Keep in mind that he uses an electric glasstop stove; that does somewhat skew his perspectives.
That being said, both pan types have their strengths and weaknesses, also depends on what and how you're cooking.
I still wished there were more hybrid designs like the abandoned Lagostina Lagofusion.... best of both worlds.
 
Jovidah said:
Keep in mind that he uses an electric glasstop stove; that does somewhat skew his perspectives.
That being said, both pan types have their strengths and weaknesses, also depends on what and how you're cooking.
I still wished there were more hybrid designs like the abandoned Lagostina Lagofusion.... best of both worlds.
Click to expand...
That's true, most small diameter dick bottom pan don't work well on gas, I do find large ones like saute pan works really well.
 
I have a 30+ year old Fissler frying pan, 11" or so. It has a thick disk on the bottom, no cladding up the sides. But that pan performs very, very well. Holds heat almost as well as a cast iron skillet. And it's pretty much indestructible. Has been through the dishwasher many thousands of times.
 
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when do you really need the sides of a pan to be hot? and why?
sometimes you really want that, other times it is certainly a disadvantage (or even a nuisance).
i use both.
i don't use gas.

.
 
I like heated sides on curved frying pans because it makes easier to brown meat by putting it in the corner (and maybe angling the meat).
I also like it on curved saucepans; heats the thing more evenly all over the place.
Whenever I'm boiling water I couldn't care less..but when I'm boiling water I see little reason to use anything more than a 15 euro Ikea pan.

In general on gas stoves they just...seem to work better. Maybe it's because they also 'catch' and distribute some of the heat that otherwise gets lost along the sides?
 
I would think if you don't have clad sides that maybe the gas that goes up the sides can burn or run at a hotter temperature.

Now that I have gas, I have given away all my disc bottom pans. They don't react fast enough for me on gas. I bought clad pans for my gas range. I recently bought a copper pan with a stainless liner, but they are pricey.
 
I have disc and a copper pan though no clad. I look at the cost of AllClad and honestly can bear to part with the dough. My main pans are carbon steel DE buyer Carbone Plus and they work on Induction and gas. They are second to none once seasoned and they get hot everywhere sides to for omelettes. They don't do long slow types of cooking as the seasoning tends comes off. That type of cooking is best left for stainless, copper etc.
 
Ant4d said:
I have disc and a copper pan though no clad. I look at the cost of AllClad and honestly can bear to part with the dough. My main pans are carbon steel DE buyer Carbone Plus and they work on Induction and gas. They are second to none once seasoned and they get hot everywhere sides to for omelettes. They don't do long slow types of cooking as the seasoning tends comes off. That type of cooking is best left for stainless, copper etc.
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Don't get me wrong, I like my carbon steel de Buyer pans too, but they do have some limitations. Their ability to spread heat when working on sub-optimal stoves (like a modest sized induction ring) is really quite underwhelming...and anything involving acids can become quite problematic as you'll just strip the seasoning. On top of that they're a bit more fussy in cleanup. I still like them nevertheless, but I do use my stainless clads more than my carbon steel pans.
 
Ant4d said:
I have disc and a copper pan though no clad. I look at the cost of AllClad and honestly can bear to part with the dough. My main pans are carbon steel DE buyer Carbone Plus and they work on Induction and gas. They are second to none once seasoned and they get hot everywhere sides to for omelettes. They don't do long slow types of cooking as the seasoning tends comes off. That type of cooking is best left for stainless, copper etc.
Click to expand...
There are some cheaper but equally good stuff like Tramontina or Cuisinart Multiclad pro, All clad and Demeyere/Zwilling also run sale some times.
 
blokey said:
There are some cheaper but equally good stuff like Tramontina or Cuisinart Multiclad pro, All clad and Demeyere/Zwilling also run sale some times.
Click to expand...
I have some Taramontina pots I bought in the mid 80s and still have them, they have been great. Ill have a look at their new stuff.
Cheers
 
Jovidah said:
Don't get me wrong, I like my carbon steel de Buyer pans too, but they do have some limitations. Their ability to spread heat when working on sub-optimal stoves (like a modest sized induction ring) is really quite underwhelming...and anything involving acids can become quite problematic as you'll just strip the seasoning. On top of that they're a bit more fussy in cleanup. I still like them nevertheless, but I do use my stainless clads more than my carbon steel pans.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I get the acid stripping the seasoning off as you mentioned and also the clean-up sometimes is a pain.
Cheers
 
All Clad runs periodic sales on factory seconds. On eBay, Capital Cookware (user name: capitalcookware1) are an authorized All Clad retailer that have a bunch of open box and scratch-and-dent items for way cheap compared to normal retail prices.
 
In general for cookware it's worth waiting for good sales. There's usually good deals around the 'usual' shopping holidays like amazon prime and black friday, and you usually see a lot of kitchenware sales after christmas (january/february). Never pay MSRP!
 
my Fissler pressure cooker is a a disc. i hate how when cooking liquid splashes up the sides it sizzles dramatically. the sides are definately not the same even temp as the bottom. it fluxuates wildly in both directions.
 
blokey said:
There are some cheaper but equally good stuff like Tramontina or Cuisinart Multiclad pro, All clad and Demeyere/Zwilling also run sale some times.
Click to expand...
I bought a bunch of Vollrath Tribute (clad) ten years ago and have been quite satisfied. Several sauce pans, a large sauté, and two stock pots only set me back about $600. All Clad would’ve been 3X or more. I was thriftier then of necessity, having a kid in college and fresh off of a divorce. But if I were buying again today I can’t say I’d do it differently. Really high-quality industrial cookware, minus the label prestige. I also bought De Buyer carbon steel fry pans. Still don’t have a stainless frying pan. Funny how ten years seems so recent.
 
I am not sure large stock pans matter. I have some large Revere Ware stock pots I bought a long time ago. They heat fast and seem to work well with liquids. They only lack in one dish that I cook and that is Texas Trash. It is a snack mix I make at Thanksgiving and Christmas time that my grandmother made when I was a little boy. I use a large Le Creuset pot, pan around 15 quarts. I bake the Texas Trash in the oven. I don't think single wall would work. There is a thread posted here with pictures.

I had 1 disc pot about 10 quarts that I got rid of because it took too long to heat water to boil for pasta. I think the disc slowed the boiling process down on my gas range.
 
coxhaus said:
I had 1 disc pot about 10 quarts that I got rid of because it took too long to heat water to boil for pasta. I think the disc slowed the boiling process down on my gas range.
Click to expand...

That’s the thing- you don’t know how the disc is attached (glued?) and how efficiently it transfers heat. If the rest of the pot is stainless it may not be efficient at all. I’m not an expert, but I knew I wanted clad for the other pans and I didn’t see any reason to buy odd disc bottom stock pots. Sure, might have saved a few bucks but not enough to risk performance or durability issues. America’s Test Kitchen had a video showing disc bottoms separating, so I decided on matching tri-ply and they’ve been great for my uses.
 
boomchakabowwow said:
my Fissler pressure cooker is a a disc. i hate how when cooking liquid splashes up the sides it sizzles dramatically. the sides are definately not the same even temp as the bottom. it fluxuates wildly in both directions.
Click to expand...

This has been critical for me. I like to take a pastry brush, or a silicone basting brush and deglaze the fond that builds during a boil/reduction. With clad cookware, I am able to steal all of the delicious goodness with no worry.

Disc Bottom pan tend to burn the fond on the walls for me, YMMV though, as most people think i am a crazy person when they see me brushing the ID of the pot. 🤷‍♂️
 
I only really like disk bottom for very large pots. If you're boiling water for pasta or potatoes it's fine and it cuts down the weight and cost.

For something where I'm using the surface itself to cook, I prefer fully clad. Demeyere sometimes does disk bottom for Atlantis/Proline depending on shape and I actually buy the Industry 5s instead. The 12.6" Proline pan I have is potentially the single best non-knife thing I have in my kitchen, I mean maybe my Vitamix is competitive? I have temped it on my burners, both high power and the lower power ones, and the evenness is shocking for non-copper cookware. JMO/JMO
 
For anything that has lots of liquid, literally any kind of pot will do fine, no matter the material, because the pot cannot get hotter than 100 ºC.
 
It depends on the liquid. For example pie filling needs fruit to be heated to activate the thickener. Clad pans heat the sides better so its heated evenly. You don’t want to overcook fruit. Similar situation with jam.
 
Michi said:
For anything that has lots of liquid, literally any kind of pot will do fine, no matter the material, because the pot cannot get hotter than 100 ºC.
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This kind of assumes infinite conductivity and whatnot, which is not true of course. With thin pots on gas, I too have gotten the "sizzle" on the part of the pot above the water. With a thicker liquid, there would likely be burning there.
 
superworrier said:
This kind of assumes infinite conductivity and whatnot, which is not true of course. With thin pots on gas, I too have gotten the "sizzle" on the part of the pot above the water. With a thicker liquid, there would likely be burning there.
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Sure, the thicker the contents, the more likely that hotspots will cause scorching. But what I said still stands, I think. It really doesn't matter whether I use a high-end copper pot or a cheap stainless steel one for heating soups and the like.
 
Depends on how thick the soup is... ;)

But when it comes to 'boiling water' I agree... you can do that in just about any metal bucket or container. But when you go towards stew territory I think the pan design starts mattering more.
 
I’m really a fan of thick copper pans with a tin (or silver) lining. I’ve been hunting vintage pieces and slowly converting over most my SS cookware. Although I have a few new pieces too. Overall, I find them a joy to use, excellent heat distribution, very responsive, non stick, and visually beautiful. They make me happy, much like my Japanese’s knives do.
 
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