FAQs

Heating up pans isn't hard, but it's important to bear a few things in mind for the best results – with your food and in terms of the longevity of your kitchenware. "Quality pans with an optimal base thickness are good at retaining heat, but it's important to heat the pan for a sufficient amount of time before adding food (approx. 2-3 minutes) so that the pan's sides also heat up. A pan that has been thoroughly heated through will hold its temperature better when you add meat or vegetables. Once the pan has been thoroughly heated, add your fat and continue cooking at a lower temperature (approx. 2/3 of the original heat)," is what Henrik Hansen, Quality Manager at SCANPAN has to say about heating pans.

Hansen continues: "Turn the head down from full, so that the pan's temperature doesn't overheat while you prepare the food, or if you get distracted by your phone, for example. On an induction hob, this can be a matter of seconds if the pan is on full heat.”

Are you familiar with this problem? You've bought a pan with a nonstick coating, you use it for frying and the nonstick effect starts to deteriorate.

Henrik Hansen can also help avoid this issue:

The reason the slip effect deteriorates, or even disappears completely, can be because you have subjected your pan, with e.g. oil, to overheating and other treatment that your nonstick pan is unable to withstand.

Overheating typically happens when oil or fats get too hot, not the pot or pan. If the oil gets too hot, it can burn and stick to the nonstick coating, which then deteriorates over time. If the oil is smoking then it's too hot,"

Did you know?

SCANPAN's nonstick cookware can handle temperatures higher than 95% of the fats used in the kitchen.
Correctly heating your pans is all about timing, so if you choose to heat using high temperatures, make sure it's only for a few minutes at a time.

Pots and pans that can go in the oven give you more ways to use your kitchenware. It can also reduce the amount of washing up; for example, if preparing a tarte tartin, you can use the same pan for both caramelising the apples and cooking the tarte in the oven afterwards. And SCANPAN's roasting pans can, for example, be used for both browning the meat on the hob and for roasting directly in the oven afterwards.

Cooking this way allows you to retain the wonderful flavour that collects at the bottom of the roasting pan while browning the meat. With our pots and pans, you can get away with using just one product for the entire cooking process, from preparation to serving, even if a dish needs finishing or keeping warm in the oven before serving. Get inspiration for more dishes and uses later in this post.

• SCANPAN lids are either made using quality stainless steel or tempered glass designed to withstand high temperatures (oven safe to 200°C)
• Never place lid directly on the cooktop. Use extreme caution when removing lids from hot pots to avoid steam burns.
• Always use heat resistant mitts to avoid burns.
• Do not place hot lid on a cold surface
• Clean your lids in hot soapy water with soft cloth to avoid scratching.
• Handles and knobs are made with high quality stainless steel. Whilst designed to stay cooler for longer, care should always be taken when using equipment where high temperatures are involved - SCANPAN always recommends the use of handle holders, oven mitts and other heat resistant accessories when cooking

Do you have an induction cooktop in your kitchen? Here's some useful information about induction and how to choose the appropriate cookware.

No! The induction is not inside the pot or pan – it is inside the cooker. Induction works by sending current through the electrical coils in the cooker, creating a magnetic field. This is the energy that heats the pots and pans. That’s why your pot or pan must be magnetic for it to work on an induction cooker.

Yes, it makes no difference whether the kitchen equipment is for induction cookers or not when using it in the oven. The product’s magnetic base will not be damaged by being used in an oven or under a grill.

In short, the ‘difference’ is the way SCANPAN creates its induction products. In our aluminium products, we cast the steel plate inside the pot or pan to make it more magnetic. This means that the aluminium and steel are tightly linked, which ensures excellent heat distribution.

As well as aluminium products, we also make induction kitchen equipment in steel, some of which is made with an aluminium core running through the ‘body’, meaning it is both in the base and the walls. Other kitchen equipment has a sandwich base with an aluminium core.

It is all carefully made with optimal base thickness, maximum efficiency and perfect heat distribution.

This is linked to the previous question, where we explained that SCANPAN casts a steel plate into the pot or pan, which ensures even heat distribution.

There are also other production techniques that some of our competitors use. They might glue or rivet the steel plate in place, thereby pressing it onto the pot or pan. This method can result in a thin layer of air forming between the metals, which impairs the pot or pan’s heat distribution. Products may also ‘take in water’ between the different layers, which also impairs the product.

Yes you can. But, we recommend that you use kitchen equipment suitable for the heat source you are using, as different series are carefully built to suit the different heat sources.

That’s why if you have a glass ceramic or gas cooker, the best solution is to select a pot or pan that isn’t built for induction, such as the Classic series, for the best heat distribution.

Download the Non-stick User Guide here.

Download the Stainless Steel User Guide here.

Find all your protect care video's here.

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