()My favorite frying pans are good old cast-iron, and I compared a cast-iron pan with the larger 10" Paula Deen. In each, I made an egg for an egg sandwich, meaning the egg needed to be flipped. Then I fried a frozen hamburger patty. Third, I made scrambled cheesy eggs (so the eggs had to be "stirred"). My comparisons:
LOOKS:
***** Paula Deen. These pans are simply gorgeous. I have the Blueberry Speckle, and it's a very pretty blue porcelain with a black non-stick interior.
**** Cast Iron. Even when it's new, there's nothing gorgeous about cast iron. Heft is its middle name.
HANDLES:
***** Paula Deen. The rubber-ized handle matches the blue exterior. It is non-slip and comfortable to hold. And, it doesn't get hot. You do have to be more careful that the handle doesn't wander over a heat source, though, as it would be damaged. The handle is solidly riveted to the pan with two rivets. It could come loose eventually or with banging around, but it isn't put together in a flimsy manner.
***** Cast Iron. The handle gets very hot, but it's also indestructible and part & parcel with the bowl of the pan. No separation anxiety.
HOW FOODS FRY:
The Paula Deen heats up a little faster than the cast iron, and cools down faster than the cast iron.
***** Paula Deen. No oil needed for either the eggs or the burger. The eggs cooked beautifully with no browning around the edges. If you LIKE a fried egg with crisp edges, then this may not be the pan for you. The burger browned nicely. Eggs and burger released for serving perfectly and smoothly.
**** Cast Iron. At least a minimum brushing of oil is needed for both eggs and the burger. Eggs more likely to brown unless you're watching carefully and use more oil. Burgers brown nicely. Food definitely doesn't slide off the pan like with a non-stick. The need for oil could be a concern if counting calories or watching cholesterol.
PAN STABILITY:
*** Paula Deen. Maybe it's because I'm used to my cast iron pans which I have in sizes both bigger and smaller than the Paula Deen 10" and 8". I have a gas stovetop, and I was annoyed when I couldn't flip the egg or flip the burger without holding onto the fry pan handle. When I tried to flip them one-handed, as I always do with the cast-iron pan, the Paula Deen pan skittered off to the side of the burner and the bowl tilted up (the handle tilted down). Perhaps you are saying, "Well, get a grip, and use the handle like you're supposed to." I'm not arguing with that, but I'm spoiled by the cast iron pans and I got annoyed.
Even just sitting on the stovetop, it is easier to tip than most pans. Maybe the handle is too heavy for the base.
The 10" pan, by my measurements, is: 9.75" diameter at the top rim; 6.5" diameter for the flat bottom; 7" handle.
The 8" pan, by my measurements, is: 8" diameter at the top rim; 5.5" diameter for the flat bottom; 6 1/8" handle length.
***** Cast Iron. Stays where you put it, whether you are flipping or stirring.
This fault is the reason I took one star off my overall rating of the two Paula Deen fry pans I have. The handle seems too heavy or the body is not heavy enough, to counterweight each other.
FRY TEMPERATURE:
**** Paula Deen. This is non-stick. Per the instructions that came with the fry pans, you can use "low to medium heat only". You cannot do a proper high-heat stir-fry in a non-stick pan. Due to the rubber-like handle, the Paula Deen fry pans are oven safe to only 350 degrees. However, these restrictions apply to all non-stick brands, so it wasn't a deduction from my overall rating. I've just deducted a star for this comparison.
Please also note that any PTFE non-stick pan has a caveat for cooking with "birds or small pets in or near the kitchen". The nonstick coating can "emit fumes harmful to birds", even if you are NOT using a high heat. In particular, though, smoke from burning foods or overheated oils (including butter) "will create dangerous fumes which a bird's respiratory system cannot handle". This is covered in the Paula Deen instructions that came with the fry pans.
***** Cast Iron. Can take any temperature you throw at it. This includes any oven temperature.
CLEANUP:
***** Paul Deen. Extremely easy clean-up. Definitely no soaking needed. Of course, you need to use no-scratch utensils when cooking and no abrasives when cleaning. The fry pans are not dishwasher safe.
Paula Deen pans have a lifetime warranty for "normal household use". This does not cover "damage caused by accident, misuse, abuse or commercial use. Scratches, stains, discoloration, damage from overheating or damage from use of automatic dishwasher are not covered."
***** Cast Iron. Maybe it's just because I'm used to it, but I find cast-iron easy to clean. A metal mesh scrubber and hot water takes off everything without hurting the pan. (You don't use soap on cast-iron, as the soap can be absorbed by the pan and affect the taste of food cooked afterwards.) Not dishwasher safe, as you'll get rust on it and it probably won't get all the food off it anyway. (Rust is just scrubbed off.)
Overall, the Paula Deen pans are lovely and work the way non-stick is supposed to work. I'm not throwing out my cast-iron, though!
()I own some very inexpensive non-stick pans and one high-end, very expensive non-stick pan, and these pans compare as you would expect them to at this price point.
These Paula Deen pans are of a good but not excellent quality and feel a little light. The non-stick surface has worked as well as my high-end pan for a while though I can tell it is starting to wear after just a couple of months'use with only plastic/silicone utensils.
Where these pans set themselves apart is their appearance and if you have a country kitchen or a hanging pot rack where your pans are exposed these are a fantastic choice. I haven't seen any pans as attractive as these before and the finish is very durable. So if you need some non-stick pans but can't go high-end I think these are a good purchase though not necessarily a better purchase than a less-expensive version at a big box store.If you're trying to find something that is unique and will look fantastic in your kitchen then these are an attractive kitchen accessory.
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()Given the other positive reviews, it's possible I received a defective product. However, I just cannot recommend these pans.
The main problem is the handle, which is extremely heavy in comparison to the pan itself. On my coil stove top, the handle end, especially on the small pan, presses down on the coil much more than the other end because the pan is always on the verge of tilting toward the handle due to its heavy weight. Setting it on a flat surface, I find I can just barely touch the end of the handle with the tip of my finger and cause the pan to tilt, so the issue isn't with my coils. It is definitely with the pan. Because of the imbalance, cooking is uneven. I had reasonable success with a single burger patty, though I noticed on grilled cheese the side that didn't sit firmly on the stove didn't brown as quickly.
I've used a variety of brands of pans, the cheaper kinds all the way to a few higher end, expensive pans. These Paula Deen pans were about on par with the low price discount store pans as far as performance, though they look nicer and will probably last longer.
I would LOVE the heavy handles if the pans themselves were equally weighted to provide the proper balance. The grip is nice, plus a nice appearance.
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()I cook a great deal and have many frypans in my cupboard and have had many frypans over the years...non stick, stainless, triple ply, aluminum etc.
Pros:
Affordable
Attractive
Heats quickly
Easy cleanup
Cons:
Not oven safe over 350 degrees
Weight of handle and frypan not balanced properly
Frypans are lightweight
Loses heat very quickly after cooking is done
These frypans are fine for eggs, quick hamburger patties and the like.I would not use them for anything much more time sensitive than quick cooking.
For $30 these two pans might serve those needs very well.
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()These very attractive non-stick fry pans cook evenly and gave my fried eggs a nice crisp edge.Chicken tenders and sautéed vegetables came out well too.Loved the handle.It's padded, a good size, doesn't get hot, and overall has a very nice feel to it with an interesting shape that's very comfortable.The pans wash easily and well, which by the way, I did by hand.I don't put them in the dishwasher. Assuming, and I am, that they last a good long time, I highly recommend them.
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We had originally ordered a smaller version of this item and were very pleased.But, it was not large enough for creating dishes for company.This size is just fine and heats up well on the larger, standard burner on a home range.I am not sure I would want to try a larger one unless I had special burners.
