Poêle Mineral B 20 cm 5610.20 argent DE BUYER

The constrction and weight of this pan is perfect.

I wanted the Mineral B pan for awhile but could not justify the cost when I already had 3 nice cast iron pans in different sizes AND several styles/sizes of high-end stainless steel pans AND a couple of non-stick pans. Then I got one as a gift. It's the pan that sits on my stove and never gets put away. I use it almost every morning for eggs, I cook hamburgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, meat and pretty much anything else you can fry on a stovetop.

Food doesn't stick--mostly but a quicks scrap and wipe fixes any little stuck bits. Since it is steel, high heat and quick cooking are fine. Everything browns nicely and is very controllable. If I had to get by on one pan, this would probably be it.

A couple of responses to comments:

1. Seasoning is not an issue. DeB has a video on this website as to how to season--the same way I have seasoned (and re-seasoned) steel pans and woks for decades. Heat a generous amount of oil till very hot but not burning. Hold the temp for 5-10 minutes. Cool. Wipe. Wipe again with a bit of oil. Works every time.

2. I think the Mineral B is the one to get. The cheaper blue carbon is too thin and the pro's only advantage is the handle is a little rounded and can go in the oven. IMHO, this type of pan is not the best choice for using in a very hot oven. If you already have a cast iron pan (or 3), they work much better with a bigger cooking surface, higher sides and a flat profile compare to any CS pan.

3. My pan is about 4 lb (about 1900g). The most comparable cast iron pan (a number "8" Lodge Frying pan--which is about 10.5 inches on diameter) weighs over 1 lb more (about 550g). Because of the longer coated handle, the DeB is much easier to use and feels lighter than the numbers might suggest.

Excellent pan free of chemicals and. Nonstick.

Not to heavy. Everyday egg pan

These pans in general have to be well season in order for them to work as you expect.

I purchased the smaller Mineral B for quick, one-person, eggs, grilled sandwiches, etc. As expected, it is always a delight to use and enjoy.

Easy to season and clean. Nice sloping sides accomodate more food than you might imagine from its relatively small diameter base. Yet I can still lift it with one hand (most days ; ). Nice addition to our larger Mineral B pan. We are trying to acquire one piece of high quality cookware every couple years as our non-stick begs for replacement.

I'm a professional chef in fine dining, here's my honest opinion (truth hurts). Anybody who reviews these pans badly either isn't familiar with the material, didn't season it properly, or doesn't know how to take care of it. when you give these pans the time they need to patina and season themselves, they perform better than any stainless, cast iron, or nonstick pan I've ever used in my 15-year culinary career. These are a MUST for anybody passionate about the kitchen. let this be your sign to press the order button.

I am happy with the pan. The only complaint I have is that the handle is not oven safe. Why coat the handle and put a little plastic insert into the handle? I would rather have the pan be oven safe.