Our pan expert chooses an induction pan largely as for gas: he starts with what you cook and which type of pan you are still missing. The Type filter only shows the type of pan you are looking for, and Non-stick Coating and Material narrow down the choice within that.
Which pans are you still missing for your induction hob?
You write your shopping list for induction after you have cooked a few times with your own pans on the hob: what disappoints, goes on it. Often, that is a pan with a convex bottom from years of gas. Our article on the transition helps you determine which of your old pans you can keep for induction.
For the basics, our pan expert counts on a frying pan, a sauté pan, and a cooking pot, the latter possibly in two sizes. If you often stew or wok, then a roasting pan and a wok are added:
Frying pans for induction are used for an egg, fish, or a piece of meat. The width of the bottom varies by size; for those frying pans, it is detailed by size.
Sauté pans are for meat with sauce and one-pot dishes. For a 28 cm pan, the bottom is 19 to 22 cm wide.
Cooking pots and saucepans are used for pasta and soup in the large size and for sauce or rice in the small. How wide their bottom is is rarely stated on the product page.
Roasting pans for induction are available for stews and dishes that cook for hours. A 24 cm roasting pan has a bottom of 16 to 18 cm.
Woks for induction are used to stir-fry vegetables and strips of meat. For a 32 cm wok, the bottom is 13.5 to 15.5 cm wide.
The biggest difference between the size in the name and the bottom is with the wok: its bottom is about half as wide. A pan on induction rarely gets hot enough to really wok. So expect to stir-fry in a wok with a flat bottom and preferably a non-stick coating.
For pancakes and grill stripes, there are also induction pancake pans and induction grill pans ready.
What should you pay attention to with pans for induction?
For every type of pan on an induction hob, the following applies:
The bottom of a pan should be approximately the same size as your cooking zone: more than 2 cm difference causes problems. A pan that is too small sometimes does not activate the zone or heats unevenly; with a pan that is too large, the edge of the bottom remains cool and the chance of burning increases.
The bottom of a pan should be able to handle the rapid heat of an induction hob, and a weighted or multi-layered bottom does this better. For many aluminum pans, the description says nothing about the bottom; if in doubt, choose a pan where this is mentioned.
The boost or highest setting can warp the bottom of an empty pan. Our pan expert heats a pan at about 60 percent of what the hob can do and cooks at about 40.
A wok has a narrow bottom and can therefore fit better on a smaller zone than on your largest. For some of the pans here, the bottom is listed separately in the specifications, as "Diameter bottom". The size in the Diameter filter refers to the edge.
Which coating and which material do you choose in the filters?
This is how the filters Non-stick Coating and Material work out, with each choice indicating who those pans are for:
With "Ceramic" in Non-stick Coating, you mainly see aluminum pans with a PFAS-free ceramic layer, from frying pan to wok, for those who want convenience. An egg or fish releases easily, and when the layer is worn out, you replace the pan.
With "None" in Non-stick Coating and "Stainless Steel" in Material, you mainly see stainless steel without a layer, from cooking pot to frying pan, for those looking for a pan that lasts for years. When frying, you first heat it up.
With "None" in Non-stick Coating and "Steel" in Material, you mainly see carbon steel frying pans, woks, and sauté pans, for those who want to sear meat. You start with seasoning, and that works best on a gas burner: how to season a carbon steel pan.
With "Cast Iron" in Material and "None" or "Enamelled" in Non-stick Coating, you mainly see cast iron roasting pans and frying pans, bare or with enamel. These are for those who stew or want to keep food warm for a long time; such a heavy pan heats up slowly.
Those who want to avoid PFAS choose "Ceramic", "None", or "Enamelled" in Non-stick Coating and skip "Standard". Check a set for the specifications: if "Standard" is also listed under Non-stick Coating, then there is a pan with such a layer in it.
When do you choose a complete set, and with what budget?
If you come without pans to a new home with an induction hob, then a set from the induction cookware sets fills your cabinet the fastest. Just check which types of pans are included. Some sets only have cooking pots and saucepans, and then you buy a frying pan and a sauté pan separately from the list above.
For less than €100, you already have a set with only cooking pots and saucepans; the more expensive stainless steel sets are around and above €300.
A higher amount often goes to a weighted or multi-layered bottom on induction. A budget-friendly pan also works on your hob, and if you heat it without boost, you give its bottom the best chance.
