Does anyone use Man Pans?

[The empressof all]

I am currently using 100% Stainless which I love! I have always kept at least one non stick pan around but my last one is getting kind of scuffed up and I need to replace it. So I've been looking around. I initially got sucked into those Green Pans you see on the Home shopping networks and thought I'd try one of those but they are getting some pretty bad reviews. So I found this Man Pan made in Spokane Wa. They are on the pricey side so I'd love a little push from someone who has one. Tell me it's a good thing.

Company web site:

http://manpans.com/




Review:

http://www.only-cookware.com/blog/2009/09/04/manpan-stir-fry-wok-review-the-eco-friendly-cookware/

[pengillian101]

1. I also love stainless steel, but hate the cleanup

for a quick egg or something.

I bought a couple of these - they are priced less and work great.

http://www.amazon.com/Wearever-Admiration-Hard-Anodized-12-Inch-Saute/dp/B000HX3QXS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1278729735&sr=1-1

:hi:

[pipoman]

2. Never the manpans

they look good. I have been using Pampered Chef for several years, they are the same price as the manpans. The PC pans are lifetime replacement and easy for me, I work with a PC seller.

[hippywife]

3. I'm still totally sold on stainless.

I admit I only skimmed the article, but I don't trust anything anymore with any kind of coating, especially one that can be scratched off. "Beauty marks" sounds too much like someone coming up with a marketing gimmick as an excuse for poor quality. And scratches that disappear with only a damp cloth further causes me worry regarding the finish.

Too much bad history out there with regard to coatings. So this is teflon free? What is it coated with that may in the future prove to be less than safe?

[The empressof all]

4. I hear ya with the coatings

These have an "all natural" coating of quartz and sapphire. I'm always skeptical too. I'm attracted to these because they are also supposedly light weight. As my arthritis worsens I can no longer handle cast iron and sometimes my larger stainless requires too much of an effort.

[Warpy]

5. Teflon is safe enough for egg based stuff that really should be cooked

on low to medium heat: eggs, omelets, crepes and everything else that doesn't do all that well in metal pans. I still use heavily seasoned rolled steel pans for that stuff, but there are times I wish I'd kept that one last Teflon pan for them (gave it to a coworker whose house burned down).

The two things that degrade a Teflon coating are metal tools and high heat.

The only other thing that has worked as well is a ceramic lined Le Creuset pan I had years ago from a thrift shop. Alas, a big chip on the rim progressed over time to a massive network of cracks all over the inner surface and that was the end of that.

[Dover]

7. I recently got rid of all my teflon and got some Chantal enamel coated pans

at Tuesday Morning (1/2 off), which I really have enjoyed. It's not quite as effective as
a teflon for nonstick, but is much more effective than my stainless steel stuff (and much
easier to clean). And they're lighter than cast iron enamelled pots but also provide a nice even heat.

I don't know enough about the properties of the ManPans coating to comment, nor any experience
in using them. If you do get one, let us know what your experience of them is.

BTW - I got rid of a lot of my metal cooking utensils when I originally bought the teflon and discovered something I like better than metal or the usual wooden or plastic utensils. I found some wonderful bamboo cooking utensils at Whole Foods (or was it Central Market?). They just feel good in my hand - smaller, thinner than the wooden utensils and not as absorbant or porous a wood so easier to care for and clean. I use them now for most of my cooking whether the pan coating requires non-metal or not.

[Warpy]

12. Cooks Illustrated on PBS just did a segment on the "green" no stick pans

and they're 3 types: ceramic, silicone, and non PFOA (bad chemical) PTFE (Teflon) process nonstick pans. The winner was the latter, although all 3 types lost their nonstick qualities within 2 weeks of hard use in their test kitchens, meaning maybe 2 months in mine.

The recommendation was to use cast iron if you don't want to get a cheap Teflon pan using the old PFOA process to tide you over until the new process is perfected.

I'm not sure which the Man Pan is, but from their description it looks like a ceramic coating.

Bottom line, save your money.

[Dover]

18. That's interesting. Not sure what that 3rd one is exactly, but will disagree

about the ceramic surface (which I assume is the same thing as enamel?) losing it's nonstick quality. Not sure what their testing involved or which pans were used, but I always use oil and haven't had a problem yet with the enamel.

Do you have a link to that Cook's Illustrated study?

[Warpy]

20. It's not enamel but a ceramic coating using various minerals

and I'm telling you what they told me, that the surface became progressively less slick with repeated use.

It was on PBS. You might be able to find it there or you might be able to find it at their website.

[Dover]

21. I'll see if I can find it online. So I'm guessing they didn't test enamel

in this study. If not, I wonder why? Maybe they were just testing the newest stuff.
Looking for a good alternative to teflon non-stick pans is what led me to enamel.
And I'm happy with it. I'll have to keep a lookout for the ceramic pots and other kinds
mentioned in that test to see what they look like.

[Warpy]

24. It was a test of new "green" nonstick pans

so of course they didn't test either Chantal or Le Creuset, which have been around forever.

The winner was a Scan Pan Titanium, but even it started to lose some nonstick quality after a couple of weeks of extremely hard use and cost $130 (maybe $80 at Amazon), and that is the reason they said to use the old technology instead of spending money on "green" pans before they had been perfected.

[The empressof all]

23. Here's the link to the green pans with the bad reviews

http://www.green-pan.com/cookware/intro.asp

They are sold by Todd English on HSN. That's where I first saw them. They get terrible ratings on that site as well. Apparently they are great right out of the box but lose their non stick properties after a few uses. I won't be getting them. The Man Pans get far better reviews.

[MajorChode]

6. I haven't used them, but here's what they look like to me

Despite their claims of "revolutionary" technology, they look like nothing more than anodized aluminum pans to me. There's really nothing terribly wrong with anodized aluminum pans. I have one myself and have had it for about 20 years. If you buy good quality ones, they should last indefinitely if used properly. Like all aluminum pans, they are subject to warping if exposed to high heat and they will pit if high or low PH level substances remain in contact with them for long periods. You can use metal utensils with them without worry. In 20 years of use with metal utensils, my anodized pan still has its coating intact. Despite the marketing claims, you probably won't find these types of pans in a commercial environment. Why? Although they work reasonably well, they don't really do anything exceptionally well. They don't brown well and their non-stick properties aren't nearly as good as a good quality teflon pan.

My wife uses my anodized pan fairly often, but I never use it. She likes it because she can use metal utensils and the cleanup is easier than other non-teflon pans. I hate it because when I use a sauté pan I want the food to brown well and this pan just doesn't do that for me. I also hate it because I have warped aluminum pans in the past, so I am always cautious about cranking up the heat. It's not that they are all that bad, but I just don't have that many uses for it and the few uses I could think for it are served by other materials just as well. I don't believe that any one material is right for all types of pans and all types of cooking. I have different types of pans I use for different types of things. I have cast iron, laminated stainless, aluminum, and teflon pans, all of which I use for different things.

These pans wouldn't be bad if your primary consideration is being able to use metal utensils and easily cleanup, but I suspect they are greatly overpriced for what they are. My advice is to look elsewhere even if you are in the market for anodized aluminum and don't get caught up in claims of "revolutionary" materials. I bought my anodized aluminum pan when they were relatively new technology and I can't imagine anything "revolutionary" that would improve their performance much.

I don't really know what kind of cooking you like to do and what your priorities are, but here's what I would do if I were in your situation and I needed good quality pans I wanted to last for many years and perform well. Look for a good cast iron skillet if you don't already have one. You can find them at flea markets, but even new they aren't expensive. They can take whatever level of heat you can throw at them and they are extremely versatile as they can go from stovetop to oven with no problems. Cleanup can be more difficult if they aren't seasoned well, but their performance, utility, price, and durability should not be overlooked. Everyone should have at least one cast iron pan. Buy one new and your grandkids will be giving it to your greatgreatgrandkids. Buy at least one ~9" teflon sauté pan. Look for them at your nearest restaurant supply house. Look for a relatively heavy one with a silicone handle cover. As long as you are cooking with medium heat or lower, they are hard to beat for most sauté needs. For a dutch oven, consider buying porcelain coated cast iron. Le Creuset is the big name here for top shelf quality, but Lodge and others make cheaper ones that are nearly as good. For the rest of your pans, the plain aluminum pans sold at restaurant supply houses are hard to beat. Virtually every restaurant the world over uses the hell out of them and they aren't that expensive. Laminated stainless steel is also nice, but more expensive.

[The empressof all]

8. Unfortunately I need something light weight

I recently passed all my cast iron skillets on as I now have a glass top cook surface and really bad arthritis. I only cook with my Le Creuset dutch oven when I have someone else around to lift it for me. I use the Stainless most often but if I'm cooking when I'm alone it's sometimes too heavy for me to use my larger pans.

I hear you about the cast iron though....It's the best. What I'm looking to replace is my 9" teflon sautee pan. Though that Man Pan Wok thingie caught my eye too. What I liked about these Man Pans was the ability to pop it into the oven which is something I do quite often with eggs or meat. Supposedly this will with stand temps to 700 degrees.

[Dover]

9. You might consider one of these - lighter than cast iron, but with same durable enamel coating

The shape allows it to be used for a lot of different functions.

Picture:
http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/ultimatechefstore_2115_643622386

The 11.5 inch Copper Fusion Chef’s Pan is a useful and versatile pan with its large shape, side handles and lid. The pan’s stick-resistant, enamel is chemical and metal free making a healthy cooking surface or even storage container. The Copper Fusion 11.5 inch Chef’s Pan with Lid has two stay-cool handles for easy transfer from the stove to the table. Enamel interior and exterior and rivet-less handles make Copper Fusion pans easy to clean. The Copper Fusion 11.5 inch Chef's Pan will quickly rank as any home-chef's favorite piece.
Known for quality cookware in patented designs, Chantal continues to please professional chefs and home cooks alike with revolutionary cookware. Copper Fusion is the latest innovation by Chantal. Copper Fusion pots and pans utilize a revolutionary technology that fuses copper into the core of each piece. A core of copper alloy bonded between two layers of carbon steel is coated using Chantal’s traditional enamel-on-steel construction. A great conductor of heat, the copper core heats quickly and evenly with no hot spots, so dishes are consistently cooked in an efficient manner. The stick resistant enamel cooking surface contains no chemicals or metals so food prepared in Copper Fusion pots and pans retains its nutritional content without contaminants. Safe cooking surface also allows food to be stored in the same container in which it was cooked. Ergonomic, stay-cool handles attach to the side with a rivet-less design, leaving the cooking surface smooth and easy to clean. Create your own fusion cuisine out of foods from around the world or just around your kitchen in Copper Fusion products.

Color: Platinum. Dishwasher safe. Made in Germany.

http://www.chefsresource.com/chantal-copper-fusion-chefs-pan-platinum.html

[The empressof all]

11. WOW Those are really pricey!

Someday.....maybe.....

God I love expensive kitchen stuff.

If I had an extra couple of hundred around I'd go for this

http://www.tefal.com/All+Products/Cooking+appliances/Fryers/Products/ActiFry/Actifry.htm

Then I could eat french fries every day

[Dover]

15. Wow...I hadn't seen that fryer before. Nice.

Yep, not exactly the economic climate for high end products. That's why I love stores like
Tuesday Morning. They pick up great deals when these high end things have to be liquidated
due to lack of sales...lol!

As I mentioned above, I got a few Chantal pots and pans at Tuesday Morning for 1/2 price.
Still not cheap, but a good deal. Unfortunately this particular pot hasn't showed up on
their shelves as of yet. But I did recently see a stainless steel version of it by some
other pricey company on their shelves. And there is a very affordable teflon and anodized
version of this type of pan called an Everyday Pan that is made by Calphalon that both Warpy and I have raved about in this forum. It is very light and can go in the oven and looks similar to the Chantal pot pictured above. However, you do have to baby those interior surfaces to keep them
nice.

[The empressof all]

17. Oy I post about it at least once a week I think

I really really want it and I just haven't been able to get over the hump of plunking down the bucks. I make pretty decent oven fries so it's not like I'm deprived but I've been looking at that damn Actifry now for over a year and can't seem to shake that lust for one.

[MajorChode]

10. Just plain aluminum pans will do the same

They are light and can go from stovetop to oven. The ones with silicone handles are limited in the oven to 400 degrees or so which is the highest you'd want to go anyway. As far as temperature goes, the aluminum is the limiting factor. Regardless of what they tell you, aluminum starts to soften at 400 degrees or so. It will tolerate higher temperatures for short periods, but extended periods above 400 degrees is asking for trouble. That's just the nature of aluminum and no coatings or claims of anything different is going to change the laws of physics. I've got a warped aluminum pan to prove it (I don't know why I haven't thrown it out).

If you are absolutely sold on anodized aluminum, there's a number of excellent products on the market, but I think if you pay much more than about $40 for a 9" pan, you are probably getting ripped off and most of the higher quality ones will go from stovetop to oven without any problem so long as you keep your oven temps at 400 or below.

[Warpy]

13. Mine is 10 years older than yours

and was a gift when Calphalon first came out. Over the years it's turned nearly as black as my cast iron pans have and the browning quality has improved in proportion to the carbonized oil layer on top of it. I've never had any problem with warping on any of my commercial grade Calphalon, although I'm sure that a thinner "home" grade of cookware will warp like crazy at high temperatures even on an ordinary kitchen range.

Once it started to discolor, I got the point and have been cleaning it the way I clean cast iron, with a salt scrub only, in order not to disturb the coating of crud that has begun to make it an outstanding pan, lighter than cast iron but with many of the same properties.

[MajorChode]

14. The aluminum pan that warped was quite thick

However it was also quite large at about 12-14", so I suspect the greater surface area probably made it more susceptible. It wasn't anodized, but I don't really think that makes much difference. I had a thick aluminum stovetop griddle that warped some as well. Since then I've simply only used aluminum pans to cook at lower temperatures and leave all my high temperature needs to cast iron. It will brown things, but just not as well as cast iron or stainless, and I just can't get it to produce the browning left overs needed for a good pan sauce. I do treat it in much the same way as my cast iron and I even reseason it the same way.

[Tesha]

16. Weight matters..

for a small egg pan I have a copper bottomed stainless with a metal handle...
got a great deal a few years ago

and for larger stuff that tends to stick, I have a T-fal I've had for years and years and have never had a problem
- no metal and no high heat.


We spend so much time with our kitchen tools - you should get whatever you need to make it easier, Empress
and if you buy something that doesn't perform as they promise - send it back

and when you've tested it, let us know how you liked it.

[woofless]

19. Best light, non-stick pan ever!

A few years back Stinky made comment on Fante's, and online source for cooking stuff. High carbon steel crepe pans were the topic of discussion, so I went to Fante's site http://www.fantes.com/crepe.html and ordered a couple. They have turned into my go-to pan for many applications like grilled sandwiches, to any egg style, to just heating stuff up. They are not real high on the edges, and are absolutely non stick if treated as you would cast iron. I usually swoosh them under hot water, a quick once over with a plastic brush than back on the stove to dry. I love them. Cheap, light and effective. Brilliant.

Woof

[Dover]

22. Wow, if this is truly nonstick this is a winner. Never seen these before.

And OMG, visiting that website is dangerous!