Out of the frying pan.....

If you are planning to buy a rental home, or you're thinking about what to do with one you have just acquired, this is the place for any questions about starting out in the rentals business.
Aphra
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Out of the frying pan.....

Post by Aphra »

What sort of frying pans to get? I bought a cast iron egg pan for myself as a student 35 years ago and a set of three cast iron pans from Woolworths 19 years ago, and all four are still going strong. But I know how to look after them......

This week I was staying away and used a brand new (cheap) non-stick pan for the first time as if it was one of my cast iron pans and (a) bowed the base and (b) changed the colour of the coating and left a residue on the pan! Yikeseroonies! Non-stick pans are even harder than I thought! (I'll replace it, obviously).

So what sort of frying pans should I get? My instinct is good quality stainless steel. As you can see, I don't know the first thing about non-stick pans but I've never seen an un-damaged one in a shared space.

A related question about ladles, fish slices, egg flippers, etc: I'm not keen on plastic or silicone utensils because they only last a few years in our kitchen so I assume it would be even less in a holiday let. I am going with bamboo "wooden" spoons (stains less than wood) but what about the other utensils? Do I go for plastic and replace quite often (not very green, but preserves those oh-so-delicate non-stick pans) or go for metal and get stainless steel frying pans?

Cheap frying pans are expensive. Expensive frying pans are..... a lot more than I bought my cast iron ones for all those decades ago!

Advice very much appreciated.

Thank you!
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CarolineJ
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Post by CarolineJ »

I got Tesco Go Cook ones. 6 months in and I think they've been used about twice.
Faint heart never won fair holiday let...
zebedee
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Post by zebedee »

With a holiday let, always go for something that will clean the easiest. Otherwise when you / your cleaner goes in to do a changeover you will find pans and utensils put away but not properly clean.
It may not be deliberate on the part of guests, but it can take a lot of time to sift through everything in a well stocked kitchen. The alternative is your next guests will arrive and find old food in the pans or utensils (yuk)!

Do go for good quality where you can, but accept that not everyone will be as careful as you.
I buy and frequently replace cheap non stick oven trays as they often get left with baked grease on them and they are a nightmare to clean if they have been used again in that condition.
Aphra
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Post by Aphra »

Oh goodness! Oven trays. I hadn't even thought of them! 😮
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Aphra
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Post by Aphra »

CarolineJ wrote:I got Tesco Go Cook ones. 6 months in and I think they've been used about twice.
I'll take a look at them, thanks.
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ianh100
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Post by ianh100 »

This is something we have debated frequently. We currently use inexpensive non stick pan sets. The guests do not take much care of them so we probably replace them almost each season.

For baking sheets we use IKEA and replace on a regular basis.

I would like to provide some better pans but would probably not do so with non stick as the surface can be so easily damaged.
Aphra
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Post by Aphra »

Thanks everyone for your help.

I went into John Lewis and explained my question to two of the lovely ladies in their kitchenware department, and they just shook their heads and said there wasn't a right answer.

So I said - "What would YOU choose in my situation? I know I'll have to replace them, but it would be nice to have decent ones I didn't have to replace immediately."

They pointed me in the direction of some Neverstick pans that they had on special offer so they were priced in the mid-range (apparently they bring out special offers at student-time and on boxing day) and I bought three and will hope for the best.
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

Non stick frying pans from Ikea. Can't be beaten for price and quality. I always get 2, as you can guarantee they will be the heaviest used of all the pans (in our case), and they're easy to swap over on changeover day if the pan guests used isn't completely clean.
We also make sure that all utensils used in the frying pan are non stick too or wood as anything metal will be used to gauge it.

It's disheartening to see how some people treat frying pans and oven trays....I hate having to clean them on changeover.

Mousie
x
linda que linda
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Post by linda que linda »

It is next to impossible to find anything other than non-stick pans in our local shops in Mexico, so I provide both silicone and wood or bamboo spoons, spatulas, etc. Nevertheless, the pans are very quickly reduced to a sad scratched condition. On one of our visits to the property (we are off-site owners) I happened to walk into the kitchen while our caretaker was washing up the pans --- with a regular scouring pad! No wonder all the pans looked like the devil after only a few months!
I'm trying to find, or bring with me from the USA, stainless steel pots and pans, tho the bulk and weight prohibits bringing a whole set at once. I'd be stuck with mis-matched pans but I suppose mis-matched is better than scrap scratched.
BTW, has anyone had better luck with the "red copper" or ceramic type cookware?
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

We have our own kitchen. No other guests to misuse any pots and pans.
Purchased from all sorts, those used for professional kitchens right through to the throw away very cheapest sets.
Both do not work well. In the end ended up with lower mid price range and feel that after a few years they are disposable. It is a waste but that is the way of the world now. Nothing is build to last and withstand a great deal of usage.
We cannot use wood in a professional kitchen. Trying to find plastic spatulas to the cooks liking is always hard.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
newtimber
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Post by newtimber »

casasantoestevo wrote: We cannot use wood in a professional kitchen. Trying to find plastic spatulas to the cooks liking is always hard.
Why can't you use wooden spoons in a professional kitchen? You will find them for sale on commercial catering sites and if you look online, the general view is that they are no more prone to contamination and bacteria than plastic spoons.
Joanna
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Post by Joanna »

I started with one mid range non-stick frying pan and one steel frying pan. Also stainless steel saucepans plus one non-stick saucepan (for scrambled eggs). The non-stick frying pan was ruined within months. So now I buy cheapish non-stick frying pans 2 at a time and replace them frequently. We have wooden and plastic implements and the scouring pads that are designed for non-stick pans (no Brillo pads). But guests still manage to scratch the non-stick surfaces. I think they must use cutlery on them.

I've looked at more expensive pans but they need to be treated right and that simply isn't going to happen.
Jo

Joint owner of Baker's Cottage in Chester & Chandler's Cottage in Sidmouth
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

newtimber wrote: Why can't you use wooden spoons in a professional kitchen? You will find them for sale on commercial catering sites and if you look online, the general view is that they are no more prone to contamination and bacteria than plastic spoons.

The risk of cross-contamination is great with wooden utensils. The best example is the absence of wooden blocks in Butchers.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
newtimber
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Post by newtimber »

casasantoestevo wrote:
newtimber wrote: Why can't you use wooden spoons in a professional kitchen? You will find them for sale on commercial catering sites and if you look online, the general view is that they are no more prone to contamination and bacteria than plastic spoons.

The risk of cross-contamination is great with wooden utensils. The best example is the absence of wooden blocks in Butchers.
The thought used to be that plastic was better but scientific studies have now shown this not to be the case as laboratory test have shown that harmful bacteria such as E Coli actually die out when present on a wooden chopping surface.

You can buy huge commercial butchers blocks that really could only be used in butchers. http://www.smsfoodequip.com/butchers_blocks.htm

Wooden spoons are no more susceptible to cross contamination than any other spoon http://www.foodsafetysite.com/consumers ... rticle=143
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