Primarily, it simply means that you opt for thick gauge steel that’s long lasting. It also means that you choose a pan with a better quality coating that heats your meal more uniformly. All these constitute a top-quality paella pan. So how do you make an informed choice?
In this guide, you’ll not only learn how to choose the best paella, you shall also learn which the best paella pans in the market are today. Read on.
Why You Should Purchase A Paella Pan
A paella pan does so much more than just produce authentic paella. You can also use your pan to prepare other meals such as a killer omelette.
While it might be possible to make your paella without a paella pan, in our humble opinion, buying the pan that’s specifically tailored for the purpose will truly enhance your experience.
If you’ve ever tasted the sumptuous and lovely Spanish dish, then you can testify to the fact that it boasts such an outstanding taste. A good number of people have tried to prepare this dish, but not everyone has gotten the paella they desired.
The thing is, paella is made best with a certain type of pan. If you’re to stand any chance of getting it right, you must get the right pan for the job. Unsurprisingly, in an effort to try to land the best pan, some folks end up purchasing just any other pan. They don’t consider whether its features will produce sumptuous tasting paella
Why should you waste your time preparing a meal without the best pan?
Factors To Consider When In The Market For The Best Paella Pan
When choosing the best paella pan, here are some of the main factors you should consider:
Cooking Source
It’s highly important to consider the kind of heating sauce, which you’ll be using for your paella. It’ll help you know the kind of purchase to make. Will you use a stovetop, oven, or grill?
If you intend to be using a stovetop, it might be quite useful to utilize two burners. Specific paella burners exist that serve as an extra purchase. Others even use turkey fryers top to prepare their meal.
Material
Most paella pans are made from some kind of steel. The two most common steel types are carbon steel and stainless steel. You can also find ones made from cast iron or aluminum. Carbon steel is the most preferred due to its heat-conductive and affordability abilities. Cast iron must be seasoned, dried, and cleaned after use immediately in order to prevent rusting.
The fact that some materials are reactive means they’re susceptible to change of color with prolonged use. According to some people, the reactivity usually enhances flavor. Cast iron isn’t suitable for the highly acidic dishes such as tomato sauce.
Stainless steel tends to be not only effective but also attractive. It’s also an expensive option. This material doesn’t need seasoning. Additionally, it doesn’t rust. Such a feature is appealing when it comes to cleaning up.
Similar to carbon steel, cast iron is a heat-conductive metal. It’s supremely long lasting. It doesn’t rust when not cleaned. The material dries quickly and needs seasoning.
Size
A paella pan size ranges from 9-28 inches. Primarily, to settle for the right size, you must have an idea of the number of people you intend to serve. You need to understand the exact size to search for in correspondence to the number of servings.
Look at the following breakdown to give you a glimpse on how to go about the size factor:
| Size | Servings |
| 23″ – 28’’ | 14 – 25 |
| 16″ – 22″ | 8 – 16 |
| 12″ – 15″ | 5 – 10 |
| 6″ – 11″ | 1 – 4 |
When considering size, you shouldn’t also forget to consider storage space. Consider whether or not it’ll fit on your cooking surface.
Reactivity
Particular metals react with some foods. For instance, aluminum reacts with tomato as well as other acidic dishes. So what does this mean? It means that your food absorbs some part of the metal.
Therefore, you should make informed choices with your cookware choices. You must always be aware of the reactivity nature of every product.
By doing that, you’ll be able to prevent your family and loved ones from suffering from any health conditions. To be on the safe side, avoid aluminum cookware for purposes of cooking.
Price
The price of your prospective paella pan is one of the most important factors you should consider when in the market for a pan. The rule of thumb is to settle for a pan that you can afford.
You don’t have to break the bank to buy a pan. However, you shouldn’t sacrifice quality for price. If a pan is of high quality and you can afford it, then it’s prudent to settle for it.
Review: Top 5 Best Paella Pan
| Product Name | Product Image | Check Price |
| La Paella 18″ Paella Pan |  |
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| Virtus A4172447 Spanish paella pan, 18 1/2in |  |
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| Garcima 26’’ Carbon Steel Paella Pan |  |
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| MageFesa 24’’ Paella Pan |  |
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| Fagor 15’’ Paella Pan |  |
1. La Paella 18″ Paella Pan
The La Paella 18″ Paella Pan is silver in color. It has black dimples and handles. Both are up to par. The pan is highly sturdy. Even though it’s big, it does an amazing job of producing sumptuous paella. The size is big enough to allow you produce sacarrat.
However, it’s best used on a more-precise burner that’s larger compared to the stovetop. The unit also brings with it a pamphlet that includes tips and recipes. The La Paella 18″ Paella Pan is ‘restaurant grade’. That simply means that it features an extra strength carbon steel.
One of the most impressive attributes about this paella pan is the fact that it’s big enough to produce paella for many people (up to fifteen individuals). It has ample space to bump things up for many people.
The pan is made specifically for those that are into the Spanish delicacy. Enjoy this incredible pan with its authentic appeal and design. The pan is made from a material that’s highly long lasting.
You can rest assured that it will serve you for such a long time. Getting the heating right with this pan is easy. It’s possible with its heat distribution abilities.
You can use it on a stovetop, on your oven, on a grill or even outside. It’s safe for different cooking instances as you enjoy cooking whenever you prefer. With its steel handles, your cooking will always be stress free. There is no doubt about that for sure.
- Its size is the perfect for producing paella for 4-15 people
- It comes at a reasonable price.
- It provides the variability you need in terms of serving options.
- The design is authentic.
- You must clean and dry it immediately after using it
2. Virtus A4172447 Spanish paella pan
The Paderno World Cuisine 18.5’’ Paella Pan is certainly built to last. Use it to cook a decent amount of your preferred paella recipes. The pan features a sturdy body that’s made from carbon steel. With that, you enjoy a stylish design and sleekness that retains such a high degree in terms of durability.
The best attribute about the pan is the fact that you’ll use for many years to come. That is attributable to the carbon steel that’s among the most robust and long lasting cookware materials available.
Because cooking paella needs adequate circulation, retention, and heat conduction, the pan ticks all those boxes while at the same time enabling you hold and move it courtesy of the zinc handles.
You can rest assured that the pan will serve up to 12 people because of its massive 18.5’’ size.
The pan features shallow and splayed sides that encourage liquid evaporation. The feature also speeds up the process of cooking. The uniform cooking of the pan enables you to create a deliciously toasted layer of your meal.
Are you planning to use it for other cooking? If yes, then know that it serves perfectly well in preparing meat, seafood, veggies, and even rice. The continued use of your pan will make it improve in terms of cooking results.
With time, ingredients continue to react with the steel pan. The pan will develop a patina that’ll impart such a distinct flavor to every dish that you create. Wash your pan in hot water and dry it immediately to maintain its finish. For drying purposes, use a paper towel or a low flame.
- Ideal heat dispersion
- Dual zinc handles
- Professional quality
- Shape encourages real-time evaporation of liquid
- Black steel with double handle construction
- Rusts easily
- Discolors quickly
3. Garcima 26’’ Carbon Steel Paella Pan
This paella pan serves 12-20 people. It’s made of acero pulido aka polished steel that’s ideal for paella because it conducts heat evenly and quickly. While the pan might be extremely thin, it’s quite durable and rigid. It brings with it a hammered dimpled bottom.
Its handles are made of painted red and steel. Carbon steel is the conventional material for paella enthusiasts since it enhances flavor. Just like with any other raw steel pan, this paella pan requires some care when handling it. For instance, you must dry it right after you wash it.
Furthermore, you should rub its inside part with some vegetable oil in order to protect it from rusting. If your pan rusts, you can take the rust off by using steel wool. Do you love preparing paella for your family and friends? If yes, then this is the right paella pan for you.
The pan is fully packed with immense qualities and features that will certainly excite you and your loved ones. Its size ensures that you’ll not cook twice or even more for everyone.
Regardless of the quantity you intend to cook, the pan will surely meet your needs. It boasts superior heat distribution and conduction. That is exactly what makes the pan a must have. Buy it today and discover its magic. You can rest assured that it’ll this pan will serve you for many years to come.
- Excellent heat conductivity
- Strong and durable
- Safe for grill, oven or stovetop
- Great for serving 12-20 people
- Informative pamphlet which contains care instructions, tips for a sumptuous paella and two recipes
- Proper upkeep can turn out to be laborious
4. MageFesa 24’’ Paella Pan
The MageFesa 24’’ Paella Pan is made from carbon steel. The material allows for uniform and fast distribution of heat. It features dual handles that are placed at opposing sides. The pan’s handles are riveted thus allowing for a comfortable and more secure hold. Its bottom is crafted uniformly just like the flared sides. Its sides are flared.
The bottom part brings has a flat shape with a dimpled center. The flared sides and flat bottom enhance better liquid evaporation that’s great for keeping your paella cooked nicely without having to be sticky. Its dimpled center makes it effortless to accumulate and maintain oil at the pan’s center.
Just like many paella pans out there, this one also requires frequent seasoning. You must clean it properly to prevent it from accumulating rust. Ensure that the pan is dried thoroughly before applying a tiny brush of oil.
Maintenance of the pan isn’t that difficult. All you need to do is wash the pan and then dry immediately. After that, apply some vegetable oil in order to prevent the pan from rusting.
- Dual riveted handles for a secure and comfortable handling
- Ideal for alimentary use, oven, gas and firewood
- Even and fast heat distribution
- Induction compatible
- Durable carbon on steel
- Rusts easily
- Difficult to clean stains
5. Fagor 15’’ Paella Pan
By buying this paella pan, you’re guaranteed of a pot that’s compatible when it comes to induction cooking surface as well as the rest of its cooking surface. The pan doesn’t require any seasoning. The fact that it’s rust resistant means that you’ll not experience any problem when it comes to cleaning and cooking.
The enamel on a steel pot is one of the most impressive attributes of this paella pan. It helps you adequately prepare delicious paella. The pan features an additional wide cooking surface that measures 3 mm. You can utilize the pot on an outdoor grill and in an oven. You can also use this amazing pan to cook other things such as oven steaks, pancakes, eggs, bacon, etc.
When it comes to dimensions, the pan brings with it a 15’’ diameter. From one handle to another, the pan measures 20.13’’, which is among the widest pans in the market. The bottom diameter that the pan sits on is roughly 13’’. It measures 1.75’’ deep. The pan is entirely flat at the bottom.
The fact that its induction compatible means that its center will be warmer compared to its outer edge when you cook. Do you desire a heavy and strong paella pot? If yes then this is pan you should settle for. Use it today to prepare the Spanish meal for your loved ones. You’ll not regret it.
- Compatible on every cooking surface including induction
- Dishwasher and oven safe
- Resistant to rusting
- No seasoning is required
- Can be difficult to clean at times
- Might be small for those with larger families
Conclusion
Cooking paella, whether for a special occasion or not, is a favorite hobby for many people. A key element of preparing great paella are not only the ingredients and spices used, but the pan too. Choosing the best paella pan is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. So what makes this specific pan different from the rest? It’s crafted specifically to handle the cooking of paella. The pan features a carbon steel surface that’s shallow and wide. The combination makes it effortless to sauté meats and vegetables prior to adding rice.
From the above reviews, we can authoritatively conclude that the best paella pan is Virtus A4172447 Spanish paella pan. The pan boasts amazing features, which will make the cooking of your paella a walk in the park. For starters, the pan is spacious enough to contain everything you need to prepare your meal. It can prepare a meal for many people. Secondly, the pan is made of a non-stick material with a specialized metal coating. Thirdly, for a pan with an array of features it brings with it, there’s no doubt that it’s affordable. With all that combination, you are assured of a paella pan that will give you nothing short of impressive results in terms of paella cooking.
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