What you choose here is mainly the pan underneath the layer, as that determines what else you can cook with it. For each type, we mention pans from the overview, along with what their product page says. We share what we know as a store about the layer.

What is the difference between all those ceramic frying pans?

Under the ceramic layer, there are three types of pans here. The layer itself is not equally thick everywhere, and you can especially see that in how long you can cook on it.

Aluminum: the most choice, and the oven varies per line
Aluminum is under most of the pans here, and also under most entry-level models. Per line, it varies whether such a pan can go in the oven; that is stated in the specifications. The Beka Frying Pan Maestro Alu ø 28 cm can go in the oven according to its product page, up to about 200 °C.

Cast Iron: stays warm for a long time, but cannot go in the oven here
The Beka Frying Pan Mandala Cast Iron ø 28 cm has cast iron under the layer, and it stays warm for a long time after heating. It is not lead-heavy: in ø 28, it weighs 1.4 kilos, about the same as the heaviest aluminum pans here. According to its product page, it cannot go in the oven due to the acacia wood handle. If you want cast iron that can go in the oven, you can find that without a ceramic layer among the cast iron frying pans.

Stainless Steel with a Honeycomb: for those who use a metal spatula
Stainless steel is under the layer of the hybrid HexaCook pans, from our own brand. In a hexagonal pattern, that stainless steel comes just above the ceramic layer. That pattern catches a metal spatula, so you can use that here. These pans can also go in the oven, up to 200 °C.

How long does a ceramic layer last, and does a more expensive pan help?

You can cook on a ceramic layer for a few years, and how many years exactly depends partly on your purchase and partly on your kitchen. With a higher price, the layer is often thicker, and a thick layer has more to wear down than a thin one. Being careful with your pan extends those years, but does not prevent wear.

In your kitchen, these habits wear down a layer faster:

A metal spatula or knife in the pan: that damages the layer, so do not cut in it and use wood or plastic. The pans with a honeycomb are an exception, but only for the spatula.
Full power or an empty pan on the fire: that heat affects the layer, so lower the heat and add some fat first.
Cold water on a hot pan: let it cool down first, as according to several product pages here, such a temperature shock is bad for the layer.

Cast iron and stainless steel last a long time without a layer, but with a ceramic layer, such a pan is also done as soon as that layer gives out. You can recognize that moment by bare metal becoming visible or by a layer that peels off.

Can a ceramic pan go in the dishwasher?

According to the checkmark on their product page, most pans here can go in the dishwasher. That checkmark indicates that the pan can withstand the machine; for the layer, hand washing remains the better option, as dishwasher tablets wear it down faster. Also, on the product pages with that checkmark, there is almost always the advice to wash by hand.

The Mandala does not have a checkmark and should always be washed by hand. If something is stuck, you can find in our piece about cleaning your frying pan how to get it loose. Whether you use that checkmark is up to you. With the machine, you will need a new pan sooner, while with hand washing, you can cook longer on the same layer.

Do you take a single pan or a set?

In our shopping advice, a medium and a large frying pan are often preferred over one pan for everything. This is how the sets are also composed: 24 and 28 cm, sometimes with a 20 cm one included. For size, you also look at how many people are eating; we list which size frying pan you need per household.

Cooking and sauté pans are not included in any of those sets; you can find them with the same type of layer in the ceramic pan sets. Add up the prices of the individual pans in the overview before you take a set, as whether a set is cheaper varies per line.