Frying pan handles: types and features of choice

When buying a particular thing, everyone pays attention to all the components of the purchased model: so that it fits in size, materials, is easy to use and, most importantly, is practical. The same applies to pans, or rather to handles for it, because you need to pay attention not only to what material this or that type is made of, but also what was used to make the handle.

Many subsequent factors will also depend on the handle, because thanks to it we take out, move or immerse the pan. The handle should match your expectations for comfort, maneuverability and versatility.

Any handle, like a frying pan, has its own specific shape and size. Many manufacturers produce not only solid models of pans with handles, but also options with removable holders. This is, first of all, convenient for consumers, since it significantly saves the already small kitchen space.

Recently, developers are increasingly paying attention to such an important factor as convenience - the handle should fit optimally in the hand and not cause discomfort during use. All this is done with the expectation of eliminating the possible risks of getting burned or overturning the pan, if it is heavy.

Many people remember the Soviet cast-iron pans at their grandmother's house. They just have a molded handle, which usually has a round oblong shape and is located on one side.

Heavier models have handles on both sides.They are standard semicircular and horizontal.

Now the cast handle is used in many models of the budget and middle classes. For a change, the handle is made of heat-resistant plastic or silicone.

The peculiarity of the models of recent years is that, in addition to heat resistance, a new property was added to the holders - if you take the handle with wet or damp hands, then it will not slide on the surface.

It is worth noting the peculiarity of cast iron pans. They were originally envisaged as frying pans without holders or with cast handles, since such a model itself is quite weighty. If it happens that the holder is not fixed correctly or not completely, then there is a possibility that the pan may fall out of the hands, and since the weight is quite large (the minimum weight starts from 2.5 kg), the impact will be very strong.

When choosing pans, models with removable handles are increasingly being purchased. This saves space both in the kitchen and in the oven, and it is much easier to load such dishes into the dishwasher. In short, kitchen utensils are becoming more compact.

The mechanism itself, thanks to which the holder is attached, can be varied.

The most popular model of the mechanism (which can be found on every 6 out of 10 pans) is considered to be a push-button. It's simple: in order to unfasten the handle, you just need to press the button, or pull it towards you, then raise the handle 45 degrees up and unfasten.

A more complex mechanism is the option when the button must be drowned.... Usually the stroke of such a button is very difficult, and you will have to work very hard to make it work as it should.

There is also this type of handle attachment, when the button must be pressed and moved away from you, then gently pull and unfasten the handle. This type of fastening is easy to use and understandable to everyone. In order to attach the handle back, everything should be done in the reverse order, only you need to wait for a click, which will notify you that the handle and the frying pan are fastened together. At the same time, the pan may move to the side, so you have to hold it with your free hand, which can cause certain inconveniences if, for example, it is in the oven.

This type of handle is not entirely removable, although it was most likely conceived as such. They are united only by the fact that they are aimed at saving space.

The foldable handle has a small "knee" in the middle, which folds at a certain angle. That is if you need to remove the frying pan, then bend this "knee" and the handle will fold in half.

There are models in which the handle is detached from the pan by unscrewing the clamping mechanism that is built into it. This method of attachment allows for a better fit and hold.

The downside is the time it takes to attach the handle to the pan. The screwing process can be performed only when you hold the pan with one hand and screw the mechanism with the other. It turns out that the frying pan at this moment should be, if not cold, then not too hot.

Handles are now made from available and well-known materials that are inexpensive, but at the same time allow the dishes to last much longer.

• Bakelite - the material that is most often used for the manufacture of handles for pans, pots and lids. This is a material that is made from heat-resistant plastic. These handles are lightweight, comfortable to hold, and don't slip out of your hands. This plastic can withstand temperatures from 260 degrees Celsius, although the temperature limit can be set by the manufacturer at his discretion, for example, up to 140-170 degrees, so before purchasing something with such handles, you should familiarize yourself with the model's characteristics.

• Metal. A convenient, but not very good option for pans, since the metal heats up very quickly. It becomes completely impossible to remove the frying pan from the fire without a potholder or a towel, because you can get burned.

• Heat resistant silicone. It is usually used for inserts on metal handles, but there are also handles that are completely framed by it. Silicone does not heat up, pleasant to the touch. The maximum heating that such a material can withstand reaches 220 degrees Celsius. But there are models in which the heat resistance is much lower.

• Stainless steel... They occupy a separate niche among the materials for pens. Often steel handles are made solid with a frying pan, rather long and protruding. They are made hollow to ensure minimal heating of the handle surface.

An overview of the frying pan with removable handle awaits you further.