Titanium pan advice needed

[jay clock]

Just writing my Xmas wishlist and thinking about a new pan. I am not a fan of non stick as they seem to a) stick and b) see a).

I don't do mega cooking so generally use an aluminium pan that looks like this http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/pic/?pic_id=1402020 - am guessing about a litre.

I really I want one without a handle as I have a plastic one, and the folding handles seem to need a cloth to stop burning fingers. A lid would be great

So any suggestions, plus also cleaning advice. Ideally I want to be able to scour roughly (like you can with stainless pan) to remove baked on stuff as tends to happen when I cook.....

 

[Profpointy]

My advice is don't get a titanium pan as it's a particularly poor material for making pans out of.

Primary problem is that Ti is a particularly poor conductor of heat, which is a bad thing in a pan since you then get hot spots, leading to sticking, leading to burning - which is both bad for cooking and makes washing up harder. Just to be clear, the poor conductivity is about not being able to heat things evenly, not about getting the heat into the pan - which is neither here nor there.

The great strength of titanium is no great benefit in a pan and the high price for a bad material is just the final straw.

Aluminium is the best for lightweight cooking pots as it's a very good conductor, cheap, and light, and perfectly strong enough.

Stainless steel, or titanium even, is fine for merely boiling water as conductivity doesn't really matter, but for actual cooking, both are poor materials.

Of course, Ti is great for bling appeal, but is crap for the job in this case

 

[steve50]

This forum is full of informative posts and knowledgeable people, I learn something new every day

 

[fossyant]

Go carbon. Won't melt.

 

[Profpointy]

My advice is don't get a titanium pan as it's a particularly poor material for making pans out of.

Primary problem is that Ti is a particularly poor conductor of heat, which is a bad thing in a pan since you then get hot spots, leading to sticking, leading to burning - which is both bad for cooking and makes washing up harder. Just to be clear, the poor conductivity is about not being able to heat things evenly, not about getting the heat into the pan - which is neither here nor there.

The great strength of titanium is no great benefit in a pan and the high price for a bad material is just the final straw.

Aluminium is the best for lightweight cooking pots as it's a very good conductor, cheap, and light, and perfectly strong enough.

Stainless steel, or titanium even, is fine for merely boiling water as conductivity doesn't really matter, but for actual cooking, both are poor materials.

Of course, Ti is great for bling appeal, but is crap for the job in this case

EDIT - perhaps I should confess I've never used a titanium pan, but as the great man said "ye canna break the laws of physics" so I'm confident my conclusion stands, just as I would be if counselling against using a chocolate pan.

 

[jay clock]

excellent comments. I was really only going for the lightweight bling factor! I am going to compare weights of alu vs steel as I really like the thought of getting it clean easily

 

[psmiffy]

ditto to all of above - live from the midi - alloy above - stainless steel below

 

[andrew_s]

Titanium is tough - you can scour it pretty much as much as you like without any noticeable effect, and you've got to work quite hard to dent it.
On the other hand, like profpointy says, the low conductivity means it's more prone to hot spots, and you've got to do more stirring to keep things from burning on.

Plain aluminium is lighter, and you don't need to stir so much to keep things from burning on, but it scratches up very easily, which makes for more cleaning required to keep meal flavours out of your after dinner tea.

I'd recommend hard anodized aluminium, which is just about as conductive as plain aluminium, but has a hard surface that's fairly easy to clean.
https://www.alpkit.com/products/alipots

 

[jay clock]

cheers @andrew_s - are they in fact non stick as that is said in one of the reviews?

 

[Blue Hills]

Have you looked at hard anodised aluminium jay clock? My Trangia set is hard anodised and I have a separate hard anodised frying pan for another stove. Very nice non stick finish. Tough. Light enough. Pretty cheap from several sources. Vango I think do an entire set.

 

[Profpointy]

Although I've got a plain bare aluminium trangia set, I'd probably go for their hard anodised version if buying again - though I've not used a hard anodised pan camping or in kitchen. That or their non-stick but admittedly non stick has a finite life - and I can't see the value of the non-stick kettle as I'ver yet to experience burnt water sticking to a kettle.

 

[Blue Hills]

Just checked jayclock and the Vango set (more than just a single pan) does also have the folding handle you don't like. I would check out hard anodised options from other makers though. I share your distrust of "traditional" non stick.

>>Just writing my Xmas wishlist and thinking about a new pan.

I congratulate you by the way on the modesty of your Christmas ambitions. Very refreshing in this mega corporate/commercialised/bling age. Do treat yourself to an orange and a pair of socks as well though.

all the best.

Would be interested in your final decision.

And more strength to profpointy for his persistent skewering of titanium cookware.

 

[uphillstruggler]

Have a look at this

https://www.outdooraction.co.uk/cam...d-pans/robens/robens-solo-cookset-pd-5543.php

plenty of other options in their site too.

 

[Blue Hills]

I have one of those - cost me a fiver - it is very generally available under many many brands. It makes a very handy kettle as well - boiling of water for tea/coffee/chucking on cous cous for an uber quick and tasty meal.

outdoor action is a good shop, well worth popping in to for anyone blackburn way, though they did once talk me out of buying a half price trangia which I don't thank them for.

 

[Profpointy]

Despite the physicist in me poo-pooing titanium pans I did buy some blingtastic titanium cutlery. Silly but couldn't help myself and the poor conductivity means you don't burn your fingers stirring hot soup.