Guides

What frying pans professional kitchens actually use, why black iron, stainless steel and aluminium dominate, where non-stick fits in, and what the evidence says about titanium.

What consumer testers say about how long frying pans last, the signs it is time for a new one, the habits that wear pans out faster and what manufacturer guarantees actually cover.

Titanium spreads heat about as poorly as stainless steel, sticks if you skip preheating and costs more than basic non-stick. Every downside, with sources, how to live with it and who is better off with a different pan.

What Which? and BBC Good Food actually measure when they test frying pans, how titanium pans fit in, and how to use the same checks to judge a titanium pan yourself.

Titanium is not magnetic, so a pan made only of titanium will not heat properly on an induction hob. How a stainless steel base solves it, how to check any pan with a magnet and what to expect when cooking on induction.

The Council of Europe describes titanium as practically inert, but many safety worries concern E171 or titanium-reinforced non-stick coatings. What is established and what is not.

Titanium-reinforced non-stick, a titanium surface on a clad body or solid titanium: what you are really buying, what the evidence says on safety, the honest downsides and what to check before you buy.

Titanium and stainless steel conduct heat almost equally, but weight, metal leaching, induction compatibility and price set them apart. A sourced, number-led comparison to help you choose.

"Titanium" can mean a coated aluminium pan, a multi-layer pan with a bare titanium surface, or solid titanium. Here is how to tell which one you are buying.