VALUE FOR MONEY

This week, Value for Money assesses the merits of five frying pans.

Le Creuset 3-ply Stainless Steel Pan (28cm)

€132

Highs: Le Creuset makes very fancy (and very expensive) cookware in cheery colours which look lovely but are on the heavy side. With this pan, the company has certainly addressed the weight problem - it is surprisingly light and easy to manoeuvre. It is also very deep and the rim has a pouring lip, which the makers claim will help to prevent splashes. When we tested it on some very splashy food, it seemed to reduce the mess significantly. It has two handles to aid pouring.

Lows: Both handles tend to get very warm, which makes them a lot less useful when it comes to pouring. While this is undoubtedly a fine frying pan, it is, by our reckoning, ridiculously priced and we could never countenance spending such a sum on a pan.

Verdict: Very good but too dear

Star rating: ***

Judge Funky Frying Pan (26cm)

€39.95

Highs:This is the cheapest of the pans we reviewed and one that most people could afford without taking out a Credit Union loan. It is coated with Teflon and is very lightweight. It also comes in a range of colours, allowing you to co-ordinate your pan with your kitchen, if such things matter (although, really, they shouldn't). It is absolutely fine and will do its job without much fuss.

Lows: Compared with the upmarket options it does start to look a bit shabby, and while €40 is comparatively cheap, we reckon we could probably find a similar pan for a whole lot less. It is very shallow and consequently a little on the messy side.

Verdict: Cheap(ish) but dull

Star rating: ***

Stellar Frying Pan (28cm)

€56.25

Highs: This German-made deep pan is lightweight and good for exuberant cooking, as you can really throw it about the place without the food you're cooking flying out at speed. It is dishwasher safe and has a lifetime guarantee - although on closer inspection, that guarantee is fairly limited. This product is widely available and scores extra points for being the second cheapest option we tried. In terms of quality it is hard to fault and was particularly shiny.

Lows: We cannot say how long it will stay shiny, however. It does not seem to be nearly as nicely finished as the more expensive pans. The manufacturer promises us "stay cool handles" but what we got were "get hot very quickly" handles which was a bit of a (painful) surprise.

Verdict: Good but not great

Star rating: ***

Jamie Oliver Professional Series Frying Pan from Tefal (24cm)

€82

Highs: More of a "sauté pan" than a frying pan, although we're not sure what the difference is. It is the deepest of the pans we tried (more of a pot than a pan) so you can shake vegetables and meat about with great vigour. Its non-stick coating is safe to use with metal utensils, something Pricewatch loved it for. It has a "ThermoSpot" which tells you when it's sufficiently pre-heated, but this is of marginal use. What is handier is the ergonomic stainless-steel handle which did cool down during cooking. It comes with a lid and its steep sides lend it a greater versatility than any of the competition.

Lows: We're not convinced that buying kitchenware closely linked to a celebrity is ever a good idea, as we can't help wondering how much we're paying for that celeb tie-in.

Verdict: Very good and very versatile

Star rating: ****

Woll Pan (28cm)

€105

Highs: We're not proud to admit it, but the science behind this handmade pan impressed us more than it should have. Apparently aluminium titanium oxides are flared onto the surface at high temperatures and at sonic speeds to toughen up its non-stickiness. And as if that weren't enough, it also scores "nine on the hardness scale" which, we're guessing, makes it pretty well hard. This is a wonderfully solid cast iron pan which gives off a nice even heat that allowed us to brown everything we cooked evenly while using little oil. It has a detachable handle so it goes in the oven, and if treated well will last a lifetime.

Lows: It's the heaviest of the pans we tried and unless you have wrists that score at least a nine on the hardness scale you can forget about flipping pancakes with it. It's pretty pricey as well.

Verdict: Top notch

Star rating: *****