De BuyerMINERAL B Carbon Steel Fry Pan - 10.25” Diameter, 7.3” Cooking Surface - Ideal for Searing, Sauteing & Reheating - PFAS, PFOA & PFOS Free - Made in France

I had been in the hunt for a healthier alternative to my Teflon coated non-stick pans when I ran into these here on Amazon. I was rather skeptical of the non stick ability many claimed possible with the De Buyer Mineral B pans. Reading the existing reviews, it seemed that all stressed proper seasoning and in between use care. Instead of jumping on the Green Earth or Bialetti pan bandwagon, which seemed to be plagued with poor quality, I decided to read up a bit on the seasoning process. I visited a few forums, watched a few you tube videos and placed my first iron pan order.Though not directly recommended by De Buyer for this particular pan, I followed instructions to boil potato skins for 15-20 minutes before starting the seasoning process. I usually would follow the manufacturers specific instructions but the information for pre-seasoning with the potato skins came from a very respected chef on a popular forum who also fancies the De Buyer product. After the boil process I seasoned my new De Buyer pan with peanut oil using the method dictated on the De Buyer website. The process was completely painless and the pans are better than expected.It has now been several weeks since my first Mineral B fry pan purchase, the 10.2" model. I was so infatuated with the original pan that I have now purchase nearly the entire set of the Mineral B line. They are truly non-stick when seasoned properly. They cook like a dream. They heat up so quickly and when I change the heat setting on my stove they seem to adopt the new temperature much quicker than my previous pans. I had a little trouble getting used to not using soap to wash these; instead rinsing with very hot water and wiping/lightly scrubbing out as necessary. The process is just so different than what I was used to but after doing it for a while I find it easier.If you are the type of person that needs a pan to look perfectly clean and spotless, these are not for you. I say this as the interiors darken with age and they blue a bit on the outside. This keeps them from looking brand new for very long (though I think they look even better as they get more use). If you have trouble following directions or would prefer a "maintenance free" pan, this pan more than likely isn't for you either. They do require a simplified method of maintenance but require salt purifying from time to time and should be oiled after each use (again, painless but a tiny bit more work that the average Teflon pan). Also, these pans and the entire line as a whole are rather heavy. If weight is a concern, these pans are probably out of the question. If however you are looking for a healthier alternative to other non stick pans with durability to boot and don't mind a bit more time in the kitchen, these high quality pans are right up your alley.On another note, I have found my favorite amongst the Mineral B line-up. They are the De Buyer Mineral B Country Chef pans. I bought both the 9.4" (De Buyer Mineral B Element Country Chef, 9.4") and the 12.6" (De Buyer Mineral B Element Country Chef, 12.6")versions and they are by far my most used pans of the set. They are similar to a deep wall skillet but with the volume and practicality of a saute. The smaller version works very well in place of a saucepan and the larger is perfect for stir fry dishes and meals for larger groups. Well worth looking into.Enjoy!

I've had this pan for 9 years and never wrote a review. Well, let me take care of the right now.If you like cast iron pans, you will love this pan. It's like using and caring for a cast iron pan, but easier to care for IMHO.The pan is made with quality iron, and once the pan is cured, it will cook like a nonstick pan, and it's easy to clean as well.The De Buyer conducts heat very well, spreading the heat evenly to cook your meals without any issues. I like this pan.

So, I rarely write reviews, but I have to with this. Bottom line so far, this is a great pan, IF YOU USE IT RIGHT.Did you all read that? use...it...right. For all your international readers, I'm American AND a man, so that's two strikes against me. Anyway, lets get to it:1. I read nightmares for some reason about what coating came on it, and thought it was encased in some sort of concrete or magic substance that ruined the pan and the purchasers life as well. I have no idea what they were speaking of, because I followed the directions (for once) and ran it under scalding hot faucet water for 5 minutes and scrubbed off the light coating of beeswax off that it comes with. I assumed it was there, I didn't really notice anything, but I took their word for it and did it anyway.2. I seasoned it like they instructed, by filling it with a plain tasting (canola or vegetable) oil using 1-2 mm (again, I'm American so I guessed what that is, because we feel that the metric system isn't any good) and heating it until it smoked...about 5-10 minutes. WATCH THE PAN, it happens fast; I think this is probably where everyone else went wrong, leaving them with a burnt mess that ruined the pan. I turned the burner off, let it sit for an hour, and cleaned as instructed in #3 below.3. After cooking, wash it with hot water and a plastic scrubby, never use anything else or soap. NOT the stainless chain mail for cast iron, NOT soap, use a plastic scrubby. If it gets anything particularly chunky on it, use the plastic scrubby and kosher salt as an abrasive. Dry it with a paper towel then over a flame for a minute or two..again, don't burn the pan doing this, it will ruin the seasoning.. Put a DAB or oil....not a tablespoon, or a dash, or anything in between....just a dab on a paper towel and rub it into the bottom and sides of the cooking surface and you're done. You should really feel almost nothing if done correctly.4. This is a carbon steel pan, not your mothers indestructible old Teflon or even Sliverstone. You have to know how to season it, take care of it, and most importantly cook on it. Again, being American and a man, we tend to cook everything on atomic blast for maximum effect and doneness. Go USA.Not so with these types of pans. medium or medium high should always be the rule at best, and usually low to medium suffices. I cooked 2 sunny side up eggs this morning starting out on medium high heat for 60 seconds (covered), then down to low heat for a few minutes until the top was just finished and no longer runny. Yes...they SLID RIGHT OUT after freeing up one sticky corner. Trust me, not one was more shocked...and pleased... than me.5. The pan will look caramel brown at first, then eventually dark brown...that's supposed to happen. The more colorful it gets the more non stick it gets. That's a beautiful pan right there to use when it looks like that.-The only cons so far, if they can be one, is that it is HEAVY...but it is supposed to be if you know anything about pans. This is a 9.5 inch, and if I get the 12 inch I can only imagine the weight....but for the quality it's worth it.-Secondly, although it is billed as a "10" pan" the sides are sloped up from the bottom sooner than most other pans...this gives you a bit less cooking area for things such as burgers, etc. Not a big issue, just noticeable when you use it. But again, worth it.-Lastly, since it is very susceptible to heat, this is NOT a pan to cook delicate things in such as crepes (this is the wrong pan anyway), or things that need high heat for long periods of time (it would tend to get away from you) but you get my point; this is a pan that will take getting used to, but again, well worth it.Overall, a solid pan that so far I love.

Thickness is more than Made In which makes the cooking more even across the pan.But both are 'dished' so that the don't spin on your cooktop.The problem with this, if you're frying eggs is that the whites will settle in the corners and won't cook thru.....annoying. Same with bacon: only the bacon at the center of the pan will get crispy while the ends stay raw.Instead buy a good stainless 5 ply (with copper core if possible) for these other uses, where the bottom is thick and perfectly flat and not dished. So Made In stainless (Italy) which professionals use or Mauviel and Heston are gorgeous.However I love it for searing steak or chicken which works perfectly once seasoned to be non-stick.