Crofton 11″ Stainless Steel Frying Pan
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Few kitchen utensils are more underrated to me — outside of maybe the spatula — than the almighty skillet. When I stop to think of just how many things I cook in a skillet, it quickly becomes apparent that this is the go-to cooking surface in the kitchen. Saucepans have their use, as do pots and griddles, but when it comes to browning meat, cooking breakfast, or sauteing vegetables, I usually find myself reaching for a skillet.
When my wife and I got married, we got a fancy Calphalon pan, but for the most part we’ve done budget skillets since then, including a number of them from Aldi. Some of them have been quite good, even Calphalon-esque, while others are the use-for-a-few-years-and-toss kinds. Because our Aldi skillet history has been more good than bad, I do keep an eye out for whenever the grocer dishes out a new one.
That’s why, when Aldi stocked a stainless steel skillet recently, I decided to add it to our culinary collection.
The Crofton 11″ Stainless Steel Frying Pan (Product Code: 826430) is an Aldi Find. That means it’s only in stores for a limited time, and once it’s sold out, you won’t be able to find it again until it comes back, whenever (or if ever) that might be. You can’t order this online if it’s sold out at your local store.
This frying pan retailed for $14.99 at post time. That’s on the low end of prices for what I can find, particularly when stainless steel is involved.
Here’s what Aldi has to say about it:
- Suitable for all cooking surfaces, including induction
- Honeycomb pattern improves scratch resistance and helps protect the underlying ILAG Ultimate HL non-stick coating
- Stainless steel body for durability
- Encapsulated base for optimum heat distribution
- Heat resistant up to 428°F
- High quality riveted handles
The skillet comes with a 2-year warranty serviced by Protel, a common warranty service provider.
A few additional notes about the construction. One, the packaging indicates that it is safe for gas, electric, glass ceramic, induction, and halogen. Two, the nonstick is ILAG Ultimate HL, which according to the company’s site is a three-layer application that includes PTFE (polytetrafluorethylene), the same family as Teflon. Three, the package says it is dishwasher safe, although the fine print in the care instructions notes that the pan will last longer if it’s cleaned by hand. Four, while it has a relatively high heat resistance, it is not suitable for oven use.
The skillet’s build is interesting on a few levels, not the least of them being the honeycomb lattice on the inside of the skillet. The package says that the lattice helps prevent scratching and damage to the underlying non-stick, which in theory should help prolong the life of the skillet.
The skillet is also lightweight. We have mixed feelings about this, as some of our less durable skillets have been lighter. On the other hand, it does heat up quickly, and we can hope the stainless steel and honeycomb design help prolong the life.
Our first use wasn’t bad. I made scrambled eggs, which I think are a good test because they can get stuck on the surface.
We were impressed. The eggs cooked up quickly and evenly on the skillet, and they didn’t stick to the skillet, not even in the honeycomb area. The handle stayed cool throughout, and because it isn’t heavy, it’s simple to handle. Cleanup, too, was very easy, with a dish cloth and soap and water getting things off in a snap.
The Verdict:
The Crofton 11″ Stainless Steel Frying Pan is a promising skillet, despite the fact that it looks a little different than most other skillets we’ve owned. It’s lightweight, heats quickly and evenly, and cleans just as well. The price isn’t too shabby, either. We don’t know how long it will last, but the warranty is a nice extra.
