Frying pan flatness

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ajbw

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#323882 29-Jan-2026 20:50

We have two Essteele and one Le Creuset frying pans.

I have noticed that on all of them the centre is raised slightly - only by about 0.5mm,
but that's enough to make a thin layer of cooking oil go to the outer edge, so the centre
doesn't get enough.

They are used on an induction hob. The Essteele ones are a couple of years old and the Le Creuset is much older.

I've not been round the shops checking new ones with a straight edge...

Anyone else noticed this phenomenon?

Are we mistreating them somehow?

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#3457052 29-Jan-2026 21:08

Got one that has done the opposite - started out flat and has dropped in the centre by a few mm so doesn't sit flat on the hob.

networkn

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#3457053 29-Jan-2026 21:12

The most common reason for that is temperature applied too quickly, or cooling too quickly. One time I burned something in a pan and I stupidly ran it under cold water immediately. It was never the same afterward.

Many pans have a slight unevenness at the start, because as the pan heats up and cools down over a period of time, they can become uneven in the opposite direction and that makes them flat.

Also, your cooktop may not be dead level, or the element, or the cupboards, floors or your house as it's moved over time.

MadEngineer

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#3457069 29-Jan-2026 22:29

I think all my frying pans do that, mind you we wouldn’t spend more than $100 on a pan. Didn’t know it was a problem. I just swish the oil around to cover the surface once it’s hot then add the food.

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mattwnz

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#3457075 29-Jan-2026 23:14

We had our Crusiart one do this over time although in reverse, but it was used with gas, which I guess is potentially hotter. It however was designed to work on both gas and induction. Not much you can do about it.

Le Cruset is a premium brand, and I thought their pans were cast iron. We have a cast iron wok made them them which we use on the induction hob and it is awesome as it has a flat base.

pih

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#3457076 29-Jan-2026 23:44

It's a simple case of heat expansion. Cheaper pans with thinner bases warp more easily, and when the heat differential between the centre of the pan and the outside is greatest: putting a hot pan under cold water will often warp it, as has already been pointed out. It can also happen when you put a large pan on a small element at high temperatures, and induction is probably worse than other types since there's no radiant/convective heat transfer to the area surrounding the element which would increase the differential.

You could try pans with a thicker base, cast iron may be less susceptible. I think most consumer-grade pressed alu/stainless pans will slowly warp over time, and the really thin cheap ones do it pretty quickly.

Tinkerisk

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#3457079 29-Jan-2026 23:58

The pans mentioned are sized so that they should lie flat when heated to a high (right) temperature. Pans are a topic that divides opinion.

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#3457105 30-Jan-2026 07:24

My few year old but rarely used Le Creuset frying pan on induction hob seems pretty flat. I've had new Tefal pans arrive somewhat warped.

Handsomedan

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#3457113 30-Jan-2026 08:23

timmmay:

My few year old but rarely used Le Creuset frying pan on induction hob seems pretty flat. I've had new Tefal pans arrive somewhat warped.

Slightly off topic, but we have never had great success with long-term use of Tefal pans. Great when new and quickly become terrible.

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#3457120 30-Jan-2026 08:38

Handsomedan:

timmmay:

My few year old but rarely used Le Creuset frying pan on induction hob seems pretty flat. I've had new Tefal pans arrive somewhat warped.

Slightly off topic, but we have never had great success with long-term use of Tefal pans. Great when new and quickly become terrible.

Le Creuset may seem expensive, but less expensive in the long run if regularly changing out Tefal et al.

We have had good experience buying from Le Creuset NZ internet site. They cycle products for sale prices, but everything eventually pretty much everything becomes available for 30 - 40% off, just be patient.

cddt

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#3457125 30-Jan-2026 08:56

Get a cast iron pan and never worry about it again. :)

Eva888

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#3457148 30-Jan-2026 09:48

My Scan Pan stainless steel 26” does this, oil to the sides, but the smaller egg pan doesn’t. As above I just swish the oil to the middle as I fry. It’s a small inconvenience that I put up with to have non coated pans.

Love the cast iron pans but find them too heavy to lift thus they sit unused. Wish someone would cast them with a thick bottom but thin sides to drop the weight down. Or maybe they could put a handle either side so easier to lift.

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MikeB4

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#3457160 30-Jan-2026 10:16

networkn:

The most common reason for that is temperature applied too quickly, or cooling too quickly. One time I burned something in a pan and I stupidly ran it under cold water immediately. It was never the same afterward.

Many pans have a slight unevenness at the start, because as the pan heats up and cools down over a period of time, they can become uneven in the opposite direction and that makes them flat.

Also, your cooktop may not be dead level, or the element, or the cupboards, floors or your house as it's moved over time.

My wife never pre-heats pans. She will start at a low temp then crank up. exception is the Le Creuset. The Le Creuset she will pre-heat then turn off the heat a bit before starting to cook. Another exception is searing especially the griddles she pre-heats close to Sun temperatures.

Another method she uses most of the time is applying oils or fats to the food before placing in the pans.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

timmmay

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#3457269 30-Jan-2026 14:30

Handsomedan:

Slightly off topic, but we have never had great success with long-term use of Tefal pans. Great when new and quickly become terrible.

I agree, they last me 6 - 12 months but I cook with them twice most days. The Le Creuset is very robust but I have to use a LOT of oil to stop things sticking like glue, eggs are pretty much a non-starter, halloumi sticks pretty badly but it's usable if you drown it in oil, but it's fine for vegetables and other things. So all in all the LC is a bit rubbish for what I eat, and it's worth it to me to have a non-stick pan even if they don't last long.

I got a discount code from New World a couple of years ago on Tefal pans at Briscoes. There happened to be a Briscoes sale on as well. The discounts combined and I got 75% or off pans. I bought six of them only because I thought if I bought more it might be noticed! I've still got a few in the cupboard. But even at the regular 50% off they're ok value, I just recycle them afterwards. Looking at my receipts I can see they increase in price by $5 - $10 each year for the model with similar capabilities, and they don't last any longer. I'm pretty careful with them too, not letting them get too hot and cleaning gently.

RunningMan

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#3457272 30-Jan-2026 14:58

Prompted me to try flattening mine using this method:

TwoSeven

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#3457273 30-Jan-2026 15:06

Seems to me to be a mix of cheap pan, and not knowing how to select and use a pan for the task

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