Pans with metal handles are expensive, but they are considered the most flexible cookware. Aside from its prolonged durability, you can quickly transform your cookware into bakeware—reducing extra steps.
It’s common for panhandles to come off because metal is the most robust material for a handle. A low-cost pan usually made from plastic handles attached to a metal pan is the cheapest, but it will melt through time. In addition, there is some confusion about how certain materials conduct heat, so some people ask, “why do pans have wooden handles?” or “can I put a pan with a rubber handle in the oven?“
If you’re looking for cookware that will endure a long time or even a lifetime, you should use metal handles. You won’t have to be bothered about the handles of your pans popping off while you’re transporting a scorching hot batch of soup or fried meat if they are made of pure metal.
When using pans with metal handles, take extra precautions to avoid burning yourself. Even if they’re a little on the heated side, they fulfill their purpose admirably. Ensure that your hands are always covered.
Stainless steel, iron, or carbon steel are the most common metals used in the construction of metal handles. Tubular stainless-steel handles are strong and oven safe. If you’re using a tiny skillet, the stick handle will heat up faster than if you’re using a large sauté pan or a tall saucepan since the handle is closer to the heat source.
However, not all metal handles are the same. Riveted metal handles are the most durable. Also, the rivets on this handle are robust and permanent, so you won’t have to worry about tightening them ever again.
Why Do Cooking Pans Have Metal Handles?
Cooking panhandles come in various materials, including metal, which is the most popular. Metal is a good heat conductor, making it ideal for stove-to-oven cooking because of its better temperature resistance.
Metals are a good heat conductor because they’re made of metal. To put it another way: if you possess an aluminum handle on a metal pot, you risk burning your hands.
One of the benefits of metal handles on a pan is that they will last longer. Furthermore, metal handles are more durable than plastic or wooden ones because of their strength and sturdiness.
Metal handles’ only problem is that they get hot when cooking. Oven mitts are required to contact the pan’s grip if you want to lift it barehanded.
Additionally, metal handles are better at coping with high temperatures because they are more heat resistant. If your pan has metal handles, you may easily place it in the oven to bake.
Stainless steel handles are the best metal handles. This is since stainless steel heats up far more slowly than iron or carbon steel handles.
To determine how quickly the handle of your pan heats up, you need to know what kind of metal it is. Cast-iron, carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum are the most common metals used to make metal handles. Their ability to dissipate heat is deficient in all three of these materials.
It is also essential to consider the design of the handle when determining how quickly the temperature of a metal handle increases. For example, it is possible to weld a metal handle to a hot pan with minimal contact, which will reduce heat transfer.
Why Do Cooking Pans Not Have Metal Handles?
As an effective heat insulator, plastic handles are frequently used on frying pans since they do not conduct heat as metal ones do. The heat will be absorbed and become unbearably hot if we use a heat conductor such as a metal handle.
The capacity of wooden handles to remain excellent for long durations is one of their most appealing features. As a result, you won’t have to worry about burning yourself on your pan’s wooden handles when lifting it.
The biggest drawback of a pan with wooden handles is that it cannot be used in the oven because of the handles. Even though wood doesn’t catch fire until it reaches 800 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s still dangerous to use in a range.
At higher temperatures, wooden handles produce harmful flammable vapors. As a result of these gases, an oven explosion is possible, so an oven’s wooden handles should never be used.
Wooden handles also have the drawback of not being dishwasher safe. Wooden handles placed inside a dishwasher can readily absorb water. This water evaporates when the handles heat up, causing the wood to decompose.
Plastic handles, like wooden handles, are incredibly convenient and comfortable for pans because they don’t get hot. Metal handles, meanwhile, have a much greater ability to conduct heat. It’s because of this that they’re incredibly safe to cook with.
Even if a stove’s next burner’s flame mistakenly hits the plastic handles, the handles will begin to melt. This means that plastic handles are much less durable than metal handles. So if you’re using a pan with plastic handles, keep this in mind to avoid melting them.
Why Are Pan Handles Hollow?
Panhandles made with plastic are hollow for a reason: it provides a lightweight grip while allowing heat to escape faster than denser materials. In addition, using a recessed panhandle will reduce strain from your end.
Tubular handles made of stainless steel are strong and can be used in the oven. The stainless steel has been shaped into a tubular shape to create an airflow up the handle. As a result, heat from the heated pan is dissipated more slowly.
Generally, long stick handles are more likely to remain remarkable than shorter handles. If you’re using a tiny skillet, the stick handle will heat up faster than if you’re using a large sauté pan or tall saucepan because the handle is closer to the heat source.
The diffusion of heat through the pan can be slowed down using plastic. Plastic is not an excellent heat conductor, so this is the case. Plastic handles, which have a more excellent surface than the pan attached, make it difficult for heat particles to travel through.
Insulation in panhandles is widespread. When it comes to heat-insulating materials, wood and plastic are beautiful choices. However, if you use the best plastic for the handles of your saucepans, your cookware will be more durable due to thermosetting plastic’s better heat-resistance qualities.
