WOLL Logic Pan - a product review

Many years ago, I lamented on this very forum about my bad track record with non-stick cookware. It didn't matter how much a pan cost, I would invariably kill it in under a year. I'd tried every brand - Scanpan, Tefal, the one with the 10 year guarantee and the honeycomb base, all of them had coating lifting off or blistering/chipping within a few months. The boys took to buying me a new non-stick pan every Christmas, which we'd usually toss out by August of the following year.

Two years ago, Pete thought he'd nailed it, and bought me a Swiss Diamond pan. This was an excellent pan, and for most people, it would have been fine, and the coating would have last for ages. However, all the non-stick pans we'd had until then (including the SD) had specified usage over medium heat only, but no-one ever defines what medium heat is. Is it high on a small burner, or medium on a large burner ? Anyway, we managed to raise tiny blisters even on the Swiss Diamond pan, and I hadn't heated it above medium on the large burner, but perhaps that was still too hot. To their credit, the Swiss Diamond people honoured their guarantee, and gave us a credit at the kitchenware store. This is where the story gets good. :)

Pete spoke to the knowledgeable owner of the kitchenware store, and informed him of his Asian wife's dilemma - wanting to cook fish in a non-stick yet still smoking hot pan (she was raised, he said, by a mother with firm views about wok hey, and was incapable of cooking over a low heat). He pointed Pete to the Woll range. That was December 2006. I'm happy to report that this gorgeous, sturdy, non-stick European treasure is in exactly the same shape as it was the day he brought it home. It has been used nearly every single day to fry bacon and eggs for the boys' breakfast. We have cooked paella, fried rice, caramel and steak in it. Tonight, we shallow-fried softshell crab in it. I was more than a little optimistic when the instructions on opening read "Heat pan dry over heat to 300 degrees, then add oil" or words to that effect. I know those of you in the US have All-Clad (Robin kindly suggested that as an option all those years ago, but they've only just become available in Australia), but if you're considering a new non-stick pan purchase, I can recommend the Woll Logic Pan. Oh, and it cleans up a treat, and the handles are heat-resistant up to 220 deg C, which means you can cook on the stove, and finish in the oven.

Cheers, Celia

Thanks for the recco! The inability to get wok hey (and its western equivalent) has kept me away from non-stick. And I can't use a "regular" wok because of the way my stove is set up. Now to see if I can get these in the US...

And I can't use a "regular" wok because of the way my stove is set up. ...

What? You mean, you don't have one of these?

That is sooooooooo tempting....

Thanks for the review. Like you I am hard on non-stick and I have given up on finding any that work. My All-Clad at least did not peel off but it is not what I would call non-stick anymore.

I can recommend the Woll Logic Pan. Oh, and it cleans up a treat, and the handles are heat-resistant up to 220 deg C, which means you can cook on the stove, and finish in the oven.

Celia,
Some of your comments mirror my own experiences. I've managed to blister, accidentaly scratch and basically 'ruin' expensive pans. In fact I have got to the stage where I'm thinking that cheap pans will last as long. Now my No.1 pan is coming up to the 2-year mark, but even though I've taken the utmost care and tried not to let the pan get too hot, it has started to blister and needs replacing.
These WOLL pans sound absolutely ideal. Unfortunately the only 'Woll' that comes up on a NZ google search is a mispelling for 'will' and the top two kitchenware shops do not have that brand in their list either. But if they are in Autralia, then hopefully that means they will be here soon. Otherwise I just might have to get one shipped over.
Thanks so much for the tip.
Cheers,
Sue

No US distributor. Stuff looks fabulous.

Hey, Gary....

I'm sure it's not far off, Stuart. In the space of a year, the brand has become widely available in Australia; in 2006 I knew of only one store that stocked it.

I found the instruction brochure that came with the pan, and my memory was correct. It reads :

2. Cooking Always heat up the pan first, without any ingredients. Once the pan is hot, add oil/fat and reduce heat to the desired level. Food may, of course, also be prepared without oil or fat.

4. Note Our products reach a temperature of approx. 300°C after 3 minutes when heated up empty at the highest level on any common make of stove. You should therefore, use oils/fats that are suitable for the cooking temperature required. Thanks to the hard, base sealing coat, you can also use metal kitchen utensils. Visible signs of use on the surface will not affect the product's function.

I have to say that I had another look this morning (after we'd shallow-fried the crab in this pan), and there really aren't any visible signs of use. However, old habits die hard, and I still can't bring myself to use metal implements in a non-stick pan !

We're such fans that we now own three of the Woll frypans in different sizes. I'm eyeing off the casserole pan, but Pete is adamant that there is no more room in the kitchen to store another thing ! Oh, and because I know what excites us foodies, here's the Woll production video..

Well, obviously I need to go to Europe and pick some up. That's the only solution.

Sounds like there could be a whole market just waiting to be tapped there, Cynthia ! :D

Ooh, jeez, John . . .

The genuine Chinese wok gas range is really tempting. If I had the room in my kitchen, I'd buy one in a heartbeat. As things stand, I do stir-frying outdoors (where I have a high-BTU gas ring) when the weather permits; otherwise I cook on a butane ring--until I can get a gas range (hopefully soon). But whatever happens, I'm resigned to having an underpowered burner for stir-frying. At least while I'm living where I am now. . . . .

Hope springs eternal.

-Paul W.

Paul, eat yer heart out, my sister in Singapore built a dedicated wet kitchen..

Paul, eat yer heart out, my sister in Singapore built a dedicated wet kitchen..

Ooh. I'm transported to another plane by the very thought.

-Paul W.

Many years ago, I lamented on this very forum about my bad track record with non-stick cookware. It didn't matter how much a pan cost, I would invariably kill it in under a year. I'd tried every brand - Scanpan, Tefal, the one with the 10 year guarantee and the honeycomb base, all of them had coating lifting off or blistering/chipping within a few months. The boys took to buying me a new non-stick pan every Christmas, which we'd usually toss out by August of the following year.

Celia
I'm still desperately looking for a looking a pan and the time has that I simply must buy. I have not seen the Woll pans here. With all the pans you have been through, have you come across the Infinite Circulon? It appears to be an Australian brand by Meyer Cookware - http://www.cookwarebrands.com.au. It is suitable for all cook tops and can take oven temps up to 240 degrees C.
The cookware shop has a sale for two weeks and the two pan set (20cm and 30cm) is down from $210 to $150.
Would appreciate any feedback that you, or anyone else can give me.
Cheers,
Sue

Sue, the Circulon name has been around for a while now, but I don't know about the Infinite range. From memory, I think Circulon is a middle of the road range - I'm not sure how good their non-stick would be? Were you specifically looking for an induction pan?

Sue, the Circulon name has been around for a while now, but I don't know about the Infinite range. From memory, I think Circulon is a middle of the road range - I'm not sure how good their non-stick would be? Were you specifically looking for an induction pan?

Er, what's an induction pan? I am looking for a nonstick pan/skillet that I can use on my ceramic cooktop without the pan warping over time, and also one that I can pop into the oven if necessary.

Induction pan is one for cooking on an induction stove, which the Circulon one is. Just checking because the Woll pans aren't suitable for induction hobs.

Sue, a thought - if you can't get Woll, the Swiss Diamond pan we had was almost as good. It lasted a good year, and even when we took it back, the damage was minimal, and I'd been pretty brutal on it. Not sure how the handles go in the oven though.

Celia

Hello MG Babe,

I received a Meyer Circulon as a gift and I really like it. And I'm a guy that prefers All-Clad stainless.

I'm not sure what the circles actually accomplish (I'm thinking that may be somewhat of a gimmick) but the coating has proved to be very durable and the pan has a nice heft to it. The handle stays cool and it can go from stove top to oven. I have even exceeded the manufactures recommendation for highest oven temperature and have still not had a problem. No warping either. And in the U.S. at least, they are more often on sale than not.

Celia,
I do need an induction skillet and was very happy to see that the Woll web page does show induction pans ! Now to get one .....Thanks

WOO HOO...I am so glad I have In-laws in England...should receive my first Woll saucepan for Christmas!

Thanks for the review and reco Celia. This couldn't have come at a better time, since I am planning to replace my pots and pans this yr (7 yr old T-Fal). I can not wait to try the new pans.

I hope you like it, Maria. Actually, I hope you get it - my mother has already tried to steal mine!

It's now been nearly 2 years, and the pans are all still going strong! The outsides are a bit grottier, but the insides are still great - no blistering or obvious wear.

I recently bought my first Swiss Diamond pan, a small one. So far, so good. My big fry-pans are Calphalon One anodized, which are good but take some getting used to.

The link below, from this morning's NYT, describes a non-stick pan surface rated to 870 degrees F.

I am not familiar with this cooking surface, but it might fit the need for high temperature resistance in a non-stick pan.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/08/dining/08curi.html?ref=dining