Is IKEA's Affordable Stainless Steel Frying Pan Worth It? The Reviews Are Mixed

IKEA is known for a lot of things: Swedish meatballs, assemble-it-yourself furniture, and household items that you can't beat the price on. If you've come across some of their kitchen items, you might be surprised by the vast inventory and curious as to the quality of said products. One particular item, the 365+ stainless steel frying pan, offers a low price for a material that is generally beloved for cooking a variety of foods. The question remains, however, as to whether it is worth it. 

The IKEA 365+ frying pan ($29.99) is a reasonably priced cooking tool that boasts some serious versatility in terms of its build. You can use it on the stove to fry an egg or pop it into the oven to reheat or keep a dish warm. It has earned the distinction of being one of IKEA's best-selling products, with nearly 400 reviews. Here is where things get interesting, though, because the average rating works itself out to 3.8 stars. Some customers rave about the pan, saying that it is high-quality and well-designed. It seems strange, then, that many other reviews criticize the pan, saying that food sticks to it terribly. Although the negative reviews are understandable in their frustration (after all, is there anything worse than a skillet with burnt-on egg?), it's time to dig a little deeper to understand the massive divide between positive and negative reviews.

As mentioned, the 365+ frying pan is a favorite among its supporters. One review writes, "This purchase is my second. The quality is outstanding. They heat evenly and are easy to clean." It doesn't take long, however, to get disheartened by the numerous negative reviews, which all seem to complain about the same experience: food relentlessly sticking to the pan. Review after review says things like, "Got this pan a couple weeks ago and have not been able to cook with it without everything sticking and burning to this pan." While poor product design is sometimes to blame for lackluster performance, something else is at play in the case of this frying pan. 

One astute reviewer from the Netherlands cracked the case of the 365+ frying pan wide open when they pointed out that all of the product reviews were either hugely positive or entirely dismal. Indeed, there is more to the story than just a difference of opinion; it's a difference in culinary technique. The reviewer writes that before you judge this pan too harshly, you must first know how to cook in a stainless steel pan. Here's a hint: it's not the same as using a non-stick pan. The happy ending is that this same reviewer says they were able to cook the perfect egg on this affordable stainless steel pan with no sticking and just a little know-how.

If you're still wondering exactly how the same pan can yield wonderful and horrible results, you're about to learn why that is. Simply put, cooking with a stainless steel frying pan can seem tricky if you're used to using skillets and frying pans with a non-stick coating. The good news is that this IKEA product is a great non-toxic kitchen swap to make, and learning how to use one is relatively straightforward. While stainless steel pans look perfectly smooth to the naked eye, they actually are covered in microscopic pores that food particles will get into and bond with tightly. When the stainless steel pan heats up, the pores are able to tighten, making food less likely to stick to the surface. The correct technique involves heating your 365+ frying pan until it is very hot, and then dropping a small amount of water onto the pan. Should the drop of water roll around the pan rather than evaporate, then it is hot enough to lubricate and begin cooking in.

As ordinary a tip as it may be, knowing how to properly cook with a stainless steel frying pan is a life skill that everyone should have. It also helps with the question of whether or not this affordable IKEA pan is worth it. The answer is that if you're willing to spend a little time learning everything you need to know about stainless steel cookware before you buy, it can absolutely be a good addition to your kitchen inventory.