I just saw a good deal on frying pans from Fissler. The two pans included in the deal are the "crispy" and "protect" models. However, it is still a lot of money (169 €). Before I place an order I am looking for feedback from people who have used Fissler frying pans for a while. Are they worth the price?
asked Jul 26, 2011 at 10:04
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9 Answers
That price is absolutely ridiculous, and there is no way the frying pans are worth it. To Americans: that's $250 for 2 frying pans! Even All-Clad retails for $100 for a frying pan, and it is among the most expensive cookware. Now, in this case, many people can justify that price for All-Clad, because they heat fast and evenly and will last for several lifetimes with proper care.
While the Fissler pans may be well-made, I would have a very hard time justifying that kind of money. In particular, the Protect model is nonstick, and nonstick surfaces wear out. There is no way around this. The better ones will last longer, but still you get a couple years of good use before the surface degrades. You're far better off buying a series of cheap restaurant-supply nonstick pans, and replacing them regularly. I can find decent ones for about $20-25, which means you can get one for probably €20. See my answer to What is a good brand for teflon pans? for where to get the best value... and why you shouldn't be spending big money on teflon-coated stuff.
I do not feel the "crispy" model is a safe buy, because it emphasizes a gimmicky crisping surface over versatile everyday use. It also does not describe what, if any, sort of copper/aluminum core it uses to ensure fast, even heating. For a pan at this price range, I would expect a multi-ply construction, with aluminum or copper core. To my mind, this does not bespeak money well spent. At a lower price, it might be an entertaining gimmick, but for that much money you will want a solid, versatile all-around pan.
In fact, with good deals, you could fully equip a kitchen with cookware for that price. I have a 7-piece multi-ply set that I'm quite happy with, and it only cost about $160. Throw in a cheap nonstick pan and a cast-iron skillet, and you're set.
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2You have convinced me. I will not buy the pans. :) I will mark this as the answer since it is the answer that made me decide. Commented Jul 28, 2011 at 7:36
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1Thanks for the warning; I lost patience with that user-unfriendly web site and only checked out a couple of knives. Among the multiple page clicks required for every single step, it looked like a lot of gimmicky sales pitch copy and no substantial facts about what would make it a superior product. Commented Sep 28, 2012 at 8:11
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3Fissler is one of the most expensive and best quality consumer cookware brands in Germany. They occupy the same price segment here as your all-clad brand, and they are indeed top quality. I haven't used all-clad so I can't compare them, also can't say if this type of cookware is "worth its price" (depends on personal definitions of worth) but you can't say that it is a case of comparison of a well-known top brand and a weird one; both are top brands in their region.– rumtscho ♦Commented Sep 28, 2012 at 16:05
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3@rumtscho as you are more familiar with the Fissler brand than I, I'll take your word that it is a top-tier brand. But, I stand by my original opinion: no nonstick pan, even if it has a fancy gimmick, is worth paying the same amount as a good multi-ply one. You're comparing something that wears out in a matter of a few years, versus something that will last multiple lifetimes with proper care. You're far better off with a series of cheap restaurant-supply nonstick pans, replacing them when they wear out.– BobMcGeeCommented Sep 28, 2012 at 17:22
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1Did you know that All-Clad also makes $100+ non-stick pans?. I'm guessing that the people who buy them are people who buy pans as decoration and don't actually cook.– JoeCommented Sep 28, 2012 at 20:23
As far as I can tell, no one weighing in with an opinion here has ever used a Fissler Pan. That makes perfect sense because anyone that has would has could have answered the question quite easily. Is it worth the money? Yes. Let me tell you my story. Like most reasonable people, I would not have considered paying $250 for a frying pan. I was given the pan by a neighbor who was moving overseas. Like most reasonable people, I never thought I could fall in love with a pan. But like the people here that was before I used one. The one I have is older so it is not exactly the same. It has the super conductive base which heats up very quickly, will get very hot if that is what you desire and disperses the heat evenly. Mine has a waffled bottom like the "crispy" model. It browns evenly but almost never burns anything. You would think that the bumpy bottom would make it difficult to clean, but for reasons I can't explain, even crusty, sticky, cooked on food practically rinses off. The edge of the pan is flared out about 1/2 an inch and slightly downward which makes pouring the contents easy and without any mess. You might think this edge would inhibit a tight seal with its lid, but exactly the opposite is true. The lid seals so well that initially I thought the pan might be some kind of pressure cooker. You can make a pot roast in it right on the stove in an hour and a half and it comes out as if you had slow cooked it all day long. If you don't want that tight a seal you can rotate the handle on the lid and open the vents to let off steam. I had this pan for years and no one I knew ever heard of Fissler. I loved the pan so much I tried to find out more about it. I couldn't find anything on the Internet at that time. Fissler apparently didn't sell in the U.S. back then. I had no idea how much the pan cost or what kind of pan it was, but I knew there was something different about it. Well after 5 or 6 years, I decided to check again today. Suddenly Fissler pans are everywhere and I see the cost is very high. I couldn't afford to buy this pan right now, but if I could, you can be assured that I wouldn't hesitate one moment.
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1I don't know that I agree, but +1 for very well making your case.– Jolenealaska ♦Commented Dec 14, 2013 at 6:53
Disclaimer: I've never touched, let alone used, a Fissler pan.
One of the primary things to look for in a good frying pan is for it to be "tri-ply" or "fully clad" (i.e., for it to be stainless steel with an aluminum core). Manufacturing such pans is generally more expensive, but good ones perform wonderfully and last forever. For the price of the Fissler I would hope that it is tri-ply, however, I couldn't seem to confirm that on the website. You could get an excellent All-Clad or Mauviel for that price.
As for the "crispy", I don't really think the ridges on the bottom of the pan are useful. In fact, they'll probably inhibit you from making a proper pan sauce.
As for the "protect", I'm generally against spending that much money on a non-stick pan, because non-stick pans don't last forever (their coating eventually wears off, regardless of how well you treat them). I'd save your money and buy a great stainless steel pan and get an inexpensive non-stick pan for the few instances you might need it (e.g., cooking eggs).
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1+1 for pointing out that the ridges might make it more difficult to deglaze the pan. Commented Jul 28, 2011 at 7:36
They look good enough, but consider a number of things. First of all the price :) OK, let's make that last of all...
Nonstick coating. Should only be used for eggs and pancakes. For the rest of your cooking needs, it's not recommended (from my point of view) as the coating will eventually deteriorate and you end up eating the coating... Bon Appetite.
Heat resistant handle. Can you put it in the oven at 200ºC?
The rest looks good, but I'd look for something a bit less expensive, and instead of buying a package deal, I'd just buy one good pan and see how it goes.
answered Jul 26, 2011 at 10:26
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Good point about the handle. I do want to be able to put it in the oven. As for the nonstick coating I was hoping that it would last a lot longer in an expensive pan like this. Commented Jul 26, 2011 at 12:29
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2@BaffledCook: I'm NOT sure the nonstick coating in very expensive pans lasts longer. In fact, it lasts about the same as a normal pan. See my answer to "which teflon pan is the best".– BobMcGeeCommented Jul 27, 2011 at 6:36
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1@Bob so true, I forgot the conclusion that answer. I've cowardly deleted that comment :( Commented Jul 27, 2011 at 8:29
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@BaffledCook, your second point asks if the pan can go in the oven at 200ºC, but you also point out that it's nonstick. I'd understood from many comments and answers in here that 200ºC is the danger point for any nonstick? Or is that temperature limit only for the older, slightly damaged items? Commented Sep 28, 2012 at 8:18
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@MargeGunderson, I've looked it up, it should be fine up to 260ºC Commented Sep 28, 2012 at 12:40
I inherited a Fissler frying pan with the same "crispy" pattern 25 years ago from my grandmother in Germany and it is still in use. Of course I do not know if the pan that they sell today is identical but it looks pretty much the same. The "crispy" pattern is by far not a gimmick - it works very well and provides for some reason very even heat transfer and browning and makes the pan less sticking. This pan has always been my favourite stainless steel pan. I was told it works by providing little pockets of air, now that may be a gimmicky explanation, I don't know. Today I went and got another one. Is it worth the money ? To me most definitely.
And the non-stick pans ? I am not a big fan of non-stick pans. Because they don't last. But my wife is. 8 years ago we got a Fissler non-stick pan from my mom for Christmas. It shows some wear but is in good shape and we still use it regularly. In the same period we went through two sets of Anolon pans. When we got the first set I was excited about the price. With the second set less so. Now we are getting a new Fissler. Apparently they are using a coating (PFOA free) developed by Fissler and not the standard DuPont coating most other Brands use.
I would give the Fizzler a 10 out of 10. In 1999 while stationed in Germany I bought a set of stainless steel pots 2 stainless steel skillets with lids and one non stick model from the factory I also bought 2 pressure cooker bottoms one skillet one 8 qt. plus the pressure cooker lid. The stainless have induction rings. I was told how to clean and care for them the non stitch skillet has a healthy/ protect coating that does not flake or chip off like skillets of the time.
I have seen the All-clad these do not seem bad but, recently Costco had the All-Clad masterclass Demo but they were priced higher than my Fizzler. I believe the Masterclass set total at a discounted rate was $1800.00 for complete set.
My husband offered to buy these for me but I could not see buying new pots and pans when the ones I have look brand new at 15 years old. The care is easy and they do not scratch like the Calprehon. I will reiterate I do own Fizzler and the factory is north of Kaiserslautern, DE with a sales store.
I have had my pan just less than two years and today I noticed the coating was peeling off. At first I thought it was just grease build up and used a plastic spatula to try and scrape it off, but it soon became clear that it was the non stick coating. Not impressed!
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1Hello! It's certainly frustrating to have a pan fail in such a way, but a teflon layer is always very sensitive, and will fail sooner or later, depending on the amount of use and the way you use it (temperature, cooking utensils). Can you compare this to other pans you have used in a similar manner?– rumtscho ♦Commented Nov 21, 2014 at 16:30
My first Fissler pans are now twenty years old.... They look more or less the same as the new, extra ones I bought last year. They are all the original profi series. Perfection....
As no one else here had experience with modern fissler pans I’ll tell mu story. Bought 3 fissler pans 4 years ago two 28cm fissler catania one with teflon coating one stainless steel and stainless steel wok pan. The teflon on the first one flaked off in a few months with wery light use, so to the garbage it went. The stainless steel ones are amazing. They’re 3 ply aluminum core and heats wery evenly. Had the pan coated with oil and baked so nothing sticks to it. I could see myself using the stainless ones for a lot of years to come. Also I paid for mine 20€ each, so 150€ for 2 is way overpriced.
