How to choose the right Paella Pan

With this Paella pan guide, we help you with some practical tips that you should take into account to buy your perfect paella pan.

Points to consider before buying a Paella pan

The first thing is to consider where they are going to be used or where you would like to use it.

Do you have a gas stove?

Do you have a ceramic hob or induction?

Are you going to use the Paella pan with firewood?

Are you going to cook Paellas in the oven?

Choose a Paella pan compatible with your kitchen

You have to choose a specific material according to the type of your kitchen. It is also important that the model you choose meets the requirements and is compatible with the power source you are going to use (check the manufacturer’s specifications to avoid surprises) .

There are many models on the market with different compatibilities, but as a general rule these are the usual uses according to the material of the paellero:

THE MOST ECONOMIC

DO NOT RUST

EASY MAINTENANCE

FIRE OR GRILL

VITRO OR INDUCTION

OVEN

POLISHED STEEL OR IRON

STAINLESS STEEL

ENAMELLED STEEL

LAS MÁS ECONÓMICAS

NO SE OXIDAN

MANTENIMIENTO FÁCIL

FUEGO O GRILL

VITRO O INDUCCIÓN

HORNO

ACERO PULIDO

ACERO INOX

ACERO ESMALTADO

Check manufacturer compatibility

Which Paella pans are better?

In reality, there is no better material than another and each one has its pros and cons.
The best option is to buy a unit compatible with your burner and choose the type of finishes and size.

Polished Steel or Iron Paella Pan

Polished steel paella pans are inexpensive and work very well when it comes to giving the rice the perfect point. Widely used by great cooks and Chefs. Paella lovers tend to prefer this type of paella pan especially to get the “ socarrat ” of the Valencian Paella. This type of Paella pan requires keeping them clean and greased to avoid oxidation. They are often used with firewood, gas and embers. Learn how to cure a Paella pan.

Stainless Steel Paella Pan

Stainless steel paella pans are beautiful and aesthetic due to their apparent shine and have the advantage that they do not rust and are very easy to clean. At the time of cooking, they do not also distribute the heat like the iron ones, so it is a good idea to have a fire that distributes the heat well throughout the base. They are very comfortable for the home.

Enamelled Stainless Steel Paella Pan

Enameled steel paella pans are made of polished steel or iron with a special ceramic coating. Widely used like polished steel and also relatively inexpensive. They are easy to clean and do not require special maintenance like stainless steel. As a weak point is that the enamelling can be damaged by blows. They are usually compatible with fire, oven and wood. They are usually black with little white dots.

Garcima 15-Inch Carbon Steel Paella Pan, 38cm, Silver

Garcima 20-Inch Pata Negra Restaurant Grade Paella Pan, 50cm, 20 Inch, Silver

Garcima 16-Inch Enameled Steel Paella Pan, 40cm, Medium, Black

Non-stick Paella Pan

Non-stick paella pans are another option that incorporate a special layer to prevent food from sticking. They are comfortable and easy to clean and are available in different materials and for all types of kitchens. As a negative point is that the same touch of flavor is not achieved as in a steel one, especially the “socarrat”. They are also somewhat more expensive and are usually distributed in not very large sizes.

Induction and Vitroceramic Paella Pans

Normally the standard models are not suitable for this type of kitchen, but manufacturers have compatible options. They tend to have a somewhat thicker base and optimized for vitro and induction. You also have non-stick paella pans in polished steel, stainless steel or enameled.

Electric Paella Pan

Electric paella pans are ideal for those who do not have a suitable kitchen to put a Paellero. They are usually made with a non-stick or enameled coating, so they are very comfortable and easy to cook. Although the “socarrat” point is not achieved the same as with a steel one, the result is very good since the resistances that they carry in their base distribute the heat very well.

Lacor-60127-ROUND Dish for Paella Non Stick 28 CMS.

LACOR Stainless Steel Non-Stick Round Dish for Paella, 32, Multi-Colour

Princess 162367 Multi Wonder Chef Pro, Cazuela multiusos eléctrica versátil

Choose the ideal size of your Paella pan

To choose the size of your ideal Paella pan you must take into account the number of servings that you would like to obtain as well as the diameter that must be proportional to the size of your kitchen.

When the fire in your kitchen is smaller than your paella pan, all the rice on the sides will not cook properly and will be harder than the center part. It is always recommended that your kitchen covers the base of the Paella pan.

Are you going to use the Paella pan in your oven?

If you are going to use the Paella pan in the oven, measure the length and width to make sure it fits correctly. It is highly recommended since excellent Paellas are obtained and the cooking point of the rice is excellent.

More Rice or More Flavor?

Another detail to take into account is for those who are looking for a great taste and make a great Paella at the height of any Chef, and that is that to achieve a spectacular flavor it is better to make the Paella with a thin layer of rice, in this way all the nutrients will be impregnated with much more flavor than if we add a lot of rice.

Therefore, if you cook Paellas with a thin layer of rice, fewer servings will come out, so in this case it will be preferable to buy a Paella pan with a larger diameter if your kitchen allows it.

Here you can check the approximate number of servings according to the size of the Paella pan.

The thickness of the Paella pan

Another aspect to take into account is the thickness of the base. As a usual norm, Paella Pans with thin or standard thickness are used in gas, oven and barbecue, but these can be fragile at high temperatures and could deform or deteriorate.

Paella pans with a wider thickness are used on vitro and induction kitchen or in professional environments. They have a very flat base and optimized for use in induction.

Precautions with thin Paella pans

A precaution to take into account with thin base paella pans is to use a strong fire, especially when we use firewood, since we cannot lower the intensity as in a standard kitchen. Especially be careful when the Paella pan has few ingredients, if it receives a lot of heat it could deform or the metal could deteriorate. When the Paellera contains all the ingredients and the broth, this problem no longer occurs.

Cheap Paella Pans Vs More expensive Paella Pans

Obviously the budget rules, but in our experience it is better to invest a little more and buy a higher quality Paella pan since it will last more cooked without deteriorating.

Paella Market Choice

Many users ask us, What Paella pan do you use in Paella Market?
Personally and to make a paella on firewood or barbecue we use professional polished steel paella pan “Pata Negra”.

For domestic use we have a non-stick model that works very well both in oven and induction, it is the Callaway Paellero from the manufacturer Neif, it is one of the best Paella pans for induction , comfortable and easy to clean. In this video you can see it in action.

Callaway Paellero optimized for induction:

Callaway Paellera de INOX Antiadherente, 36 cm, Acero Inoxidable, Plateado/Negro

In conclusion,

Other interesting recommendations regarding the Paelleras

Types of Paella Pans

Paella Pan Sizes

PaellaMarket

Distributors of Premium quality Spanish Paella ingredients.
We love paellas and gourmet rice.