Tefal Unlimited Induction Non-Stick Frypan 28cm

A quality non-stick frypan that you'll love! – I’ve been using the Tefal Unlimited 28cm Non-stick Frypan for the last several weeks and my first impression upon picking it up was its substantial weight for the size. It’s certainly on the heavier side for a 28cm frypan, weighing in at just over 1.3Kg on my kitchen scales - it certainly looks and feels as though it’s durable and is made to last!… Read more

Of it’s ‘green’ credentials, Tefal claims that the pan itself is recyclable, however, that excludes the handle. The non-stick coating itself is also meant to be safe, containing no PFOA, lead or cadmium, and is meant to last 6 times longer than Tefal’s “Titanium Standard” non-stick coating – only time will tell about the durability of the coating. For peace of mind, though, the frypan is protected by a 2 year guarantee (excluding scratches or colouring from ageing). The usual warnings about only using wooden or heat-resistant silicone utensils with no sharp edges apply here, as they do for all non-stick coatings. Gentle handwashing with a non-abrasive sponge (no dishwasher cleaning) is the general rule for non-stick coatings as well.

The Tefal Unlimited frypan has been designed to work with all types of kitchen hobs, including induction, ceramic, gas, electric and halogen, and is meant to be oven-safe up to 175 degrees Celsius. It also has Tefal’s ubiquitous “Thermo-Signal” heat indicator to indicate the optimal temperature for cooking.

In use, the frypan itself takes a little longer to heat up than other non-stick frypans that I have used in the past but, given the more robust construction, that’s no real surprise. It cooks as well as you would expect from Tefal products and the non-stick coating does an effective job in the post-cooking clean-up, leaving no embedded residue after a moderate wipe down. If you watch my video, even burnt milk was easily wiped off the cooking surface. The handle remains cool to the touch when used for stovetop cooking, and its size and shape is comfortable during cooking.

Would I recommend the Tefal Unlimited 28cm Non-stick Frypan? Absolutely! For a non-stick frypan, the reassuring heft indicates durability and the exceptional construction only adds to the impression of quality. It is a pleasure to use and the deep sides allow for larger portions and a more diverse range of meals. If the coating is as durable as claimed, then you will be very happy cooking with this frypan for at least several years. Happy cooking!

Great Everyday Frypan – Tefal Unlimited Non-Stick Frypan 28cm This is a great frypan for everyday use. The size suits our busy family which varies from 2 - 4 people depending on the day. Love the high sides. The extra depth compared to most 28cm pans makes it easy to cook pastas and curries without it sloping over the sides. The red heat sensor, a feature on other Tefal… Read more

pans we’ve had, is a good indicator of when it’s hot enough to start cooking. Without the sensor it’s a bit of a guessing game and putting your chicken fillets in can have them stewing rather than cooking if the pan isn’t hot enough. Like most non-stick pans, especially when new, this one is very easy to clean. Gunk wipes and rinses off so easily; just hope it lasts a few years because it’s usually cheaper to buy a new pan than to resurface with non-stick coating. We liked that you can also put the pan in the oven, which is great to keep meals warm while waiting for everyone to come to the table. The handle though is only good up to 175 degrees so browning an omelette or frittata is not in the cards. Maybe something to consider for the next generation by Tefal? Overall, great frypan and getting plenty of use in our kitchen.

This one stood up to the task – Things to note: I received this pan to test and review as part of the ambassador program. All cooking in images was done on an induction cooktop and gas cooktop. The pan however was transferred the separate gas cooktop for the images because here was other cookware being used and I didn’t want them in the images. I am only showing images of… Read more

things that the kids or myself cooked or prepared, not my wife. The review is about the performance of this pan hence why it’s isolated in the images. There is no need to show the final meal where other items were prepared and cooked in separate pans or appliances.

Firstly I’m not a great cook so the food in the images is more of an indication of my lack of skill, or a collection of ingredients to test the nonstick properties. I usually do simple meals or bbq. I work long hours 6-7 days per week, so cooking consists of quick basic meals or pre prepared meals that are heated. Otherwise my wife is the MasterChef in the house however the older kids also get involved.

Needless to say this is probably the best pan that I have been allowed to use. We have stone cookware, copper cookware, cheap and also somewhat expensive Teflon stuff as well. Everything my wife allows me to use ends up trashed within a few days. Needless to say between myself and the kids, the cookware gets throughly abused and mistreated so we can only use certain approved items that my wife sacrifices to keep her pans in working condition.

The plan was my wife would use the pan first for a week, then over the next few weeks the kids and myself would have at it, then we could assess the damage.

First impressions were it is a pan, good start there. Decent weight, comfortable handle and seems well made. Great attributes for cooking food and if Conquers Bad Furday is accurate, also great for self defence.

When first heating the pan, I could hear a ticking noise. Similar to when the engine of the car is cooling down. A quick google concluded that it was the different materials expanding at rates that caused this. None the less we stood back and allowed the process to continue. My wife proceeded to use the pan over the next few days, she noted that the nonstick surface was very effective. I noticed that it was really easy to clean throughly, especially when compared to a lot of other “non stick” pans that we have. She liked the weight and the feel. She approved and confirmed she will be buying more from the range in the future.

When my turn came to abuse the poor thing, I noted how well the surface had held up, especially after a few days of the kids having a crack at it. Usually there are small scuff marks, scratches or chips on the edges where they mistreat the cookware. This pan had held up extremely well and I couldn’t see anything. Anyway I proceeded to research what the red spot did, I found that it tells you when the pan is at a great searing temperature. I tested this on a few steaks and other things. It works a treat for me because I have a habit of not allowing the cookware to heat up sufficiently. I also noted that the handle didn’t heat up as anywhere near as much as the other pans we have. All in all the heat appeared to be distributed fairly evenly across the pan, again nothing special for reasonable cookware.

The non stick surface got quite a work out and I was throughly impressed with how well everything cleaned out of it. After a few ciders I started looking for items to “cook” that were known for being difficult to clean up. We tried baked beans, scrambled eggs, French toast, cheese and some bean dish that is usually a nightmare to clean. Every-time without fail the carnage would easily wipe out and the surface would be clean and ready for the next onslaught. The meats were cooked without oil added to further test the non stick, I can honestly say that it made a difference to the flavour.

I would definitely recommend this for anyone looking for decent cookware.

Disappointed and reasonably sure my impressions are valid without needing further tests – Tefal Unlimited Induction Non-Stick Frypan 28cm A score of 3 out of 5 might be unfair but I’ll risk being in the wrong rather than recommend something which I have been disappointed with regardless of being unable to test the pan on an induction hob similar enough but different from mine. My Asko Hi1983g has four 3.7KW elements plus a concentric… Read more

pair putting out 5.5KW. The Tefal pan, which I’m reviewing here, failed to trigger the outer ring of the 5.5KW pair; and was uneven on the 3.7KW elements. By comparison, my same-size Tefal, with large vertical sides, triggers both concentric elements to produce an even boil and extremely even temperature on the surface, quickly; as does a same-diameter Scanpan Impact pan (that has sides smaller than but also curved like the new pan’s sides). Even-or-uneven heating was the same for the single elements and the concentric elements. On the 3.7KW elements, the review pan got hotter in the centre, distributing the heat to the sides slower than pans I prefer to use. For example I like to slightly brown butter with olive oil and sesame oil mixed, while slightly browning onions, mushrooms, spec, powdered parmesan cheese and cayenne pepper; then adding a foamed mix of eggs and cream quickly; then mixing-scraping a lot, to ensure the scrambled eggs cook evenly without burning onto the pan. I take the mix off very quickly and get it out of the pan, stiring to finish the eggs in the remaining well-mixed heat. This requires a pan that runs at very even temperatures not one that’s too hot in the middle. I couldn’t test using a flame; and don’t see the point of having pans that fit every type of hob, nominally, but which don’t suit any perfectly. I believe gas should be banned for environmental ideals and because of the fumes they put into the room. Electric radiant heaters are a waste of energy and too slow. So some pans, now, should be made to be ideal only for induction; but many very old pans are, anyway. My favourite saucepans are a Tefal Jamie Oliver and a Ikea big thick wok-like pan; both are Not “non-stick” just stainless steel. I bought lots of utensils, expensive full-price and from op-shops, to find pots and pans which worked with various characteristics, with the induction hob. This pan would likely be ok on one of those small and low-powered somewhat portable induction heaters, where one can wait for the heat to distribute to the sides…but I’m not so sure, because the high sides get rid of heat unless they can activate a large coil which heats the sides as well as the middle. My Scanpan (same 28cm) and other pans, boil water splashed onto the sides, while evenly bubbling over the whole surface of the pan. When I tried to make sense, of the red spot thing in the middle, relative to temperature, the colour didn’t change but the pan made a bang-type noise (lamination-expansion-mismatch?) so I took it off the hob and let it cool (no colour change but it did get Hot). Temperature tests, with a radiation (laser spot helping) thermometer, showed that my cheaper Jamie Oliver Tefal pans distributed the heat at least slightly better than the newer pan. I was zig-zagging the sensor from middle to sides, with the heat settings varied from high-power to low-power, to allow for the variations, in heat-distribution ability, between different pans. Only one of my Jamie Oliver Tefal pans distributes the heat as well as my 28cm curved-edge Scanpan. Another test, for even heating, was to put fingers in the middle, half-way and outside, with an without water, at different heat settings. This new pan is uneven. I’ve never found any use for the red spots; I’ve wondered if they actually do anything. On a pan I use lots, the spot has faded. Stainless steel varies in hardness, scratch-resistance…and ability to turn on induction stoves. I have a couple of saucepans ideal for cooler and temperature-critical jobs, such as for milk. The hob has 13 grades of heat from 5.5KW (almost all into the pan; almost none into the glass under it) to just enough to melt chocolate (the same pan). Some pans, though, get hot very slowly and don’t threaten to go red-hot; others (scrapped/returned) failed to turn the electronics on; and thin ancient stainless 18/10s can go red hot in seconds…So induction hobs can be dangerous with thin pans that can’t radiate the heat away quickly enough. I had one boil the oil over then set it alight because the red-hot happened after taking the chips out. A 50yo Rena stainless pan, with a thick bottom, is lovely. Shame that the induction hob makers won’t/didn’t release any data/details as to what sort of pans work or don’t, on their hobs (would be nearly impossible to specify, though). Aluminium would likely just go red hot and crumble but for hobs having magnetic-sensing before allowing power to go on. So I’m sad that the new Tefal pan doesn’t properly turn on my hob. I’d not write a review rather than make a “bad” one; but the agreement was to do so whether favourable, or not, so I’m sending this. The non-stick properties seem to be specified as tougher than previous Tefal pans, but I don’t believe I can scrape with any stainless flat-ended lifter things; and I don’t want to ruin the pan by testing it to destruction; as it seems to be nothing like intended to be as long-lasting as a Rena (about 50yo) or a Scanpan. What gets me about “non stick” is that too many coated pans are non-stick for water but grab grease with gusto (especially the cheap pans I tried). I also dislike “non-stick” coatings because they have to use wood/whatever — so one can’t deglaze them by scraping. By comparison, the stainless Scanpan also cleans easily (with steel wool, too). Plain stainless-steel pans truly are non-stick, in reality; so I wonder what “non stick” is other than a coating on otherwise unsuitable metal. I boiled vinegar in at least one, then could not compare, to know whether that improved the non-stick (of the stainless steel). Bare stainless steel can cast off stuck food that’s somewhat burned, often just by soaking. Various sized utensils suit cooking meals according to how much evaporation (reduction) is ideal and whether the ingredients are likely to settle and burn on the bottom… or are they better suited to quick high heat or slow low heat… For a 28cm pan with high curved sides, I’d recommend this pan as better than any of the cheap coated pans I’ve tried. It likely has a tougher coating than my other Tefal pans. It is very comfortable to use, strongly made and more than equal to any in its category. For about the same price, though, I’d rather have another Scanpan-type pure stainless steel.

Good value pan... just a pity about the handle – We have had a few Tefal pans in our kitchen in the past which have performed reasonably (while the non-stick coating held up) so we were interested to see how this Unlimited 28cm frypan would fare. First and foremost, I was a little disappointed by the plastic/phenolic handle and its grub-screwed fastening to the pan carcass. In my experience,… Read more

these ALWAYS end up loosening over time and arriving at the point where no amount of careful screw tightening fixes the issue. The "Premium" variant of the Unlimited range appears to sport hollow metal handles which are riveted to the pan and would offer a more durable solution over time. Definitely a factor worth considering if you use your pans a lot.

Unpacking, cleaning and seasoning the Unlimited 28cm before its first use was a cinch, and it wasn't long before some tasty beef burgers were on the go. Space-wise, there was plenty of room for 6 regular sized patties. This first use took place on a ceramic electric cooktop, which is one of my least-favoured cooking surfaces owing to inherent tardiness in its temperature response and lack of precision in the controls. Despite this setback, the base of the Tefal Unlimited 28cm heated and cooked very evenly on a medium heat. I did use oil this time around, as I've found different "non-stick" coatings to perform inconsistently and I wasn't keen on fusing a hapless beef burger to the pan on its maiden voyage. Overall, the pan performed well on ceramic electric without having to crank up the heat. Simple fare such as BBQ sausages also cooked quickly and evenly, no matter where they were placed in the pan. I found 8 sausages would cook together at pretty much exactly the same rate, and this was enough to nearly fill the pan. You might get a 9th or 10th snag in there if you need to.

I was also able to test the Tefal Unlimited 28cm pan using an induction hotplate, and this time the unwilling victims were some pork forequarter chops and scotch fillet steak. Space for these was decent, and allows for at least 2 steaks or chops. This time, some oil did prove neccessary, as the steak did stick to the pan a little on a moderate heat. Heat distribution was again very good though, and despite the mild sticking, cleanup was easy. Achieving a lovely pink medium-rare to medium wasn't hard at all. The pork forequarter chops didn't have the same sticking issue as the steak, mostly thanks to their bones propping them up a bit. Response to change from the hotplate was quick as expected, and there were no issues with hesitation or compatibility between the pan and the induction element. Only a moderate heat (anything from 120° to 180°) was required to keep things cooking nicely.

Durabilty of this pan has been good so far. No amount of cleaning has damaged the coating or base of the pan. One small gripe is that, as expected, the handle moves ever so slightly on its mount. No amount of adjustment or tightening of the handle grub screw manages to dial this out. I would definitely suggest spending the extra on the Premium versions of this cookware to improve the quality of the handle.

I didn't get to test this pan on a gas source unfortunately, however I would expect a similar experience to cooking on an induction top. When a well controlled source is used, I found this pan to respond very well. Of course, the experience will differ on inferior surfaces like radiant surface, coil or solid electric elements.

This pan represents good value for its asking price. As I have said, though, you won't regret spending a bit more on the Premium version. If I get a chance to throw this thing on a gas cooktop, I'll update accordingly.

Started with one to try. Going to buy more – We haven't bought a new pan in longer than I'd like to admit, and after using this pan for a few weeks I'm ready to throw out all my old pans and buy a matching set of these. Our testing of the pan has so far included... - Poached eggs - The water heated quickly and cooked the eggs evenly. Super easy to clean afterwards. - Fatty sausages - The… Read more

end result had a perfectly crisp outer lining - apparently this is how sausages are meant to be... who knew?! Super easy to clean afterwards. - Pancakes - Evenly cooked and perfectly round. Super easy to clean afterwards. - Dry roasting flaked almonds - Resulted in an evenly toasted, beautiful caramel colour. Super easy to clean afterwards. - Basically all the things that I thought for sure would stick or burn... omelettes, sugary marinated meats, burger patties - None of them stuck or burnt. Super easy to clean afterwards.

In short, I had no idea I could have been blaming my pan for my crappy cooking all along! And my small children will eat meals cooked in this pan because it doesn't result in the "extra crispy" black that come from our old pans.

Love this frypan – I've been using this frypan for over three weeks, and overall I'm very impressed. Why I love it: - I've been unable to fault the non-stick coating. - It's an absolute dream to clean. Tonight I used it to sear a marinated steak, and it literally cleaned off under running water. If I had used any of my other pans, I'd be scrubbing the cooked-in… Read more

marinade for 5 minutes.

Why I like it: - The handle is nice to grip and doesn't get hot, even after cooking on high heat for 20 mins, so it can be handled safely with bare hands. - The heat distributes evenly throughout the pan while cooking. - The 'Thermo signal' red-dot in the middle of the pan lets me know when its at the ideal temperature. I don't personally use it, but it seems to work well. - The pan has a nice weight to it, it feels sturdy and well-made.

Things I've cooked with it (with great success): - Eggs and Bacon - Chicken Stir-fry - Pan fried potatoes - Halloumi cheese - Steak (photos below)

Cooks everything to perfection – The Tefal Unlimited Induction Non-Stick Frypan 28cm is a good size to cook for a family of 4. The weight of the frypan is good, not too heavy, and the handle has a good grip and does not get hot to touch. When cooking the meal cooks to perfection whether it is steak, eggs, sausages, omelets or pancakes, gone are the days of overcooking and… Read more

burning. This is all helped by using the Thermal Signal and observing it until the frypan is preheated and ready to go. I found that the frypan does not need a lot of oils or similar to cook as it maintains a good even heat preventing the food from sticking. The non stick of the frypan makes cleaning very easy, as simple as a quick wipe with a clothe removes any remaining foods and an easy rinse once it has cooled down and it is ready to be packed away for its next use.

Family loves it! – This Tefal frypan has become the most used item in the family, why? To start is a perfect size to handle any task you want to do on it, is very easy to clean and I think is because the pan shows when is hot enough to start cooking on it! The pan has a centre indicator that disappears when pan is hot to start cooking on it! The pan is well… Read more

constructed and you can manipulate it without need of gloves, also is heavy enough to give stability when you are trying to flip or stir things around.

This pan has showed us how nice this frypan range is and we are getting more sizes of ir.

perfect for all cooking needs – First thing you will notice when you pick up this fry pan is it’ weight, at 1.34kg it is not the lightest fry pan you can buy but it certainly feels solid and well made. At 60mm deep it can be used equally to cook your favorite cut of meat or stir fry vegetables. I found the thermo heat indicator works well and when it shows that it has reached… Read more

working temperature, the fry pan feels warm and ready to use as indicated. Handle stays cool to touch you will not get burned. Have used it to cook stir fry which cooked well and have cooked porterhouse steak which cooked to perfection (well done) in about 6 minutes using medium size jet gas cooker. Fry pan can be used with all types of fuel, electric, gas, induction. Can also be used in oven up to 175 degree C, and is dishwasher safe. Cleaning up is very easy which only requires wiping with paper towel, and you can use small amount of detergent and sponge to remove any remaining grease residue. Obviously like all non stick fry pans only use plastic utensils and clean only with non abrasive items/cleaners. Overall this is a very well made and versatile fry pan (made in France) the 2 years warranty is indicative of the quality. Adding to the warranty I would think that being made in France I would have expected a longer warranty period perhaps 5 years? Having said that if you are looking to buy a new fry pan or just need an extra one for your kitchen, put this on your list to have a look at.

Why buy anything else?! – This isn't like the normal 28cm frypan where it is a deeper pan so when stir frying, your food won't fall out as much. I like that it has the thermo spot where the logo disappears so that you know the pan is hot enough (or at the optimal temperature) to start cooking. It's a fairly light pan so easy to move to between hobs or to transfer food to a… Read more

plate. A great feature of the pan is being oven safe up to 160 degrees but I've yet to cook anything using the oven as I stir fry more but great to know that it can go into the oven. The pan is really easy to clean but it's recommended to let the pan cool down before washing it with a non-abrasive scourer. It's a fabulous pan as it's not just for induction cooktops but can be used across different heat sources. I'd definitely be upgrading the other pans and pots to the Tefal Unlimited Induction range when the older pans and pots wear out.

Cooking perfection without a premium price tag – I recently received my 28cm Tefal Unlimited Induction Non-Stick Frypan as part of the Product Review’s Ambassador’s Program and have been using for the 10 days or so. My last Tefal product I reviewed was fairly underwhelming at best, but that was a cooker, and this is a frypan, so I knew I had to go into the review with an open mind. For the… Read more

last 14 years my 2 go to frypans have been an Evans & Taylor 26cm (deep) and a Pinnacle 28cm pan. I know we’ve had them for that long (and probably much longer) because they moved to this house from our old that many years ago. So, when the Tefal pan arrived, I was thinking that it can’t really be that much different from any other pan can it? I mean, a fry pan is just a fry pan, and I would expect a Tefal pan to be at the very worst, competent in its ability to cook things half decently.

The first thing I noticed about the Tefal was its weight. It seemed lighter than other two. Not in a cheap aluminium way, but lighter. And it was. My other 28cm pan was just over 1.6kg (always knew it was a heavy beast), and my 26cm pan was just over 1.2kg. The Tefal came in at just a bit over 1.3kg, which is a good 20％ lighter than the Pinnacle.

The first thing I cooked on it was a a chicken alfredo pasta dish. I pre-prepared the pan by giving it a light coating of cooking oil and then turned up the heat. The one thing I was interested in seeing was if the little hour-glass symbol in the centre of the pan really would disappear once the pan was hot enough, and it did. The cooking of the chicken portion of the dish was uneventful, and it all cooked through evenly as I would expect. Once the pan had cooled down sufficiently, the addition of the pasta and cream portions of the recipe went smoothly and I had myself a delicious meal. The pan was extraordinarily easy to clean afterwards.

The second dish I used the Tefal pan to cook was some “chinese style” sticky pork fillets. This time, the pan had to be at a medium heat for the duration of the cooking, and the results were very pleasing. Again, the pan was very easy to clean.

To give the pan another workout I decided to cook sausages, so I turned the heat all the way up, and again was very happy with results.

Eggs also seemed easy and they literally slid out the pan.

Now a few things are worth noting here. A)The weight - This pan has been an absolute delight to use compared to my other 2 pans. B)The handle - This feels much more ergonomic than my other pans. C)The non-stick coating. Nothing has gotten stuck to this pan whilst cooking (I mean really stuck on) which leads to… D)The ease of cleaning. Not once have I had to scrub (very surprised after my sticky pork fillets)

I have actually enjoyed using this pan. More than I thought would be possible. I now find myself looking forward to using it. The combination of its relative lightness, its ability to cook everything thrown at it well and the remarkable ease of cleaning have made this my go to pan without any doubt. I fully recommend it!

Would I pay the high price of up to (what appears to be the RRP) $179? No, not at all. Would I pay the $89 price that Myer and Peter’s of Kensington are advertising? Yes, yes I would. And I would feel very happy with my purchase. This pan proves that you can have cooking perfection without paying an absolute premium price.

One of the best pans I've ever used – My first impression of the pan is that it is built very solid, strong and sturdy. Takes a little to warm up but hard to distinguish with the heat mechanism.It was fine to touch while cooking and didn't cause any issues with handling, esp when I cooked medium rare steaks and stir fry. Show details

Great pan, good lip, alas not durable – [edit: about 2 years in, the centre of the pan is decidedly no longer non-stick] This is my second Tefal non-stick pan, with the "Titanium non-stick" surface; I haven't had the new one for long enough to tell whether it will be as durable but certainly the old smaller one has seen 2 years of pretty much everyday use by the whole family and is… Read more

still a-ok. Though Tefal claim it can "withstand even metal utensils", I stick to using non-metal.

The pan's weight is "just right", it's pretty much indistinguishable from my old non-induction Scanpan pan - yet is more versatile with the thermal+induction capability. The base transfers and spreads heat really well, no hotspots of course and a solid "sizzle" when you want it. The "Thermo signal" thing in the middle the pan seems a little gimmicky, but hey, it works (see photos); a little sprinkle of water achieves much the same result :-).

There seem to be two different versions of this 28cm pan, an older one? that has a metal riveted handle and no lip, and the one I have which has a plastic handle and a lip. The benefit of the plastic handle is you won't as easily burn your hand, the downside is that whilst according to Tefal it can go in the oven, that's at a max of 175C, so not that useful. The handle's a good size and easy to grip.

The lip is a good feature as pouring out pan contents won't dribble down the side.

And finally, it's made in France, and made well, so it's nice to have something not "made in China" for a change.