How to recognise a good pan and what to look out for when buying:
Aluminiumcast
Advantage: Light, but still very robust and with excellent heat distribution and heat storage. Cast aluminium pans therefore combine the robustness of a cast iron pan with optimum weight. All models have a coating.
Disadvantage: Similar to cast iron, you have to be patient when heating up the pans. The material is thicker, but you save energy once the pan is hot.
Stainless steel
Advantage: Berndes only manufactures stainless steel pans with an internal seal. So everyone gets along very well with these pans and you profit at the same time from the longevity of stainless steel.
Disadvantage: Stainless steel is a bad heat conductor, so the heat distribution is somewhat worse and needs more energy. The Berndes pans compensate for this with a thick base that continuously releases energy/heat to the pan body.

Cast iron
Advantage: Similar to cast aluminium pans, the cast iron models impress with very good heat distribution and heat resistance. There is also no classic sealing here that is subject to a certain amount of wear. They are super well suited for fried potatoes, steaks or stews.
Disadvantage: The non-stick effect can diminish over time, so never compare a ceramic pan with a normal non-stick coating. Always work with a little fat or oil when preparing the dishes. My tip: Use nut oil, sunflower oil or rapeseed oil.

Induction stove
A frequently asked question: "Is this Berndes pan also suitable for an induction stove?" It is a very important question, because if you cook at home with induction, then you need a pan made of a magnetic material or a pan with a magnetic base. A simple test to see if your pan is suitable for induction is if a magnet sticks to the bottom of the pan.
Requirements for an induction cup:
At least the bottom plate of a ladle should be made of a ferromagnetic material - only then will it work on induction stoves. The material of the ladle body is therefore often of secondary importance (and can therefore also be made of aluminium, for example).
A good pan base is decisive for induction efficiency and energy efficiency. A slight buzzing or humming can occur at high power levels.

Electric, glass-ceramic or halogen fields
On these stoves you can use any pan that lies flat on the stove. For this purpose, the bottom of the pan is always pre-stamped slightly concave and expands towards the source of the stove when heated. This is the only way to ensure that the bottom lies flat later on. Only then can the heat be distributed evenly and efficiently. But it is also a safety aspect: the pan should not tilt or dance.

Gas stove
You can also use any cooking utensil with a gas stove. If you are using cookware with an external seal, you should nevertheless make sure that it is approved for use on gas.
5. Size of the pan
To be completely honest, there are dishes that I could plaster a family portion of. With other dishes, however, large pans are simply oversized. The usual pan sizes are 24 cm or 28 cm.
For a single household it is a good idea to have a small pan 20 cm and a medium-sized pan 24 cm in the cupboard. With a family household, it may be also somewhat larger and there comes then already rather a large pan 28 cm or also a very large pan 32 cm to the use. In the following I would like to show you some examples for the use and the optimal size of a pan:
20 cm: Sufficient for the single household, the small hunger and for the preparation of side dishes or fried eggs,
24 cm: The perfect pan size for 1-2 people,
28 cm: The most common pan size, ideal for two to three pieces of meat. This pan size should be found in any family kitchen, ideal for 3-5 people,
32 cm: A large pan suitable for portions of approx. 5 - 7 persons. This pan size should only be used when a lot of frying surface is required.