The Ingenio Range of Pans from Tefal {A Review}

I have recently been testing out a set of pans from Ingenio at Tefal. Ingenio is a new range of cookware that offers ultimate versatility with products that can go from the hob, into the oven, to the table, and into the fridge. The items can nest inside each other and come with removable handles.

I was sent the thirteen-piece set which consists of two saucepans, two frying pans, a saute pan, a wok, three glass lids, two plastic lids (for storing in the fridge), and two handles. The pans all store inside each other which is so brilliant. All of the six pans I have as well as the two pan lids stack on top of each other in one deep drawer in my kitchen (I struggled to fit four of my old pans stacked together) which is so useful when you don’t have loads of spare space.

I really love these pans. I love that they have patented detachable handles so that you can save space on the hob when you are trying to fit a few different size pans on at once, as you can use one handle and move it between the pans. And easily remove the handle to put the pan in the oven. It’s really simple to do and I do it quite instinctively already. The removable handles also make the pans easier to fit into the sink and also easy to wash. I have found that the handles generally only need a wipe over with a damp cloth and I just give them a proper wash when they are really dirty. Not having a handle on the pans when you wash them makes them really smooth and quick to wash. That might sound silly but my old pans have three metal ‘bumps’ where the handle is attached and food really gets stuck around them and they are a bugger to wash.

The lids are a great product and really well-designed. The lids from my old pans are really hard to clean and have bits where dirt gets in but you can’t actually get to, to clean which is stupid. But the Ingenio ones are brilliant; the centre bit with the handle actually spins around so you can get to every bit to clean and the handle also kind of folds down so they are flat for stacking on top of each other. Ingenio-us (get it?!).

The pans feature Tefal’s most durable Titanium Pro Non-stick coating that is apparently extremely resistant and can be used with metal utensils (except whisks and knives). I have used metal utensils on the pans and there are no scratches or marks at all. I do actually wish the pans weren’t coated as I know it is not great to have the coating because it can contain nasty stuff (don’t quote me on that – I don’t know what it is exactly). The frying pans also have Tefal’s iconic Thermo-Spot which lets you know when the pan has reached optimal cooking temperature. To be honest I never remember to use this but it is a nice feature to have I think.

The plastic storage lids that fit neatly to the saucepans mean that you can easily transfer leftovers to store in the fridge without having more pots to wash up and I think it’s a great idea. However, I haven’t actually used them yet as we rarely have leftovers (read: greedy family) unless we have intentionally cooked loads so that we have some to freeze for future meals. Obviously, you would need a decent amount of room in the fridge to fit a saucepan in there, which we don’t often have, but I do think it’s a great option to have.

Any negatives? We have had a bit of trouble with one of the handles a couple of times which is a bit worrying, as you obviously need to be able to trust your pan handle when you are carrying a pan full of boiling hot water over to the sink. The problem we have had is actually that we struggle to get the handle detached from the pan and when the handle is on it does seem very secure, so I don’t think we have to worry about it coming off. But obviously, a detachable handle could create cause for concern (although I’m sure it has been tested rigorously).

At the moment we are still having to use a couple of saucepans from our old set, as you only get two saucepans in the set that I have, which is a bit of a pain, but obviously, you can add more to whichever starter set you get. From what I can tell though, there is only one size saucepan that you can buy individually; otherwise, there is a three-pan set available.

I do think these pans are pretty expensive and a lot to pay out all at once for the sets. The thirteen-piece set I have costs £250 (cheaper on Amazon here). But I think you do tend to have to spend a decent amount to get really good pans (which these are in my opinion) and you do get a lot of different pans in this set.

You can find out where to buy the Ingenio range here.

Would I buy it myself: If I had plenty of money, yes, I am really happy with it, but otherwise, I would make do with what I already had as for me it isn’t one of the most important things to spend a lot of money on.

I was sent the Ingenio thirteen piece set to review but all thought and opinions are my own.