Vaello Campos La Valenciana 38cm Polished Steel Paella Pan

I chose this pan as I wanted a traditional paella pan. I read the reviews for the other enamel coated pans which said they tended to stick less, but having owned other enamel pans and using them for paella (although deeper sizes) I found they stuck just as much. Therefore, I decided to give this one a go. Firstly, to discuss care of the pan: I read the instructions before use and understood that this pan needs to be kept seasoned (just like a good wok) so I cleaned it gently, heated it on the hob to ensure it was fully dry and then very carefully oiled it with rice bran oil and smeared with kitchen paper towel all over so that the oil was all over the pan. When I was ready to use the pan I loosely followed one of the recipes supplied and produced a delicious paella. Afterwards, I ensured that I cleaned the pan, heated it and oiled it. It has stayed rust free so far. I kept the bubble wrap that it came in so that I can place it back in the cupboard loosely in it, keeping it clean and cared for. I think that this pan is perfect if you love and look after your kitchen equipment and appreciate that specialist equipment may need a bit more care. However, the care of the pan really does require minimal effort, a few minutes at most. Secondly, the use of the pan: I was concerned from other reviews that the food may stick to the pan but I didn't find this to be a problem. I kept the pan over a large gas ring, with a low-medium heat, adjusting it as necessary. It is suggested not to stir the paella, but I gave it an occasional scrape with a flat wooden utensil and this gave just enough assistance to stop the slightest of food from sticking. I am expecting that the more seasoned the pan becomes through use, the less this will occur and therefore the need to stir will decrease to near zero, or even zero! Thirdly, portion sizes and serving: The pan is rated for eight people, but I used it for two! That is not to say that it can't be used for eight, or indeed that we are large eaters! I simply had a thinner layer of ingredients and some left overs, and I tend to use a bit more veg than the recipe so healthy enough! I think that this pan with it's paella would make a wonderful centre piece for a party / dinner party, it looks so good once full of lovely cooked ingredients! I also think that it would serve eight, depending on circumstances or ingredients, although it could even be used to produce a starter for more than this amount of people. So finally, I really love this pan and it's efficiency at what it does. It makes a really good paella, better than any other pan I have tried to cook it in - I think this is due to the size and thinner layer it produces. I hope that it lasts for quite some time as so far it seems to be something that I will use regularly. I liked the informative instructions and recipes that the pan came with, which even included one for a pasta paella. I am looking forward to trying this out too! If you are considering purchasing a paella pan and you are happy to care for your kitchen equipment, and want something that seems fairly traditional, then this is the pan to buy. If you want to put your paella pan in the dishwasher or don't want to spend a few minutes seasoning the pan, then probably buy something else!

Not an expensive product. Ideal size for our hob. I probably didn’t understand the product description. It hasn’t got a truly flat bottom which isn’t 100% ideal for our induction hob however….. The pan is still great for it’s cost & I would recommend it. It does still function well on our hob. It is made out of steel. Steel will rust. The pan needs to be looked after, which is no hardship. Never had any problems with food sticking but we do religiously follow the care instructions & oil it thoroughly.

Good heavyweight pan, once it has been used quite a few more times and is fully seasoned it should achieve a good patina. I haven't rated the cleaning because a pan should not be squeaky clean steel, it should have a carbonised surface coating from use.

Bought this to make Spanish omelettes, not paella, as my present frying pan won't cope with the size I need to make to feed 5 adults, with some left over for next day and my trusty paella pan is far too big to put in the oven. But I didn't want to spend a lot of money. Read the reviews on this and decided to give it a whirl. Well, it's paid for itself already! So far I've made omelettes, risottos, pan-fried chicken and bolognese sauce and it's as happy in the oven as it is on the top of the stove. Really easy to clean - but dry it immediately with paper towels and oil at once because it does rust in a heartbeat. Easy enough to get the rust off, though. A fabulous pan at a fabulous price!

Tried to use this for my very first paella, the pan is way too small. I had to transfer to a wok to finish off recipe.

This is the real deal, identical to what we used to use in Spain. Remember it’s non-stick so will need to be oiled, as the Spanish traditionally do, to maintain it. Doesn’t boil too hot on my electric cooker top as it should-at least, Spanish DH not happy about it when he cooks, but that might be the electric cooktop rather than the paellera pan.

Good product, and is compatible with all heat sources including induction hobs. As with a steel wok, it’s best not to scour the pan once “seasoned “.

A good value heavy duty pan. Have used it to cook a paella on the BBQ. Very easy to wash clean and rubbed with a little oil to keep it in good condition.