New Malaysian cookware brand, Ella Cookware reached out to us about their products and we were eager to try them out – specifically the Ella Fry Pan.
So the frying pan in this post may be sponsored by Ella Cookware but this is what we genuinely of it after trying it out for several meals.
We have to say that it exceeded our expectations!
Overview Of The Ella Fry Pan
We are overall, pleasantly surprised at how much we like the Ella Fry Pan.
Ella Fry Pan
Pros
Truly non-stick
Manageable weight
Comfortable to use
Extremely easy to clean
Very attractive
Solid build (especially the handle)
Flat base with good heat retention and distribution
Good size for a 1 to 3 pax household
Don’t need to use a lot of oil or high heat
Can be used directly from the stove to the oven
Cons
Some minor aesthetic defects on the exterior
Doesn’t come with a lid if you buy the pan separately instead of as a complete set (Ella Cookware Set)
About Ella Fry Pan
Ella Fry Pan retails for RM189 on the official Ella Cookware site. There is only one size for this pan (26cm diameter, 5cm depth, 1.67kg) but there are three color options to choose from – Prussian Blue, Salmon and Ivory White.
The description of the frying pan says it’s more for just eggs or for making salmon steak. And that the non-stick ceramic coating is GREBLON® – a German invented non-toxic natural ceramic coating which is free from heavy metals like lead and cadmium, PFAs, PFOAs, and PTFEs.
According to the description, Ella Fry Pan:
- Is compatible on all types of stove tops as well as being oven safe (up to 550°C)
- Is easy to clean
- Has good heat conductivity
- Is durable and eco-friendly* to boot
*Apparently, the manufacturing process produces 60% less carbon dioxide than the conventional process
Further reading from the FAQ section of the website reveals that the base of the pan is aluminum with the total thickness of the pan being 4mm.
Designs for Ella Cookware originate from Malaysia while the cookware is manufactured in Southern China.
First Impressions Of Ella Fry Pan
Our Ella Fry Pan was shipped via DHL and it came within a few days!
The Ella Fry Pan (in Ivory White) was well wrapped and secure in its own custom-sized box (there were two free silicone oven mitts to accompany the pan too).
It’s indeed a beautiful frying pan. The exterior is glossy, and the inside coating has a slight shimmer to it.
We were surprised at the weight of the pan too – it doesn’t feel or look cheap. Since we’re used to our hefty 2kg stainless steel pan, the Ella Fry Pan (At 1.67kg) felt light to us.
But even if it’s not the lightest frying pan in the market, the weight still feels well balanced. It is comfortable to hold it in one hand.
Build Quality For The Ella Fry Pan
The base of the pan features the Ella logo and it looks well made. Moreover, the handle is a one-piece moulding of stainless steel that is attached securely to the pan with two big screws.
There are some really minor smudges on the brilliant white exterior of the pan and some rough edges for the hook hole of the handle but these were the only flaws we saw.
We would say the build quality of this pan befits the pricing. The build quality is better than some non-stick pans we’ve seen in our local department store.
Ella Fry Pan In Use
The fact that the Ella Fry Pan does not come with a lid might limit what you can use it for but we found a way around this by using our slightly larger stainless steel lid from our stainless steel pan.
So far we’ve used the Ella Fry Pan to cook the following:
- Sunnyside up eggs
- Minced meat with tofu
- Stir-fried kangkong with garlic
- Omelette
- Spaghetti sauce
- Pasta bake
- Stir-fried bak choy with fried anchovies
1. How Much Oil Do You Need For The Ella Fry Pan?
For all of the above, we used one third to half the amount of oil on the Ella Fry Pan than we would normally use for our stainless steel pan.
The oil doesn’t pool in the edges either, it pretty much stays in the same spot where you poured it – which is an indicator of how flat and even the base of the pan is.
Although, from our observation, it looks like the frying pan hardly needs oil though because eggs just slip and slide over the surface like a soap bar on wet floor!
Note: Eggs have a much smoother texture than if you were to use a stainless steel pan.
2. Performance Of The Ella Fry Pan
As for how long it takes to heat up, it takes a good minute to heat up this pan (much like our stainless steel pan). But the heat is evenly distributed, and surprisingly, the handle doesn’t get hot (except of course, if you put the pan in the oven).
It is enough to have the pan on medium heat while cooking – it is good at retaining heat. And while cooking, there was no smoke or weird fumes coming from the pan.
3. Comfort And Ease Of Use With The Ella Fry Pan
When it comes to transferring our food to serving plates, it’s nice that the pan is not so heavy. You only need one hand to pour out the food.
It would be nice if there was a pouring edge on the pan but it’s still possible to pour out gravy without making a frightful mess.
4. Cleaning The Ella Fry Pan
You could probably get away with rinsing this frying pan with water alone and wiping it down with a dry rag and it’ll be clean already!
But we used regular dishwash soap and our Swedish dishcloth on it anyways. Even this seemed like overkill. The food debris just falls off once the water hits it (same goes for baked cheese).
One thing’s for sure however, you will not need to use any abrasive scrubbers on the Ella Fry Pan. A sponge will be more than enough to get this pan clean.
We don’t have a dishwasher in our home, and we think you won’t need one to clean this pan. It’ll be faster and more efficient do handwash the Ella Fry Pan instead.
5. Versatility Of The Ella Fry Pan
Our home doesn’t happen to have an induction stove so we can’t comment on whether the Ella Fry Pan works on one.
It does work on both our electric stove and gas stove though.
We do have a built-in oven and the Ella Fry Pan is able to fit inside although it can’t be placed directly in the middle of the oven due to the handle.
Our pasta bake was transferred directly from our stove to the oven and turned out all right (20 minutes, 200°C) and nothing stuck to the pan either!
Conclusion
We like the Ella Fry Pan and we think you’ll like it too if you’re looking for stylish, safe, and versatile frying pan that is very non-stick!
Time will tell for the pan’s durability but the coating and the handle look like they will last if you don’t bang them around or use metal utensils on them (this is the same for all non stick pans).
PS: If you like all your cookware to match, you can get the pan as part of a 4-piece set (Ella Cookware Set).
