Product reviewed: DiamoTech 9.5-inch Fry Pan
The packaging for this skillet says “cook without fat, oil, or butter” surrounded by several pictures of eggs cooking. Cooking eggs that don’t stick without fat? Could this be true? The name itself should’ve been a tip off — DiamoTech ceramic coating — but I wasn’t convinced. The shiny, sparkly surface of the nonstick pan made it seem like anything could slide right off without sticking, but off I went to find out if it could deliver on this promise.
First up, eggs. It has been my experience that eggs, without ample fat, stick to the pan without fail. And, with enough oil, a fried egg can (and should) have truly glorious crispy edges. Could I achieve both without any fat? I heated up the pan and cracked two eggs in the skillet with no fat. Surprisingly, the edges got crackly and brown and looked good. However, flipping became a bit of a sticking point — literally. I was able to get nearly all of the egg up and away from the pan, but it took some elbow grease and the resulting post-flip was neither pretty nor picture-perfect.
In addition to fried eggs, I made scrambled, omelet and frittata versions, all of which fared better. Scrambling eggs worked well as long as I stirred them fairly regularly. The omelet and frittata did not stick and came out of the pan smoothly as well.
Next up, fish. The lack of oil made it difficult to get a good sear on the skin side of salmon, but finishing it in the oven helped crisp it a bit. Still, no sticking! I also sauteed vegetables, added some broth to deglaze, then made cod and finished it in the oven (the pan is oven-safe up to 500°F). This worked beautifully with no food sticking to the pan throughout the process.
Overall, the pan executed well. If you are looking for a skillet that does not require adding fat, this is a good one to choose.
However, for foods that could use a good sear and some Maillard reaction, I recommend adding a little fat to the heated pan.
