[I <3 Vodka]

I have a flat ceramic top (not halogen) so having a pan with a flat bottom is important.

I used a T-Fal hard anodized exterior non-stick pan which is larger than the heating area of the stove top to sear a steak. I let it cool naturally, yet the bottom warped. When I put a ruler on the outside, it's obvious that the bottom became concave.

Many recipes call for heating the oil until smoking and I did just that.

Is this not something I should do with aluminum T-Fal?

[foodpump]

Sigh.........

Aluminum warps, Bad.

Better pots and pans have a "sandwich" bottom, layers of s/s and aluminum, the best have copper.

Simple aluminum, whether anodized or not, is just a hunk of sheet alumimum spun on a lathe, and then the handle riveted on.

Simple alumimum warps, bad

Cast alumimum doesn't

S/S doesn't

Cast iron certainly doesn't

"blue" steel or carbon steel does, almost as bad, but not quite as bad as alumimum.

My two cents?

Stay away from the stuff. Alumiminum cookware usually ends up in the landfill qucker than most electric/electronic appliances.

[ChefToddMohr]

Good advice from Foodpump.

If you have a flat-top stove, whether electric, conduction, ceramic, full contact from pan to stove is necessary.

Get a stainless steel pan with a composite "foot" on the bottom. In general, this "pad" on the bottom of the pan will combine the best characteristics of many metals to give even heating and durablility.

I say "in general", because as with most things, there can be cheap pans with a "faux-foot" on the bottom, made of only aluminum or other short-cut. Don't shop by brand name, shop by construction of the pan.

A quality saute pan should last you the rest of your life. A cheap aluminum one will last the month.