Which plancha to choose ?

Choose your plancha

Spanish Plancha

Which plancha to choose?

Which plancha to choose? Rolled steel or enamelled cast iron… Ground steel or hard chrome… plate thickness, enough power, burner shape, etc.

Simogas will answer your questions and give you the information you need to choose the plancha best suited to your needs.

Excellence made Plancha

Simogas, a company that comes from the metallurgical industry, makes quality its main concern. Professional planchas adapted to domestic uses.

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Material and Plate Thickness

There are plates on the market made of rolled steel, ground (polished) steel, hard chrome coated steel, enamelled rolled steel and enamelled steel cast iron, but all of them have an optimal thickness, the characteristics of which we will see below:

Carbon Rolled Steel plancha

This material is one of the most used for its price, but also for its quality and resistance. Normally, the plate should be at least 6 mm thick. The steel properties in the field of cooking are widely known, and due to its thickness, it allows cooking at different temperatures in different areas of the griddle, which is very useful for cooking different foods at the same time.

You can cook a premium rib in a hot area at full power and vegetables at a lower temperature, in a colder area, in a corner of the griddle or in the area of the other burner that is set to minimum.

On the other hand, the thinner the plate, the less thermal inertia it has, which means that the temperature of its surface drops sharply when you put a cold meal on the griddle. On the contrary, the thicker the plate, the easier it is to increase its surface temperature. To remedy this disadvantage, the power must be sufficient so that the temperature can rise quickly and the griddle quickly seals the food to hold all the juices.

The other disadvantage of this material is that it rusts, so it must be handled more carefully: after each use, pour ice or very cold water on the plancha plate, which is still hot, to remove grease, clean it with a degreasing detergent and dry it thoroughly. Dry it thoroughly, making sure that no moisture remains on the plancha. To do this, you can light the plancha for a minute after cleaning or leave the plancha in the sun while eating and then apply a thin layer of oil that will protect the steel until the next use. These plates are used by many small restaurants and home cooks.

Ground steel planchas

It is the same material as the previous one, but with a different manufacturing process. Normally these plates are thicker; 10 or 12 mm, and the cooking surface has a fine polishing. These plates have a more uniform temperature, although it is possible to create warm zones on the edges, by setting the temperature of one of the burners to minimum. Their thermal inertia is major, due to their greater thickness. Therefore, once hot, these plates do not require as much power. The disadvantages are as follows: it is also an oxidizable material, it must be properly maintained and it takes a little longer to reach the operating temperature, since the volume of steel to be heated is multiplied. In the professional catering sector, they are used by all types of restaurants, and by moderately demanding amateur cooks.

Material and Plate Thickness

plancha chrome dur

Hard chrome plancha

These are plates 16 to 20 mm thick, with great thermal inertia, the same material as the previous ones but a thicker thickness, polished and covered with hard chrome that gives the plancha extreme durability and allows it to keep its new appearance and non-stick qualities for years. This plate undoubtedly has the best thermal inertia, however it takes longer to heat (about 12-14 minutes) and it does not offer warm areas; Cooks will therefore have to be more skillful. It is important that the plate is well polished and is covered with a hard chromium film larger than 30 microns.

Hard chromium is easy to clean with ice cubes or cold water, and even ten years after leaving the factory, the plate is like new. The plate does not withstand shocks very well, however it is very resistant to abrasion (scratches produced by spatulas, etc.). It is made with stainless material, non-stick, durable and practical, and offers the best cooking. These plates should ALWAYS be equipped with a thermostatic valve, as hard chromium should not exceed a certain temperature. This is the top of the range for the catering sector, they keep the temperature throughout the day and can also be used as teppanyaki plates. This product is a luxury within the reach of amateur cooks, which will propel them to the next level.

Enamelled rolled steel plancha

These are rolled steel plates with a vitrified enamel application to prevent the plate from rusting. These are usually 6 to 8 mm plates, with an average thermal inertia, depending on its thickness, but with enough power to be able to work perfectly. The plates allow you to work without problems with areas with different temperatures, but require caution not to make sudden changes in temperature that could chip the enamel.

Therefore, they should not be cleaned with ice or water that is too cold, as thermal shock may damage the plate. This happens because the rate of expansion of rolled steel is different from that of enamel, and if two joined materials expand in the same way, it is very likely that they will eventually separate. This type of plate offers a similar cooking to that of steel, with stainless characteristics, but with a much more fragile plate. These plates are not used in the professional kitchen sector, and at a particular level, they are only suitable for home cooks for whom the maintenance of a rolled steel plate is no problem.

Enamelled cast iron planchas

It is not a “plancha” strictly speaking, because it is not a plate but rather a form molded with molten steel, then enamelled and vitrified. This material is very “fashionable” because maintenance is minimal and as it is enameled, it does not rust. This type of manufacture was chosen because it basically makes it possible to obtain a stainless “plate” that is more resistant to temperature changes. It is clear that enamel and cast iron combine better than enamel and rolled steel, and in this case vitrified enamel is much more stable. It should also be avoided to clean it with ice, and avoid sudden temperature changes and shocks.

Traditionally, this material was used for pans, ideal for simmering and cooking over low heat for long hours because it does not require contact heat transmission, but rather enveloping and stable heat. To be resistant, the cast iron plate must have a thickness of at least 6 mm and good quality enamel. The thermal inertia is similar to that of rolled steel. You should know that once the plancha is off, this type of plate can stay hot for quite a long time. They take a long time to heat and cool, and require waiting 15 minutes for the plate to reach operating temperature (i.e. greater energy consumption). This type of plate is not used at the professional level, because the enamel does not bring anything in the kitchen except of course maintenance. In amateur cooking, these plates are reserved for all those who prefer to sacrifice a little the culinary level and have a plate easier to maintain.

Stainless steel plancha

Not to be confused with hard chrome plates.
Stainless steel is none other than … Stainless steel, thanks to its higher or lower alloy of nickel. We are trying to figure out how to solve the “downside” of real carbon steel plancha: oxidation. In this case, with collateral damage, which in our opinion, does not compensate for the discomfort. Of all the materials mentioned, stainless steel has the least thermal inertia, and it expands enormously with temperature.

The thermal inertia is so low that if you put a steak on this type of plate, it will cook relatively well on the area in direct contact with the burner, but the food will not be properly marked on the other areas; He will lose his cooking juices and will have cost you time and money. Similarly, the coefficient of thermal expansion so high does not allow to exceed 230-250 ºC on this type of plates, and the food is not marked.

If rust is really a problem, you can choose an enamelled cast iron plancha, or better yet, a hard chrome plancha. Stainless steel is certainly an excellent material, but it is not suitable for this kind of kitchen. It is not used in the professional kitchen sector, and at the particular level, these plates are only suitable for amateur cooks for whom the maintenance of a plate is a real problem.

Power and Form of Burners

The power you need basically depends on the size of the plancha and its thickness. Normally, a 60 x 40 or 75 x 40 plancha with a 6 mm carbon rolled steel plate requires just over 6 kw. With this power, it will reach the operating temperature in just 5 minutes, however as the thermal inertia is lower, it will need this power to quickly raise the temperature when you put a raw food on the plancha. A 12 mm thick ground steel plate can work properly with the same power, because its thermal inertia is higher, but it will take almost twice as long to reach the operating temperature. For thicknesses of 16 mm or more, such as hard chrome plates, the power required will be significantly higher.

The shape of the burners is also important, especially in the case of plates 8 mm thick or less, because the area in direct contact with the flame is the first to heat and it is therefore preferable that the flame is well distributed. Specific burners for planchas with a thin plate are usually “H” shaped with a double flame outlet on each ramp. They can also be arranged in a single row, in the shape of an “I”, but then you should know that they will have to have twice as many burners and valves. That is: 2 “I” equals one “H”. For thicker plates, the shape of the burners is not as important, because thanks to thermal inertia, the plate heats up more evenly, although an “H” burner is always better.

Some planchas equipped with single-line or round burners move the burners away from the plate so that heat diffuses more evenly through the plate, but at what cost? Burners farther away from the plate require more power to heat it and therefore greater energy consumption and unnecessary expense.

You should know that power is also synonymous with energy consumption and therefore money. There is no point in working with more power than you actually need, because you will be spending money unnecessarily. It is best to buy a good thermometer for the plate and know the ideal cooking temperature for each food; This is the best way to cook well, delicious and cheaply.

What is the right Plancha size for me?

Choosing the ideal size for your plancha is as important as choosing everything else. Think about how many people you need to cook for and choose the size of your plancha based on:

  • 50×40: 4-6 people
  • 60×40: 6-8 people
  • 75×40 : 8-10 people
  • 90×40 : 10-12 people
  • 100×40 : 12-14 people
  • 125×40 : +14 people

Gas plancha or electric plancha?

Each energy has its advantages and disadvantages, and you must evaluate what suits you best according to the usefulness that we will give to the plancha. In terms of the use of the plancha, the gas allows you to have more power and the plancha will reach the temperature of use faster. On the other hand, the electric plancha is a little limited in power, because normally you can not connect devices of 7 or 8 Kw to the electrical network of the home. Electricity, however, is a cleaner and safer energy than gas. Electric planchas have a very important advantage: they allow you to control the exact cooking temperature, thanks to a thermostat that indicates the temperature of the plate.

Investment

A good kitchen plancha is a long-term investment, whether for use in catering or at home. Like other products, planchas can be found on the market at all prices, for domestic use at less than 100 €, for professional use of more than 1,000 €.

If you think you use the plancha often, we recommend that you invest in a good product, to enjoy it for many years.

Who has never heard these sentences:

Buying cheap is expensive!
Buying cheap costs twice as much!

And finally, our favorite phrase:
Quality lasts longer

Obviously, it is better to cook for many years with professional-quality equipment than to cook with low-quality appliances, which do not give you the expected results and last less. In the end, you will still have to buy a quality plancha.

A plancha can be considered an appliance, like a dishwasher, fridge or washing machine. In addition, a plancha costs less than a quality stone barbecue.

In the end, buying a good plancha saves money. You can eat at home, quality food and cooked as in the restaurant.