I use cast iron for most of my cooking on my Bluestar. I just keep a leather pad or oven mitt handy. There are also specific mitts that slide over the handle.

I think you'll get used to it, and it will become second nature to grab a mitt, especially after burning yourself a few times...

Enjoy that Culinarian!

I have that handle mitt for my one cast iron frying pan, and use it religiously. I keep it in the drawer next to the cooktop.

re: 1) Are there pots and pans better suited to gas ranges? 2) What cookware would prevent the hot handles?

1) Yes

2) None

Is this your first experience with a gas cooktop? Gas heats around the pan and thus heats a handle more than electric/induction due to combustion. If you are familiar with gas and find hotter handles on your nifty new Culinarian - perhaps you are using more heat than you need and you just need to learn your new cooktop.

We use All-Clad, Calphalon, and cast iron. We always have a rag over our shoulder for grabbing pan handles and wiping spills/drips. For the CI - we use the silicon things over the handles and/or mitts as mentioned above.

Research your current cookware and compare it to other brands. There are differences in the handles, but mostly all will get too hot for bare hands pretty quickly on gas.

That said - we recently switched from a whimpy GE gas cooktop to a Wolf range with a 20K and 18Ks on the front. We are going through a learning curve and have burned a few fingers and rags in the last few weeks. We even melted a prized spatula handle and scorched a silicon CI handle cover.

Oh - PSA - go out and get a fire extinguisher if you don't already have one handy that isn't expired.

Have Fun !!!

nightowl brings up good points... also, you may be turning up the heat too high for the pan size. You need to learn to look at the flame, and not rely on the knob markings. What you would have used a medium setting for in the past, may only require a low flame setting on your Culinarian.... bon appetite!

We are making chicken pot pies today. In the Calphalon is small cut potatoes at a gentle boil. This pot's handle has a vent (V) at the pan and is pretty high off the fire. I like this pan for simple boiling and steaming. Maybe the V helps keep the heat off the handle a little?

See how close I can hold without a towel. This is on the 20K at the lowest of the high setting. Any more and I would have a boil over. I usually don't use the 20K - I did this for demo purposes as I don't know what your gas is. If I had this boiling at full gas, the handle would be too hot to touch. As water boils as long as it is at 212, a hotter fire doesn't make it boil better, but the pot sure gets hotter! I can get a fine boil at a much lower setting.

The next is chicken poaching on a the very low simmer on an 18K. I have a nice steam coming off it. I can handle it almost to the pan itself.

What kind of pans do you have now? What types and sizes of pans do you use?

First I would agree with posters above. The top of the flame needs to be well under the pan or you are wasting your heat and burning your fingers. Looking at the flame to gauge heat is one thing I like about gas. If you are new to a prostyle range the burners are bigger so some pots that worked on your previous burner might be too small to work on the larger sized burners but should still work on the small pan burner.

There are some differences with gas. If you are coming from electric coil or induction it applies very even heat to the bottom of the pan as long as the pan is sized to the burner. A gas range with the exception of BS and American Performer, will generally have some variation of a ring burner even if it is three rings like the culinarian. Some burners send more heat to the center of the pan so if you use a bigger skillet, you need something that conducts heat well to the outside. If the heat falls more towards the outside, you need something that conducts heat well towards the inside. If I want even heat, I am looking for something in thick aluminum ($) or copper-maybe a lot more $$$ unless you are a careful patient shopper and/or are willing to go vintage. These materials conduct heat the best unless you can get your hands on a silver pan. :-) Restaurants typically use thick aluminum. There are all kinds of handles that are heat resistant but you have to watch how high of heat they tolerate if putting them in the oven. Copper pans often have cast iron handles that stay cool longer because CI is a poor conductor of heat. Copper does need to be at least 2mm thick. Magnalite is still made and there are various lines made for commercial kitchens. There are anodized aluminum pans there a little more corrosive resistant. In my experience the older anodized cookware is much more durable.

I also have some cookware that is plied --all clad, tramontana and the like. Heat conduction can vary all over the place depending on the thickness of the conductive layers of the aluminum or copper which is rarely disclosed by the manufacturers so hard to compare. Definitely try handles on any cookware you buy. Some can be very uncomfortable. AC had many different lines with very different properties. Most plied cookware with stainless on the exterior will usually go in the dishwater pretty well but there have been reports of the aluminum dissolving out the edge leaving very sharp edges. It is supposedly due to the citric acid in DW detergents. I hand wash mine or there are some that are completely sealed like the Spring Brigade line.

Cast iron and steel are great for high heat because they hold a lot of heat and can get smoking hot even on relatively small burners, but they are poor conductors of heat and are subject to hot spots. If you preheat a little slower, it will be more even. BS, American Performer and other star shaped burners have a benefit here with the dispersion of heat if you size the pan to the burner. I prefer the older machined smooth CI pans over the new sand cast that have a rougher surface. Another thing I like is that they become nonstick with no chemicals. They are very durable and if something goes wrong with the seasoning you can strip them and reseason. I use them on the stove and to bake. There is also enameled cast iron like Le Creuset but I think it does best as serve wear or in the oven. Very high heat can cause the enamel to pop off. I will occasionally use them to simmer something on the burner.

There are a ton of past discussions on the chowhound cookware forum that contain a wealth of information specific to each type of cookware, but most of the frequent contributors have moved over the the hungry onion cookware forum.

Hungry onion cookware

My adult life - Ive had electric coil or induction. However my mom has always had gas - and when Im with her (weeks/months at a time due to distance) I do most of the cooking. Maybe it is a regional thing - but the majority of her cookware does not have handles. Instead there is a handle that attaches (like a wrench). She has a few pans with wooden handles - they seem ok too.

I will look into cast iron - its an option. Will also look at chowhound and hungry onion for suggestion.

In the meantime - I will get one of those silicon sleeves for the handles.

One thing to consider with CI is that it's heavy, especially larger vessels. I love my cast iron pots and pans, but I'm wondering how well will I handle them when getting older, for some I already have to use both hands -:(

Cast iron rusts and cannot go into the dishwasher. It's also very heavy and slow to react.

Take yourself to a good restaurant supply and look at aluminum cookware there. It's more oriented to what you bought.

You did not buy an ordinary gas range. IOW you didn't buy a Jeep you bought a Hummer. The issues with the handles are due to the high output burners and their size.

I would look at Vollrath Tribute. It is commercial cookware, plied with a thick layer of aluminum between stainless. It has a choice of handles the heat resistant handle being able to take 450F. Also available with nonstick or uncoated. I think you can get better prices if you shop around and is available online.

There can be a difference in weight in CI although it is still heavy. Some of the older pieces have thinner construction so lighter.

If you don't like keeping silicone sleeves or using a towel with your pans, avoid cast iron or bronze (ouch) handles. The forked designs shown above conduct heat less, or the tubular designs employed by some manufacturers (like Sitram Profierie, a French commercial manufacturer).

One note, bare aluminum also tends to warp and scratch easier.

I use mostly Demeyere Atlantis, Proline and Industry and don't to use a towel or mitt to handle them, except when they are taken out of the oven. They are among the thickest and most-even heating and easiest to clean stainless-clad products on the market. I'm also careful to size the flame to the diameter of the pan. The All Clad I have gets a tad warmer. The downside of these lines are they are expensive. I also have copper and cast iron cookware, and have to use silicone sleeves and potholders to handle them.

"Cast iron rusts and cannot go into the dishwasher. It's also very heavy and slow to react."

With all respect rococo, I'd like to add my two cents to this somewhat broad brush statement.

• "cast iron rusts" - yes, I'm sure if left outside raw in the elements it certainly would. But when well seasoned and properly cared for, there is no way for the iron to rust.
• "cannot go in the dishwasher" - shouldn't go in the dishwasher, there really is no need for them to. Well seasoned CI pans usually require no more than a wipe with a paper towel, or occasionally a bit of water while still hot to de-glaze something. A dab of dish soap is rare for me, as I just never deem it necessary.
• "very heavy" - yes, It is relatively heavy, but as wekick pointed out, quality vintage cast iron, (typically pre-WWII), is quite a bit lighter weight than CI sold today. It is also much smoother, and becomes extremely non-stick with continued use.
• "slow to react" - yes it does take more time to heat up, but slow to react can be good thing. Once at your desired temp, CI holds and maintains a constant temp far better than other materials, even after adding foods. I find this to be a huge advantage when searing, frying, sauteing, and simmering. Also, IMO CI can't be beat for stove top to oven roasts.

I do have some All Clad, both tri-ply and d5, Cuisinart French saucepans, as well as some vintage copper bottom Revere Ware. While there is a place and use for these other cookwares, cast iron is my everyday go to for the majority of my cooking.

YMMV

^^THAT^^

@wekick:

My comment was in relation to stainless steel, as shown in the picture above. I should have made the reference more clear.

You wrote "It is just one part of the design. Some materials transfer heat more
quickly. In order CI/ steel are the slowest, then stainless, aluminum
and copper would be the fastest"

This is incorrect. Stainless steel actually has the poorest thermal conductivity of the materials listed It is strange to think this, since it is used widely as a lining and cladding material. This is a big reason why the stainless steel handles with the forked designs perform so well -- and even the non-forked designs. They avoid heat transference from the pan, and from the heat that may escape up the sides from the bottom of the pan. Part of it is the design, but a large part of it is the thermal conductivity of the material Cast Iron is also poor, but it still conducts heat better than stainless. My thick cast iron handles get plenty hot, on copper, enameled CI and bare CI. The thermal conductivity outpaces the mass.

Of course, you could still use a material like wood, silicone, plastic or cloth to insulate the handle. I have silicon sleeves for my cast iron and carbon steel.

Gooster

"Stainless steel actually has the poorest thermal conductivity of the materials listed It is strange to think this, since it is used widely as a lining and cladding material."

That is exactly right. I mixed it up.

"Cast iron rusts and cannot go into the dishwasher. It's also very heavy and slow to react."

This is a true statement. Yes, it's broad brush. But you have an OP with ahigh powered range who is asking why her cookware handles are getting hot. She needs to get to know her range and one important component of that, as we all know, is cookware.

Here's the thing about cast iron. Some people love it. Me, I was spoiled by learning to cook on heavy French copper which is extremely reactive and fast. I own one Le Creuset pot which I use for braising and for making the Sullivan Street bread.

I had a 9" cast iron skillet in the 70s for cornbread. It was properly seasoned, black enough, it washed out OK but I do like sparkling clean and as we know oil attracts dust so I'm not just wiping out cookware. I like to wash.

There is absolutely superb new cookware made today. Gooster, upthread, mentioned Demeyere Atlantis. Those are a joy to use AND they go into the dishwasher. Win/win.

Now I know there are some who don't believe in putting cookware in the dishwasher. But this is what -- 2016 -- and we have robots to clean the floor. There is absolutely no reason cookware should not go into the dishwasher. But that convenience is not available with cast iron, or rolled steel, or even French copper. We all have different ways to spend our time. Washing pots and pans isn't high on my list when I own an expensive dishwasher with a Pots and Pans cycle.

I suggested a trip to restaurant supply to the OP since they usually have somewhat reasonably priced cookware actually designed for high powered ranges plus they have silicone sleeves which fit the handles.

I literally gave away a set of All Clad. The bottoms bowed. Not a fan.

Conductivity goes from stainless (least) through cast iron, aluminum and to copper. Non-clad stainless is useless for anything but boiling IMO. But with the layers it can be very good and so can aluminum.

Speaking of Demeyere Atlantis -- Our Williams and Sonoma is having a 30% off clearance. I happened to stop in and bought a Demeyere Atlantis Sauteuse 3.5 gt for $110. (regular around $300). I skipped out to the car!

I thank you all for taking the time to assist us in our efforts to enjoy our new range ( I actually wanted induction - but my non-cooking DH insisted on gas).

Yes - it is a beast of a range, and although there have been some learnings - it has been wonderful to cook on.

Ive got a question re aluminum... does the restaurant aluminum cookware have a layer between it and your food? Everything I have read has indicated it is toxic and best avoided.

Some do have stainless like the Volrath Tribute above. I have a anodized commercial vintage skillet that is lined in stainless. Much of it does not. Most people are worried about a possible link to Alzheimer's but no link has been found-yet. This is a summary of current thinking --for and agin.

http://mobile.dudamobile.com/site/ehso2?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ehso.com%2Fehshome%2Falzheimers.htm&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F#2640

You can also worry about what might leach out of stainless as some people have had it pit. You could find some danger in most cookware. I err on the side of caution and use different types of cookware to diversify risk. I watch what I cook in aluminum and don't cook high acid foods. I do use some uncoated aluminum bakeware and a griddle but as they season, it puts a barrier between the food and the aluminum. I also often use parchment so that makes a barrier although some people find fault with parchment.

@nightowl -- what an awesome score! I have the two-handled version of that pot and its terrific. Williams Sonoma was only at 25% off clearance last weekend and I walked out with some unexpected purchases. I think Sur La Table is also running 20% off clearance.

@3ilovepie -- some restaurant cookware is indeed bare aluminum. I won't get into the contentious issue of toxicity of aluminum, but it can definitely leave off flavors and colors in some foods, which is inarguably bad. The Vollrath Tribute mentioned above is fully clad, but they have many other lines, including bare aluminum and teflon or ceramic lined aluminum. (Hard Anodized aluminum will improve the resistance to the leaching and reactions, but not to the scratching.)

Most restaurants use aluminum cookware because it performs. I wouldn't cook lemon curd or tomato sauce in an aluminum pan but most everything else is OK

Stainless "sandwich" cookware solves any issues. Good quality stainless is completely non reactive. If WS or SLT has sales on Deyemere run, don't walk.

Congrats @nightowl.

I use champagne corks in all of my lid handles- cheap and easy, no mits required:) i hand wash all pots and pans and don't remove corks for washing. They last a long time.

I do that too Heather. Some have wine corks, as many as three while others require champagne corks

Which Culinarian range and why no pictures?;) post 'em.. we love Culinarians! :)

Heather and Wekick, what a great idea and when is the invite and which wines will be served?, LOL! Judging by the lids pictured I am sure the food will be delicious.

The bakelite handles on revere wear don't get hot but they don't have the cachet you need for that stove....