Grill Performance

The heating performance of a pot varies greatly depending on the thickness and material of the pot.

The key to cooking is the heat conduction of the material and the heat capacity of the thickness.

Thermal conductivity

Thermal conductivity is the ability of heat to be transferred, and the higher the value, the faster the heat can be transferred to the food. Metals used in pots have overwhelmingly better thermal conductivity than other materials, making them ideal for cooking.

Among the metals used in pots, copper has the best thermal conductivity, followed by aluminum, iron, and stainless steel. Among stainless steel, induction-compatible chromium stainless steel (SUS430 series, SUS444 series, etc.) has better thermal conductivity than nickel stainless steel (SUS304, etc.).

Heat capacity (heat storage)

In addition to thermal conductivity, heat capacity is also important when it comes to how pots and pans absorb heat.

Its excellent thermal conductivity means it heats up quickly and maintains a uniform temperature across the entire bottom of the pot.
Maintaining the right temperature with ingredients added is also very important in cooking, and this is related to heat capacity. Heat capacity indicates how much heat is stored and is equal to how quickly it cools down. This is based on the specific heat in the physical properties table (specific heat x weight). Weight is related to the thickness of the plate.
The thicker the plate, the heavier it is and the greater its heat capacity.

In addition to the thickness, the specific gravity of the metal is also very important.
For example, aluminum has a very small mass, so when comparing weights for the same volume and thickness, it is much lighter than other metals, and even though its specific heat is large, the heat capacity of the solid body is small.

If we take a pot of the same volume and thickness, stainless steel will be nearly three times heavier, so even though its specific heat value is about half, the heat capacity of the stainless steel pot will be about 1.5 times greater, meaning it will take 1.5 times longer to cool.
For this reason, stainless steel is generally said to have good heat retention and to cool down slowly, while aluminum is said to have good thermal conductivity but to cool down quickly.
And heating up quickly also means that it cools down quickly, and the surface temperature of the pot is likely to drop due to the influence of cold ingredients.

Also, when frying foods such as tempura, using a pot with a large heat capacity is effective because it prevents the oil temperature from dropping even if the amount of oil is relatively small.
The same thing happens when boiling noodles such as spaghetti; by using more water, you increase the heat capacity, but if the pot has a large heat capacity, you can use less water. When cooking hot pot dishes, using a pot with a large heat capacity minimizes the drop in temperature caused by adding more ingredients.
製品素材一覧
Product Image: Prodenji Series
Ultra-thick sole Prodenji 19-0IH compatible circular bottom press
Heat conduction ★
Weight ★★★
heat capacity ★★
Induction compatible ◎
As a cooking tool, stainless steel has poorer thermal conductivity than other metals, so it takes longer to heat up, but its high heat retention means that once it's heated, it doesn't cool down easily, allowing for thorough cooking with less heat. While some may think it's prone to burning, preheating it to the right temperature and then using its heat retention to maintain a medium heat or lower can help prevent food from burning (and also reduce heat source costs). Chromium-based stainless steel is induction-compatible and has excellent corrosion and impact resistance (it won't break even if it's hit hard), allowing for long-lasting use. Due to its high specific gravity and high material cost per kilogram, the product price is high, but in the long run, it offers excellent cost performance.
Product image: IH 3-layer clad steel
IH Maestro 3-layer steel
Heat conduction ★★★
Weight ★★
heat capacity ★★★
Induction compatible ◎
A composite material that combines the advantages of aluminum and stainless steel. The bottom is made of chrome stainless steel, making it induction compatible. The specific gravity of the material we use is approximately 5.3 g/cm³ (plate thickness 2.3 mm) or 4.7 g/cm³ (plate thickness 2.6 mm). In our lineup, it is mainly used as a pot material other than frying pans (pots dedicated to stir-frying).
Product image: IH Maestro 2-layer stainless steel clad
IH Maestro 2-layer steel
Heat conduction ★★★
Weight ★★
heat capacity ★★★
Induction compatible ◎
This material is used for induction-compatible frying pans and deep frying pans due to the thermal conductivity of aluminum (it heats up and cools down quickly) and the fact that the fluorine coating penetrates deeper and is less likely to peel off. Its lighter specific gravity of 3.95g/cm³ also reduces heat retention to a certain extent, and by carefully controlling the temperature at medium heat or below, it is possible to prevent the temperature from rising to the point where food burns. This also makes it easier to maintain the fluorine coating (heat-resistant temperature below 260°C). Because a larger proportion of aluminum accounts for the total plate thickness, it has better thermal conductivity than triple-clad materials.
Product Image: Iron pot
Iron pot series
Heat conduction ★
Weight ★★★
heat capacity ★★★
Induction compatible ◎
Many pots have a thick plate thickness, and are often used as woks or tempura pans, which require sufficient preheating to increase heat capacity and allow for quick frying. The uneven surface oxide coating absorbs oil well, making it difficult for food to stick. Rust will form if the pot is not washed thoroughly after use and stored with oil. The plate thickness we use is 1.4 to 1.6 mm.
Product Image: Aluminum pot
Thick-bottom aluminum pot with scale
Heat conduction ★★★
Weight ★
heat capacity ★★
Induction compatible ×
Its heat conduction is excellent and it heats up quickly. Although its specific heat value is high, its specific gravity is low. Thin pans tend to cool quickly when food is added or when the heat is reduced. (Food also tends to burn if the heat is too high.) Therefore, they are also effective as cooling containers, and we have developed them ourselves. Commercial-grade pans are designed with thicker plates for excellent heat conduction and increased heat retention. While single-layer aluminum is not induction-compatible, clad aluminum, bonded to stainless steel, offers excellent thermal conductivity and is highly effective. Furthermore, because heat is transferred quickly and evenly, food does not sink to the bottom and does not burn, even without forced convection such as stirring. We use plate thicknesses of 1.5 to 5.0 mm.

Choosing a frying pan is particularly difficult among pots.

When choosing a frying pan, factors such as heat conductivity, heat capacity, material, and thickness are important, as well as how well it absorbs oil, heat resistance, durability, operability, ease of cleaning, and whether it can be used on an induction cooktop.
Lightweight pans are certainly easy to handle, but due to their thermal conductivity and heat capacity, they tend to cool down quickly when food is placed inside, causing the food to stick to them, and they also have disadvantages such as the heating part heating up too quickly and causing food to burn.
Regarding the thickness of the plate, if it is thick, it takes time for the heat to reach the inside of the pot where the food is touching from the outside of the bottom, which is in contact with the heat source, and the heat spreads horizontally as well.If the plate is thin, the heat will be transmitted vertically all at once, burning the food before it can spread horizontally.
In particular, induction cooktops have excellent thermal efficiency, so the heat-generating parts quickly rise in temperature and become burnt. In addition, the thickness of the plate and its large heat capacity make it difficult to heat up, so preheating takes time.
However, once preheated, the heat energy is stored, so even if you add food, the temperature does not drop easily and the appropriate temperature is maintained. Therefore, after preheating, the appropriate temperature can be maintained even on low heat.
This also allows you to cook calmly and without rushing.

However, even in this case, if you set the heat source to high, not only will the heat be concentrated vertically, but it will also exceed the optimum temperature. You must preheat the food slowly at medium heat or lower.
Our textured super ceramic coating eliminates the need to shake the frying pan, so even if the plate is thick and heavy, it doesn't put a strain on the user when cooking. When it comes to "operability," it's not just lightness that's important; it's also important that the pan is non-stick, non-burning, does not require shaking, and allows for easy and delicious cooking.
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