30 DAYS OPEN PURCHASETitanium and acid get along well. In a saucepan made of standard 18/10 steel, acidic ingredients such as tomatoes, citrus and wine can reactively pick up traces of iron and chromium from the steel structure and over time affect the flavour. Hestan addresses this structurally with NanoBond: a surface treatment process that bonds thousands of titanium-based nano-layers directly to the surface of 18/10 steel at a molecular level, in an oxygen-free vacuum chamber at extremely high temperature. This is not a coating applied on top of the steel that can wear away. It is a permanent molecular fusion where titanium and chromium-based alloys become part of the steel structure. The resulting surface is four times harder than the underlying 18/10 steel, non-porous and virtually non-reactive. Titanium is one of the most chemically inert metals available and is used in medical implants precisely because it does not react with organic matter. In a kitchen context: acidic reductions, dairy sauces, lemon butter and wine-based stocks do not react with the surface and leave no metallic taste in the final result.
The construction is a three-layer arrangement: the titanium nano-layer on the inside, a core of pure aluminium (ProCore) and the titanium nano-layer on the outside. The aluminium core is crucial to performance. Pure aluminium has approximately three times better thermal conductivity than steel, and Hestan states that the ProCore core provides 35 percent better heat conductivity compared to other cookware with three-layer construction. The result is that the saucepan heats up quickly and evenly without cold spots, and that temperature control is responsive: when you lower the heat, you feel it quickly. The latter is important for sauces and pasta cooking where you often need to go from an active boil to a gentle simmer without the bottom burning.
The hardness of the titanium surface means that metal utensils, metal whisks and steel wool do not damage the surface in any practical sense. Hestan states that the NanoBond surface withstands metal utensils and is dishwasher safe, with sealed edges that prevent water from penetrating the construction. Maximum temperature: 565 degrees Celsius, meaning the saucepan can go directly from the hob into the oven or onto the grill without restriction. The titanium surface is free from synthetic coating agents. Made by Hestan.
Important to note: the titanium surface is not non-stick like coated cookware. Milk-based sauces and protein-rich ingredients can stick if the saucepan is not sufficiently hot, if there is not enough fat or if you stir too infrequently. The lower friction of the titanium surface compared to ordinary steel helps, but it does not replace correct technique. The saucepan works on all heat sources including induction and comes with a tight-fitting lid. Available in four sizes: 1.4 litres, 1.9 litres, 2.8 litres and 3.8 litres.
