Crêpe pan

We bought ours in Brittany, where the shops take crêpes seriously, and it has been in weekly use for more than five years. It looks like nothing: a wide, almost flat disc with edges a few millimetres high. That is exactly the point. With no sides in the way, the spatula slides straight under the crêpe and the flip stops being a skill. On a normal frying pan the sloped sides fight you every time, and that is when crêpes tear.

How to use it

1. Preheat over medium heat for two to three minutes. Avoid full heat, especially with a non-stick coating.
2. Grease it very lightly — a piece of kitchen paper dipped in neutral oil, or a little clarified butter. You want a thin film, not a puddle.
3. Lift the pan off the heat, pour a small ladle of batter into the centre and immediately tilt it in a circular motion to spread a thin layer.
4. Put it back on the heat and cook for about 45 to 60 seconds. Flip when the top is no longer liquid and the edges start to lift.
5. Cook the second side for 15 to 30 seconds, then slide the crêpe onto a plate.

Getting the heat right

• The batter sets before it has spread — the pan is too hot, or the batter is too thick.
• The crêpe stays pale and dries out before it colours — the heat is too low.
• It colours almost instantly — turn the heat down.

Looking after it

With a non-stick pan, use a wooden or silicone spatula and only re-grease when you need to. An uncoated steel pan usually needs seasoning before its first use.

One last thing: stack the crêpes as they come off the pan and cover them with an upturned plate. They stay warm and soft until everyone is at the table.

4/4 kids and 2/2 adults. Five years in, and we would buy the same one again.

What it is.

A flat crêpe pan by Valira: a wide disc with edges only a few millimetres high, instead of the sloped sides of a frying pan. Ours came from a shop in Brittany and has been in use for more than five years.

Why it helps.

• Flipping becomes easy. With almost no edge in the way, the spatula slides straight under the crêpe and turns it in one movement.
• Fewer torn crêpes. On a normal pan the sides catch the edge of the crêpe just as you lift it.
• The batter spreads thin. Nothing blocks the tilt, so one small ladle covers the whole surface evenly.
• It lasts. Five years of regular use and ours still works exactly as it did on day one.
• You don't have to spend much. Cheaper models do the same job, and IKEA sells one.

The limitations.

• It does one job. This is a single-purpose pan that still takes up a full shelf.
• Nothing stays put. With no sides, anything liquid runs straight off, so it is crêpes and pancakes only.
• Uncoated steel versions need seasoning before the first use, and care afterwards.

Who it suits.

• Families who make crêpes more than a few times a year.
• Anyone whose crêpes keep tearing on the flip — it is usually the pan, not the technique.
• Not worth it if you make crêpes once a year and are short of storage.

Indicative price: About €65 · checked September 2026