By Melanie Leyshon
Q What do you get if you pair a leading kitchenware specialist with an Oxford University rocket scientist?
A Ovens in space, pouches of gastrofood for astronauts? Forget the fanciful, there’s a much more practical outcome: a set of breakthrough energy-saving pans. And that means saving time and money, too…
Lakeland, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, took up an idea for the world’s first set of energy-saving pans that was brought to them four years ago by Dr Thomas Povey. As a professor of engineering at the University of Oxford, he usually does research into cooling systems for next-generation jet engines. He used his knowledge of heat distribution to work with a team of masters students to create the breakthrough range.
What’s new? It’s the finned sides of the new Flare with Fin-X technology range of pans that save time and money. They absorb the heat from gas hobs more effectively, so it isn’t lost around the sides. This saves 40% in energy costs when you cook on a gas hob (and two-thirds of us do), compared with using a conventional pan. It can also be used on ceramic, halogen and ring hobs.
What are they like? They’re made from cast aluminium that’s much lighter than cast iron. The even heat distribution around the pans makes it faster to heat up so food cooks more quickly – saving you time and money. If you’re cooking pots of pasta every week, you’ll have the water at a rolling boil before you can say al dente.
What the company says Lakeland’s buying director Matthew Canwell says, ‘While customers are looking for good value, that doesn’t mean they want cheap products that won’t last. Our customers see the value in investing in quality cooking equipment that will last for years to come.’
Accolades The Flare pans are already award winners. The Worshipful Company of Engineers gave them an engineering innovation award for being ‘the most outstanding engineering innovation that delivers demonstrable benefit to the environment’. They’ve also won a Design Council award.
Where to buy them Flare pans are available exclusively from Lakeland (lakeland.co.uk) from the middle of August and cost from £49.99 for a frying pan. For more information, visit flare.co.uk.
