How to choose a pancake pan or an electric crepe maker?
Crepe pans
A long time ago I used to work on a cruise ship and at night, the chef would set up his portable gas stove and his huge brass pan to make the most outstanding crepes. So, if you already have a good pan (steel, cast aluminium or other metal) and whatever its coating (ceramic, stone or teflon), no need to feel guilty : you will perfectly be able to have a treat provided you follow my "can’t-go-wrong" recipe.
If you are thinking of buying a crepe pan, try and choose a pan whose flat bottom and lower rims will make the task easier. Ideally, pick a diameter above 30cm if the size of your stove burners allows it.
Budget: 15€ minimum in supermarkets or on the internet.
Pros:
- Low budget
- Reusable for other preparations (like ‘pain perdu’, yummy!)
- Adapted to children (if closely watched, of course)
- Easy to clean and store away
- A must-have if you wish to toss the crepes (the same with an electric crepe-maker is definitely not recommended 😉
Cons:
- There is no pan to make large 40 to 50cm crepes
- Using the spreader, a requirement if you want to make wafer-thin crepes, is difficult, and even impossible on a pan
- The work is generally slow
Electric crepe makers
For a few years, small electrical appliances manufacturers have brimmed with ideas to offer simple and playful models for family use. Their strength? Lively colors, but also versatility. Thanks to their interchangeable griddles you can make blinis, omelettes, raclette or wok recipes.
These appliances for the general public are equipped with a built-in heating system and commercialized by various manufacturers.
How much does a household crepe maker cost?
The prices range from 20 € (30cm in diameter) to 60 € including tax.
What is the diameter of a household crepe maker?
30cm, 32cm or 38cm
Is it possible to make good crepes using these electric crepe machines? And what about buckwheat galettes?
The die-hard will tell you it is not, but from experience I’m convinced it is. It is easy to reach the usual cooking temperatures (200 degrees C for wheatflour batter and 250 degrees C for buckwheat flour). And anyway, as your batter will be exceptional, you’ll make quite an impression on your friends !
What is the power of such an electric crepe machine?
Between 1000 W and 1300 W.
The pros:
- Low budget
- Very user-friendly
- Sturdy, light (1.5kg to 3kg), just powerful enough to allow using without blowing the circuit
- Easy to clean (a little rim prevents the batter from overflowing into the cooking zone)
- Perfect for learning to swirl crepes
The cons:
- These crepe machines do not have a thermostat graduated in degrees but from 1 to 6, which is very bothering when learning to cook crepes as you never know the exact temperature.
- The accessories included are not really adapted
- The instructions are insufficient and inadequate to learn how to swirl. But I can’t complain because it is precisely the reason why you look up for my classes on the internet and find the best crepe-making beginners’ class!
When to plan on buying a professional crepe machine?
Electric crepe machines for the general public are a great way of learning how to swirl crepes, but you will quickly feel the limitations of such a machine :
- the little rim to avoid the overflowing of the batter is really annoying to toss the crepes,
- you want to make larger crepes (40cm, or even 50 cm in diameter),
- you sometimes cook several hours in a row and you need a sturdier equipment.
It’s time to take it to the next level and buy for example the renowned CEBPA4 green crepe machine by the French manufacturer Krampouz which is the "consumer goods" version of its standard pro model with its stainless steel frame presented in my selection of Krampouz professional crepe machines. The cost is about 250 € for a brand new model and between 150 and 180 € for a second-hand one.