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Breville Thermal Pro Stainless BEF500
Rob LSydney
control power lead only last 12 months
We rate the pan highly the only problem we are experiencing is we have to purchase a new lead annually. This is no fault of us users as we ensure the lead is not twisted and is positioned within the pan socket. We have had our pan for 2 & 1/2 years and have had to purchase two power leads since. Maybe when i purchase the next lead i should ask for an Aussie manufactured lead!
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ValSouthwest, VIC
- 9 reviews
- 5 likes
Worst Fry Pan I have ever bought
The temperature control on this fry pan has never worked properly. It starts to heat as soon as the power is on at the wall, even though the control is on zero. It appears to be boiling or nothing with this model. Each time I used it I would wonder it the food would be burnt. I regret not taking it back to the shop when it was in warranty. Unfortunately, it went into the cupboard and stayed there until the warranty had run out. I see that it is a discontinued model. I can see why. This was not a cheap Fry Pan and it left me with the feeling that I will not be purchasing another Breville appliance.
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DarkfalzCanbera
- 17 reviews
- 16 likes
It's a nice frypan, but I wish I'd gone non-stick.
Being used to non-stick cookware, it took a while for me to understand how to properly clean and season this kind of cookware, as well as cooking (ie. patting the meat dry before putting it on, letting it get a good seal before turning it).
Stainless steel gives you superior caramelisation or "fond". It is also obviously harder to clean. I use an inch or two of water after heavy use to clean it. Don't use soap. I've made few roasts in the pan and it certainly produces a different result to the oven. The chicken doesn't dry out as fast, has l...Read more
ovely caremelised bits at the bottom, but the vegies themselves don't get very crisp (except where they contact the pan). Making gravy is however obviously a cinch. Why do I say I wish I'd gone non stick? Well, I already have plenty of cookware. If I'd got a cheaper, non-stick pan it would have been great for taking on trips to places which don't have cooking facilities. And I can't really justify buying a second electric frypan. One last mention - the thermostat control gives an on/off cycle cycke. It can't do heat which is actually variable, like a stovetop. So cooking certain meals like this (low simmer, for example) might prove difficult.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Find out how Breville Thermal Pro Stainless BEF500 compares to other Electric Skillets and Woks
Know better, choose better.
PhilSydney Surrounds, NSW
- 2 reviews
- Thermal Pro Stainless BEF500
- Verified purchase
Great stainless steel frypan, temperature control lets it down
I have had mine for a while and the stainless steel and size of fry pan is great however the temperature has been basically on or off since I purchased it. If I am cooking something with liquid I have to put twice as much in as it never stops boiling; I am lucky if the temperature light will go off in the lowest simmer setting. I usually have to turn the power switch off to get it to go off the boil. I regret not taking it back earlier because as a fry pan it is the perfect size and I find it easy to clean.
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NNN8487Sydney, NSW
- 32 reviews
Fantastic first experience with stainless steel
I have used several brands of non-stick electric frypans in the past, and despite being satisfactory for cooking, none of them seemed to last long enough before the coating starts to bubble or peel. Having owned the BEF500 for 2 months now, I am very happy with it. I did some research before using it and found many sites which recommended seasoning the pan before use, which I did. This worked well and I have had no problems with food sticking, and the pan is a breeze to clean. I definitely encourage anyone to look into this if purchasing st...Read more
ainless steel cookware. I have found the surface of the pan distributes heat evenly, and I have experimented with cooking a wide variety of meals on the pan all very successfully. I have not experienced any of the lid problems some other reviewers have outlined, and the temperature settings are easy to manage once you have used the pan a few times and figured out which setting is appropriate for different types of cooking. The pan is heavier than other models of electric frypan I have used, but this is not an issue for me. Overall I definitely recommend this pan, and owning it has encouraged me to purchase more stainless steel cookware in the future. Great heat distribution, sturdy, can handle any meal You must be prepared to properly care for this pan1 comment
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TwwOcean Grove
- 2 reviews
- 6 likes
- Thermal Pro Stainless BEF500
- Verified purchase
Useless
If solely cooking at quite high temps I suppose this is satisfactory, however I can't believe so many reviews have no problem with the absolutely terrible temperature control!
A pan that is incapable of a simmer fails one of the most basic and fundamental tasks!
At lower temperatures (not even THAT low) the element simply cycles on at searing temps then turns off, completely inappropriate! Cooking eggs slowly to have the element switch on for 5 secs near the end of cooking to over do and burn them, enraging!
Try to simmer something at...Read more
anything less than a raging boil with constant stirring to avoid burning, and you get 5 secs of raging boil followed by a minute of nothing. Cooking some meat on a steady even temp? Nope it gets a good sear every few minutes. Useless!!1 comment
BrevilleBreville
Hi TWW - please contact customer service if you would like to discuss further or are considering returning - 1300 139 798. Thanks, the Breville team
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Friv08SYDNEY, NSW
- 8 reviews
- 4 likes
Excellent frypan for cooking food
I recently bought the Breville Thermal Pro Stainless Steel Frypan and am very happy with my purchase. It cooks food evenly and has a 25 year warranty on the base. Good quality appliance, except it is quite heavy. My meals are very delicious now. Bought it on sale at a great price!
1 comment
BrevilleBreville
Hi Friv08 - thanks for your comments. The Breville team
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MadardyAU
- 7 reviews
Had initial problems
After reading the mixed reviews, I took to YouTube and saw some convincing videos about the thermal pro, so I invested in one. I had some initial problems with the lid being far too small so I called Brevilles customer service "to discuss my issues" as I was instructed to through the questions section of this product review.. That was an extremely useless waste of time! The guy I spoke to was most unhelpful and suggested he couldn't do anything about it, the lid is what it is! Basically you get what you're given. I was absolutely so upset and ...Read more
i went back to The Good Guys and luckily I actually got some customer service, where we discovered the lid was not right at all and a complete replacement was given to me. If it was left to my dealings with Brevilles Rep, they would have lost me on any future purchases across the brand.. Apalling! I think the lid could still be a better fit especially after watching the Breville promo video on YouTube for smoking trout... You lose too much steam with the lids as they are, I really don't think smoking any meat is at all possible with the loose fitting lids that are supplied. Also it seems as though that when I put the temp down to minimum it seems to cut out completely, I understand the thermostat would kick in to reduce the temp, but then it just stops cooking altogether doesn't seem right to me.. All in all if you're cooking with high temps it is great, sears meat and vegetables really well and as promised it is an even cook.. Still not convinced about the lid fitting and the thermostat seems to cut out so won't give it a wonderful review but at this stage it's I just an ok.. Paid $110 on sale from The Good Guys November 20151 comment
BrevilleBreville
Hi Madardy - your feedback will be received by the design team. Thanks for taking time to comment. The Breville team
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WinkyGold Coast
- 3 reviews
- 7 likes
Awesome product. Well worth the financial outlay.
We purchased this pan from Myer after being given a gift card for Christmas a few years ago.
Now, prior to this purchase, we had gone through two or three nonstick electric frypans purchased from kmart /target over the course of about two years. Either the power cord would die or the non stick coating would come off or the temperate would stop regulating.
We were sick of it. Having three young children, our frypans get heavy use so my husband and I decided that we'd go all out and get the best frypan we could find.
I think we've had this ...Read more
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Find out how Breville Thermal Pro Stainless BEF500 compares to other Electric Skillets and Woks
Know better, choose better.
ScottToowoomba
- 6 reviews
- 7 likes
Pancake Perfection
I only cook one thing on my Frying Pan and that is Pancakes. Therefore i consider myself an expert in the Art of cooking Pancakes they need to be light an fluffy and have an even colour, hence the pan needs to have an even heat across the pan . After reading previous reviews i purchased my new Pancake cooking tool, i firstly seasoned the stainless steel pan as recommended in previous reviews to make it non stick. My first batch of pancakes was disappointing, i burnt the bottom and they were sticking, total disaster. I re-seasoned the pan a second time and adjusted the cooking temperature to number 7, presto! the perfect pancake and no sticking.
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AdamPerth, Western Australia
- 6 reviews
Very pleasantly surprised
I love this frypan. In the last 18 months I have started using electric frypans and wish I started years ago. I have used a couple non stick pans but the same problems always occur- the non-stick keeps flaking and secondly, heat distribution is uneven.
THIS PAN IS AMAZING. Very Even Heat distribution. Very easy to clean. Very simple to use. Very efficient to cook with.
Here are some tips I have picked up as I had never used a stainless steel pan before.
1. Always use oil. 3 tablespoons is enough to coat it, and only add it once the pan is he...Read more
1 comment
Update: pancakes are amazing on this thing too. As is okonomiyaki. Really great pan that we use almost every day!
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larryaSouth East Queensland, QLD
- 31 reviews
Very good frypan - very even heat, good control.
We have had ours for about a month now and can't find anything negative to say about this product. Very even heat over the whole cooking surface and is very easily cleaned in the dishwasher. We finally got fed up with replacing perfectly good pans because the non-stick surface had deteriorated and will be looking for a new stainless wok soon!
Even heat, easy to clean, large cooking area
Nothing so far
1 comment
Soon after writing this review, we bought a Sunbeam stainless steel wok (Ellise WW8950) and are very happy with that as well. Very important not to use abrasive pads on these items. If something has... Read more
stuck which it occasionally does, put some water into pan with a squirt of dish detergent, bring to a boil and turn off. Leave overnight and wipe it off in the morning.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Serenity32Tasmania
- 9 reviews
- 14 likes
Great Electric Frypan- Happy
Very good heat distribution which is the most important criteria. Makes for problem free cooking and great taste. I use it mainly for bolognaise, curries, stir fries and pancakes. Good size to enable cooking large meals so leftovers can be stored in the fridge and reheated. It gets very hot at the sear and high temp. settings which sears meats quickly, evenly and well. Slow, even simmering on very low temperature brings out the great flavour of the food. Would roast very well and large size accommodates large roast.
Cleaning is easy. If yo...Read more
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FuzzFernvale, Queensland
- 2 reviews
Great pan
I have had this pan for nearly 18 mths. I love it. It is easy to keep clean. I don't have to worry about the kids using metal utensils and scratching the non stick surface. Now that I have mastered cooking with stainless, I will not be going back to nonstick.
Sears meat well. Even cooking
Sometimes buzzes when you turn it on
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MeganOnline
Broke just out of warranty
This item did the job ok while it lasted, but at $170, I hoped it would have lasted a bit longer than 13 months.
No good for slow cooking stews, sauces or soups as the heat fluctuates at low temperatures - hot-cold-hot-cold - so food would either boil away or not cook at all. Decent, quick heat for searing meat etc and can also be used as a bain marie over for heating pots and pans for indirect heat cooking.
However - the plug has no gone kaput *just* after the warranty expired. I expected better from this brand however now will simply be buying cheaper products as there appears to be no difference in quality. Save your $$$.
Quick to heat for frying, good size
Poor quality item despite high price tag, no good for long slow cooking.
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Find out how Breville Thermal Pro Stainless BEF500 compares to other Electric Skillets and Woks
Know better, choose better.
Mark O'DriscollGladstone
- 14 reviews
- 1 like
Over Rated
I did my research before purchasing and all sounded as though it was worth paying extra for quality. The first and all subsequent uses have been disappointing as everything sticks unless you are deep frying. Not only does it stick but its near impossible to clean where it has stuck. We have converted back to using our $30 non stick frypan.
All over heating
Expensive, Everything sticks
3 comments
How come you are having all this trouble with yours and MrsMorris & myexperience thinks it is FANTASTIC & EXCELLENT, maybe you are doing something wrong. Interested to know as I am looking to buy a new frying pan.
Take a look at this: http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/videos/how-to-cook-on-season-a-stainless-steel-pan-to-create-a-non-stick-surface/
Thank you larrya for video showing how to season stainless steel pans. I used this method on the Breville Thermal Pro and it works really, really, well. No stick whatsoever searing chicken on 12-13 se... Read more
tting. When finished cooking, heat some water to boil, wipe excess clean with a paper towel for a spotless look - like new. This has made the Thermal Pro even more useful than before. This spotless clean combined with the excellent temperature control is really expanding my use of this frypan - I think it I a fantastic. Thank You!Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
myexperience2AU
- 3 reviews
- 1 like
In love
I am completely in love with my breville frying pan. Great size, enough room to cook for your family and have leftovers. Even heat means things like pancakes come out perfect. I am a vegan so in all honesty, I have no idea how well meat cooks in this pan but I do make a lot of vegetable and rice dishes and fry mock meats in this pan and its easy of cooking and even distribution of heat make things a breeze. No other pan I own comes close to how good this pan is. Real easy to clean as well, everything just wipes off, I was always under the impre...Read more
ssion you could only do that with non stick but this pan is great, still looks as shinny and clean as the day I bought it. I just love it. stainless steel, size, good heat distribution, easy to clean. A great pan.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
MrsMorrisMelbourne
- 15 reviews
- 5 likes
Fantastic.
I love this electric frypan.
Completely stainless steel so extremely easy to clean & can wack into the dishwasher as well.
Heats up very quickly, and has an even spread throughout pan - with no areas which aren't as hot as others.
Comes with a rack for steaming - I wrapped trout in foil and steamed and it was absolutely delicious and so easy.
Heats quickly and evenly.
4 comments
Have had nothing but problems with this frypan. Everything we have cooked in it has stuck to the pan. The response from Breville was sorry for the inconvenience. I now have a frypan that is useless an... Read more
d after paying $147 I can't afforrd to buy another one.How come you are having all this trouble with yours and MrsMorris thinks it is FANTASTIC maybe you are doing something wrong. Interested to know as I am looking to buy a new frying pan.
After many years use of SS cookware, I can assure you that sticking will only occur if the appliance is not seasoned properly before use.
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Questions & Answers
mowzagirlasked
I bought a breville bef500 at a garage sale. It does not have a manual and am wondering how to clean it. Can I submerge it in water? Thanks
2 answers
Hi there, Well done finding one of these at a Garage Sale! You did better than me pricewise. It has a couple of things which are a bit of a problem. It's big and heavy. I have a normal size sink and there's no way it will fit in it. I phoned Breville about the underneath construction wondering why it was so complex. My last frying pan only had an encased element and no problem submerging it. They said there's a motor underneath... very strange, but they also said it was safe to submerge. I noticed some comments saying rust had developed inside/underneath and was leaking out. So no way will I be getting it wet underneath. Because the sides are so high this reduces splattering and I found the outside stays perfectly clean. I pour hot water into mine leaving it on the sink to soak. I make sure I tip the water out on the side which has no plug fitting in case water should go inside. I use dishwashing detergent and water to clean it. I use to go crazy with my last Sunbeam Frying pan scrubbing and polishing off all the marks. But I don't worry about that any more. This is a work horse to me. When I finish washing it, I run my hand over the metal and as long as it's totally smooth I don't scrub it. Stainless steel will stain with some foods, but when cooking the next thing these marks disappear or are replaced by others. As long as it's spotlessly clean and hygienic I can live with the small marks. If you want to get them off Cerapol is good. I use it on my ceramic cook top (great product) I like to cook huge quantities and freeze what I make in meal size containers. So I will spend a few hours and make at least 20 meals. I like my kind of fast food. So the size and shape and the high sides means I can make very big batches of food in one go. My freezer is always full. There are a lot of unhappy customers though because the thermostat is on the dodgy side and cannot go from really low simmer to furnace heat. Mine does though and I hope yours does. Because of product review I knew this could be an issue when I decided to buy it so also bought extended warranty. If you go to the following site you should be able to download a PDF instruction manual. https://www.manualslib.com/manual/750297/Breville-Bef500.html If you have trouble with the thermostat, I bet Breville will have plenty of stock, cause a lot of people need to buy them. Good luck with yours, hope you like it as much as I do. cheers Dianne. p.s. the oblong shape is terrific! I didn't like it at first and wished it was square, until I discovered my utensils don't slide in any more if I leave them in for a second to race off doing sopmething else in the kitchen. Also it's really easy to stir fry coming in from the right. It just needs a bit of getting use to. LOVE THE HEIGHT!!! Di
Hi Mozagirl,
We dont submerge our fry pan. Just tip soapy water into pan & turn heat on for a minute or so, this will remove most of the ground in grit 'if not, use a plastic spatula to remove any stubborn grit' then simply tip out then allow to cool & tip some more soapy water in and hand wash. The outside should only require a soapy cloth wipe. They are very simple to maintain, the bottom of the pan shouldnt require any scrubbing as a soapy wipe over after every use is sufficient.
Greg Tasked
I have on my second Breville frypan in 7 years - the first one kept giving me a shock when heating. Now, after 3 years, the second frypan is doing the same thing. Everything else about the frypan is working fine, but I cant see what could be causing the fault. Is there a simple solution, like a rubber grommet that stops earth leakage that I can replace?
3 answers
Hi Greg,
Wow!!
Thanks for asking me, but I am just a housewife..lol..I would have no idea about this. I certainly don't have a problem at all, the only thing I have noticed you have to make sure you push the thermostat in hard.
Just thinking. It is strange though you had this problem with the old one???? and now this one...weird indeed. My husband would probably try using it on another power point first; it could be that, maybe??? before you ring Breville. (Different circuit in the house)
Anyway if that doesn't help The sales people at Breville would be able to help you out.
Greg, sorry I can't be much help. Good luck and let me know how you go. I would be interested to know?
Kind Regards,
Dianne
Hi Greg,
Wow!!
Thanks for asking me, but I am just a housewife..lol..I would have no idea about this. I certainly don't have a problem at all, the only thing I have noticed you have to make sure you push the thermostat in hard.
Just thinking. It is strange though you had this problem with the old one???? and now this one...weird indeed. My husband would probably try using it on another power point first; it could be that, maybe??? before you ring Breville. (Different circuit in the house)
Anyway if that doesn't help The sales people at Breville would be able to help you out.
Greg, sorry I can't be much help. Good luck and let me know how you go. I would be interested to know?
Kind Regards,
Dianne
( Sorry I think you received this twice!)
I would contact Breville that is dangerous and they would need to take responsibility for it.
Rocket_Rodasked
2 questions if I may...
1. My lid does not fit it is much to small and leaves quite a large gap around the rim, is this normal? It doesn't appear so on the Breville You Tube videos. Wondering if I should take it back for a replacement.
2. I turned it down to minimum and it appeared to have stopped cooking. I understand it is a low setting, but it was not cooking whatsoever. Is mine faulty?
Thanks in advance for your help!
2 answers
Sharon L.Breville
We would recommend that you contact our Customer Service Team on 1300 139 798.
They will assist you with your queries
Thanks
The Breville Team
This is normal. These kind of frypans regulate heat simply by switching off and on full power. Its a terrible design for low temperature cooking but great for stirfries and steak.
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BrevilleBreville
Hi NathanS - thanks for your comments. The Breville team