Do stainless steel handles get hot?
Stainless steel handles do get hot, but there are a few things that can impact how long the stainless steel handles on your cookware will stay cool to the touch. The biggest factor is the type of stainless steel handle your cookware features. The most common types are...
*Stainless steel tubular handles. These handles are sturdy and oven safe (though they will be hot when coming out of the oven!). The tubular shape of this type of handle allows for air to flow up the shank of the handle, slowing the buildup of heat from the hot pan to the handle when cooking on the stovetop. Most of our newer product lines with tubular handles feature a baffle where the handle meets the pan, which allows the handle to stay cooler longer.
*Cast stainless steel handles. These handles are sturdy, beautiful, and oven safe, but will get hot to the touch faster than tubular or hollow-core handles.
*Hollow-core cast stainless steel handles. The air in the core of these handles insulates against heat during stovetop cooking, helping them stay cool to the touch for longer than traditional cast stainless steel handles.
In addition to the type of stainless steel handle your cookware features, the size of the cookware and the handle length will impact how long the handle will stay cool to the touch. For example, because they protrude further away from the heat source, long stick handles will generally stay cooler for longer than short helper handles. That said, even the long stick handle on a small skillet will heat up more quickly than a stick handle on a wide saute pan or tall saucepan, simply because it is closer to the heat source.
To stay safe while cooking, be sure to follow these basic guidelines when using a product with stainless steel handles:
*Use the burner size that most closely matches the size of your cookware.
*Center cookware on the burner
*Always use pot holders when removing cookware from the stovetop or oven.