If you want to make paella at home, the size of the pan is one of the first choices you need to make. Is a 28 cm paella pan large enough? When is it better to choose 32 cm? And when will a spacious 36 cm paella pan come in handy?
The right size depends mainly on the amount you want to prepare, the number of ingredients, and the surface area of your cooktop.
In this guide, we compare different sizes and explain what to look out for when choosing. Want to view the available models directly? Then discover the pans and paella pans at TEKZEN.
What is a paella pan?
You can recognize a paella pan mainly by its wide and relatively shallow shape.
This shape ensures that the ingredients can be spread over a large surface. That is an important difference compared to, for example, a tall cooking pot or soup pot.
In addition, a traditional paella pan has handles on the sides instead of one long handle.
Within the current TEKZEN range, you will find various Kadirelli paella pans in multiple diameters, so you can tailor the size to the amount you want to prepare.
Why is the size of a paella pan important?
With a paella pan, it is not just about how much food physically fits.
The wide cooking surface is precisely an important part of this type of pan. This allows the rice and other ingredients to be spread over a larger surface.
If you use a very small pan for a large amount of ingredients, a thicker layer will be created in the pan. Conversely, using a pan that is too large for a very small amount is not always practical.
Therefore, it is useful to choose a size that matches the portions you usually prepare.
What sizes of paella pans are available at TEKZEN?
Within the current Kadirelli range at TEKZEN, you will find paella pans in:
- 28 cm
- 30 cm
- 32 cm
- 34 cm
- 36 cm
In addition, there are black Kadirelli paella pans in 32 and 36 cm. The current models are offered as suitable for induction.
This allows you to choose a diameter that fits your cooking habits quite accurately.
Paella pan 28 cm: compact size
A 28 cm paella pan is the smallest size in the current Kadirelli range at TEKZEN.
This size is interesting when you want to prepare smaller amounts and do not need a large pan.
A more compact paella pan also takes up less space on the cooktop and is easier to store than a very large version.
If you usually prepare small portions, 28 cm can therefore be a logical starting point.
Paella pan 30 cm: slightly more cooking surface
With a 30 cm paella pan, you get slightly more surface than with the 28 cm version.
The difference of two centimeters seems small, but because the diameter is larger, the total cooking surface also increases.
This intermediate size can be interesting when 28 cm is on the compact side, but you do not yet need a large paella pan.
Paella pan 32 cm: versatile medium size
A 32 cm paella pan sits nicely in the middle of the current size range.
You get more space to spread the rice, vegetables, meat, fish, or other ingredients over the bottom, while the pan is not yet as large as a 36 cm version.
Within the current TEKZEN range, 32 cm is also available in various versions, including a black Kadirelli paella pan.
For those who regularly prepare different amounts, 32 cm can therefore be an interesting size.
Paella pan 34 cm: extra space
Want more cooking surface without immediately going to the largest size? Then you can look at a 34 cm paella pan.
This size offers extra space to spread the ingredients and can therefore be pleasant when you regularly prepare slightly larger amounts.
With a larger diameter, do check whether the pan fits well on the cooking zone you want to use.
Paella pan 36 cm: largest size in the current range
The 36 cm paella pan is the largest diameter within the current Kadirelli paella pans at TEKZEN.
This size gives you a generous cooking surface and is therefore especially interesting when you want to prepare larger amounts.
TEKZEN currently has both a regular Kadirelli paella pan of 36 cm and a black version of the same size.
If you often cook for several people or want to be able to spread many ingredients over the pan, this larger diameter can be useful.
How many people per paella pan?
With paella pans, you often see tables in which each diameter is linked to an exact number of people.
Such a table can give an indication, but is not an absolute rule. The required space depends on the portion size, the amount of rice, and how many other ingredients you add.
A richly filled paella with lots of vegetables, meat, or fish, for example, requires more space than a smaller and simpler preparation.
Therefore, look mainly at the amount you normally make instead of exclusively at a fixed number of people.
Which paella pan for 2 people?
For a smaller amount, you can start with the more compact sizes.
A 28 or 30 cm paella pan can, for example, be interesting when you usually cook for a small household.
If you like to make larger portions or deliberately want a thinner layer of ingredients, you can of course also choose a larger diameter.
Which paella pan for a family?
For a family, the available cooking surface becomes more important.
A paella pan of, for example, 32 or 34 cm gives more space to spread different ingredients over the bottom than a compact 28 cm version.
Which diameter ultimately fits best depends on how much your family eats and how richly you fill the paella.
Which paella pan for larger amounts?
If you regularly prepare a large amount, a larger diameter is obvious.
Within the current range, 36 cm is the largest available size.
The advantage of such a spacious pan is not only the capacity. You get especially more surface to spread the ingredients over the bottom.
Is a larger paella pan always better?
No. The largest pan is not automatically the best choice.
A large paella pan takes up more space, both during cooking and when storing. In addition, the pan must fit well on the heat source.
If you almost always prepare small amounts, a smaller paella pan can be easier to use.
The best size is therefore mainly the size that matches the amounts you actually make.
Can a paella pan be used on induction?
Not every paella pan is automatically suitable for induction. The bottom must be suitable for this heat source.
The current Kadirelli paella pans of 28, 30, 32, 34, and 36 cm at TEKZEN are offered as suitable for induction.
This also applies to the current black Kadirelli versions of 32 and 36 cm.
Always check the full specifications and suitable heat sources of the chosen product before using the pan.
What size paella pan for induction?
With induction, in addition to the diameter of the paella pan, you must also take into account the dimensions of the cooking zone.
A very large pan on a relatively small cooking zone can cause not every part of the bottom to be heated in the same way.
Therefore, also consult the instructions of your induction cooktop to check which bottom diameters are suitable for the relevant cooking zone.
If you have a cooktop with a flex zone, there may be other possibilities for larger pans.
Paella pan or frying pan: what is the difference?
A paella pan and frying pan are both relatively wide, but have a different shape and application.
A frying pan normally has one long handle and is used a lot for daily baking preparations.
A paella pan is wide and shallow and usually has two handles on the sides. Because of this, the model is specifically suitable for preparations where you want to spread many ingredients over a wide surface.
If you are looking for a regular pan for daily baking, then read our guide What size frying pan do you need?.
Paella pan or casserole?
A casserole also has a different shape and application.
A casserole is usually deeper and is used a lot for braising, stewing, and slow cooking.
A paella pan is precisely relatively shallow and wide, creating a large cooking surface.
Which pan you need therefore depends mainly on the dish you want to prepare.
Can you use a paella pan for other dishes?
A wide shallow pan does not have to be used exclusively for one recipe.
Depending on the model and the preparation method, you can also use the spacious surface for other dishes where you like to spread ingredients over a wide bottom.
Always take into account the properties of the pan, the heat source used, and the preparation method of the dish.
Why does a paella pan have two handles?
Unlike a frying pan, a paella pan usually has no long handle, but two handles on both sides.
That is practical with a wide pan, because you can hold it on both sides.
Keep in mind that handles can get hot during cooking. If necessary, use suitable pan mitts or oven mitts and follow the usage instructions of the pan.
How much rice do you put in a paella pan?
The amount of rice depends on the recipe, the portion size, and the other ingredients.
Therefore, do not use exclusively the diameter of the pan to determine how much rice you need.
Preferably follow a paella recipe that fits the number of portions you want to make, and then choose a pan in which the ingredients can be sufficiently spread over the bottom.
28, 30, 32, 34 or 36 cm: which paella pan do you choose?
You can view the current sizes at TEKZEN roughly as follows:
- 28 cm: compact size for smaller amounts;
- 30 cm: slightly more cooking surface than 28 cm;
- 32 cm: versatile medium size;
- 34 cm: extra space for larger preparations;
- 36 cm: largest current size for generous amounts.
Use this as a practical comparison and not as a hard division per number of people. The amount of ingredients ultimately remains decisive.
View the paella pans and compare, for example, the Kadirelli paella pan 28 cm with the 36 cm version. Match the bottom diameter to your cooking zone.
Buy a paella pan at TEKZEN
When choosing a paella pan, the available cooking surface is especially important. A smaller pan is practical for compact preparations, while a larger diameter gives more space to spread rice and other ingredients over the bottom.
Within the current TEKZEN range, you will find Kadirelli paella pans of 28, 30, 32, 34 and 36 cm. In addition, there are black versions of 32 and 36 cm. The current models are offered as suitable for induction.
View the paella pans and other pans at TEKZEN and compare the size that best matches your way of cooking.
Do you also want to compare other pans? Then read on about choosing the right size frying pan or discover what size soup pot you need.
Do you want to compare further or choose matching products? Also read: