Do your saucepans do this? Or am I being 'gaslit'? (pics)

[letmeeatinpeace]

First world problem.

I bought a small 14cm (1.3l) saucepan and it doesn't balance on the gas hob unless the handle is exactly lined up with the 'tines' of the hob. It topples over if the handle isn't precisely lined up, even if the pot itself is right in the middle of the burner. (see pics)

It was an expensive purchase (£73), and built to last a life time. But it's too annoying, and a potential hazard, so I want to return it. The labels were removed and we used it before noticing the fault.

Customer service has said that it's perfectly normal that small pots do this, and they won't refund it.

Do you have pots that topple over like this? Is it indeed normal? Or am I being gaslit by the company (excuse the pun)?

I've never had this problem with other pots of this size.

The pan isn’t faulty.

This happens sometimes with small pans. I don’t see why they should refund on a product that you have used and taken the labels off that is not faulty.

It's the design of the hob, plus the weight of the good quality handle....not really the saucepan at fault.

You need one of these:

That looks nice and simple - what is it called / do you have a link?

I just thought it was a safety thing. Reminded me of being in Brownies... Make sure the handles are facing away from you, especially pans at the front because a bozo like me is definitely going to catch one on my jumper one day.

This was the first Google search, so try these key words.
I don't know the company. It's just a screenshot of the first result.

I use mine with my mini one fried egg size frying pan and it's perfectly stable. It used to topple over previously.
Love your tiles!

I've not had that happen with any of my pans (cheap or expensive) Maybe it more down to the layout/spacing on the hob

Oh that's useful I have that problem with my tiny omelette pan too!

Grrr. Yes, our little pan does this. Just after we bought the pans, I put the little one on the hob and it slithered off, hit the ground and dented the rim. So now the damn lid doesn't fit.

That’s a good idea. Sorry about the typos I type like a maniac.

Def take it along to get their opinion.

For those claiming that this is not a fault, the pan should be made to fit across-the-board, whether it is induction gas electric or otherwise. Stop making excuses for companies.

In Italy my nonna returned a used Le Creuset pan which didn’t balance on her 100 year old stove. No issues at return. And no, no other pan had the same issue.

@letmeeatinpeace the handle is too heavy and large for the pot size! that is why it needs to balance on the line of the burner thing. there is nothing holding it up if it isnt straight.

Yes, my milk pan does this. The handle gets bloody hot too!

It's normal, my small pan is exactly the same on my hob.

happens with mine - a trivet thing sorts it. Mine is called a Gas Star - they're on Amazon

cheap hob with not enough tines + cheap pan that doesn’t have a proper heavy bottom.

£73 is hardly cheap for a small saucepan!

My smallest saucepan does that too. Only when it's empty though. When it has food or water in it's fine.

It’s basically an appalling design fault. I can think of a chicken casserole recipe I do that requires you to heat up a fairly small quantity of honey, vinegar and apricots in a small pan. If it’s not stable you spill all of that down yourself. Quite dangerous really, but they don’t care because large expensive handles look “professional” and sell the stuff.

I have copper pans which never topple, even my teeny weeny one. Also they are gorgeous. If you're looking for an alternative!

I have a small saucepan that dies exactly this too! I agree it’s annoying.

None of my small saucepans do this but my 20cm and omelette frying pan have slid to the floor while my back was turned.
I even have a tiny saucepan that just fits on the tines.
None if my sauce/frying pans were expensive.

Is it not that you need to use the small pans in the smaller burners? It is with mine.

surely the problem is the design of the hob, not the pan? the hob should have twice as many supports to hold up pans of all sizes and in different locations.

ditch the hob and get induction instead.

Send the oven back because the hob is too large!