What is a patina?
One of the best parts of owning a MAKO pan is the natural patina that will build over time on the surface of your pan. This adds flavour, increases the natural non-stick ability and enhances the cooking experience. Each time you use your pan, this patina will build further.
To maintain your patina, it is important to carefully follow our cleaning and aftercare instructions.
What stovetops does it work on?
Our pan works on all stovetops, including induction. As well as being oven safe.
Can I put it in the dishwasher?
No! Please don’t put your MAKO in the dishwasher as it may damage the patina layer.
Why is the pan pre-seasoned? What does this mean?
It can often take years to develop a proper seasoning on a plain carbon steel surface and be quite difficult to achieve. By pre-seasoning the MAKO pan we’ve accelerated the seasoning process.
How do we pre-season the pan?
Our unique black steel is created using natural oil and heat treatment to create the natural, chemical-free, pre-seasoned pan.
Can we use a mini sear pan on a BBQ?
Yes, it can go directly on the BBQ. This may cause some dark markings or heat spots on the underside due to the high and direct heat, but won't affect performance.
Why does my mini sear pan have a black mark?
Your pan can develop darkened patches or spots. This can be caused by ‘hot spots’ on your heat source. These won’t affect performance and will reduce over time.
I have burnt bits I can’t get off my mini sear pan. Help!
To remove any burnt bits of food on your pan, we recommend heating up water to a high heat and using a wooden spatula to scrape the pan down. Once the pan is clean, we recommend you heat it again to properly dry the pan, and wipe it down with oil to help reseal the patina.
What is my pan meant to look like as I use it?
Your MAKO Black Steel pan is designed for performance. As the patina surface continues to develop it doesn’t always look pretty. Actually, it can look quite patchy! Don’t be alarmed – that’s completely normal for the conditioning of black carbon steel. After 10+ uses you’ll find the surface becomes more glossy and even.
Why does my mini sear pan smell when I first heat it up?
Even after a wash before the first use, the natural oils on the black steel can sometimes give a certain smell when you use it. This is normal, not dangerous, and will dissipate after a couple of cooks.
Is it meant to smoke this much?
When you’re cooking at a high heat, you can expect more smoke. Sometimes this is just because there’s oil in the pan, but this can also happen when there is vacant surface area in the pan. Not many other pans will conduct such high heat so while you may not be used to seeing this amount of smoke, rest assured it’s normal.
