IKEA Stainless Steel Pans Tested: 365 vs Hemkomst vs Sensuell

Introduction

IKEA cookware is cheap, but is it actually worth buying? To find out, three of the brand’s most popular stainless steel pans were bought and tested over the course of months against 28 other pans, for a total field of 31. The tests covered heating speed and evenness, heat retention, resistance to warping, handle temperature, and overall durability, plus plenty of real cooking in each pan.

The three pans on test are all 11-inch models: the IKEA 365, which has a thick aluminum base with thin steel walls; the IKEA Hemkomst, which is fully clad; and the IKEA Sensuell, also fully clad but much thicker and heavier. All three are significantly cheaper than brands like All-Clad, Hestan, Demeyere, and Made In. The question is whether that low price comes with a catch.

How the Three IKEA Pans Performed

In the heating test, each pan was heated on medium and the temperature at the center and the edge of the cooking surface was measured after 2 minutes. Of the 31 pans tested, the IKEA 365 was the third fastest to heat up and had the fourth smallest gap between center and edge temperature. In other words, this pan heats evenly. The Hemkomst also performed well, ranking 10th for both speed and evenness. The Sensuell heated slower than the other two due to its 4mm thick construction, but it still distributed heat evenly.

Heat retention told a similar story. Each pan was heated to 400°F, removed from the heat, and the surface temperature was measured after 5 minutes of cooling. The 365 ranked sixth out of 31, the Sensuell came in eighth, and the Hemkomst ranked 11th. The 365’s result was strong enough that the test was repeated on a different day, and the temperature was only slightly warmer, so the first result was no fluke.

In real-world cooking, the controlled results carried over. All three pans seared and browned meat really well, and food cooked evenly across the surface. There was no need to constantly rotate burgers or chicken to get the outer pieces as brown as the ones in the center. Every meal came out well, and there was no noticeable performance difference between these pans and much more expensive brands.

IKEA Hemkomst: Fully Clad on a Budget

The Hemkomst’s fully clad construction delivered solid, balanced results: 10th place in both heating speed and evenness, and 11th in heat retention. For a pan at this price, that is a genuinely good showing against a field that includes far more expensive cookware.

It does have drawbacks beyond performance, though. The handle stays cool but is flat and uncomfortable, with edges that dig into the palm when you grip it. The pan also lacks flared rims, so oil or sauce tends to drip down the side when pouring, and its walls are slightly shorter than average. Like the 365, it uses three rivets instead of two, which means one extra spot where grease and food can collect.

IKEA Sensuell: Heavyweight Heat Retention

The Sensuell is the third thickest and third heaviest pan in the entire 31-pan test, which is great for heat retention. It ranked eighth in the cooling test and, despite heating more slowly, distributed heat evenly across its surface. It has the heft of a cast iron skillet without the rust, seasoning, and maintenance.

The thickness comes at a cost in everyday handling: the pan is harder to lift, clean, and move around. One genuine design win is the sealed rim. Most stainless steel pans leave the aluminum core exposed around the edge, and over time that aluminum can recede, causing the steel layers to become sharp or even separate. Because of the sealed rims, that is not an issue with this pan.

The Handle Problem

Unfortunately, the biggest downside with these IKEA pans is the design, and the number one issue is the handles. The Sensuell handle gets surprisingly hot: after boiling water for 10 minutes, almost half of the handle was extremely hot, starting around the spot where the handle begins to curve downward. Most stainless steel pan handles stay relatively cool on the stove, so this was unexpected. The silicone grip on the bottom is functional, but on a pan that could last for decades, an all-metal handle with no seams would be preferable.

The Hemkomst handle stays cool, but it is flat and uncomfortable, with edges that dig into the palm. The worst handle by far belongs to the IKEA 365. It is basically a thin, hollow piece of bent metal with an open end and a visible seam. Water gets inside when you wash it and squirts out the other end. The tip of the handle is also sharp enough to dig into your hand if you grab the end; when scraped across a piece of cardboard, it cut right through.

Durability testing was equally unkind to the 365’s handle. The rivets themselves felt secure, but the handle and thin sidewalls flexed much more than usual. When the pan was flipped over and upward pressure applied to the handle, it bent right off, and while examining the broken handle, it snapped off completely, the pan fell on the floor, and the sidewall dented. To be fair, the handle probably won’t break off during normal use, but the amount of force it took was far less than expected.

Warping and Flatness

The Sensuell was not completely flat on the cooktop: when the handle was nudged, the pan rotated slightly. It didn’t wobble or spin dramatically, but it also didn’t sit perfectly flat. To see if this worsened under high heat, all three pans were tested on an induction cooktop at 425°F for 2 minutes, with the flatness of the bottom measured before and after.

The Sensuell did not get any worse, though it did make a loud buzzing sound on and off during the test. The 365 and Hemkomst both had a slight concave curve, meaning the center of the base sits slightly higher than the outer edge. That is common, and many brands build this small curve in so the pan flattens out as the metal expands. After the induction test, neither pan changed.

Other Design Details Worth Knowing

Beyond the handles, a few smaller details are worth weighing. The Hemkomst lacks flared rims, so pouring oil or sauce tends to drip down the side, and its slightly shorter walls than average reduce capacity a touch. The three-rivet construction on both the 365 and Hemkomst gives grease and food one extra place to collect compared with the more common two-rivet design.

The Sensuell’s sealed rims remain its standout construction detail, protecting the aluminum core from exposure over years of use. But its heft is a real trade-off: excellent for heat retention, less excellent when lifting, cleaning, or maneuvering the pan around the kitchen.

Should You Buy IKEA Cookware?

The short answer is yes. The 365 outperformed pans that cost hundreds of dollars in controlled testing, and that performance carried over to real cooking. The Hemkomst performed well too, and the Sensuell offers cast-iron-like heft without the maintenance.

The main reservation is the handles. The 365’s handle is too flimsy and has a sharp end, the Hemkomst’s is uncomfortable, and the Sensuell’s gets hot and uses a silicone grip that may not age well. Stainless steel cookware can last for decades, so you should love the design, the feel, and the little details you deal with every time you cook. If the handles don’t bother you, IKEA is an excellent value. If they do, it’s worth looking at other options.

Conclusion

IKEA’s stainless steel pans prove that budget cookware can genuinely compete on heating performance, heat retention, and cooking results. The 365 is the performance standout, the Hemkomst is a balanced all-rounder, and the Sensuell suits cooks who want maximum thermal mass. The handles are the common weak point, so weigh them carefully before deciding which, if any, of these pans belongs in your kitchen.