#6 of 8

Matfer Bourgeat Black Carbon Steel Frying Pan 11 3/4"

Key Specs

Surface

Bare carbon steel

PFAS-Free

Yes

Acidic Food Guidance

Avoid acidic foods

Gauge

Not disclosed mm

Matfer Bourgeat

Matfer Bourgeat Black Carbon Steel Frying Pan 11 3/4"

#6 of 8 carbon steel pans tested

8.3R3 Score / 10

RecommendedA strong pick for most families.

Safety

9.183% weight

Usability

7.111% weight

Efficacy

16% weight

The bottom line

What the product listing won't tell you

Know before you buy

In 2024, French food safety regulators documented iron and trace-metal migration exceeding EU safety limits when Matfer pans were tested under acidic cooking conditions. Matfer issued guidance to avoid acidic foods — a real restriction that rules out tomato sauces, wine braises, and citrus dishes.

Buy it if

You want bare carbon steel with no coatings of any kind and an explicit PFAS-free claim directly from the brand.

Skip if

You regularly cook tomato sauces, wine reductions, citrus glazes, or other acidic dishes — the 2024 iron-leaching guidance applies to this pan.
You want to know the pan's gauge thickness before buying — Matfer does not disclose this spec anywhere.
You want a carbon steel pan where first-use prep is clearly explained — the factory coating type is unspecified.

What's inside

Specs the product listing doesn't explain

Safety & Materials

What your food and family come into contact with every use

SurfaceBare carbon steel

PFAS-FreeYes

Factory CoatingUnspecified

HandleBare iron, welded

Efficacy

What determines how well this performs its core job

Oven SafeNot stated (all-metal handle)°F

Usability

Ease of use, maintenance, and longevity

Acidic Food GuidanceAvoid acidic foods

GaugeNot disclosed mm

InductionYes

Price$113 USD

How we scored it

3 criteria - open any layer to see exactly what we found

9.1

Safety

Exceptional

Efficacy

Below Average

7.1

Usability

Good

SafetyCritical

83%

9.1▾

R3 Verdict

The Matfer is bare carbon steel with no synthetic coatings whatsoever — nothing to chip, flake, or off-gas at high heat. There is one real concern, though: in 2024, French regulators documented iron and trace-metal migration exceeding EU safety limits in Matfer pans tested under acidic cooking conditions, and Matfer issued guidance to avoid acidic foods as a result.

If you cook tomato sauces, wine reductions, or citrus dishes, this is the pan's hard limit. For cooks who don't use acidic ingredients in their carbon steel, the material profile here is excellent.

Criteria

Cooking Surface Coating

10/10

The cooking surface is bare carbon steel — no coatings of any kind. There's nothing to chip, scratch, or degrade over time, and zero risk of synthetic chemicals reaching your food.

PFAS / PTFE-Free Claim

10/10

Matfer explicitly claims this pan is PFAS-free, and bare carbon steel backs that claim up by material definition — there's no polymer substrate for PFAS to exist in. This is as clean as it gets for a cooking surface.

EfficacyImportant

1▾

R3 Verdict

Matfer doesn't publish the pan's gauge thickness anywhere — not on their brand page, not on retailer listings. That missing number matters: gauge thickness determines how evenly the pan distributes heat and how well it resists warping on induction cooktops.

Without it, we can't assess performance quality. Industry sources suggest Matfer likely runs around 2.5mm, which would be a strong score — but until the brand discloses it, the rubric applies a penalty for the transparency gap.

Criteria

Pan Gauge Thickness

UsabilityNice to have

11%

7.1▾

R3 Verdict

The standout feature here is the welded iron handle — no rivets, no crevices where moisture can collect and start rust. It's completely oven-safe for any temperature a home oven can reach, and you can dry it fully just by heating it on the stovetop.

The one friction point is first-use setup: Matfer ships the pan with some kind of protective coating, but they don't specify what it is. Without knowing, you can't be sure which removal method won't damage the cooking surface.

Criteria

Factory Shipping / Protective Coating

Where to buy

Verified retailer - current pricing

Starting price

$113

R3 approved retailer Score unaffected by purchase

Buy on Amazon

We earn a small commission on purchases. It never influences our scores - R3 is funded by readers, not brands.

Other Options to Consider

Alternatives that address specific trade-offs

Why this matters: Matfer doesn't publish the pan's gauge thickness anywhere — not on their brand page, not on retailer listings. That missing number matters: gauge thic

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Manufacturer Guidance on Acidic Foods

2/10

This is an important limitation to know about before buying. In 2024, French food safety authorities tested Matfer pans and found elevated iron and trace metals leaching into food under acidic cooking conditions — at levels exceeding EU safety limits. Matfer issued guidance to avoid cooking acidic foods (tomatoes, citrus, wine, vinegar) in their pans. If you regularly make tomato sauces, wine braises, or citrus-based dishes, this pan is not the right choice for those recipes.

Matfer does not publish the pan's thickness anywhere. This matters because thicker carbon steel holds heat more evenly and resists warping — especially important on induction cooktops. We can't evaluate cooking performance without this spec, and the lack of disclosure itself is a transparency concern. If Matfer disclosed gauge thickness, this score would likely rise significantly.

The pan arrives with a factory protective coating, but Matfer doesn't tell you what kind it is. That creates a problem at first use — different coatings require different removal methods (hot soapy water, steel wool, or just high heat). Using the wrong method can damage the cooking surface before you've even seasoned it. Check third-party guides for Matfer first-use prep before you start.

Handle Material / Construction

10/10

The handle is welded directly to the pan body with no rivets — a big deal for carbon steel care. Rivets create tiny gaps where water collects and rust starts. The welded design eliminates that entirely. The all-iron construction also means you can put this pan in any oven, including under the broiler, without worrying about a handle that can't take the heat.