How to choose your perfect equipment to make paellas in just 6 steps

What is the correct size of paella pan, should I use senia or pump rice, enameled or unglazed paella pan? It is understandable for any buyer to have doubts and uncertainties about whether what they are buying is the right thing, no one likes to come home and see that the paella they bought should have been 5 cm larger than the one they bought so that works in your paella pan.

As master rice cooks and experienced paella makers, we know with a single glance what each paella and paella maker can offer us, but that does not mean that everyone is capable of such a feat.

Therefore, we have decided to bring together in a single entry all the guides and recommendations that can help you find at a glance the appropriate paella equipment that best suits your needs.

To make this paella guide easier, we are going to divide it into different sections.

1. What type of paella pan is best for me?

As we have mentioned in our entry on “What is the best paella pan?”, the paella pan we bring home is important and should be selected not because of its price, but because it correctly adapts to what we need.

We go into more detail about what type of paella pan is most suitable for you in this entry, but we think it is appropriate to mention, even in summary, the characteristics of the group of paellas par excellence:

The polished steel paella pan or traditional paella pan is the cheapest of all options, it distributes heat quickly, but requires maintenance after each use to prevent rust.

The enameled paella, thanks to its inert black enamel, is protected from oxidation and avoids the need for maintenance after use. It is advised to be careful with scratching or hitting the enamel, although it is very difficult, if it happens it could lose its antioxidant qualities.

Finally, the stainless steel paella retains the polished appearance of the traditional paella and does not require maintenance after use, a quality that is not lost before bad impacts as can happen with the enameled paella. The favorite paella for restaurants, catering or rice lovers.

We cannot forget to mention other types of paella that are equally popular, such as the special thickness paella for intensive use of wood fires, the induction and glass-ceramic paellas, the multi-taste paella or the giant paellas. In the variety is the taste and the right paella for you.

2. What size paella do I need for my number of guests?

Although it is true that the saying “it is better to have more than less” is very accurate, I do not think that we all want to have 5 paella containers in the refrigerator, in the same way that we do not want to make paella for 10 people and it will be enough for 2 people.

The size of our paella is essential, since its size determines not only the number of servings we can make, but also which paella pan we need, how big our lid and paddle should be, whether we can lift it ourselves or whether we need help...

Both under all our paella products, as well as in our entry “What is the size of paella necessary for a number of servings?” You can find our paella size chart. In this we tell you which paella is right for you according to the number of diners you want to feed and what type of paella you want to make.

To better explain the latter, we divide the portion quantities according to the layer of rice that we want to use in preparing our paella:

A thin layer of rice, also referred to as Valencian style, implies that we are using the classic and common way of making paella: a minimal layer of rice that guarantees homogeneous cooking of the rice layer and the coagulation of a veil of fat and proteins for socarrat.

On the other hand, the middle layer of rice means that we have filled our paella pan to half capacity, our socarrat-rice ratio will be lower, but we will obtain a larger number of servings without almost sacrificing the flavor of the rice.

Finally, we can make a full layer of rice, we will obtain the greatest number of servings, but we will sacrifice a part of the flavor of the paella to obtain this higher number of servings of paella.

3. What would be the appropriate paella burner?

We have our paella and we know what size we need, our next step is to decide what type of paella burner is the most suitable for us.

In the entry “Types of paella burners” you can find an in-depth analysis of the different paella pans, their advantages and disadvantages and their differences.

To provide you with a brief introduction, we could divide paelleros mainly into 3 types:

Traditional paella burner or round tube burner, the classic paella burner is the one used par excellence at home, it has its ignition holes in a vertical position around the rings, which implies a direct application of the flame on the lower surface of our paella. Suitable for outdoor use.

The next would be the flat tube paella burner or high-power paella burner, more suitable for use in catering or restaurants, it has 20% more power and its ignition holes point to the sides, which guarantees better heat distribution. Suitable for outdoor use.

Finally, we have the professional paella burner for indoor use, the favorite of restaurants and catering, a flat tube paella burner that has a thermocouple safety system in each ring. In the event of a possible gas leak, the thermocouple will notice the sudden change in temperature and automatically close the gas outlet, avoiding accidents.

Its holes are positioned at 45 degrees in a zigzag format, which makes it more difficult for these holes to clog, guaranteeing a powerful and constant fire. It is also a paellero that, unlike the previous ones, is designed and approved for use outdoors and indoors.

Nor can we forget the giant paella burners or the paella robot, the latest in paella technology.

4. What size of paella burner do I need for my paella?

We have already chosen the paella burner we want, but now we need to select the correct size for our paella pan. Different models and sizes of paella burners accept a different range of paella sizes, but don't worry, you don't have to look at one at a time to know which one is right for you.

In the descriptions of all our paella burners or through our blog post “What is the right paella burner size for my paella pan?” You can find our paella burner size charts, we indicate the model, its size, as well as the range of paella pans it accepts.

Now there are no excuses for you to buy the wrong paella burner!

5. What legs do I need for my paella burner?

We all like to cook comfortably and there is no better way to cook a paella than when it is at our level. In our entries “Types of legs for burners” and “Types of mini legs for burners” you can find our analysis of which legs are the most suitable for you.

Whether reinforced legs, adjustable tripods, mini legs for our countertop or a trivet for our paella burners with a wood fire, we do not need to be crouched or risk getting dust or sand into our paella, put legs on your paella burner and cook comfortably.

6. Do I need any paella accessories?

Lids, skimmers, gas kit... it is very likely that we have some of these accessories in our home, but that does not mean that we may be missing some accessory for paellas that allows us to cook in the most comfortable way possible.

From the paella magnet to measure when our paella is ready, the paella pipette to move the broth to the driest areas or vice versa, to the most innovative accessories such as the magnetic paella holder, the universal windbreak or the iron handles to transport paellas.

Do I want to look for everything or do I prefer to be advised?

Although we provide you with all the necessary information, the path to having all your paellero equipment can be long and confusing, so why don't you take advice?

With one of our paella kits you can find a pack of paella equipment exactly for your needs. Don't complicate your search, with just one click you can have your perfect paellero equipment.

Do you already have all your paella equipment?

Having followed this thread of rhetorical questions, and through reading our recommendations and guides, you should have a good idea of all the equipment necessary to prepare your paella.

Even so, don't forget to check blog entries and categories on our website, you may still find something to give that extra touch to your paella that makes it unforgettable.

We hope that this guide has helped you find everything you need to make those paellas, may you make very good paellas!