There's something very elegant about cooking with stainless steel. As well as looking great, stainless steel is also very robust, mostly scratch resistant, easy to clean and has naturally great heat retention and distribution properties.

However, cooking with stainless steel can also have its downfalls. For anyone who has winced when reaching to grab a pan off the stove, it's the conduction of heat to the handle which is a problem.

I've spent years using one particular saucepan because it is simply excellent in all areas – except it requires the use of heat-proof gloves because the handles reach a ridiculous temperature.

Thankfully, the inventors at Stellar have come up with a new range of cookware.

It has all of the great traditional features of stainless steel, but the handles remain cool to the touch – hence the name of this new range is "stay cool".

The highly-polished stainless steel certainly has the visual wow factor while the clever science behind the range lies in the handle and the silicone-edged lids.

The Stellar 18cm Stay Cool draining saucepan
The Stellar 18cm Stay Cool draining saucepan

All of the pans in the range are dishwasher safe and oven-safe up to a temperature of 180 degrees, meaning they are ideal for stove to oven dishes.

The pans feature an elegant round-edge bottom which leads smoothly to the induction plate which is suitable for all hob and stove types whether this is induction, gas or halogen.

The inside of the pans also feature a handy measuring guide which remains clear to read throughout the cooking process.

The design of the pan means all of the heat is directed back into the cooking area helping to save energy and reduce the conduction of heat to non-cooking surfaces. The special handles feature a plastic insert which helps to reduce heat transfer leaving them cool to touch during cooking.

Another stunning feature of these Stellar Stay Cool pans is the lids. The glass lids help to keep heat and nutrients trapped inside the pan thanks to a clever silicone edging. The same cool-touch technology is also applied to the rounded handle on the lids making them comfortable and cool to use.

The silicone edging on the lids really adds an extra level of sophistication to the range. As well as working extremely well to trap in heat and nutrients, the lids feature a straining feature.

The handy draining feature of the Stellar Stay Cool range
The handy draining feature of the Stellar Stay Cool range

Small sieving holes in the rim allow you to drain your food without the need for an extra sieve of colander – anything which reduces the amount of washing-up is always a bonus.

Another feature of the silicone-edged lids is that the cooking process is made quieter – there is no clatter of metal on metal or glass on metal as the silicone acts as a cushion.

The clever draining holes in the silicone-edged lids.
The clever draining holes in the silicone-edged lids.

With a lifetime guarantee, these pans are a worthy investment for the kitchen.

The range includes a 16 cm milk pan and draining saucepans from 16cm (1.1 litre) through to 20cm (2.7 litre) draining saucepan. For those in need of something a little larger, there are two casserole/ stockpots – 4.5 litre and 6 litre. For frying there is a 28cm sauté pan and a 20 and 24cm frying pan.

The price for a 16cm draining saucepan is around £64 while the largest casserole pot is around £117. For the best value, a three-piece draining saucepan set costs around £190 while a four-piece set is £234.

The pan I put to the test was an 18cm draining saucepan which is an ideal size for most day-to-day requirements. This 18cm model retails at around £72. For more information visit www.stellarcookware.co.uk