Thickness and weight
Both makers sell bare carbon steel, shipped with a coat of beeswax against rust, and both list each size’s measurements. De Buyer’s Mineral B is 2.5 mm thick in the 8- and 9.5-inch pans and 3 mm from 10.25 inches up. Mauviel’s M’STEEL is 2 to 2.5 mm.
At 11 inches the difference is easy to feel: de Buyer’s Classic weighs 4.8 lb and its PRO 4.6 lb, Mauviel’s M’STEEL 3.3 lb. The flat floor you cook on is almost the same, 8.3 inches on the de Buyer and 8.4 on the Mauviel.
Oven and handles
The handle decides the oven. De Buyer’s Mineral B Classic has a coated steel handle, so de Buyer allows the oven only for a “flash” of under 10 minutes at 400°F. Its Mineral B PRO has a cast stainless steel handle and goes in the oven, though de Buyer gives no top temperature. Mauviel’s M’STEEL has an iron handle and is rated to 680°F.
Sizes
De Buyer’s Mineral B Classic comes in 8, 9.5, 10.25, 11, 12.5 and 14 inches, the two largest with a helper handle; the PRO, as we list it, in 8 and 11 inches. Mauviel’s M’STEEL comes in 7.9, 9.4, 11, 12.6 and 14.2 inches. Both work on gas, electric, glass and induction.
Seasoning and care
Both start the same way: wash off the beeswax with hot water, then season with a thin film of high-smoke-point oil heated until it just smokes. After cooking, rinse with hot water, dry the pan and wipe in a little oil; neither goes in the dishwasher. Mauviel asks for medium heat and says too much heat can damage the base of the pan.
Which one to buy
Choose Mauviel’s M’STEEL for a lighter pan with a published oven limit of 680°F. Choose de Buyer’s Mineral B PRO for a thicker, heavier pan that goes in the oven, or the Classic if you cook only on the stove. Both are made in France. De Buyer’s warranty is for life for the original buyer from an authorized US seller; Mauviel’s is a limited lifetime warranty for home use.
How these comparisons are made
Questions about this choice
Is de Buyer or Mauviel carbon steel lighter?
Mauviel’s M’STEEL, at 2 to 2.5 mm thick: its 11-inch pan weighs 3.3 lb. De Buyer’s Mineral B is 3 mm at that size, and its 11-inch pan weighs 4.8 lb as a Classic and 4.6 lb as a PRO.
Can de Buyer Mineral B go in the oven?
The PRO, with its stainless steel handle, can, though de Buyer gives no top temperature. The Classic’s coated handle limits it to a “flash” of under 10 minutes at 400°F. Mauviel rates its M’STEEL pans to 680°F.
Are de Buyer and Mauviel pans made in France?
Yes. De Buyer makes its carbon steel pans in the Vosges, and Mauviel says its pans are handcrafted in France.