If you’re the sort to prioritise aesthetics over everything else in your home, you’ve gotta have heard of Fika and Modori. Often hailed as the next generation of non-stick pans with their non-toxic compositions and aesthetically pleasing visuals, Modori and Fika are two Korean cookware brands that are forcing homechefs to toss their Tefals out the window.
As an amateur home cook myself, my mantra is this: my cooking equipment needs to look good, before I can cook good. Naturally, I couldn’t help but purchase both Korean cookware brands for some magic in the kitchen. After more than 2 years of cooking “upgraded” instant ramen and pasta so good, you wouldn’t be able to tell it was a bottle of Heinz; here’s my honest review and breakdown of both Fika and Modori.
For comparison’s sake, we’ll be reviewing the Modori Sodam set and Fika’s frying pan and casserole pot.
1. Aesthetics
Image credit: @audreyishome, @cookwithfika
At a glance, both Modori’s and Fika’s offerings look very similar, with the main difference being Modori’s modular, handle-less design making it easy for you to stow their pots and pans away in the tiniest of kitchens. All three pots in the Sodam set fit into a neat stack like Matryoshka dolls, and will make any counter top or cupboard look pristine.
Image credit: @hometrulee
Fika’s cookware offerings, on the other hand, have a more traditional finish with wooden handles on their frying pans and ceramic grab handles on their pots to make general cooking easier.
Image credit: @cookwithfika
Appearance-wise, Modori’s pots are all a consistent eggshell white with the exception of the wood-looking knobs on its pot lids – those are actually made of a material called bakelite (a special kind of synthetic resin). And while the fact that it’s not real wood might turn some purists off, it has definitely proven itself to be way more durable than the real deal despite my heavy usage.
Fika’s cookware, on the other hand, comes in a warmer shade of beige with a custard interior and Sophora Japonica Wood handles. When I first laid hands on Fika’s pans, I was instantly blown away by how luxe it felt. The ceramic coating is silky to the touch, the wood has a beautiful finish to it. All in all, it did look that bit more expensive and classy than my Sodam set.
Winner: Fika
2. Practicality
Image credit: @cookwithfika
Why are these pots and pans so sought-after? They’re non-toxic. And yes, there’s a high chance that the non-stick pans that generations used before were all secretly killing us. TLDR; high heat breaks down the non-stick coating and these fumes are poisonous, either that or continuous use causes the coating to be scraped off into your cooked food.
Image adapted from: Modori
Fika and Modori both tout non-toxic compositions with Fika being made of a single mould aluminium die casting with a triple ceramic coating comprising sand, stone and silica. Comparatively, Modori’s products boast an epic 5 layers of ceramic coating that makes their pots and pans supposedly 45 times more durable than the average non-stick pan in the market.
In terms of sheer practicality, both cookware brands come in neck and neck for a number of reasons. One being that both can be used across a myriad of heat sources from induction to oven, and are both a breeze to clean. Modori does score just a couple more brownie points for its smart stackable design.
Image credit: @cookwithfika
As a first-time homeowner with not a lot of space to spare in the kitchen, I found the Modori Sodam set to be a true godsend to keep my kitchen cupboards neat and organised. My Fika collection on the other hand is a little trickier to store, with my pots and pans stacked in a precarious heap much like the leaning tower of Pisa.
On the downside, both brands are not dishwasher friendly, so expect a lot of handwashing and regular conditioning to keep them in good shape.
Winner: Modori
3. Durability
Modori recommend that you switch to a new set every 2 years or so. This is because ceramic non-stick coating, while a much better non-toxic alternative, has half the shelf life of regular PTFE-coated pans. But we’ll take no toxic fumes and toxins in our food any day. Fika, on the other hand, claims that their cookware can “last a lifetime” if properly care for.
Both brands have similar care instructions which include:
- Not cooking on high heat
- Not using cooking oil sprays
- No drastic changes of temperature
- Proper care by avoiding the use of abrasive cleaning sponges and metal cooking utensils
Modori even recommends the extra step of oiling your pans after every cook sesh to protect the non-stick coating.
Scratches on the rims of my Modori pot after almost 3 years of use.
Image credit: Kimberly Wong
Ultimately, how closely you adhere to the care instructions will determine the longevity of your non-stick cookware. As a rough and heavy user who hardly oils her pans and has unknowingly used cooking sprays a couple of times, I’ve been using my Modori set beyond the 2-year stipulated lifespan and the non-stick qualities still hold true.
Image credit: Kimberly Wong
While my Fika frying pan and casserole pot were newer additions to my cookware collection, they’ve taken a bit of a beating from daily cooking. Overall, both pans do get scratched over time, but I’ve found my Fika pans to hold up slightly better in terms of being scratch-resistant.
Fair warning: the real wood handles on the Fika become a disadvantage here, as I noticed the base of my handles getting charred from the heat transfer just 3 months into use. The Modori lid handles holds up better thanks to its resin compound, but the detachable handle does have a tendency to blacken from heat if you leave it on while cooking for an extended period of time. But even so, the detachable handle can be replacedfor just $14.90.
Winner: Modori
4. Price
To compare the two in terms of prices, let’s look at bundles. The 5-piece Modori Sodam set is priced at a sale price of S$188.80 (original price of $236), this comes down to roughly $58 for each pot/pan if we minus the cost of the detachable handle. Fika, on the other hand, has a 6-piece pot and pan bundle for $209 on Lazada. This comes down to a very reasonable price of $69 per pot with lid set.
Another plus is that all three Fika pots come fitted with handles, unlike Modori’s Sodam set where only one small pot lid is included in the bundle. This puts Fika at a slightly more affordable price point than Modori.
Winner: Fika
Fika vs Modori: Which non-stick pan is better for your kitchen
In the battle of Korean cookware, Fika and Modori are undoubtedly on top of the competition where aesthetics and functionality are concerned. It’s also been a pretty close fight with both Fika and Modori bagging two votes each. Having used both Modori and Fika for quite some time now, I do find myself subconsciously reaching for my Modori Sodam set more for daily cooking as each pot and pan is slightly lighter than its Fika counterpart.
Furthermore, where the handles are concerned, I much prefer the space-saving functionality of the Modori Sodam set in my tiny kitchen, having struggled to find space to stow my large Fika frying pans away. Brownie points go to the fact that even if Modori’s detachable pot handle gets all yellow from use over time, I can just replace it at the small price of $14.90 rather than saddle myself with slightly damaged pans for however long I’ll be using them.
Read our other product reviews here:
- Is a $3,000 Herman Miller office chair worth the money?
- Spring vs memory foam vs latex mattresses
- Leather vs fabric sofas
Cover image adapted from: @the_isia, @cookwithfika
Drop us your email so you won't miss the latest news.
