OK, so perhaps I'm more risk-averse than most, but for the life of me I cannot understand why (a) manufacturers manufacture, and (b) customers buy, pans with metal handles. I would never in a million years risk using such a thing -- all of my pans have insulated handles (either wood or thermo-setting plastic), and when shopping for a replacement I wouldn't give a second glance to a pan with a metal handle. I'd be interested to know what fraction of respondents agree with this, and what fraction are perfectly happy to use a pan with a metal handle and perhaps even prefer such things.
** Phil.