The Best Cooking Pans: Nonstick, Cast Iron, Stainless Steel, And More

Investing in cooking pans can be daunting, but few can argue that a kitchen is complete without a few solid options. Whether stainless steel or nonstick, each pan style has its place, and many overlap in the Venn diagram of cooking tasks. The techniques required for certain dishes can make it difficult to know how to pair the task to the pan. There are many classic styles in the marketplace, with newer materials and unique designs vying for consumer attention. Some users may want a pan to perform well and look classy on their stove. Other cooks are only concerned about how to get the best sear on a steak, with aesthetics of little concern to them. There is a lot to consider, and it can be overwhelming. 

Here, we aim to help readers find the best pans amidst the jungle of cookware. We provide the best option for different pan styles, spanning classic kitchen stalwarts to contemporary offerings. And given that there is rarely a one-size-fits-all approach to cooking, it makes sense to amass an arsenal of pans over time. However, if you're on a budget or want to find a solution until you can afford that epic 10-piece set, we have you covered. It doesn't matter if you consider yourself an experienced chef or a novice home cook looking to experiment, our guide will help you with valuable insights on the best options available.

From students' dormitories to cottages to professional kitchens and beyond, Lodge's cast iron skillets have earned a renowned reputation among all types of cooks. Since 1896, this American company has made their pans in Tennessee, based in the small town of South Pittsburg. This makes them one of America's oldest cookware companies still in operation — proof that they have a good thing going. These pans come pre-seasoned, and many users note that the coating is quite effective right out of the box, allowing for perfectly seared steak or eggs that don't stick.  And don't worry, they're actually not that hard to clean.

The Lodge 10.25-inch Cast Iron Skillet is a workhorse that can do everything: cornbread, shallow frying, toasting spices, deep-dish pan pizza, searing off proteins, you name it. They are easily at home in a ripping hot oven or placed on some rocks at a campsite fire and will likely outlive their users with bullet-proof toughness. There are cast iron pans that are double or even triple the price, but many reviews cite that the Lodge punches well above its weight. If you're looking for a well-rounded cast iron pan that won't break the bank, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better option. These pans will continue to impress with their utility, heat retention, toughness, and the endless possibilities they afford to home and pro cooks.

Caraway's ethos is all about chemical-free cookware for home cook to use in their kitchen, combined with modern and intentional design and aesthetics; it's pretty easy to get behind that. They win points with eco-friendly consciousness at their factories, supporting BSCI and SMETA-certified manufacturer partners, and shipping orders in sustainable packaging.

As customers look for alternatives to Teflon for their nonstick cooking needs, pans with ceramic coatings have become popular options. The Caraway Nonstick Ceramic 10.5-inch Fry Pan ceramic coating is free of PTFE, PFOA, PFAS, and heavy metals, with a 550 degrees Fahrenheit oven-safe rating. These attributes might help to allay the fears of the most health-health-conscious of home cooks, especially when looking for a nonstick pan to use.

Customers say that these pans heat up evenly and retain that energy during the cooking time, with water boiling faster than stainless steel due to their aluminum core. The nonstick coating is said to last — of course, pending proper handling — with regular use. Avoiding the use of metal cooking utensils might be wise here. You'll have no trouble with delicate crepes, large fish fillets, eggs, sautéing vegetables, and many more tasks using Caraway's ceramic fry pan.

Copper pans may not be the most common today, but in reality, they have been around for thousands of years, as copper cooking vessels date back to the Bronze Age. Copper has long been lauded for its heat conductivity, as it heats up rapidly and then evenly distributes the heat, which helps avoid hot or cold spots. Cookware technology has advanced quite a bit since the early metal age, where we see a hyper-modern take on a copper pan with Gotham Steel's Hammered Copper 12-inch Nonstick Frying Pan. This pan has a unique, artisan-like quality to it, with the dimpled exterior texture that is, you guessed it, hammered.

As stated by owners, this pan outperforms other copper pans in its category because of its affordability, build quality, light-weight, oven-safe rating (up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit), and functional nonstick coating. According to Gotham Steel, the coating is made with Steel Ti-Cerma technology, which combines titanium with a super slick ceramic surface, allowing food to be cooked without oil. Given the surface is so durable and smooth, cleanup is fast and easy as little food residue remains stuck in the pan, if any. These pans are PTFE-Free, PFOA-Free, and dishwasher safe. Like most cookware, it is often recommended to wash by hand for longevity; in fact, Gotham Steel recommends hand-washing.

A Wok in your cooking arsenal can help you make an amazing stir fry. It is perfect for braising and deep-frying, too. They heat up fast and stay hot, and with proper seasoning and maintenance, they will become nonstick, allowing for effortless cleanup. If you want to replace your old wok or dive into the world of wok cooking with a real winner, then go for the YOSUKATA's Flat Bottom 13.5-inch Blue Carbon Steel Wok. This pan has garnered a solid reputation online, performing well with heat tests. The gorgeous blue steel, to those unfamiliar, is achieved by annealing the metal, which is a super high heat treatment to prevent corrosion. It comes pre-seasoned to allow users a leg up with the nonstick potential, and if treated right, will continue to improve over time. If properly pre-seasoned before cooking with a layer of oil, it is possible to cook an egg with zero sticking. The wooden handle has a non-sliding finish for grip and will shield the user from heat — something that is especially important with high-heat cooking, and appreciated by users. As far as usability goes, this pan will work on gas, open-fire burners, electric coils, ceramic, and induction stovetops.

Nonstick pans are ubiquitous, dating back to the 1960s when the brand Tefal emerged after Marc Gregoire had the bright idea to coat pans with Teflon. 75 years later, they remain essential in kitchens, enabling home cooks to use less oil and avoid brutal stuck-on and burnt food. There are innumerable options on the market, making it difficult for consumers to find the best option. Unfortunately, those nonstick coatings that Gregoire helped to develop are prone to scratching, even with newer technology.

The OXO Good Grips Nonstick Fry Pan isn't scratch-proof but it has won the hearts of many customers and reviewers due to its overall build quality, good balance, value, and even heat distribution, in addition to being dishwasher safe and oven-safe up to 430 degrees Fahrenheit. If you're looking to make perfect fried eggs, most home cooks will reach for a nonstick pan, and hopefully one that heats evenly, to ensure things go smoothly. And while most nonstick pans will eventually succumb to wear and tear, if well-maintained, the OXO Good Grips pan should give you at least two years of service in the kitchen.

You've probably seen Made In appear as a sponsor in YouTube cooking videos recently. The brand has been around since 2017 — a relative newcomer to the cookware scene — but has a big following and trust behind the name already. They make everything from knives to enameled dutch ovens, but here we wanted to shine a light on their Seasoned 10" Carbon Steel Frying Pan as the best carbon steel pan option around.

The name says it all; this pan comes pre-seasoned, so it is good to go out of the box, which is something many customers will appreciate, especially those who are new to the carbon steel world. The pans are European-made in Sweden, something rare in modern manufacturing, and has a limited lifetime warranty. Made In claims that the pans offer the heat retention of cast iron, combined with the dexterity of stainless clad, to provide a natural alternative to nonstick pans. They are safe to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit and come in at 4.31 pounds. Fans of the pan say the sloped sides help to flip food, while the handle ergonomics allows for confident gripping. Additionally, they're known to heat up fast — saving you time when you just want to get dinner on the table. If you're averse to traditional nonstick and like to cook on the stovetop and then finish dishes in a ripping hot oven, then Made In have you covered.

The Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast Iron Skillet is not for cooks on a budget, but if you want to splurge and buy a piece of renowned cooking heritage that might outlive you, then consider this wonderful pan. If you're unfamiliar with this style of pan, think of it as a deluxe, upgraded version of your trusty cast iron skillet, one that has a protective armor on it — the superhero of pans in your kitchen. The enameled coating means that there is less fuss when it comes to cleaning up while providing more of an innate nonstick capability. The pan comes in four different sizes and 14 different colors, as well as pouring spouts at opposite sides.

The skillet will retain heat as expected, even when off heat, and evenly so. Additionally, users say there isn't any issue with hot spots. All of this adds up to evenly cooked food and performance you'd expect from such a renowned company.

Back to the heritage we mentioned: Le Creuset hails from France, the birthplace of so many celebrated aspects of gastronomy, where the name is associated with quality and tradition — quite the impressive pedigree. This year also marks their 100th anniversary — something to celebrate, no doubt. If you need a show-stopping, gorgeous pan that you'll want to show off at dinners and parties that will last for generations, this is the one for you.

The stainless steel frying pan market is competitive and there are so many great options out there. While they may be more costly, stainless steel pans are a great alternative to cast iron. You can cook down a tomato sauce or go heavy with the lemon without worrying about the acid eroding any hard-earned seasoning. The Misen 5-Ply Stainless Steel 10-inch Pan has a beefy 5-ply construction with an 18/10 stainless steel outer cooking surface and a three-layer aluminum core.

Users noted that although it is heavy, it heats up rapidly and holds its heat. It is also relatively easy to clean despite the surface not having a nonstick coating. On that note, word to the wise: you can turn a stainless steel skillet into a nonstick pan in case you didn't know. Customers have said that with the right technique, frying eggs without any sticking is possible, as also evidenced by Misen's founder, Omar Reda, in a marketing video demonstration.

If you're looking to avoid nonstick coatings or need a pan on hand for searing a steak at very high temperatures, Misen's stainless steel option could be your ticket. The handle never gets too hot and provides cooks with a comfortable grip, giving you the confidence to manipulate the pan with authority.

Sauciers are elegant-sounding pans that are used for, you guessed it, sauces, in addition to reductions and glazes. A saucier (pronounced saa-see-eh) is also the name of the chef in charge of preparing sauces in a traditional French kitchen, hence the name of the pan. What sets them apart from a regular saucepan is the curved walls that allow for easy stirring and, in some cases, help build up starches or emulsify sauces with the correct technique. They come in various sizes, with the three-quart option serving as a versatile mid-range choice, ideal for most tasks.

Versatility makes the Made In Stainless Clad 3-quart Saucier so amazing. In a pinch, you could boil an egg in one, heat soup, make risotto, cook pasta, braise some beans, deep-fry wings (always with caution and never over an open flame), or even make a chocolate mousse — the possibilities are endless.

Champions of this pan say that the ergonomics, balance, weight, and flared side walls allow for peak performance. The 5-ply construction means it will retain heat well while you whip up a tasty oatmeal to start the day, and other users note that it cleans up relatively easily. If you're looking to upgrade your tired and old saucier or are on a budget and can't afford a full set of pans, this pan is an excellent choice.

All-Clad's D3 Stainless Steel 12-inch Fry Pan is our choice for the best overall pan. Simply, this frying pan makes the most picky cook happy with its performance. This pan might not be the most affordable, but it's the kind of kitchen tool considered an investment — it's really the last pan you'll upgrade. The D3 name refers to a sturdy 3-ply build, with two layers of stainless steel surrounding an aluminum core. As you may have ascertained from this list, heat retention and stability are what many cooks seek in a quality pan, and this is where All-Clad shines.

All-Clad is a reputable brand that goes back to 1967, and its cache and namesake are recognized by chefs and cooks of all stripes. The pans are American-made, using steel from the company's own mill in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, and fashioned into gorgeous cookware by skilled craftspeople.

If there is an internet darling of stainless steel pans that is renowned, respected, and lusted after, it's this pan. All-Clad's D3 line has won awards and praise in spades from pros and home cooks. Fans say it excels making pan sauces, has a good handle, is lightweight and easy to move on the stove, and won't discolor easily. This is the pan so many home cooks continually reach for without hesitation.