A reliable frying pan is just as much of a kitchen essential as a sharp chef’s knife or a sturdy cutting board. Featuring a flat bottom and sloped sides, this workhorse pan can do it all: fry eggs, sear proteins and sauté veggies. If you’re looking for a durable skillet that offers powerful heat delivery, easy maneuvering and quick cleanup, the sleek All-Clad Stainless Steel Fry Pan is one of the best frying pans money can buy. If that piece doesn’t check all the boxes for you, though, there are plenty other top-notch options worth adding to your cookware collection.
If you're willing to spend a little extra, our favorite high-end pick, the HexClad 12-Inch Hybrid ... [+] Nonstick Frying Pan, is worth every penny. Dome Tempered Glass Lids
When shopping for one of these kitchen workhorses, the first thing to consider is what type of cookware you prefer, as these pans come in nearly all materials: cast iron, stainless steel, carbon steel and beyond. Then, you need to take sizing into account. Do you want a petite 8-inch pan for frying a single egg every morning, or would a larger 12-inches option better meet your needs? Keep in mind that all home kitchens should be outfitted with “at least one 12-inch cast iron and one 12-inch stainless steel pan,” says online cooking instructor Sandy Leibowitz of Plantains & Challah. Beyond those must-haves, she says, any additional frying pans you might need depends on the size of your household and the types of dishes you enjoy cooking. Ahead, find our top picks.
Material: Stainless steel | Size: 12 inches | Oven safe: Up to 600 degrees
There’s a reason we named All-Clad’s cookware the “best overall” pick in our wider tested review of stainless steel sets. The brand’s beautiful, durable pans are time-tested, and their frying pan in particular is an excellent choice. Made with triple-ply construction—an aluminum core sandwiched by two layers of polished stainless steel—the pan conducts heat evenly for consistent results. It’s also compatible with all cooktops (yes, that includes induction) and can withstand up to 600 degrees in the oven. Meanwhile, the roomy 12-inch diameter offers ample cooking surface area, whether you plan on searing steaks for two or sautéing green beans for a crowd. Finally, though it’s on the larger side, its weight still clocks in at under 5 pounds, so it’s light enough to maneuver from stovetop to tabletop with ease.
Materials: PFOA-free nonstick interior, hard-anodized aluminum | Sizes: 10 and 12 inches | Oven safe: Up to 500 degrees
If you want to keep cleanup as simple as possible, opt for a nonstick pan like this option from Calphalon—based on rigorous testing, we believe it’s the best on the market. “The Calphalon is simple to clean and lets me skip hand-scrubbing—no scraps of food require more than a quick swipe with a sponge to loosen—but I appreciate that it’s also dishwasher-safe,” writes contributor Margaret Eby. “I also appreciate that you can use metal utensils on the Calphalon without worrying about scratching the pan’s nonstick surface.” Boosting its star power, the pan has a contoured “stay-cool” handle and is oven-safe up to 500 degrees.
Material: Stainless steel | Sizes: 7, 8, 10, 12 and 14 inches | Oven safe: Up to 500 degrees
It’s pricey, to be sure, but Hexclad’s frying pan is worth it. Thanks to the patented laser-etched hexagon design and tri-ply construction, you can sear a steak, sauté a pile of veggies and evenly bake a pizza or frittata in this pan (which comes in a range of sizes). It’s also compatible with all stovetop types, so you never have to worry about cooktop compatibility. Finally, it’s scratch-resistant, meaning it’s metal utensil-friendly—plus, it has a “stay-cool” handle that makes it easy to use.
Material: Cast iron | Sizes: 3.5, 6.5, 8, 9, 10.25, 13.25 and 15 inches | Oven safe: Up to 600 degrees
This Lodge’s frying pan—one of the best cast-iron skillets on the market—is a classic. Equally at home on the stovetop, in the oven or placed directly on the grill, it’s a true multitasker. Like all great cast-iron pans, it conducts and retains heat evenly, and over time, it becomes naturally nonstick. Whether you’re frying chicken or sautéing asparagus, you can expect consistently stellar results. This frying pan also comes pre-seasoned, meaning it’s ready to start cooking with right out of the box. Note, though, that Lodge’s pan is on the heavier side, so it might not be a great fit for anyone with arthritis or limited hand and wrist mobility.
Material: Stainless steel | Sizes: 8 inches, 10 inches, 12 inches | Oven safe: Up to 800 degrees
If you’re to add multiple frying pans to your cookware collection, look no further than Made In’s 3-piece set. These professional-quality, chef-endorsed frying pans (Nancy Silverton and Grant Achatz are both fans) feature a 5-ply construction, with layers of aluminum alloy, aluminum and stainless steel. They’re also compatible with all cooktops and oven safe up to an impressive 800 degrees. With three pans to reach for, you can also tackle just about any cooking project you’ve got in mind.
What the editors say: This Made In set is a favorite of associate branded content editor Luke Fater. “Whether I'm frying eggs in the small pan, searing meats in the medium-size one or sautéing bigger vegetables in the largest, the pans distribute heat evenly,” he says. “Plus, the super-long ‘stay-cool’ handles mean I don't have to grab anything with a dish rag, even when I’m cooking on high.”
Material: Aluminum | Sizes: 8, 10, 12 and 14 inches | Oven safe: Up to 400 degrees
Amazon shoppers are big fans of Tramontina’s professional-grade frying pan, and for good reason. The heavy-gauge aluminum pan distributes heat quickly and evenly on gas, electric and ceramic glass stovetops, and the PFOA-free nonstick coating helps release food with no effort. This pan is available in four sizes, ranging from 8 inches in diameter all the way up to an extra-large 14 inches. And the stainless steel handle is equipped with a removable silicone grip, too.
Here at Forbes Vetted, we know a thing or two about cookware. While conducting larger tested reviews of the best nonstick cookware, the best stainless steel cookware, the best cast-iron skillets and the best Dutch ovens, our writers and editors have tried out countless pots, pans and other kitchen staples. And not only have we reviewed cookware from legacy brands like All-Clad and Le Creuset, but we’ve also tested bestsellers from buzzy direct-to-consumer brands like Made In, Caraway and Our Place. In other words, you can trust us to guide you toward cookware that not only performs well across a variety of cooking tasks, but is also built to last.
The best frying pans conduct and retain heat powerfully and deliver it to foods with precision, and pans made from stainless steel, ceramic and aluminum are all capable of this kind of heat distribution. Leibowitz, personally, prefers cast iron above all others. “I am a big fan of getting that golden brown color and crust on proteins and vegetables, which is why I love cast iron frying pans,” she says. Leibowitz suggests that home cooks “pay attention to the shape and cooking surface area” when buying frying pans and choose pans designed for the types of foods they like to cook.
Most—but certainly not all—frying pans are oven-safe up to at least 400 degrees, and some can withstand much hotter ovens, like the professional-grade frying pans from Made In that can safely cook in ovens up to 800 degrees. That said, you’ll need to check carefully to be sure that’s the case for the pan you’ve selected. If your frying pan has a silicone handle or other plastic or wood components that are likely to burn or melt, you must avoid putting them into an oven set at any temperature.
Leibowitz stresses the importance of taking good care of the pans in your kitchen. “No dishwasher, even if it says it’s okay,” she says. “The high water temperatures and harsh detergents can wear away at the material.” Instead, wash frying pans in warm soapy water, rinse them thoroughly, and then dry them completely before storing. Cast iron pans also benefit from being oiled and seasoned at least once a month, and more frequently as needed.
I'm a technology reporter and senior writer at Forbes based in San Francisco. Have a tip? Email me at ebakerwhite@forbes.com or emilybakerwhite@protonmail.com.
I'm a technology reporter and senior writer at Forbes based in San Francisco. Have a tip? Email me at ebakerwhite@forbes.com or emilybakerwhite@protonmail.com.
After studying product design and journalism in college, I became a full-time freelance writer in 2016, where I found my niche in the shopping and product testing realm. To date, I’ve conducted firsthand product testing on hundreds of items, including everything from grill pans to lawn mowers, and my work has been published on websites such as USA Today, Business Insider, The Spruce, Popular Mechanics, and more.
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Jason Cipriani is a freelance writer based out of Colorado. He writes about all sorts of technology — cameras, wearables, smartphones, smart home and other gadgets — for sites including Pocket-lint, Tom’s Guide, CNN Underscored, and The Street.
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As the gear editor at Forbes Vetted, I review and recommend products in the consumer outdoors and fitness spaces, from bikes and tents to treadmills and fitness trackers. As a former commerce editor, copywriter and cultural journalist, my work has appeared in publications like Gear Junkie, Field Mag, REI's Uncommon Path and more. When I'm not writing about gear, you can find me testing it in the field while camping, hiking, running, biking and skiing. Though I currently live in Oregon, I will always identify as a New Englander.
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I’m a freelance journalist and photographer who loves to write about all things outdoor, bike, and human powered adventure. A bit of a digital nomad, I’m normally found exploring the world on two wheels or backpacking some remote destination. Past adventure highlights include bikepacking across Central Asia and the length of Jordan and backpacking the southernmost trek in the world on Navarino Island in Chile. Back in 2009, I founded the website The GearCaster which profiles new technology and reviews products in the outdoor sports and cycling industries. My work can be found in numerous magazines such as Outside, Backpacker, and The Red Bulletin, as well as sites including AFAR, Bikepacking.com, CyclingTips, The Radavist, The Spruce, and TripSavvy to name a few.
Alison is a Philadelphia-based writer and editor who has been sharing buying advice and product reviews for over a decade. She likes martial arts, cats, good food, and saving money. She dislikes writing about herself.
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Glass Pot Lids I'm the executive strategy editor at Forbes Vetted, a functional nutritionist and a certified sleep science coach. In between geeking out over SEO and obsessing over products, from mattresses to treadmills to every kitchen gadget I can get my hands on, I've written more than a dozen books and cookbooks and created over 1,000 original recipes.