Fry, Simmer, and Sear—These Are the Best Frying Pans

Our Top Pick

Anolon Advanced Home Hard-Anodized Nonstick Skillet

$60 at Amazon $80 at Target $80 at Macys

There are several reasons why this frying pan earned a spot at the top of our list. First, it heats evenly across its surface, so you don't have to manage hot and cold areas while cooking (in other words, there is less chance of undercooking some parts of the food while burning others). Second, the pan's shape makes it suitable for a variety of cooking situations since it has high enough edges to keep sauce in, but still has great curvature for tipping food on to a plate.

A frying pan isn't just great because of how it handles food, it's also important how comfortable it is for you to use. Allstar Amy Barnes appreciated how this frying pan strikes the balance of being sturdy without feeling cumbersome to wield. The silicone grip on the handle was also a highlight for Amy, since it makes it easier to hold onto as she moved around the kitchen.

The only drawback is that it's not dishwasher safe. However, because of its durable nonstick coating inside and out, it's no big trouble to clean the pan by hand. Amy loved the 12.75-inch pan for its ample cooking space, but if you're looking for something smaller, she also approves of the 10.25-inch option.

The Details: Hard-anodized aluminum; 12.75-inch diameter; oven safe up to 400° Fahrenheit

Best Budget

Carote Nonstick Skillet

$26 $17 at Amazon $20 at Walmart

For how often you'll probably use this nonstick pan, it's hard to beat its price, especially when it's so gorgeous. Amy loved the look, saying it had "a Swedish ski lodge aesthetic." Make some fried eggs for breakfast, and you'll see just how nice it is cooking on the pan's smooth, nonstick surface. That nonstick granite material also means that you won't need a lot of elbow grease to keep it clean—instead, it should just take some light wiping down.

Another big plus with this frying pan is that it works on all cooktops, induction included, so you can count on it even if you move into homes with different kitchen equipment over the years. What you do want to be careful with, however, is putting it in too hot of a cooktop since that could potentially damage the Bakelite handle, which happened in Amy's tests. Stick with low and medium heat, and it'll continue to look good.

The Details: Aluminum; 8-inch diameter; oven safe up to 350° Fahrenheit

Best for Beginners

Tramontina 10-Inch Nonstick Skillet

$60 $31 at Amazon $33 at Target $32 at Walmart

While this frying pan may be marketed with words like "professional," "restaurant," and "commercial-grade," don't let that scare you off from using it as a beginner. It's made from thick aluminum for fast and even heat distribution, and it has a reinforced nonstick coating, which means food will slide right out of the pan when you're transferring it to a plate. In other words, you don't have to fuss with most of your meal getting stuck to the bottom, which, sadly, can happen with other types of pans as you're getting familiar with how to fry, sauté, and sear.

The frying pan is also a nice medium size, so you can comfortably use it to make a meal for just yourself or for multiple people. Allstar Angie Fuller appreciated the pan's even surface, which both heated and cooled down quickly. "For those needing to cook and clean fast, this is a winner," she says.

Aside from its design and effectiveness, another reason this frying pan is great for novice cooks is that it comes with a lifetime warranty. By investing in this pan at the beginning of your culinary journey, you're setting yourself up for many years of success in the kitchen.

The Details: Heavy-gauge aluminum; 10-inch diameter; oven safe up to 400° Fahrenheit

Best for Carbon Steel

Made In 10-Inch Blue Carbon Steel Fry Pan

$83 at Amazon $89 at Madeincookware.com

Carbon steel frying pans are best described as a cross between a stainless-steel frying pan and a cast-iron skillet. Chef Kim loves this frying pan because "it's lighter than a cast iron and flips really well."

The carbon steel the pan is highly durable, can withstand incredibly high temperatures in the oven, and has a slick, natural surface that can function like nonstick if handled properly. Plus, the pan is even compatible with induction stovetops, so you can turn to it time and time again, no matter what kind of cooktop you're working with.

This particular pan's depth and shape make it suitable for cooking an array of recipes, from searing some steak to sautéing vegetables. Before you get going on any of that though, you'll need to take the time to properly season the pan. Once you've seasoned it, you should protect it with hand-washing, but you should be able to get any residue off without much grunt work.

The Details: Carbon steel; 10-inch diameter; oven safe up to 1,200° Fahrenheit

Best Stainless Steel

All-Clad D3 Stainless Fry Pan

$97 at Amazon $130 at Williams Sonoma $100 at Bloomingdales

Many cooks like stainless steel cookware for the material's durability, heat tolerance, longevity, and low-effort maintenance. If you're in the market for a dependable stainless steel frying pan, we recommend All-Clad's D3 10-inch model.

Allstar Jenna Urben fried up some eggs in the pan to test its nonstick capabilities and ease of cleaning, which it passed with flying colors. Jenna appreciates the large size of the pan, noting that it would be perfect for someone trying to feed a family (or someone who likes to meal prep for the week).

One downside that Jenna found was in the handles. While the metallic handles stayed cool and were sturdy, they were a bit uncomfortable to hold for long periods of time. Overall, however, that was a minor inconvenience compared to the stellar performance of the pan.

The Details: Stainless steel; 10-inch, 12-inch, and 14-inch diameters; oven safe up to 600° Fahrenheit

Best Cast Iron

Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

$35 $20 at Amazon $25 at Target $20 at Walmart

Due to its incredible durability and excellent heat retention, a cast-iron skillet is a true workhorse that you can use just as well on the stove as you can over a campfire. For those looking to work with cast iron, Lodge has long been the go-to brand for years. This 10.25-inch skillet keeps the heat steady for longer, making it the go-to choice if you're doing more tedious jobs, like whipping up a batch of skillet cornbread or chicken-fried steak.

Yes, the cast iron definitely makes the pan heavy—it weighs in at almost 5.5 pounds—but the trade-off is that it's exceptionally tough. There's a reason cast-iron skillets get passed on from generation to generation! Plus, this one comes with a silicone handle holder, so it's at least a little easier to pick up safely. With all that being said, Angie actually appreciated the heft and sturdiness, as she didn't need to worry about being overly delicate while handling it. Angie also appreciated the slanted edges of the pan, which allowed her spatula to maneuver around easily.

You can technically put the holder in the dishwasher, but to keep your pan in the best condition possible, make sure you follow the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning and seasoning. It's not hard maintenance, but it is a little more to keep in mind than a quick wipe-down with a sponge.

The Details: Cast iron; 10.25-inch diameter; oven safe up to 650° Fahrenheit

Best Ceramic

Caraway Frying Pan

$95 at Amazon $95 at Target $95 at Sur La Table

In addition to stainless steel and cast iron, ceramic is a popular material for frying pans. Our top pick for Best Ceramic pan goes to this 10.5-inch model from Caraway. The nonstick fry pan comes in a wide array of eye-catching colors, but it's beauty is more than just skin deep.

"I'm obsessed with this pan!" says Allstar Kim Mancuso.  "The non-stick surface is amazing; eggs just slide right out. It looks great on the stovetop, too." She praises the pan's even heat distribution and deep walls, which makes it ideal for making stir fry or flipping pancakes. She did find the pan to be a little on the heavy side, weighing in at four pounds, but she always felt steady and secure thanks to the handle's double-rivet construction.

The Details: Ceramic; 8-inch and 10.5-inch diameters; oven safe up to 550° Fahrenheit

Best Copper

Williams Sonoma Thermo-Clad Copper Fry Pan

$250 at Williams Sonoma

Between its beautiful design and durable construction, this copper frying pan from Williams Sonoma is sure to become a family heirloom. The pan combines solid 1.2mm-gauge copper—a fast heat conductor that makes it easier to get an even sear—with a thin interior layer of 18/10 stainless steel. The copper is mirror-polished for added shine, but the pan itself is still simple to clean and maintain thanks to the steel components.

We used both the 10-inch and 12-inch frying pans in the Allrecipes kitchen while testing copper cookware sets (hint: this collection won our top spot), and found each of them to have excellent heat distribution. The ergonomic handle is heavy, but it was also comfortable to hold and super sturdy during tests. Although the frying pans won't be compatible with induction-style cooktops, they were overall the best copper frying pans we tested. It's pricey, but we think this "buy for life" line is well worth the investment.

The Details: Copper, stainless steel; 10-inch or 12-inch diameter; oven safe up to 450° Fahrenheit

Best Set

All-Clad Hard Anodized Fry Pans

$70 $55 at Amazon $70 at Walmart $70 at Wayfair

We love All-Clad's D3 stainless steel collection, but there's no denying that it's pretty pricey. Luckily, the brand also offers a much more budget-conscious line that offers the conductivity and durability of stainless steel alongside the ease of nonstick.

The set includes a 10-inch pan that's perfect for larger meals like vegetable stir-fries and a smaller 8-inch pan that's great for heating up leftovers or frying up a couple of eggs. Plus, if you're ready to give your kitchen collection a bigger overhaul than just a two-piece replacement, the set also comes in a larger 5-piece collection that includes an additional 12-inch pan with two matching glass lids.

To keep the pan's nonstick coating in good condition, it's best to hand wash the pan rather than using a dishwasher. But again, it is nonstick, after all, so you won't have to scrub hard to remove any leftover bits of food.

The Details: Stainless steel; 8-inch and 10-inch diameter; oven safe up to 500° Fahrenheit

Best for Eggs

Made In Cookware 12" Non Stick Frying Pan (Graphite)

$149 at Amazon $129 at Madeincookware.com

Whether fried, scrambled, served sunny-side up, or made into an omelet, eggs are a breakfast staple. However, cooking eggs can sometimes be a hassle. They're prone to sticking on pans and causing a mess. If you want to avoid that frustration, you'll need a good egg pan. This option from Made In Cookware is a favorite among our Allstars, including Brenda Venable who tested it out at home.

"I did an initial cook of two over easy eggs, and they developed a nice color, with no sticking," she reports. "In fact, I had to chase them around in the skillet, with my spatula!" Brenda also says the pan's size was perfect for making a three-egg omelet.

In order to maintain the longevity of the non-stick surface, Brenda suggests avoiding high-heat settings while cooking with this pan. You'll definitely want to hang on to this pan for a long time since it's both effective and fashionable. In fact, Brenda says she smiles every time she uses it because it's so pretty.

The Details: Stainless steel; 8-inch, 10-inch, and 12-inch diameter; oven safe up to 500° Fahrenheit