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Black Friday (er, Now) Is the Best Time to Buy Pots and Pans

Because a great skillet is an investment in yourself.

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pots and pans.
Francky Knapp is the commerce writer at Eater, and an award-winning writer with bylines in GQ, VICE, The Daily Beast, and other publications. A curious home cook with a deep love of Polish cabbage rolls, her devotion to food service journalism knows no bounds.

Out of all the stuff on your Black Friday shopping short-list, really nice pots and pans deserve priority ranking. Outside of the Black Friday season, a new Le Creuset Dutch oven, nonstick skillet set, or lobster boil-worthy pot will cost you a hefty chunk of fun money. And while I would happily co-sign on such investment pieces of cookware at full price — trust me, your descendants will duke it out over that prized Dutch oven one day — I also don’t think that you should have to pick between a martini-blessed night out at Peter Luger with your friends, or the purchasing of a new saucepan.

Many of the best Black Friday sales on pots and pans are already live, and ready to make your brisket sing. After all, if you’re going to be shopping the Black Friday sales early, shouldn’t you reach for the items that are going to make holiday hosting a lot easier? Expect a sweet crêpe pan and Bonne Maman bundle, plenty of Lodge cast-iron, All-Clad galore, and more.


The Best Black Friday Sales on Stainless Steel Pots and Pans

all-clad sauce pan.

Even the words “stainless steel cookware” conjures up the Platonic ideal of a pan in my mind: It is shiny, timeless, and capable of seriously high temperatures when made with enough gusto (meaning, 18/10 stainless steel that’s ready for the broiler). A few things to consider when choosing a stainless steel pot or pan include the grade of stainless steel, its compatibility with gas or induction stovetops, and whether or not it includes an ideal interior layer for heating up quickly evenly (look for aluminum or copper).

| All-Clad

All-Clad D3 stainless steel sauce pan

  • $120
  • $205
  • 42% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

All-Clad is hard to beat in the realm of stainless steel pots and pans. Sure, the prices are steep, but it really is a BIFL (buy it for life) brand. I can’t tell you how many things I have boiled, melted, steamed, and accidentally burnt in this sauce pan over the years, and it still looks mirror-shiny after a wash. This is thanks, in part, to the durable 18/10 stainless steel (translation: stronger steel with a better shine) material, as well as the fact that the interior layer of aluminum allows for the stainless steel to heat up quickly and evenly. Other pans may entice with lower price tags, but an All-Clad pan wins with consistency.


| Heritage Steel

Eater x Heritage Steel 8.5-inch fry pan

  • $90
  • $110
  • 19% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Naturally, I am going to sing the praises of Eater’s Heritage Steel fry pan, but that’s because it legitimately rocks; this versatile 8.5-inch frying pan is made without PFAS (meaning, PTFE, Teflon, PFOA, PFOS, other potentially toxic and spooky materials), can handle oven temperatures of up to 800 degrees Faranheit, and has a rounded lip for better pouring.


| Heritage Steel

Eater x Heritage Steel stainless steel fry pan bundle

  • $250
  • $310
  • 20% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

I will continue to shamelessly praise the frying pans from Eater x Heritage Cookware, because they can really pull their weight in any kitchen. A favorite amongst Eater staff, they’re designed to function well on both induction and gas stovetops, and are made with 5-ply fully-clad construction, sans potentially toxic PFAS, and have a metallic matte finish for a more understated look than, say, the veneer-white shimmer of an All-Clad pan. This bundle unites the 8.5-inch, 10.5-inch, and 12-inch fry pan — the perfect trifecta.


| Williams Sonoma

All-Clad stainless steel multi-pot

  • $130
  • $159
  • 19% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

When a ginormous, sparkling All-Clad lobster pot is on sale, you simply must share it with the people. Granted, this two-piece set (you’ll receive a stock pot and an insert) isn’t just limited to shellfish; use it to blanch veggies, boil potatoes, cook pasta for your demanding Italian American mother-in-law, or make enough popcorn in one go for all the kids at a sleepover. You almost don’t even need to wrap this beauty if you’re planning on giving it as a gift this year — just slap a big red bow on it, and voilà. Big impact pot right here.


| Crate & Barrel

Henckels Clad H3 10-inch stainless steel fry pan lid

  • $40
  • $70
  • 43% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

This stainless steel frying pan from Henckels would make a great gift under $50. The mirror-polished, aluminum core pan is made by the reliable folks at Henckels, a German brand beloved for its cookware and knives, and it even comes with a transparent lid.


The Best Black Friday Sales on Nonstick Pots and Pans

caraway marigold sauce pan with lid. Francky Knapp

Ah, the world of nonstick. It is laden with dreams of perfectly in-tact fried eggs and grilled haloumi. Unfortunately, nonstick coatings are also commonly laden with PFOA, PFOS, and and PFA-related chemicals. The trick to finding nonstick pots and pans that are worth their price tag? Sniff out the sketchy materials.

| Caraway

Caraway Minis Duo

  • $180
  • $225
  • 20% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

I have nothing bad and everything reassuring to say about my Caraway pans, which, granted, belong to the wave of Instagrammy cookware brands from a few years ago that has otherwise over-saturated my brain. But I love that the nonstick coating is staunchly free of PFOA, PFOS, and PFA, as well as lead, cadmium, and other harmful chemicals. Sometimes I don’t feel like I’m getting the most even cooking experience with the pan (but also, my landlord installed our stove on a tilt), but I know that every time I cook I am going to get a virtually nonstick experience. I’m almost five years in with my Caraway cookware, and it also has yet to scratch.


| Our Place

Our Place Perfect Pot

  • $105
  • $165
  • 37% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

The Perfect Pot is Our Place’s interpretation of, well, a 5.5-quart pot that is designed to be a multi-purpose tool that can replace your stockpot, braiser, Dutch oven, strainer, steamer, and more. Does it belong to the aforementioned world of Instagrammy goods? Absolutely, and the Perfect Pot does have a bit of an identity crisis: It can’t handle the same temps as Le Creuset’s Dutch oven (but it gets damn close at 450 versus 500 degrees Faranheit), and it’s made out of aluminum in lieu of cast-iron, which sure makes the 5.5-quart pot easier to carry. That being said, aesthetics do matter, and I think there’s something wonderful about the fact that brands are playing around with functionality and silhouette when it comes to cookware. Honestly, my only serious gripe with the Pot has been its price tag, but right now it’s barely over $100 for Black Friday.


| GreenPan

GreenPan Lima Ceramic 12-inch nonstick skillet with lid

  • $35
  • $45
  • 24% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

GreenPan takes the cake for affordable nonstick pans. The brand’s 12-inch nonstick skillet is made out of Lima, a kind of hard anodized aluminum designed to last, and is then given a PFAS-free nonstick coating. And, perhaps best of all, you can take home both the skillet and its lid for the price of a booze-filled brunch during Black Friday.


| Great Jones

Great Jones Large Fry 10.25-inch nonstick frying pan

  • $80
  • $105
  • 24% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Great Jones’ nonstick frying pan is designed without PTFE and PFOA chemicals, and measures in at a generous 10.25 inches in diameter. It’s compatible with both induction and gas stovetops, and the looped handle is actually welded to the pan for increased durability and easier cleaning. The pan also boasts a 2-inch high lip for avoiding unnecessary spills.


| Our Place

Our Place 6-quart Dream Cooker

  • $175
  • $199
  • 13% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

I know we’re reaching Instagrammy cookware saturation, but Our Place’s slow cooker is not only substantial at 6-quarts and lined with a non-toxic nonstick coating, but it’s undeniably great to look at — and that matters. If I’m going to be leaving my slow cooker out all day on the counter, I would prefer a pot with a sleek design.


The Best Black Friday Sales on Cast-Iron Pots and Pans

lodge cast-iron skillet. Francky Knapp

Listen, cooking with cast-iron can be a delightful experience. It makes me feel rustic and burly — the pinnacle of what the internet coined as “hobbit-maxing” — thanks to its natural weight, incredible heat-retention abilities, and potential durability when cared for correctly. Admittedly, caring for cast-iron can be a bit less delightful if you’re new to the game, so just remember: Don’t over-scrub with tons of soap (season, season, season), and make sure you fully dry your cast-iron any time it gets wet.

| Williams Sonoma

Le Creuset signature round Dutch oven

  • $336
  • $420
  • 21% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Le Creuset is my kind of clout cookware, and not just because it was inadvertently peddled to me from an early age via Jacques Pépin’s enthusiastic TV cooking spots. The heritage cookware brand’s enamel cast-iron Dutch oven is one of those items your descendants will fight over in the will, because it simply will not quit; this 5.5.-quart beast is made out of durable cast-iron, and the interior enamel coating will develop a natural patina over time, according to the site, that will continue to protect the cast-iron while allowing you to cook red sauces and braise tough meats for decades to come.


| Lodge

Lodge cast-iron skillet set

  • $90
  • $162
  • 45% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Lodge has been mastering cast-iron cookware for 125 years, and it still operates out of two foundries in Tennessee, where it was founded. A cook who loves Lodge likely loves that it forgoes cheap frills for function and timelessness, and, as we near Black Friday, this bundle of an 8-inch seasoned cast-iron skillet, 10.25-inch seasoned cast iron skillet, 10.5-inch seasoned cast iron griddle, and 5-quart seasoned cast iron Dutch oven and lid is one of the best deals of our round-up at around $90.


| Staub

Staub 9.5-inch cast-iron chicken roaster

  • $200
  • $264
  • 25% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

The Staub vertical chicken roaster first caught my eye on a friend’s Instagram story, and it has been lingering in my tabs ever since. Not only did this unique cast-iron roaster give the bird of the evening a dramatic stage in my friend’s story, but the vertical design is intended to help the chicken cook even faster, and make the skin extra crispy.


| Our Place

Our Place 6.5-inch cast-iron pan

  • $40
  • $60
  • 34% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Our Place sure does make a charming miniature cast-iron skillet. The Instagrammy cookware brand’s 6.5-inch skillet comes in olive green and light pink colorways that will look great sitting out on a stovetop. It’s also made with a glossy (PFAS-free) interior that’s designed for easy cleaning.


| Williams Sonoma

DeBuyer crêpe pan and Bonne Maman bundle

  • $50
  • $54
  • 9% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Last but not least, a favorite from our under $50 gift guide. This French-made crêpe pan from De Buyer would be a flex in any context, but right now you can bring one home with some Bon Maman’s hazelnut spread from Williams Sonoma.


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