Any Frying Pan/Skillet Recommendations?

[amcnj]

With all the stories about dangerous cookware coatings, does anyone have a recommendation for a frying pan that is safe and is working well for them? When I search online there are always negative comments about the pans and/or coatings holding up. Is it just better to go stainless or cast iron?

 

[gmi3804]

Invest in a good stainless steel, aluminum core, pan. Take care of it and it'll last forever. All-Clad has sales all the time. Get a 12" and a 10". You won't need anything more.

 

[cabanafrau]

I have All Clad non stick skillets that are workhorses without a scratch after many years of use. Hopefully their coatings are not dangerous because the damage is already done. My stainless pans are Tramontina and take a punch also, but don't suit absolutely every use for me. I also have a couple cast iron, but frequently they're too much weight, too much fussing to stop and clean immediately, and don't work for certain things either.

 

[mikehn]

Costco has the tramatina 12 inch deep lidded ceramic all day pan for 39 bucks. My over easy eggs just glide right off. lol! The ceramic may wear away over time but who cares for 39 bucks

 

[NYCgrrl]

Thru the years, almost all my skillets have been either stainless/steel or cast iron. They have been and remain the workhorses of my kitchen. Currently, I have pans ranging from 8” to around 16” in diameter with the 10” to 12” most useful for 2 to 4 people. Lodge still makes well made, properly forged CI skillets and they are incredibly reasonable in price. Yes, you have to care for them but if you make a mistake it’s easy to start all over again.Two of my skillets were gifts from my Nana who received them as wedding gifts from her grandmother so your cookware will be here for the long term if this is what you choose.
My s/s pans are a 16” Cuisinart from the ‘90’s that great for feeding 4 or more people and a more recent 10” carbon steel speciality pan that the average cook doesn’t need.

HTH and happy cooking!

 

[NYCgrrl]

Costco has the tramatina 12 inch deep lidded ceramic all day pan

Tramontina, as a brand, is frequently recommended by ATK but have never read up on how their ceramic glazed CI stacks up against Le Creuset. Would love to hear some feedback .

 

[citruscurtis]

....sorry... for years as a child I breathed.. when the wind blew eastward... I sucked in chemicals from the rocket building plants .. so Teflon pretty much has made me

 

[_19disnA]

Have to read the label/instructions that come with a particular pan. Most of the non-stick ones say they are safe in your oven up to 500 degrees. So you basically should NOT use it for broiling, but safe for lowers temps for baking. There are a wide variety of coatings on different brands of non-stick pans. Can't recall what brand I have, but they last a long time if you use some common sense when cooking/frying something.

Used to have some cast iron skillets and hated them. You weren't supposed to wash them after use which seems gross to me. I want to wash anything I cook my food in after each use. They rust if you try to wash them and constantly re-seasoning was a pain. They are also very heavy and tend to scratch your flat-top cooking surfaces during normal use. Tossed mine in the trash and would never recommend cast iron to anyone.

 

[Imzadi]

Invest in a good stainless steel, aluminum core, pan. Take care of it and it'll last forever. All-Clad has sales all the time. Get a 12" and a 10". You won't need anything more.

I could have written this myself. Get a good stainless steel pan. If you heat the pan properly to the right temperature, then add cold oil, heat the oil before adding foods, you won't have sticking. (YouTube has quick tutorials.)

If there is some sticking, just add warm soapy water to the pan, place back on the stove burner. Do NOT turn on. Let the residual heat soak off the food residue while you eat. Or leave it overnight. Wash in the morning, without much scrubbing, if at all. This is what our ancestors did before the invention of non-stick coatings.

You can get a good stainless steel pan at TJ Maxx or Home Goods as they always have good name brand ones on sale.

 

[Imzadi]

I have All Clad non stick skillets that are workhorses without a scratch after many years of use. Hopefully their coatings are not dangerous because the damage is already done.

The thing with non-stick coating is that the directions are the opposite of stainless steel or cast iron. NO preheating the pans. Add food right away. Use a lower overall temperature while cooking. That's supposed to preserve the coatings. Once they start getting scratched, throw them away.

I'm part of a neighborhood Freecycle group for sustainability. So many college grads move back home and are giving away their non-stick pots & pans that look in perfect condition. Problem is we have no idea what temp they cooked at and if the non-stick coatings have been compromised.

As tempted as I am to get some, (someone was giving away a beautiful, newish wok set,) I'll stick with my stainless steel pans.

 

[dizneegirl]

Used to have some cast iron skillets and hated them. You weren't supposed to wash them after use which seems gross to me. I want to wash anything I cook my food in after each use. They rust if you try to wash them and constantly re-seasoning was a pain.

If your cast iron is properly seasoned, you can certainly wash them (even using a bit of Dawn), and just dry them right away so the bottom doesn't rust. You shouldn't have to re-season unless something goes horribly wrong.

I have both cast iron and stainless - honestly, I use the cast iron 95% of the time when I use a pan. They're non-stick, and they heat so nicely. I have a gas stove, though. If I had a glass-top or electric, I might go back to using the stainless more.

 

[Imzadi]

If your cast iron is properly seasoned, you can certainly wash them (even using a bit of Dawn), and just dry them right away so the bottom doesn't rust. You shouldn't have to re-season unless something goes horribly wrong.

I have both cast iron and stainless - honestly, I use the cast iron 95% of the time when I use a pan. They're non-stick, and they heat so nicely. I have a gas stove, though. If I had a glass-top or electric, I might go back to using the stainless more.

There is some guy on YouTube or TikTok that teaches how to season a cast iron pan. He shows it takes less oil than we think to successfully season a pan. I have an electric burner, so I don't have any cast iron anymore.

 

[gmi3804]

A good carbon steel pan, properly seasoned, can do 90% of your cooking jobs. And they’re relatively cheap. A good French one is about $60. Does everything cast iron does, and it’s less than half the weight.

 

[disney212]

I use cast iron and wash them aftwr every use with Dawn. I sit them on the burner to dry and wipe them with a towel with a little olive oil on it. I have ones i have purchased and some passed down through the family that are at least 80 years old. They are non-stick from being well seasoned.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I just donated all my pots and pans to Goodwill and switched to stainless steel this past Christmas. I found Viking pans at a steal at Homesense just before Christmas and am very happy with them,. I saw they have All Clad too but I was iffy on spending since I am not convinced I will be able to lift these pans in a bad flare unless I can just leave them on the counter. Why is everything so heavy

Marshalls, TJ and Homesense often have better brands near holiday times like the All Clad so maybe around Easter you'll find a new stash but for and instant now jump you can just grab a few easy to find like Calphalon or the ones at Costco. Remember even if you don't belong, if you know someone who does belong who will get you a gift card Costco will let you make a purchase starting with the and pay the difference in credit or cash.

One of my kids burned a brand new pan cooking improperly but Barkeepers friend from Walmart restored it to brand new

 

[cabanafrau]

The thing with non-stick coating is that the directions are the opposite of stainless steel or cast iron. NO preheating the pans. Add food right away. Use a lower overall temperature while cooking. That's supposed to preserve the coatings. Once they start getting scratched, throw them away.

I'm part of a neighborhood Freecycle group for sustainability. So many college grads move back home and are giving away their non-stick pots & pans that look in perfect condition. Problem is we have no idea what temp they cooked at and if the non-stick coatings have been compromised.

As tempted as I am to get some, (someone was giving away a beautiful, newish wok set,) I'll stick with my stainless steel pans.

?? Not understanding your response to what I said. My skillets aren't scratched despite the fact I've had them for many years. I'm the original owner. I have certain things I use them for, and stainless and/or cast iron for the rest.

 

[Judique]

Costco has the tramatina 12 inch deep lidded ceramic all day pan for 39 bucks. My over easy eggs just glide right off. lol! The ceramic may wear away over time but who cares for 39 bucks

I have Tramontina ceramic fry pans from Costco that are used for egg dishes, sauces, and food that you would cook on low to medium temperature. Caught the 8, 10, 12 inch set for $19.97 on clearance. If I could go back to that sale I'd stockpile another couple of sets. Love those pans so far!

I was in Costco today and saw a 4 piece set (2 pots 2 lids) of Tramontina stainless and they seemed to mimic my All Clad stainless (22 pieces) that I've had for many years. All Clad coated fry pans were okay but not the best. I rarely use mine, but I love to use my stainless All Clad.

I also had earlier coated Tramontina pans that did a great job but someone in my house doesn't always remember temperature matters when you choose which pot to cook with. They were destroyed. Tossed those.

Searing meat = use good quality stainless. The best job I've seen for this in a lower priced pan is old Wearever or Revere ware. Still have those pans. I also have a Le Creuset big covered pot that I use when I make a stew type meal and this is also great for browning/searing.

Cast iron works well also but I've got electric cooktop. I used to take the cast iron camping. I would never use dawn or any soap on cast iron.