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We’ve noticed stock is fluctuating with the Ozeri 10-inch pan we recommend. We’ll update this guide if we learn more about its availability, but you might have to do some hunting to snag one in the meantime.
A nonstick pan is the best tool for cooking fluffy omelets, whisper-thin crepes, and delicate fish fillets—without the risk of your food sticking to the bottom. After cooking many dozens of eggs, pounds of fish, and countless crepes, we think the Tramontina 10-Inch Professional Restaurant Fry Pan is the best value for the money; in some cases, it outperforms pans that are more than twice the price. We’ve been cooking in ours since 2016, and although it’s not brand-new slick anymore, it still releases fried eggs and omelets without resistance. Apart from its durable coating, the Tramontina pan offers good heat distribution and excellent maneuverability.
With its classic flared-lip pan shape, slick nonstick coating, and comfortable handle, this is a quality pan that will last for years.
*At the time of publishing, the price was $28.
Looking for something to cook in your nonstick pan? Try these recipes for buttermilk pancakes, classic French toast, or Japanese souffle pancakes from NYT Cooking.
In our tests, the Tramontina 10-Inch Professional Restaurant Fry Pan distributed heat more evenly than other nonstick pans, thanks to its thick cast-aluminum construction. The flared edge let us easily scrape the corners with a spatula, flip fried eggs, and slide omelets onto a plate. This lightweight pan is easy to maneuver, and we appreciate its comfortable handle, with a removable silicone sheath for heat protection. With proper care, the Tramontina’s nonstick coating should stay slick and scratch-free for at least four years (based on our experience so far). If you have an induction cooktop, however, go with one of our other picks, because this Tramontina pan isn’t induction-compatible. Note that you can find variants of the 10-inch Tramontina pan sold specifically by retailers such as Sam’s Club and Walmart. A Tramontina representative told us these variants are the same pan aside from aesthetic differences (such as the color of the handle and the number of rivets), but we’ve tested only the 10-Inch Professional Restaurant Fry Pan in person.
The Nordic Ware’s surface isn’t as smooth to the touch as that of our top pick, but nonetheless, the eggs and crepes slid out of this pan with no effort. And the inner rivets are nonstick-coated, a feature many pans lack.
*At the time of publishing, the price was $42.
If for some reason our top pick is sold out, the Nordic Ware Restaurant Cookware 10.5-Inch Nonstick Fry Pan is a solid second choice. It’s made from cast aluminum and has flared sides, a bent lip, and a silicone handle—just like our top pick. (Also like our top pick, it won’t work on induction cooktops.) The Nordic Ware pan’s coating isn’t as smooth to the touch, but that didn’t impact its nonstick qualities. Eggs and crepes released from the pan just as easily as from our other picks. The Nordic Ware’s nonstick coated inner rivets (which some folks find easier to clean than uncoated ones) are an added perk (and the Tramontina pan doesn’t have these). The Nordic Ware pan is a solid choice, but it’s not our top pick because we want to see firsthand how well the nonstick coating holds up to real-world use over time.
This heavy-bottomed pan is a solid choice if you cook on induction. It heats up quickly and evenly, and it’s super-slick.
May be out of stock
*At the time of publishing, the price was $0.
If you cook on an induction cooktop, you’ll want a nonstick skillet with an encapsulated disk—a thick, tri-ply steel and aluminum plate—welded to the bottom of the pan. Induction burners generate heat with a magnetic field, so the base of the pan needs to contain ferrous metals, like iron and steel, in order to work on induction. Of the encapsulated-bottomed nonstick skillets we looked at, the Ozeri 10-Inch Stainless Steel Pan with Nonstick Coating is our pick for people who cook on induction ranges. It has a good weight, nice balance, and a comfortable rounded handle. The Ozeri pan also heats up quickly and evenly (which wasn’t the case for all of the induction-compatible skillets we tested), and the slippery coating allows food to slide around with zero resistance. You can find two different versions of this Ozeri pan: one with black nonstick coating and one with bronze nonstick coating. We tested and solely recommend the black version, as we’ve seen some evidence that the lighter-colored coating may not be as durable.
These pans are thick, sturdy, and an excellent value for a set of two. They also work on induction cooktops.
*At the time of publishing, the price was $60.
If you want to have more than one pan, the All-Clad B1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Fry Pan Set 8″ & 10″ is a great deal. These thick-gauge hard-anodized aluminum pans heat evenly (albeit slowly) and cook delicate foods just as well as a $130 tri-ply nonstick skillet. They also work on all cooktops, including induction (although their bonded steel base doesn’t heat as evenly as the multi-layer encapsulated bottom on the Ozeri pan). The 10-inch B1 pan is heftier than our top pick (it’s almost 3 pounds, whereas the Tramontina weighs about 2 pounds). But the comfortable rounded handles and excellent balance make both All-Clad B1 pans easy to maneuver. This set isn’t our top pick because we think most folks can get by with one nonstick skillet.
With its classic flared-lip pan shape, slick nonstick coating, and comfortable handle, this is a quality pan that will last for years.
*At the time of publishing, the price was $28.
The Nordic Ware’s surface isn’t as smooth to the touch as that of our top pick, but nonetheless, the eggs and crepes slid out of this pan with no effort. And the inner rivets are nonstick-coated, a feature many pans lack.
*At the time of publishing, the price was $42.
This heavy-bottomed pan is a solid choice if you cook on induction. It heats up quickly and evenly, and it’s super-slick.
May be out of stock
*At the time of publishing, the price was $0.
These pans are thick, sturdy, and an excellent value for a set of two. They also work on induction cooktops.
*At the time of publishing, the price was $60.
I worked the omelet station during the Sunday grand buffet at the California Culinary Academy, as part of a work-study program while I was a student there. My second day on the job, the chef handed me three brand-new nonstick pans and told me to take good care of them. When my shift was over, I dropped off the pans at the dish station. About 20 minutes later, I went back, only to find that the once-pristine egg pans were ruined after the dishwasher subjected them to a stainless steel scrubber. The chef just shook his head and told me it was my job to figure out how I was going to make decent omelets with trashed pans. Even though I actively avoided brunch shifts in restaurants throughout my career, I will never forget the lesson I learned that day. Whether in restaurants or in test kitchens, I make sure to treat nonstick pans with the same care and attention as I do my personal knives.
In addition to drawing on personal experience, I pored over science literature and editorial sources to get the skinny on what makes a great nonstick pan and how to safely cook in one. I spoke with Chad Kelley, executive chef and brewer at Barley & Board (and my former California Culinary Academy classmate); Penny Rosema, managing director for the Cookware Manufacturers Association; and Cynthia Salitsky, former global communications leader for Chemours (DuPont). I also looked at respected editorial sources, including Cooking For Engineers, Serious Eats, and Fine Cooking, as well as The New York Times.
It’s useful to have at least one nonstick skillet in your kitchen for cooking eggs, fish fillets, or other delicate items. A nonstick pan is also great for beginner cooks or anyone who wants something that’s easy to use and to clean. The slick coating allows you to use less oil and cook over moderately low heat without the risk of food sticking to the pan.
But nonstick cookware has some drawbacks, mainly that it’s easy to damage and has a shorter lifespan than uncoated cookware. All nonstick coatings are delicate and will eventually wear out. That’s why although we think nonstick coated pans are convenient, we advise against buying a large set of nonstick cookware—you don’t want to have to replace the whole set every few years. Most folks need only one or two nonstick skillets to round out their cookware collection.
If you cook on induction, check to make sure you get a skillet that’s compatible with your cooktop (induction works only with magnetic materials). Some nonstick skillets are made only of aluminum, which won’t work on induction.
We’ve been covering nonstick cookware since 2016 and understand how confusing the subject can be. Branding jargon such as “diamond” or “ceramic titanium” is unclear and makes comparison shopping a daunting task. But when we cut through all of that hyped-up marketing verbiage, we found the following to be the most common types of nonstick coatings:
PTFE: Short for polytetrafluoroethylene, this is a synthetic polymer that repels water and reduces friction. Not only is it used for cookware, but it’s also a common material in joint replacements. Teflon is the most famous PTFE coating, but other companies make proprietary cookware coatings too. For PTFE used on cookware, two of the major producers are Whitford and Chemours (which produces Teflon and is a subsidiary of DuPont). In our experience, many big-name cookware brands use a coating from one of these two companies. For instance, three of our picks use Whitford coatings on their pans.
Teflon (and PTFE in general) has been under scrutiny in recent years, mostly because it was produced using a polyfluoroalkyl polymer known as PFOA, which is a possible carcinogen, according to the World Health Organization, and damaging to the environment. There was no proven risk in cooking with nonstick surfaces made with PFOA—little or no PFOA was present in the pans themselves—but it was a health hazard for people working in and living around factories that produced PTFE. Nonstick manufacturers have now phased out PFOA and replaced it with other per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); these break down faster, but their health effects are still being studied. You can read more on PFAS later in this guide.
Ceramic: This is not actually ceramic, but instead a ceramic-like coating called sol-gel (short for “solution-gel”). Sol-gel coatings don’t use polyfluoroalkyl polymers like PTFE, but instead are silica-based. For that reason they’re often touted as being “greener” or better for you, but neither claim has much truth.
The biggest complaint about “ceramic” pans is that their nonstick properties don’t last as long. We asked friends and family how long their sol-gel cookware lasted, and they all said about one year—and that they’d never buy it again. So we focused on pans with PTFE-based nonstick coatings, because they last longer than those with sol-gel coatings (which is one reason why ceramic pans aren’t particularly “green,” since you have to replace them more often).
A good nonstick pan has the traits of a traditional skillet—even heating, classic flared sides, good balance between body and handle—but adds a slick coating to make cooking delicate foods like eggs and fish easier. We narrowed our search mostly to open-stock, 10-inch pans, but we also included one set of two pans. We believe 10 inches is the best size to get if you want just one pan for cooking omelets or two fried eggs. But if you do want something larger to make, say, a stir-fry for four people, most of our picks come in multiple sizes. Beyond that, we selected our picks by looking for the following features:
Though we favored skillets that released food with little or no effort on our part, we quickly realized that some pans’ super-smooth coatings could reveal a design weakness: a slightly convex cooking surface. Flatness is important because the nonstick coating on an uneven surface causes butter and oil to slide to the lowest point, making it nearly impossible to get even coverage in a domed pan. A convex surface can also cause two fried eggs to migrate to opposite sides of the pan, making them hard to flip without using a spatula.
A nonstick pan that distributes heat evenly across the cooking surface will not only keep your food from scorching but also last longer. Nonstick coating breaks down faster at high temperatures, so hot spots can shorten the lifespan of a pan. We prefer skillets made from cast or anodized aluminum because it’s an inexpensive material, an excellent heat conductor, and durable.
However, pans that are fully aluminum won’t work on induction because they’re not magnetic. So to find a pick that would work on induction, we also tested aluminum pans with either a bonded steel plate on the bottom or an encapsulated bottom (a thick layer of aluminum encased in stainless steel). We think you’re better off with the latter, since these heavy-bottom pans are less likely to warp, and they heat up faster on induction cooktops, in our experience.
Stainless steel tri-ply (aluminum sandwiched by two layers of stainless steel) also works on induction and is an excellent material for even heat distribution. But fully clad tri-ply nonstick pans are much more expensive than their aluminum counterparts, and it’s generally not worth paying so much for a pan that will last only a few years.
Just as with traditional skillets, nonstick pans with flared sides perform the best. The wide shape enables quick and accurate flipping without the use of a spatula. And even if you’re more inclined to use a turner, the wide flare offers more room to maneuver under food than straight sides do. Flared sides also promote more evaporation, which means less water collects in the skillet, and foods develop a golden crust.
Skillets with weight balanced between the handle and the body are the most stable and sit flat on the burner. The latter is especially important when you’re using induction or ceramic cooktops, where full contact with the burner is key. Well-balanced pans also make it easier to swirl crepe batter and flip delicate foods. But balance doesn’t mean much if the handle is uncomfortable to grip or awkwardly angled. A bent lip is a bonus that makes it easy to pour off liquids (like excess grease or batter) with minimal dripping.
The surface on a brand-new nonstick pan is the slickest it will ever be before it makes the slow march toward ineffectiveness through use and wear. Even with proper care, any nonstick skillet has a shorter lifespan than other cookware, because the nonstick coating will inevitably wear off. We think $20 to $60 is plenty to spend on a piece of cookware that will give you three to five years of use.
Though many pans come with a limited lifetime warranty, these guarantees won’t cover wear and tear (like surface scratches and gradual breakdown of the nonstick coating) or misuse and abuse. Read the instruction manual that comes with any nonstick pan you buy, because some things—like using nonstick cooking spray or putting your pan in the dishwasher—will void the warranty.
When we first tested nonstick pans, in 2016, we conducted a full battery of tests that included making French omelets, fried eggs over easy, seared tilapia fillets, hash browns, and crepes. In the process, we realized the tests had a lot of redundancy. For example, searing delicate tilapia didn’t show us anything different than frying eggs over easy did. And crepes showed the same browning pattern as hash browns.
For subsequent updates, we pared down the testing to cooking French omelets, fried eggs over easy, and crepes. French omelets are traditionally fluffy and colorless, so we used them to test how gently the skillets cooked eggs without browning and how quickly they released. Flipping fried eggs over easy is a delicate task, and we looked for pans with flared sides that made it simple to do without the help of a spatula. Making tall stacks of crepes helped us judge how comfortable and maneuverable each pan felt in the hand while we swirled the batter across the surface. The browning pattern on the crepes themselves also showed us how well each pan distributed heat across the cooking surface. We also dusted the pans with a light coating of flour and heated them over medium heat. As the flour browned, it gave us an even clearer picture of hot spots and allowed us to judge how quickly each pan heated up.
With its classic flared-lip pan shape, slick nonstick coating, and comfortable handle, this is a quality pan that will last for years.
*At the time of publishing, the price was $28.
The Tramontina 10-Inch Professional Restaurant Fry Pan is superbly nonstick, excellent at evenly distributing heat, easily maneuverable, and affordable. The handle is comfortable and comes with a removable silicone sheath. The Tramontina’s surface is the perfect size for cooking a three-egg omelet, and its flared sides are well-angled, for easy flipping. We also like that this pan is available in four sizes (8, 10, 12, and 14 inches) to accommodate different cooking needs.
Tramontina’s nonstick coating (Whitford Eclipse) is smooth and slick. We found that it easily released food through repeated tests. Pale-yellow omelets effortlessly slid out from this pan, as did tilapia fillets. We know that nonstick pans are best when they’re brand new, and age is the true test of value. But we’ve used a Tramontina 8-inch nonstick pan regularly since 2016, and the coating is just now, in 2020, starting to dull.
We were impressed with how the Tramontina yielded evenly golden crepes and fluffy yellow French omelets. The thick cast-aluminum construction helps disperse consistent heat across the cooking surface, resulting in fewer hot spots and better heat control. By comparison, the Anolon Advanced pan showed the most extreme browning and got very hot when we placed it over the same heat setting.
The wide-angle curves of the Tramontina made flipping fried eggs and fish easy, keeping yolks and fillets intact. We also noticed how easily maneuverable the Tramontina was as we repeatedly swirled crepe batter. The pan’s comfortable handle and good balance kept hand and arm fatigue at bay, and the bent lip allowed us to cleanly pour out excess crepe batter without any rogue drips. Trying to pour batter out of pans with straight lips, like the Scanpan and Swiss Diamond skillets, was a different story: Batter dripped down the sides of each pan and onto the stove and countertops.
Even though we didn’t test these pans in the oven, Tramontina promises its skillet is good up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. So go ahead and make frittatas and Spanish tortillas without worrying about damage. We also like that the silicone sheath on the handle is removable, giving you the choice to use it or not. (I personally chose not to use it simply because I like holding pans with a folded dish towel.)
Tramontina uses Whitford Eclipse nonstick coating on this skillet. Whitford claims that Eclipse is the most durable coating it makes. We can’t speak to how this particular coating compares with similar ones from, say, DuPont, but we do know from hands-on experience that the Eclipse coating stays slick for years with proper use and care.
The Tramontina is a bargain for what you get. Because most nonstick cookware has a three- to five-year lifespan, $30 (give or take) is a reasonable price to pay. This pan also comes with a limited lifetime warranty that protects against manufacturer defects (such as loose rivets, or coating that bubbles and flakes off), but not against general wear and tear, misuse, or abuse.
Sometimes you can find the Tramontina nonstick skillet by a different name at certain retailers. A Tramontina representative informed us that other retailer-specific variants such as Costco's ProLine pans, the Tramontina Professional Aluminum 10″ Non-Stick Fry Pan (sold at Walmart) or the Member’s Mark Nonstick 10″ Restaurant Fry Pan (sold at Sam’s Club) have the same nonstick coating and perform essentially the same, differing only in small details (such as the color of the handle and the number of rivets). However, we’ve tested only the 10-Inch Professional Restaurant Fry Pan in person. We hope to test the variants at some point in the future, and we also plan to analyze owner reviews more closely to look for any differences in performance among the pans.
This pan does have a couple of minor flaws. It’s not compatible with induction cooktops (though we have a pick for that). Also, the rivets that secure the handle to the pan don’t have a nonstick coating. Even though coated rivets are a nice feature because they help make cleanup easier, we don’t think having to scrub a little egg off of some bare aluminum is a dealbreaker.
Several Wirecutter writers and editors use the Tramontina in their personal cooking, and for the most part they report that the pan has held up well. Senior staff writer Andrew Cunningham and his wife have used two since October 2017, and they say that although they “[use the pans] pretty much all the time, they still look and feel great. The nonstick coating is still intact and [hasn’t] bubbled up in the middle like some crappier pans we’ve had.” Likewise, then special projects editor Ganda Suthivarakom told us in late 2019 that after using hers weekly since February 2018, it was still “like new.” Ultimately, the more care you take, the longer your pan will last: Editor Tim Barribeau’s Tramontina started to lose its nonstick quality after about eight months of use, but he admits to being “pretty notorious for cooking at a pretty high heat with it.” Likewise, senior editor Grant Clauser’s pan got scratched up after just two months, but mostly from bumping into other items in his sink rack.
The Nordic Ware’s surface isn’t as smooth to the touch as that of our top pick, but nonetheless, the eggs and crepes slid out of this pan with no effort. And the inner rivets are nonstick-coated, a feature many pans lack.
*At the time of publishing, the price was $42.
If our top pick is sold out, we think the Nordic Ware Restaurant Cookware 10.5-Inch Nonstick Fry Pan is a solid second choice. It has a similar shape, handle, and price to the Tramontina. And both pans are made from cast aluminum. The most noticeable difference between the two pans is that the Nordic Ware’s nonstick coating is a little rougher to the touch than the Tramontina’s. But that didn’t hinder the Nordic Ware pan’s nonstick-ness. We were still able to flip fried eggs and roll up fluffy yellow omelets with ease. And the Nordic Ware skillet has an added feature: nonstick-coated interior rivets, which some people find easier to clean.
If you’re wondering why the Nordic Ware nonstick skillet isn’t our top pick, the answer is proof of longevity. We know from years of experience and long-term testing that our top pick, the Tramontina Professional nonstick skillet, stays slick for years with proper use and care. We tested the Nordic Ware pan for the first time in 2020, and even though it has the same coating as the Tramontina (Whitford Eclipse), we haven’t had a chance to see how it performs over time. We’ll add it to our regular cooking routine and report back on its longevity.
But we’re optimistic about this pan’s staying power. It distributes heat well. Our omelets and crepes cooked evenly across the surface and showed no signs of obvious hot spots. The flared sides let us easily flip eggs. And the bent lip let us pour bacon grease and excess crepe batter from the pan with no drips escaping down the side.
The silicone sheath fits snugly on the handle, which could make it a pain to remove (I have strong hands, and it took some muscle to get that thing off!). But the grip is nice and secure. Both the skillet and silicone handle are oven-safe up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and the pan is available in three sizes: 8, 10, and 12 inches.
Nordic Ware backs this nonstick skillet with a limited 20-year warranty that covers workmanship defects. However, damage from metal utensils, scour pads, high heat, and the dishwasher voids the warranty.
This heavy-bottomed pan is a solid choice if you cook on induction. It heats up quickly and evenly, and it’s super-slick.
May be out of stock
*At the time of publishing, the price was $0.
If you have an induction cooktop, all-aluminum pans like our top pick and runner-up won’t work. You’re best off with a skillet that has an encapsulated bottom. And we like the Ozeri 10-Inch Stainless Steel Pan with Nonstick Coating because it checks all the boxes. It has a super-slick surface, a bent lip, wide flared sides, a comfortable handle, and an affordable price. And it evenly distributes heat across the cooking surface. (To be clear: Encapsulated cookware is ideal for induction cooktops, but we don’t think it’s the best choice for radiant-heat cooktops—namely gas, electric coil, glass, and ceramic. That’s because radiant heat tends to overheat the sides of a pan, resulting in hot spots. And intense hot spots cause the nonstick coating to degrade faster.)
It’s important to note that we tested the Ozeri pan with the black nonstick coating. There’s another version of the Ozeri pan with a bronze coating that doesn’t seem as durable, according to a few Amazon reviews. Both of these coatings are Whitford Eterna, which can be produced in different colors. But the company notes in its fact sheet (PDF) that “Darker colors are recommended for all PTFE interior coating systems. Lighter colors can have an impact on performance, in regard to ... stain resistance, or slight variations in other characteristics ...” All of this is to say, make sure you get the black coating.
Back to why we like this pan. The super-slick surface and coated rivets make cooking in the Ozeri, as well as cleaning it afterward, easy. The high, flared sides allow you to comfortably flip food with a spatula (or without). And, as with our other picks, the Ozeri pan’s bent lip lets you pour out grease without dribbling on your countertops or down the side of the pan.
In our tests, we found that it heated up faster on our portable induction cooktop than the IKEA Oumbarlig pan, another option that has an encapsulated bottom. And the Ozeri distributed heat better, too. A possible reason for this is that the base of the Ozeri 10-inch skillet is smaller (8 inches, compared with the IKEA pan’s 9-inch base), and thus concentrated over the magnetic coil that generates the heat. The Ozeri skillet could also possibly have more aluminum in its encapsulated disk than the IKEA Oumbarlig does, and aluminum is far superior to stainless steel as a heat conductor.
The Ozeri pan’s rounded, hollow stainless steel handle stayed cool and felt good in the hand during our tests. However, after using the Ozeri for a couple of months at home, Wirecutter senior editor Marguerite Preston noted that the smooth polished steel made it nearly impossible for her to get a secure grip with wet or greasy hands. You can bypass this minor issue by using hot pads or a kitchen towel. Still, the pan itself has a nice weight and balance. If I had an induction cooktop, I’d use this pan.
A thoughtful detail worth noting is that the Ozeri pan comes with a felt “pan protector” for storage. If you stack your pans in a cabinet or drawer, this piece of fabric protects the nonstick coating from getting scratched. Yes, you could use a paper towel or small dish rag and get the same protection. But we like it when a company helps you take care of your purchase. You can read more about proper nonstick pan storage in the care and maintenance section of this guide.
The Ozeri nonstick skillet is oven-safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, and it is available in three sizes: 8, 10, and 12 inches. It’s covered by a very limited lifetime warranty that excludes misuse and abuse, “unauthorized ... commercial use,” and “unsupervised use by children under 18 years of age” (LOL).
These pans are thick, sturdy, and an excellent value for a set of two. They also work on induction cooktops.
*At the time of publishing, the price was $60.
The 8- and 10-inch skillets included in the All-Clad B1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Fry Pan Set are thick, slick, sturdy, and suitable for all cooktops, and they’re a great deal if you want to have more than one nonstick pan. And in most of our tests, these pans performed on a par with our top pick, the Tramontina Professional. Like our top pick, the B1 pans have aluminum bodies, riveted cast stainless steel handles, flared sides, and bent lips. Unlike the Tramontina pan, the All-Clad B1s have a bonded steel plate on the bottom that allows them to work on induction ranges. However, if induction is your primary heat source for cooking, we suggest that you opt for a nonstick pan with an encapsulated bottom, which heats up faster and more evenly on induction.
The B1 pans aren’t our top pick because they come in a set, and two nonstick pans might be overkill for a lot of folks. For that reason, we’ve focused primarily on open-stock pans in this guide. Even though you could also buy any of our picks in a couple of sizes, these skillets tend to be a slightly better deal, plus they’re well made and a pleasure to cook with. We also like that they’re made from hard anodized aluminum, and the dark color hides the stains that develop over time on the underside much better than cast aluminum does.
The 10-inch All-Clad B1 pan flipped eggs and crepes, and cooked a fluffy yellow omelet as well as our top pick. We also found that both B1 pans had completely flat surfaces, so butter, oil, and eggs stayed where we put them instead of sliding to the edge.
The most telling difference between the All-Clad B1 pans and the Tramontina is that the thicker-gauge All-Clad pans took longer to heat up. Although the 10-inch All-Clad model toasted flour just as evenly as our top pick, it took a full minute longer to get there. That didn’t bother us much, but we also understand that the extra time might be annoying if, say, you’re trying to quickly cook an egg before running out the door. And even though the All-Clad took longer to heat, when we removed it from the burner, it didn’t brown the flour any more than the other pans, so this showed us it didn’t retain excess heat.
These pans are super-sturdy, and they will probably remain solid long after the nonstick coating craps out.
The 10-inch All-Clad pan has a slightly larger cooking surface than the 10-inch Tramontina Professional (7¾ inches versus 7½ inches). And because the All-Clad pan is made from thicker aluminum, it weighs almost 1 pound more than the 2-pound Tramontina.
Measuring heat distribution on gas and induction yielded different results. Induction cooktops use an electromagnetic coil to transfer energy, which turns into heat, to the pan. And when we toasted a layer of dry flour in the 10-inch B1 skillet on an induction burner, the browning pattern centered over the coil, leaving a perimeter of white. But when we used thermal conduction heat (gas or electric), the All-Clad B1 heated consistently across its surface.
By comparison, when we tested the Ozeri pan using induction, the flour browned evenly all the way to the corners. We suspect this is because the layers of steel and aluminum in the Ozeri’s encapsulated bottom did a better job of distributing the concentrated heat generated by the induction burner than the single layer of steel bonded to the bottom of the All-Clad pans did. Even though we like the All-Clad B1 skillets, and they do work on induction, they perform better on gas and electric stoves. If you want a pan for cooking on an induction cooktop, you’re probably better off with the Ozeri.
The All-Clad pans are super-sturdy, and they will probably remain solid long after the nonstick coating craps out. The riveted stainless steel handles are comfortable to hold, and they sit at an angle that makes tossing and flipping easy.
Unlike All-Clad’s tri-ply bonded cookware, the B1 line is not produced in the company’s Pennsylvania factory but instead in China. All-Clad backs these pans with a lifetime warranty that covers manufacturing defects but not misuse, abuse, or normal wear and tear.
Wirecutter staff writer Signe Brewster and then staff writer Alex Arpaia both used the All-Clad pans, and both reported that they were holding up well, as of late 2019. Signe has used her pan since 2018, and (though she ignores our advice to not run nonstick pans through the dishwasher) said, “They still look and work perfectly.” Alex added, “I love them. They were affordable and have filled an 8- and 10-inch-sized hole in my cookware collection. They feel sturdy and are super easy to clean. Cooking eggs just got so much more enjoyable.”
The coating on nonstick pans is delicate, to say the least. To prolong the life of your pan, follow these rules:
Because nonstick pans aren’t heirloom pieces and the coating will eventually wear off, you will have to deal with disposal. The good news is, the pan doesn’t have to go in a landfill. Many cities will take spent pans with the recycling (though some cities won’t take coated pans, and you probably need to remove any plastic parts). If such a recycling system doesn’t exist in your area, you can take the pan to a scrap yard.
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are used in the production of PTFE-coated goods, including cookware. You may have seen one of these substances, PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), in the news in recent years. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (part of the World Health Organization), PFOA is a possible carcinogen. It’s also an environmental pollutant—specifically a contaminant in water tables around the facilities that have used it to produce goods with PTFE coatings. PFOA and other PFAS are not a considerable risk in the finished product: As the American Cancer Society notes, nonstick pans contain a minuscule amount of these substances, and there’s no proven risk from cooking with them. But PFOA has had a significant impact on the environment, as well as on the health of those living near the plants and the workers handling the compound. For that reason, the EPA worked with a number of major companies to successfully phase out their use of PFOA by 2015. (DuPont phased it out in 2012. Whitford is not on this list of companies that participated in the program, but it says its cookware coatings are PFOA-free.)
Today, other PFAS, like Chemours’s GenX, are used in place of PFOA. The theory is that these shorter-chain polyfluoroalkyl compounds break down faster, so they may not remain in the environment like PFOA. Researchers are currently studying the short- and long-term impact of these alternative PFAS, but it’s too early to know for sure. An important thing to note is that these companies conduct their own testing (PDF) and submit results to the EPA for analysis. So we’re not sure whether PTFE-coated cookware produced without PFOA is necessarily better for the environment. If you’re concerned about the environmental and public health impacts of polyfluoroalkyl compounds, you may want to consider using a pre-seasoned cast-iron skillet. Cast iron isn’t as slick out of the box as a new nonstick skillet, and it’s quite a bit heavier. But it will get smoother as you use it and build more layers of seasoning, and it will last much longer.
There are many things to like about Misen’s Nonstick Pan: superb heat distribution, a solid flat base for good weight and balance, and a comfortable, silicone-sheathed handle. The generous 9-inch cooking surface provides more room for, say, larger fish fillets or squeezing in an extra pancake. We also like that Misen is transparent about the brand of nonstick coating it uses (DuPont Platinum). So why isn’t this pan a pick? For one thing, the 10-inch Misen pan is $55, and we don’t have hard evidence that the nonstick coating will stay slick for a long enough time to warrant the high price. And it seems to go out of stock more often than our picks. That said, we’re long-term testing the Misen nonstick pan to see whether the coating holds up over time. If so, it may be worth the price.
The two pans in the All-Clad HA1 set are very similar to our also-great pick, the All-Clad B1 set, with a couple of minor tweaks. The HA1 pans have the classic All-Clad stick handles, and they’re angled upward, whereas the B1 pans have rounded handles that sit more in line with the pan. Although we like All-Clad’s classic stick handle, we think the angle is awkward. The sides of the pans are also different: The B1’s sides are flared, and the HA1’s are more upright. Other than those differences, the All-Clad HA1 and B1 nonstick pans are similar.
The IKEA Oumbarlig is an affordable pan for induction ranges. Like our nonstick pan pick for induction cooktops, the Ozeri, the Oumbarlig pan has an encapsulated bottom, coated rivets, and a hollow stainless steel handle that stays relatively cool. But the Oumbarlig took longer to heat up, and much of the heat centered over the induction coil.
The OXO Good Grips Pro nonstick anodized aluminum skillet feels solid and well made. It has a slick coating and good balance. But it lacks enough bend in the lip to prevent grease and sauce from dribbling down the side of the pan while pouring. And although it is on a par with our picks in quality, on average it costs $10 more.
We had high hopes for the Farberware Restaurant Pro Nonstick Fry Pan. On paper, it seemed like an under-$20 version of our top pick and a serious contender for budget pick. But moments into testing, we discovered that this pan made an unnerving clicking sound—like metal expanding—when it got hot.
A number of new cookware startups offer nonstick skillets, but most are pricey and have persistent stock issues. Material Kitchen’s 10.5-inch pan costs $95, more than we think you should pay for a piece of cookware with such a limited lifespan.
Made In’s direct-order tri-ply nonstick fry pan is similarly expensive, at $99, and we found it has some balance issues. The pan tilts back toward the handle—a bit of a safety issue if the pan contains hot oil and nothing else. That also means it doesn’t sit flat, a real problem for induction cooktops, which rely on flush contact to heat properly.
Our former runner-up pick, the Cuisinart Contour Hard Anodized nonstick pan, is still a good choice, but the price is too steep to justify, given this pan’s incompatibility with induction cooktops.
The stainless tri-ply All-Clad 10-Inch Non-Stick Fry Pan is no longer our upgrade pick. This All-Clad pan is still a stellar performer across all cooktops, but there are now much less expensive pans that cook on induction. Since nonstick pans have a relatively short lifespan, we think $140 is way too much to spend on one.
The Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Nonstick Stainless Steel Skillet has availability issues. But probably even more important, the most common complaint among Amazon reviewers is that the nonstick coating peels off in sheets.
The Tramontina Professional Fusion Nonstick Fry Pan features a rivetless design, for easier cleaning. We wanted to love this pan, but it has a slightly domed cooking surface that sends oil and eggs racing to the edge.
In our search to find a great budget pan, we tested the T-fal Initiatives Fry Pan. It was an adequate performer in our tests, but it felt pretty flimsy. For around the same price, we think our top pick, the Tramontina, and runner-up pick, the Nordic Ware, are better-quality pans. The same goes for our induction-compatible pick, the Ozeri, for those who cook with magnetic energy instead of radiant heat.
The T-fal Titanium Advanced has a large cooking surface and high, steep sides that made flipping eggs and rolling omelets a chore for us.
The T-fal ProGrade Titanium Nonstick Fry Pan has flared sides that are great for tossing and flipping, and the surface is nice and slick. But we all agreed that the bulky handle was too big, especially with folded towels or hot pads.
The Vollrath Wear-Ever Ever-Smooth Fry Pan With CeramiGuard II Non-Stick is a pro-style coated aluminum skillet with excellent heat distribution and handling. We even loved the nonstick-coated rivets. But we can’t recommend this pan, because using it in a home kitchen (as opposed to a restaurant kitchen) voids the warranty.
The Scanpan Classic Fry Pan has a big cooking surface that’s too large for three-egg omelets. We couldn’t make an even layer of eggs before folding, and that resulted in a lumpy omelet. The pan’s straight sides yielded half-flipped hash browns. It did have good heat distribution, though.
The Swiss Diamond Nonstick Fry Pan is very similar to the Scanpan in design and handling but typically costs $20 more. It has a similarly large cooking surface and straight sides. We also had the same issues making omelets and flipping hash browns with the Swiss Diamond as we did with the Scanpan.
The Anolon Advanced 10-Inch French Skillet is a sturdily constructed anodized aluminum skillet with a riveted, silicone-coated handle. It has generously sloped sides and a bent lip, and it can survive oven temperatures up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The downsides of this pan are its small cooking surface (7 inches) and its tendency to get very hot. When we cooked tilapia, the surface temperature rose to 486 degrees by the time the fish came out of the pan.
Nonstick pans themselves are not toxic, and cooking in one won’t make you sick. However, there are some concerns about the PFAS compounds used to make PTFE coatings, as a pollutant. In other words, although the production of nonstick pans may pose a health risk to nearby communities, the amount of PFAS in the finished product is minuscule and generally considered safe. Note, however, that while nonstick pans are safe for humans, birds can get sick from the fumes that nonstick coating releases when it gets hot.
Ceramic coatings (which, despite the name, are actually made from a silica-based material called sol-gel) have a much shorter lifespan than PTFE coatings like Teflon. The biggest complaint we read and hear about ceramic is that it seems to lose its slickness after about a year of regular use. A pan with PTFE coating, on the other hand, can last up to five years if you use and maintain it with proper care.
We think the best alternative to nonstick pans is a well-seasoned cast-iron pan. Yes, a cast-iron skillet requires more attention and care, especially as you build up the “seasoning” on the surface that makes it more slick. But a well-maintained cast-iron pan will last a lifetime and beyond.
Eventually, the nonstick coating will lose its slickness over time—that’s unavoidable. You’ll know it’s time to replace your nonstick pan when delicate foods, such as eggs and fish fillets, stick to the surface. Also ditch your nonstick pan if the coating has deep scratches. But before you throw your pan in the trash, check your local recycling program to see if it accepts cookware.
Chad Kelley, executive chef and brewer at Barley & Board, interview
Penny Rosema, managing director, Cookware Manufacturers Association, interview
Cynthia Salitsky, global communications leader, Chemours (DuPont), interview
The Cookware Advisor, What’s In Your Non-Stick?, Cooking For Engineers, June 18, 2013
Nonstick Skillets (subscription required), Cook’s Illustrated, October 1, 2016
J. Kenji López-Alt, 9 Essential Pots and Pans, Serious Eats, December 3, 2013
Alina Tugend, How Not to Wreck a Nonstick Pan, The New York Times, December 17, 2010
Maryellen Driscoll, Test Drive: Nonstick Skillets, Fine Cooking, February 1, 2009
Natalie Lazar, What do you mean it’s not Teflon?? A Comprehensive Guide To Non-Stick Cookware, The Cookware Advisor
Lesley Stockton is a senior staff writer reporting on all things cooking and entertaining for Wirecutter. Her expertise builds on a lifelong career in the culinary world—from a restaurant cook and caterer to a food editor at Martha Stewart. She is perfectly happy to leave all that behind to be a full-time kitchen-gear nerd.
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