We Cooked 68 Omelets to Find the Best Nonstick Pan—These Are Our Favorites
Not every frying pan is created equally, and that fact is never more apparent than when you're making eggs. They're super slippery when raw, but they become the world's stickiest food when cooked—especially if you usethe wrong type of pan. We love a good omelet, but nothing turns us off more than when silky eggs begin to coat the bottom of the pan, leaving that thin, crusty, flakey layer that's impossible to scrape off. That's where a quality nonstick pan comes in—it's an indispensable tool that every home cook needs, and there is no substitute.
Though multifunctional frying pans have their benefits, some tasks—like scrambling eggs and searing flakey fish—require a dedicated nonstick pan, and having one that you can rely on is essential. But with so many different brands to choose from, it can be hard to know where to find the best nonstick cookware.
We're firm believers that cookware is subjective, and the best for you might not be the best for us, so it's important to evaluate a few things before diving into a purchase. Before selecting the best nonstick pan for your needs, you'll want to assess what type of material it's made of, how often you'll use it, and how you intend to clean and care for it. If you plan to flip pancakes every Sunday morning, you'll want a pan that's lightweight and easy to handle with gently sloped sides. If you plan to sear and braise short ribs, you'll want something that has deeper sides and is safe to transfer from the stovetop to the oven. No matter what you use it for, a good nonstick pan should be durable and easy to maneuver, and most importantly, it should conduct and transfer heat evenly without causing any food to stick to the pan.
How We Tested
花费太多时间失败后废弃ing stainless steel pans, we did what any normal people would do: we cooked 68 omelets, 51 pancakes, and 48 ounces of salmon in 13 different pans to find the best nonstick pan. Then, we decided to make things even stickier and melted marshmallows in each pan.
We put the pans to work over the course of a month, where we assessed everything from weight to price to care and clean up. We're happy to report that we found a lot of great options. Most importantly, our quest reaffirmed what we already knew: if you treat it right, a nonstick pan is a culinary gamechanger.
The Best Nonstick Pans
- Best Overall:Zwilling Madura Plus 11-inch Nonstick Deep Fry Pan
Our tester loved the deep sides and large, even cooking surface on this completely nonstick pan.
- Best Value:Nordic Ware 10-inch Sauté Pan
This pan is lightweight, nonstick, and easy to clean, which makes it perfect for everyday use.
- Best Set:All-Clad Hard Anodized 2-piece Nonstick Cookware Set, 10-inch and 12-inch
This 2-piece set of reliable, durable pans is an incredible bargain for the price.
- Best Oven-Safe:Made In 10-inch Nonstick Frying Pan
Made In's nonstick pan excelled in all of our tests, conducted heat evenly and efficiently and was easy to clean in between uses.
- Best Splurge:Le Creuset 11英寸钢化非stick Pro Pan
Though slightly more expensive, our testers love that this pan is dishwasher-safe, oven-safe and scratch resistant.
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Best Overall: Zwilling Madura Plus 11-inch Nonstick Deep Fry Pan
To buy:$90 (originally $120) atzwilling.com
Pros:This pan was the slickest we tested and easily passed all of our tests. It's dishwasher-safe, but is also easy to wipe clean with a damp cloth in between each use. It's ideal for cooking large batches, and we love that the deep sides allow for braising and frying, which adds a layer of versatility that some other pans did not have.
Cons:It's only oven-safe up to 300 degrees, so be mindful of what temperature you're cooking at when you transfer from stovetop to oven.
The deep sides of this sturdy, heavy-duty pan make it the perfect option for cooking up larger quantities. Pancakes slid around easily in the pan without the help of a spatula, and salmon seared beautifully without sticking. Even the melted marshmallows seared to golden brown rather than burning and sticking. The handle felt surprisingly balanced considering how deep the cooking surface is, and it managed to stay cool even when using high heat. The PFOA-free coating is completely nonstick, and the pan itself is scratch-resistant and oven-safe up to 300 degrees.
Best Value: Nordic Ware 10-inch Sauté Pan
To buy:$55 atnordicware.com
To buy:$37 (originally $52) atamazon.com
Pros:This is one of the lightest and easiest-to-handle pans we tried. The silicone grip felt sturdy and completely slip-free, and we love that it's removable if you want to transfer the pan to the oven at a higher temperature.
Cons:This pan is not induction compatible, so be careful which type of stovetop you use it on.
We love this pan because it's delightfully light, easy to work with, and completely nonstick. It's also surprisingly affordable. It passed every test we put it through and was one of the most affordable options on the list. The silicone handle was easy to hold, slip-resistant, and stayed cool to the touch even when we used the pan on high heat. Most importantly, the PFOA-free coating was one of the slickest we tested. For a dedicated nonstick pan that you can use every day, you can't beat this 10-inch sauté pan from Nordic Ware.
Best Set: All-Clad Hard Anodized 2-piece Nonstick Cookware Set, 10-inch and 12-inch
To buy:$80 (originally $100) atall-clad.com
To buy:$100 (originally $150) atamazon.com
Pros:These versatile pans are compatible with all stovetops and oven-safe up to 500 degrees.
Cons:The handle can get a bit hot, so be careful when using high heat or transferring to the oven.
This 2-piece set is a fantastic way to add two high-quality pieces to your cookware set. Both pans were easy to hold and maneuver, and the nonstick coating passed all of our tests. These pans are compatible with all cooktops and are oven-safe up to 500 degrees. Though they are dishwasher-safe, All-Clad recommends washing these PFOA-free pans by hand for best results. This set scored a spot in our top five because both pans easily passed all of our tests and is an unbeatable bargain for the price.
Best Oven-Safe: Made In 10-inch Nonstick Frying Pan
To buy:$99 atmadeincookware.com
Pros:This pan is lightweight, easy to use, and completely nonstick. It's oven-safe up to 500 degrees and induction compatible.
Cons:This pan is slightly pricier than some of the others. It's not dishwasher-safe and is not scratch-proof.
This pan performed well in all of our tests and was easy to use and maneuver. Food did not stick, and the pan was easy to clean between uses. The pan is not scratch-proof or dishwasher-safe, so be sure to use silicone tools and clean by hand. It's made from PFOA-free PTFE and is oven-safe up to 500 degrees. Made In offers nonstick pans in a range of sizes, so this is an exceptional option if you're looking to work on larger-scale projects.
Best Splurge: Le Creuset 11-inch Toughened Nonstick Pro Pan
To buy:$104 (originally $130) atlecreuset.com
To buy:$120 (originally $140) atamazon.com
Pros:This pan is oven-safe, dishwasher-safe, induction compatible, and completely nonstick.
Cons:Though this pan is super slick and easy to use, it's one of the most expensive on the list.
This Le Creuset nonstick pan is dishwasher-safe, oven-safe, scratch-proof, and safe for all stovetops, so it's a versatile pan that performed exceptionally well on all of our tests. The PFOA-free coating created even heat distribution with a slick and completely nonstick cooking surface. This is a reliable, functional pan that will come in handy for a multitude of tasks in the kitchen.
Other Pans We Tested
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Caraway 10.5-inch Fry Pan
This heavy-duty nonstick pan is perfect for whipping up large batches of scrambled eggs or braising Sunday sauce. The PTFE-free coating is super slick, it's safe to use on all types of stovetops, and is oven-safe up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit. The only thing that stopped us from ranking it in our top five was the weight—this pan is heavier than the rest and thus less easy to maneuver. Nevertheless, this is an exceptionally sturdy, non-toxic pan that is suitable for many types of cooking projects.
To buy:$95 atcarawayhome.com
OXO Good Grips Nonstick Pro Open Fry Pan
This pan was one of the lightest, most easy-to-use out of all the options we tried. It felt lightweight yet sturdy when handled and was great for flipping pancakes and omelets. Food did not stick, and it was easy to clean in between batches. This pan narrowly missed being in our top five because although the brand advertises it as scratch-proof, we saw scratches develop after just a few uses. It's also important to note that this pan is only oven-safe up to 390 degrees and is not induction compatible.
To buy:$40 atamazon.com
Great Jones Small Fry
This small pan is a super sleek and functional option for anyone who likes to cook up a daily batch of eggs. We loved that the handle was easy to hold, didn't feel slippery, and stayed cool to the touch even while using it on high heat. It's safe for all stovetops and is made from a PTFE and PFOA-free ceramic coating that is super slippery. It performed exceptionally well on our egg, pancake, and salmon tests but did not pass the marshmallow test.
To buy:$60 atgreatjonesgoods.com
Misen 10-inch Nonstick
Misen's nonstick pan is a great buy for any home cook looking for a reliable pan at an affordable price. This pan thoroughly passed the egg, pancake, and salmon tests but fell short in the marshmallow test. Overall, it's a durable pan that is easy to handle and boasts a nicely nonstick surface that is PFOA-free. The nonslip handle was easy to grip, even while flipping pancakes. Lastly, we love that this pan is oven-safe and compatible with all stovetops.
To buy:$65 atMisen.com
Sardel 10-inch Nonstick Skillet
This Sardel skillet is light, slick, and easy to maneuver. It performed well on the egg, pancake, and salmon tests, but we did notice some sticking with the marshmallow test. We also noticed that the honeycomb pattern of the nonstick surface left imprints on the pancakes.Overall this is a functional and durable pan, but the price tag is slightly higher than other comparable pans we tested.
To buy:$105 atsardelkitchen.com
Our Place Always Pan
当comes to chic, aesthetically-pleasing cookware, nothing beats the Our Place Always pan. We love the multifunctionality of this pan and feel confident using it for steaming, poaching, and braising. However, as a dedicated nonstick skillet, this pan did not stand out from the pack, and we noticed that eggs and pancakes tended to stick more than we would've liked. It's also not safe to use in the oven, which is one of the only hindrances to its versatility. If you're looking for a multifunctional pan that can perform more than one kitchen task and look great while doing it, this is the pan for you. If you're a die-hard omelet-lover, it's best to go for a different option.
To buy:$145 atfromourplace.com
Anolon 10-inch Nonstick Frying Pan
Made from nonstick aluminum, this fry pan is sturdy and lightweight at the same time. However, the nonstick coating was not as slick as the others, and we found that both eggs and pancakes stuck to the surface.
To buy:$90 atwilliams-sonoma.com
Calphalon Classic 2-piece Nonstick Fry Pan
Calphalon is known for reliable cookware, and this nonstick pan is no different. We love that it can go from stovetop to oven (it's safe up to 450 degrees) and conduct fast, even heating. The PFOA-free nonstick interior was smooth and slick, and it wiped clean easily between batches. This pan passed our first three tests but fell short in the marshmallow test. Still, this is a great buy from a dependable brand.
To buy:$35 (originally $55) atamazon.com