The Best Frying Pans (Review) in 2020

Buying your very own frying pan used to be a pretty straightforward process. Unfortunately, times have changed. With advances in cooking technology comes a geometric increase in the number of frying pan choices. If you’re boggled about your choices, allow us to guide you in the process of determining the best frying pan for you and your family with this simple buying guide and FAQ.

Benefits of Using Nonstick Frying Pan

There has always been a tug-of-war in the kitchen stemming from the kind of cookware that is best to use. On one hand are those who prefer to use stainless steel frying pans. There are also those that would want the more Jurassic cast-iron pan. However, upon reading our section on the benefits of using nonstick frying pans, we’re pretty sure you’ll be dumping your other types of pans.

• Use less fat

One of the reasons why we use fat in our cooking is to provide a slick layer between the scorching hot surface of our pans and the outer surface of our food. Without this oily layer our food will stick to the surface damaging its appearance and adversely affecting its palatability.

Using nonstick frying pans will allow you to use less oil. Now do take note we did not say no oil, although you can do that, too. The thing is that a drizzle of oil is needed to really seal-in the flavors and aromas of the food that we are frying. Oil serves more like glue that binds all of these flavors in so that when you bite into it, the food will be bursting with flavors. That is why we still use a little oil whenever we fry on nonstick pans. Again, you can skip the oil altogether but the flavor will simply be not the same.

Even if you will use oil somehow, it will be much less than what you would use if you were cooking on a conventional frying pan that doesn’t have nonstick coating.

• Very easy to clean and maintain

Because it is nonstick burned food will not adhere to the surface, melted-on plastic and other stuff will not attach like glue. This makes it super easy to clean. In many cases, a simple wipe using a clean piece of cloth or paper towel is enough to render the pan clean. Depending on the food that you cooked sometimes you may need a little help from a soft sponge. Otherwise, placing it under running water should be enough.

• Scratch-resistant

We would like to reiterate that nonstick frying pans are scratch-resistant for as long as you use the right kind of cooking utensils as well as cleaning products. Now, if you have the ProMetal Pro technology of T-fal in all of your nonstick pans, then there really is no need to worry about using metallic or steel kitchen utensils like spoons and spatulas. Until then, you should only use nylon spoons and spatulas or maybe even wooden versions. Metal or steel materials can scrape the outermost layer of the nonstick pan, exposing its inner structures over time.

• Looks more stylish and more modern

Sure stainless steel will look all shiny and glossy but the matte black to dark greyish finish of most nonstick pans give it an edgier, more hip appearance. It adds style and personality to your modern kitchen.

• Guarantees even heat distribution

Majority of nonstick frying pans come with an aluminum base or some other metal that has excellent thermal conductivity. This allows heat to be evenly distributed across the surface of the frying pan, helping ensure even cooking and preventing the development of hot spots. The other benefit to having heat distributed evenly is that your food cooks a lot faster since all portions that are in contact with the frying pan’s cooking surface are cooked at the same time. This saves you fuel or even electricity.

Things to Consider When Buying a Frying Pan

Picking the right frying pan to include in your kitchen entails a lot of musings. Most folks would perform a very thorough search for product reviews related to a certain frying pan. While this will help it usually is crucial to start by understanding some of the factors that you will have to consider when buying one.

• Type of material used in the construction of the pan

There are a multitude of materials used in the construction of the frying pan. Almost all types of frying pans will have excellent heat conduction capabilities. However, if you’re looking for something that you can use on your induction cooktop, your best bet will be those that are composed of stainless steel clad in aluminum, carbon steel, and or combination of aluminum and stainless steel.

If you want something that is really scratch-resistant or even dent-proof, anodized aluminum does a good job. When it comes to corrosion-resistance your choices are aluminum and stainless steel clad in aluminum. Stainless steel-aluminum combinations also make perfect choices if you want it to be dishwasher-safe.

• Thickness of the frying pan

Frying almost always involve high heat. As such you would want a frying pan that has a thicker metal element than others. Modern frying pans come in either mils or gauge classification. If you see a mil specification you will want something that has a higher numerical value. For instance, 2 mils is thicker than 1 mil. As for gauge grading, it is the opposite. The higher the numerical value the thinner is the frying pan. For example, a frying pan with 22-gauge is generally thinner than a 10-gauge frying pan.

• Riveted or rivetless handles?

Riveted handles offer greater durability and strength than rivetless systems. However, they require more attention when it comes to cleaning because microbial buildup can occur around the rivets. While not necessarily structurally-weaker than riveted handles, rivetless systems provide for a smoother cooking surface as well as easier cleaning.

• Type of handle

Go for frying pans with stainless steel handles since these conduct heat less efficiently than aluminum. You can also go for silicone-wrapped handles although be careful as popping these into the oven at higher temperatures can degrade the silicone. Alternatively, you may want a hollow metal handle for better cooling.

• Cooktop compatibility

As much as possible choose a frying pan than you can easily use on induction cooktops. The more types of cooktops that the frying pan can be used on should give you superior versatility in any kitchen.

• Nonstick or natural finish?

We mentioned about the many benefits of using nonstick frying pans in the preceding section so you can easily make the decision up front. However, natural finish frying pans like stainless steel are cheaper and are actually excellent if you’re after a good sear on your food. The downside, of course, is that your food will have the tendency to stick onto the surface.

How to Properly Clean a Frying Pan

Cleaning your cookware whether it is a pot or a frying pan is an inherent task in any modern kitchen. It is your responsibility to maintain the structural integrity of your frying pans by making sure that they are properly cleaned. Here’s how to properly clean a frying pan.

• For nonstick pans

We already discussed, albeit briefly the cleaning of nonstick pans as one of their benefits. Just to recap, however, since food doesn’t really stick to the cooking surface of the pan, you can easily wipe it off with clean paper towels or anything that is recommended by the manufacturer of the pan. In many cases, if the pan is dishwasher-safe, then cleaning is a lot easier.

If there is grease that cannot be removed with the ordinary method of simple wiping, you can fill your pan with water before adding about half a cup of vinegar. Now bring this to a boil and dispose of the solution. The grease will float to the top making it easier to discard. Clean the pan with warm water as well as dish soap. Use nylon scrubber to remove any remaining grease. Rinse and dry completely.

If the problem is a more stubborn residue, you’ll need to make a paste out of baking soda and water. Apply the paste over the residue and scrub it off with a nylon scrubber. Once removed, just follow the cleaning procedure as in using the water and vinegar trick.

• For other types of pans

For frying pans with natural finish, it is best to wash these by hand using hot, soapy water and a sponge. You may also want to check if your pan’s manufacturer allows for the product to be put in your dishwasher.

For stainless steel frying pans, cleaning is super easy since the hard surface of the pan means it is impervious to corrosion and scratches. You can use a slightly more abrasive scrubbing pad to remove any stubborn debris. It is important however to buff the stainless steel surface with olive oil.

If you have copper pans, these should be washed by hand only. If it is beginning to show signs of discoloration, you can create a solution made of a quarter cup of white vinegar and about 2 tablespoons of salt. Rub the solution on your pan and rinse well.

For pure aluminum frying pans, the best method for cleaning is to boil water and add several apple peels. Simmer this for about half an hour. This should help restore your aluminum pan to its original glory.

If you’re a fan of cast-iron frying pans, the best way to make cleaning simple is to season it well. Seasoning gives it a near-perfect nonstick surface. As such don’t use soaps or detergents in cleaning a well-seasoned pan. The best approach is to immerse the pan in hot water and use a stiff brush to remove food particles. The key here is to dry the pan immediately after washing and to apply a light coating of vegetable oil.

Tips When Using a Frying Pan

Now that you have an idea of the kind of frying pan that should fit well into the grand scheme of things in your kitchen as well as some tips on how you can properly clean these types of cookware, it’s about time we take a look at how you can make your cooking with a frying pan a lot better.

• Before you start using your frying pan, make sure to read the owner’s manual as it contains specific information on the correct and proper use of the product.
• If you have a nonstick frying pan, resist the temptation to use cooking spray. These types of cooking oil leave a rather gummy or sticky residue that is quite challenging to remove. Moreover, this gummy residue can cause your food to stick onto the ‘nonstick’ surface. Rub a thin coat of vegetable or grapeseed oil if you really want to preserve its nonstick capabilities.
• Whatever kind of frying pan you use, it is extremely important to observe the correct heat setting. If you want a nice, brown sear on your food, then medium-high heat is what you want to work with. The same heat is good for frying, sautéing, and stir-frying. If you only want to warm your food, bring them to a simmer, or even make delicate sauces, always turn the heat down low. For nonstick pans, always go for low to medium heat as excessively high heat can degrade the cooking surface.
• It is imperative that you use only the correct cooking utensils such as spatulas and spoons, among others. For nonstick frying pans, the utensils of choice are those made of plastic, nylon, or even wood.
• For pan-frying, do not overcrowd your pan to help ensure even cooking. Also, don’t season your food too early. Add the seasonings a few minutes before putting them in the pan. More importantly, be patient. Avoid turning your food prematurely.
• If your pan suddenly catches fire, cover it with the lid. Don’t panic. Covering the flame will remove one of the critical elements of fire – oxygen.

Frying pans are indispensable cookware. These allow us to pan-fry, stir-fry, sauté, and even make sauces. In many cases they can help us make delicious casseroles finished in the oven. It is thus crucial that you pay attention to the different things that you need to consider when buying one for you kitchen. And if this is a chore to you, our selection of the best frying pans will point you in the right direction.

Sources:

1. Love Your Pan: What to Cook (and What Not to) in a Cast Iron - Bon Appetit