My 9 inch Cuisinard nonstick frying pan has bit the dust. I would love a Le Creuset but I don’t love the price. Cast iron takes too long to get the correct non stick seasoning. Any recommendations for something that won’t break the bank but is good quality?
I really like this 10" fry pan from Sam’s Club
Good value for $15. I’ve had mine almost a year and the non stick coating is still intact.
I had someone recommend Scanpan to me a while back. I’ve got one that’s holding up quite well, although I don’t use it very heavily. They’re not cheap, but probably less than Le Creuset.
I’ve been very impressed with these made by OXO.
$52.30 for the 12 inch, and $39.95 for the 10 inch.
Note that there are two types - the “Pro” version, and a regular version. The Pro version’s non-stick surface has been solid for three years now, and I’ve been cleaning them in my dishwasher.
I have this 12" Cuisinart nonstick and this Vollrath nonstick that get used nearly every day and are still holding up after several years of use. Of the two, I’d say that the Cuisinart coating is the better. Spend the extra money to get a pan that has a heavier construction for better heat distribution.
We got several different sizes of T-Fal off Amazon a few years ago and they’ve held up remarkably well.
I’m pretty happy with the T-Fals, myself. I treat non-stick as disposable cookware that I will need to replace after a few years, but so far all my original T-Fals from a few years ago are holding up well and haven’t needed to be replaced.
I go with the cheapo pans and replace them every couple of years. I don’t think the high-end pans work much better, they just last a little longer… but replacing the cheapo pans is cheaper and easier IMO.
preseasoned Cast Iron and a can of olive oil cooking spray
Tramontina’s Professional line
are good pans for the money. Pretty cheap, very non-stick, and even thick enough metal to function like a good pan(ie. retains some heat)
I buy my pots and pans from a restaurant supply store. Their prices are good, and they don’t sell junk.
I second the recommendation of Vollrath. I’ve had a few of these, and their quality is very good for the price. They have a few different types of non-stick coatings. I generally go for the higher quality coatings because I don’t like having to replace the pans too often. You also have the choice of handles, including bare metal and silicone sleeves.
Here is Vollrath’s selection guide for fry pans.
I just buy cheap teflon pans and wear them out. Even the best nonstick pans get microscopic scratches and your eggs start sticking no matter how good you take care of the pan. I just toss out the pan about every year and get another. I think my current 12" teflon skillet cost $16 and is maybe 8 months old, and will get tossed in a few weeks. That and using cast iron a lot instead of teflon. But there’s nothing like newish teflon for eggs.
Serious Eats agrees, and this column is why I treat teflon disposably.
FWIW, America’s Test Kitchen like OXO brand skillets for both their 8" and 12" skillets.
With that being said, I agree with this statement.
I like Cuisinart hard-anodized nonstick skillets. Mine are oven-safe to 500 degrees F.
I wonder why America’s Test Kitchen almost always goes for Oxo brand everything. hmmm.
Especially for nonstick pans, but for other kitchen items too, I often recommend finding a restaurant supply store. I tend to buy ~3 nonstick pans at a time, stick 2 in storage, and I’m good for about 5 or so years. Nonstick will always wear out over time, but restaurant gear tends to take a beating and is cheap. For my own purposes, I always make sure I have a metal handle over which I can slide a silicone sleeve, because I often start on range and finish in oven. I don’t trust manufacturer’s stated tolerances for their composite handles.
Cheap pans can have problems other than wearing out quickly: bad handles, hot spots, poor heat retention, tendency to warp. I try not to overspend on non-stick cookware, but at the same time I won’t buy something that’s poorly made.
I don’t have Oxo skillets, but I have many of their hand tools and they’re usually well-made and ergonomically designed. I’ve rarely been disappointed by their products.
Agree 100%. But the stuff you find in restaurant supply stores is inexpensive (and durable), not cheap, which is why I like those. Restaurants won’t buy cheap more than once.
More than 20 years ago I bought a set of nonstick cookware one piece at a time over multiple weeks. Except for a bit of a wiggle on one of the saucepan’s handles, they’re still in great shape, show little to no wear, and the nonstick coating is intact. According to the bottom, they are Megaware, and they were made in Spain.
One of my better investments.