My frying pan is the most reached-for implement in my kitchen (other than the kettle). And I don’t just mean to fry things. I use it to steam, simmer, roast, toast, grill and bake things, too. I’ve had to replace its glass lid, but the pan itself – a Le Creuset cast-iron round skillet – has survived being used daily for a decade, and I’d honestly be quite lost without it.
I’ve focused on Pfas-free frying pans here, for obvious reasons. Ceramic has often been held up as the best non-toxic alternative to problematic non-stick and to be sure, when new, these coatings are quite superbly non-stick. However, manufacturers’ claims that increasingly popular “quasi-ceramic” coatings are “non-toxic” are coming under scrutiny in the US. With that in mind, if sustainability and avoiding toxicity are top priorities for you, it may in fact be best to rethink how much you need non-stick.
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At a glance
Best frying pan overall:
Netherton spun iron chef’s pan
Best budget frying pan:
GreenPan Essence
Best ceramic frying pan:
ProCook Elite Tri-Ply ceramic-coated frying pan
Best luxury frying pan:
Le Creuset 3-ply stainless steel uncoated frying pan
Best cast-iron frying pan:
Le Creuset cast-iron round skillet
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Why you should trust me
I’ve researched, written and recipe tested – and eaten – for the Guardian’s food desks for more than a decade. I’m also a compulsive home cook and baker, and routinely feed large groups of people using whatever cookware – and whichever ingredients – I have to hand. In other words, I’m not fussy or precious, and I can make anything work.
At home, I have a kitchen the size of a postage stamp (imagine what fun it’s been having 12 extra frying pans for several months), so I don’t have the space, let alone the money, for anything unnecessary or trendy. About 90% of my kitchenware is thrifted, so when I do buy something new, I want it to be simple, well made and long-lasting: in sum, worth every penny.
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How I tested
I gathered 12 of the most highly recommended and popular frying pans, then used each one at least five times, making the kinds of things I usually make in my Le Creuset: a batch of pancakes; a salted caramel; scrambled egg; slices of tofu floured and fried in oil; and some bacon or pork marinated in a sticky marinade. After this, I narrowed my selection down to the four best and carried on using them for daily cooking.
After testing, I can now safely say my go-to Le Creuset, which weighs 2.4kg, is one of the heaviest around. Doing this test was like wearing trainers after a decade of only Dr Martens; I’ve felt gravity-defiant, newly untethered, as if cooking a foot off the floor. This unburdened feeling is something any new kitchen tool should make you feel, but it’s not easy to get such a purchase right, particularly in the age of small kitchens, tight budgets and forever chemicals.
The frying pans sourced for this article are either being sent back to the manufacturers or donated to Luminary Bakery, a social enterprise in north London. Working with women who have experienced homelessness, domestic abuse, violence or sexual exploitation, the bakery provides training, employment and community support.
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The best frying pans in 2025
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Best frying pan overall:
Netherton spun iron chef’s pan
£88.60 at Netherton Foundry
The beauty of these wrought-iron pans is in their simplicity. They’re not just PTFE- and PFOA-free: they contain no such chemicals at all.
Specialists will tell you the performance of iron cookware only improves over time, but I found this pan (handmade in Shropshire) to be excellent from the word go. Its heat distribution is beautifully even, it’s more non-stick than the other spun-iron pans I tried, and it’s low maintenance – you can use metal implements without worrying about the coating cracking or scratching.
Why we love it
In terms of sustainability, Netherton is transparent about the provenance and composition of its materials and its fabrication processes. These pans are made from 99.1% spun black iron, pre-seasoned with edible flax oil. In other words, while research is constantly finding new chemicals to be wary of, there simply isn’t any coating to worry about here. While the exact composition of the metals used in the world’s bigger iron foundries is often hard to ascertain, Netherton can be clear and precise.
I had heard that wrought iron wouldn’t be optimal for the first few uses, but right from the start, nothing stuck too much to this pan. I didn’t feel nervous about scraping, scratching or in any way harming the surface. I could simply get on with making food.
There’s no maximum temperature. The pan is suitable for all hobs as well as open fires and range stoves. You can buy an oven-safe variant or opt for the version with a wooden handle for greater comfort.
Pans in the chef’s pan range have deep sides and a gently curved profile, while the frying pan range has sloping sides and an angular profile. I tried one of each, and both were easy to get food in and out of. At 1.45kg this pan is considerably lighter than cast iron.
Cleaning it was easy, too – warm water and a bristle brush quickly did the trick. I then dried and heated the pan on the stove to ensure it was humidity free.
Netherton gives customers extensive aftercare instructions, not just on daily care but also on how to re-season the pans at home with flax oil. I’ve done this with an old pan and it really works (it was the most excited I’d been in the kitchen since I learned how to perfect a Swiss meringue). Finally, the foundry will, for a fee, take a look at any old pan you’ve bought from them and restore it.
It’s a shame that … you can get the pan with wooden handles, for greater ergonomic use, but those accessories are not oven-proof.
Sizes available: 18cm, 23cm, 28cm
Lid available: various sizes from £32.80
Oven safe: yes (the versions without the wooden handles)
Dishwasher safe: no, handwash only
Suitable for induction: yes
Guarantee: two years, against faulty materials or poor workmanship, from date of purchase, provided the product has had only domestic use and care instructions have been followed
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Best budget frying pan:
GreenPan Essence
28cm, £45 at GreenPan
24cm, £39.99 at Lakeland
This pan obviously stands out for its affordability. It can go in the dishwasher and the oven, but only to 160C – that’s very low, which gives me pause. The screwed-on handle appears to be made from a phenolic stay-cool material.
Inside, it’s coated with a Pfas-free Thermolon ceramic non-stick coating, “enhanced with diamond”, according to the blurb. I don’t understand what that means, but it is pleasingly non-stick, with good heat distribution.
Made from forged aluminium (the blurb specifies that the vessel contains at least 65% recycled aluminium), the 30cm version I tested weighs just over 1kg; the 26cm will be lighter. This makes it easy to wield, but it also feels a little cheap.
It’s a shame that … despite washing thoroughly beforehand, this had such a strong smell when I first heated it up that I had to bin three pancakes. This happened with the other GreenPan pan I tested too. Combined with the cheap feel, that made me hesitant about the pan’s overall material composition – and its longevity.
Sizes available: 20cm, 24cm, 26cm, 28cm
Lid available: no
Oven safe: to 160C
Dishwasher safe: yes
Suitable for induction: yes
Guarantee: 24 months against manufacturing and material defects, if the appliance is used according to care instructions only
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Best ceramic frying pan:
ProCook Elite Tri-Ply ceramic-coated frying pan
£60 at ProCook
A light but reassuringly sturdy affair, this pan stands out thanks to its pleasing build quality and relatively affordable price.
Why we love it
If ceramic-coated is the way you want to go, this feels like the most robust option, without the price being exorbitant. It’s a heavy-based pan composed of a stainless steel exterior and thick aluminium core; its handle is one of the most comfortable to hold, with a lovely satin finish and a nice, rounded design.
Crucially, the Pfas-free ceramic coating inside feels highly durable. Indeed, while nylon, silicone or wooden utensils are recommended, the instructions state that you can also use metal utensils. As with all ceramic coatings, ProCook adds the caveat that the “cookware will naturally lose its non-stick release over time, accelerated through high-temperature cooking, metal utensil use and dish washing” – in other words, through normal use.
That said, this was the only ceramic pan that didn’t have any tiny nicks in the coating after three weeks of constant use. Cooking and cleaning were all so easy; nothing stuck at all. So if I were going to spend money on a ceramic-coated pan, this is definitely the one I’d go for.
It’s a shame that … contrary to other ceramic pans that have stainless-steel rims, this one is coated with ceramic right to the edge of the rounded, rolled pan rim. The lid you can get for it, meanwhile, is rimmed with stainless steel, so I wonder about the wear and tear that using both together would result in over time.
Sizes available: 22cm, 26cm, 30cm
Lid available: various sizes of Elite lids from £10
Oven safe: to 260C
Dishwasher safe: yes
Suitable for induction: yes
Guarantee: 25 years, with the following caveat: “‘Wear and tear’ and commercial use are not covered under this guarantee. Please note the guarantee does not cover deterioration due to accident, misuse, discolouration, scratches, stains or damage from overheating”
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Best luxury frying pan:
Le Creuset 3-ply stainless steel uncoated frying pan
£149 at Le Creuset
£149 at John Lewis
When it comes to marrying comfort with robustness, this is the standout option. I tested the 24cm pan, which weighs just over 1kg and features no coating at all: just a three-ply composition of two layers of stainless steel and an aluminium core.
Why we love it
I found this pan so lightweight and easy to wield. The handle is solid and comfortable, and the whole pan feels reliable. I could move it around the hob and work surface easily, yet didn’t fear for its integrity at any point.
It can go in the oven to 260C as well as the dishwasher and the freezer. It can also withstand pre-heating over medium heat without anything in it (if you want to sear meat, for instance), although it doesn’t like salt directly on the surface; instructions specify to add salt to the cooking liquor instead.
You can use metal utensils, but with care: I found the surface quickly accrued marks from simply being used and moved around or hung up in the kitchen. However, these don’t signify any worrisome damage: the cooking surface remained beautifully smooth, and there’s nothing to chip or scratch off because there’s no coating.
It’s suitable for all hobs and distributes the heat evenly. The surface isn’t non-stick in the eerie way new ceramic is, but neither egg nor burned marinade stuck in my tests. It’s a doddle to clean.
It’s a shame that … it’s so expensive, despite being one of the smaller pans. Its durable nature makes it a sound investment if you can fork out the initial cost.
Sizes available: 20cm and 24cm
Lid available: various sizes from £22
Oven safe: up to 260C
Dishwasher safe: yes
Suitable for induction: yes
Guarantee: lifetime, against “faulty workmanship and/or materials when the product is used in normal, domestic conditions and in accordance with the care and use instructions provided. It does not cover normal wear and tear, commercial use or misuse of the product.”
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Best cast-iron frying pan:
Le Creuset cast-iron round skillet
£99 at Le Creuset
From £165 at John Lewis
As safe as houses (unless you drop it on your toes) and as sturdy as bedrock, this cast-iron skillet from Le Creuset is just as hefty, too. And unlike the brand’s other ranges, these are still made in France using hundred-year-old sand-casting processes. I’ve used my 26cm pan for years, and it’s an absolute workhorse. Looked after properly, it really will last for ever.
Why we love it
It’s a classic. This skillet is enamelled inside and out – and comes in the kinds of colours Le Creuset has flooded posh kitchens with for decades: a Nectar yellow that is brighter and more mustard than Marilyn Monroe’s favourite Elysée; three shades of blue (Nuit, Deep Teal and Azure) that riff on Elizabeth David’s favourite Gauloise blue; the OG lava orange. But looks aren’t all it’s got.
Cast iron is a joy to cook with. Thicker than wrought iron by default, it takes longer to heat, but it also retains the heat well, which makes it slower to cool down. Once heated up, you can turn the gauge right down for a slow simmer or braise. I love using mine to steam veg or slowly scramble eggs, toast sandwiches or fry sausages – I’ve never come across a dish I couldn’t use it for.
The cooking surface becomes more non-stick with time, as the patina builds up, so it’s best not to use much soap when washing – hot water is all you need. Enamel, of course, can chip. However, mine has come through a decade of heavy daily use with metal implements almost entirely unscathed: it feels like the best £100 I’ve spent in the kitchen.
It’s a shame that … it’s so heavy: this isn’t a good choice if you have weakened wrists.
Sizes available: 16cm, 20cm, 23cm, 26cm
Lid available: various sizes from £22
Oven safe: 260C
Dishwasher safe: yes
Suitable for induction: yes
Guarantee: lifetime, against faulty workmanship and/or defective materials, so long as the item has been used according to care instructions, in domestic conditions
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The best of the rest
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Our Place Always Pan 2.0 with lid
£125 at Our Place £125 at AmazonBest for: an all-rounder
If I were buying my student godson a new thing for his kitchen, I’d be sorely tempted to get him one of these: you can make everything with it. It’s big and deep, though, so more of a saute or casserole pan than a pancake fryer.
I tested the standard size. It has a snug, self-basting lid, and comes with a wooden spatula (which I didn’t need) and a nesting steamer basket, which I really loved. I achieved nice, crispy-edged fried eggs, and making fried rice didn’t leave the crust that it usually does on my cast-iron pan. Even after cooking pork, I could basically just wipe the pan clean.
It’s a lightweight pan, too, at 1.3kg (without the lid). It’s made from recycled aluminium, painted on the outside and coated with a quasi-ceramic layer on the inside. The manufacturer states that the pans are made “without Pfas (including PTFEs and PFOAs), lead and cadmium”.
It didn’t make the final cut because … I’m not convinced its beautifully non-stick surface will last as long as anything costing this much should. By week three of regular use, there were tiny scratches in the paint on the rim of the lid and of the pan.
The maximum oven temperature of 230C is relatively low. And the care instructions specify not to use metal utensils, to avoid anything abrasive and to only use low to medium heat. In my experience with coated cookware, it’s not just scratches that cause problems but prolonged, repeated exposure to high temperatures.
Sizes available: mini (21.6cm); standard (26.7cm); large (31.8cm); lid available: lid included; oven safe: to 230C; dishwasher safe: no, handwash only; suitable for induction: yes; guarantee: three years, against defects in material or construction, when used as instructed
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Joseph Joseph Space folding handle ceramic non-stick frying pan
£59.50 at Joseph Joseph £84.99 at LakelandBest for: a small kitchen
This Joseph Joseph pan is great for simple cooking in a kitchen where space is at a premium. Being able to fold the handle is a great storage solution.
Inside, the pan is coated with non-toxic, non-stick ceramic, free from PTFE, Pfas, PFOA, lead and cadmium. The overall design is elegant. And, while it’s shallow and aluminium, it has a pleasingly solid heft to it; it didn’t feel cheap. It was easy to cook with and easy to clean.
It didn’t make the final cut because … I tried the 20cm version, which I found unbalanced on the metal support grid of a gas hob: the folding handle was heavier than the shallow pan itself. However, on the solid flat surface of an electric or induction hob, it was fine. And the bigger the pan, the more balanced it is likely to be.
Sizes available: 20cm, 24cm, 28cm, 30cm; lid available: no, other than the 28cm, which comes with a lid; oven safe: to 232C; dishwasher safe: “dishwasher safe but hand washing recommended to prolong performance”; suitable for induction: yes; guarantee: 24 months against manufacturing and material defects, if the appliance is used according to care instructions only
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Solidteknics iron skillet
£110 at Solidteknics £110 at Big Green EggBest for: outdoor cooking
This is truly a pan made for life. Made from a single sheet of iron, handle and all, there are no trivets or other attachments to come loose – and I love that the hole for hanging it up is a cutout of the map of Australia.
As with other wrought-iron pans, it felt solid and durable. I could fry up everything with no fear of damaging the surface in any way. The metal has a pleasing matt feel to it, too.
Conversely, it’s pretty heavy (I tested the 26cm version), and the handle is long. This is obviously a good thing when cooking over fire, but I tested two different sizes, and even the smaller one was hefty.
As with all cast and wrought iron, you also need to ensure it’s completely dry before storing.
It didn’t make the final cut because … the natural rice bran oil pre-seasoning isn’t great. Even after testing all five dishes, I had to scrub the pan clean. This will take a good amount of regular use to build up a better patina, so that things don’t stick.
Sizes available: 18cm; 20cm; 24cm; 26cm; 30cm; lid available: no; oven safe: yes; dishwasher safe: no, handwash only; suitable for induction: yes; guarantee: Multi-century warranty, built to last and be passed down
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What you need to know
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What to look for in a frying pan
This is largely determined by how you tend to cook and what kind of storage you have in your kitchen. If you have plenty of space, you might want different pans for different uses – and you’ll find them. But if, like me, you’re as short on space as you are on mental bandwidth, you probably want an all-rounder.
Think carefully about your needs – and also, your funds. Quality cookware isn’t cheap; even my favourite budget pick costs upwards of £45 (from its manufacturer), which is high for my liking. But if we all buy cheap pans that need replacing every 18 months, the sheer tonnage of discarded pans would surely be enough to rival the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. As such, it’s important to see this as an investment.
Make sure you’re buying something that won’t require a care regime unsuited to your daily habits. Will you be able to deal with a high-maintenance ceramic pan that can be easily damaged by metal utensils, stacking or overly hot ovens, or do you need an indestructible iron skillet? Can you hang it from a rack, or do you need to stack it with others – and if the latter, will you be bothered to use pan protectors? If neither works for you, Joseph Joseph’s folding-handle pans might well be the only option.
Then consider what your priorities are. I’ve focused on Pfas-free pans her. However, within that range, there are multifunctional ones (for frazzled cooks who want one go-to pan), instantly non-stick ones (for easy cleaning), light ones (for gentle handling), heavy-duty ones (for energetic cooks) and endlessly repairable ones (for waste-averse cooks).
One final thing to note: read the small print on the warranty before making a purchase. Some of the pans in this list have major caveats in their guarantees, such as shorter warranties for the coating of the pan and stringent requirements on correct usage.
What are forever chemicals?
Pfas, AKA per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, is an umbrella term for a large group of chemicals favoured in the production of cookware and other domestic products for their robust, non-stick properties. They’re called forever chemicals because they do not degrade but instead accumulate in the natural environment, including within our bodies. Some, though not all, now have another qualifier: PBT, short for “persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic”.
Read about the impact of these chemicals and you quickly realise that research is still in its infancy. Manufacturers have been using them for decades, but our understanding of what they all do, and what to do about them, appears patchy at best.
How to look after your pan
I would recommend paying careful attention to your pan’s care and usage instructions. But as a good rule of thumb, always warm up your pan slowly, and unless it’s cast or wrought iron, always add oil or another liquid rather than heating it on empty.
Make sure to use it on an appropriately sized burner or ring, particularly when using gas. Not all materials have the same heat conductivity, so marrying the ring to the size of your pan will be more efficient. Also, be mindful of any maximum temperatures specified. Hobs, of course, are not like ovens: many simply have “low” to “high” settings, or, at best, numbers, but quite what temperatures these actually correspond to is surprisingly difficult to find out. For something like a tin-lined copper pan, this matters because tin has a low melting point of 210C.
Of course, a copper pan is one for professionals – you really need to know what you’re doing, and be able to afford the eye-watering costs. But understanding temperatures is just as important for pans with coatings. All have an upper heat limit, above which the materials used will begin to denature and the pan will be spoiled. So be careful to pay attention to the recommended heat limits on the hob. The same goes for domestic ovens, which often allow temperatures as high as 280C-300C. Beware your oven-safe pan’s upper limit: some can’t withstand anything above 160C.
Sudden temperature changes are also a big no-no. Let your pan cool before washing; cold water on a hot pan will cause even solid iron to buckle.
Anything with a coating usually has instructions specifying that it shouldn’t be used with metal utensils, harsh scourers and abrasive cleaners. And actually, with care, the latter aren’t necessary anyway. Some, but not all, of the pans here are dishwasher-safe, but none of the best pans were ever difficult to clean, even of sticky burnt meat.
Several brands unhelpfully say the pan is dishwasher-safe, but that hand-washing is recommended to ensure the pan’s longevity. I’ve taken that to mean that, really, you shouldn’t use the dishwasher at all. Where a pan is all metal, be sure to dry it thoroughly, heating it on the hob gently to get rid of all moisture, then hanging it from a rack to store. Never put a pan away wet.
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Dale Berning Sawa is a journalist focusing on arts and culture and food. She has written, researched, recipe tested and eaten for the Guardian’s various food desks for more than a decade, has interviewed the world’s best chefs and artists alike – because, in spirit, they are one and the same – and loves nothing more than to feed her own people
