The Best Nonstick Frying Pans, According to Our Testing

Everyone needs one nonstick pan. You may still be a holdout, but trust us: Once you’ve fried a perfect egg in zero fat or prepared a piece of perfectly cooked crispy-skinned salmon, you’ll be glad you made room for another pan.

The question is: Which nonstick pan should you buy? There are two basic types of nonstick pans: traditional nonstick — which features a variety of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coatings — and ceramic, which is coated with silica-based material. We rigorously tested 13 models of both types. We also investigated common criticisms leveled at nonstick pans, including worries about possible health effects, and consulted experts for advice on how to use the pans safely. As a rule, you want to buy a durable nonstick pan — like the Tramontina Pro Series 10-Inch Fry Pan, our overall winner — and replace any older pans showing signs of wear and tear immediately. Read on to find our top picks for the best nonstick frying pans.

• Best overall nonstick frying pan
• Best nonstick frying pan for eggs
• Best upgrade nonstick pan
• Best ceramic frying pan
• Best space-saving ceramic frying pan
• Others you should know about
• The safety of nonstick coatings
• The safety of ceramic coatings
• Safe use, cleaning and storage
• How we picked

Best overall nonstick frying pan

Pros

●  Sloped lip ideal for easing food and pouring sauces out of the pan

●  Removable silicone grip for safe stovetop handling and oven finishing

● Slick and durable reinforced PTFE nonstick coating

●  Deep enough for cooking saucy dishes

Cons

●  When empty, this lightweight pan may wobble on some stove grates

●  Not for use with induction burners

Specs

●  10-inch pan offers 8 inches of flat cooking surface

●  Can be used with gas, ceramic and electric stovetops

●  Oven safe to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (400 degrees with the silicone grip)

Our best overall pick, the nonstick Tramontina Pro Series combines durable nonstick utility with versatility in step with — or better than — pricier pans we tested.

In our tests, the pan’s warm surface was all that was needed to cook moist but crispy-skinned salmon. We also didn’t need to use any fat to prepare perfect over-medium eggs that slid from the pan with just a nudge of the spatula. Its nonstick coating and even heating allowed us to scramble eggs — again, without oil or butter — while leaving no residue behind.

It’s the Tramontina Pro Series frying pan’s materials and design that make it so successful. It’s made of heavy-gauge aluminum triple-coated with a durable reinforced PTFE the brand calls PPG Eclipse. We attempted to scratch the surface with a stainless steel teaspoon, a metal fish spatula and even a sharp paring knife, but didn’t make a single scratch. While these tests go against the manufacturer’s recommended use, they helped us gauge the Tramontina’s ability to hold up.

The flexibility begins with its slightly higher sides. At 2.25 inches — the second-deepest 10-inch nonstick frying pan we tested — it can hold a higher volume of food than many frying pans, so it approximates the utility of a straight-sided skillet. You can use it to finish proteins or frittatas in the oven like a pro; it withstands temperatures up to 500 degrees without the removable silicone grip (and 400 degrees with it).

We also appreciate the gently flared lip, which allows for the graceful transfer of delicate foods and nearly drip-free pouring. The sturdy but thin riveted handle is slightly angled for control and has a comfortable (and removable) silicone grip. The pan itself is only 2 pounds (it’s the lightest we tested), so it’s extremely maneuverable, even for cooks with limited hand strength.

Best nonstick frying pan for eggs

Pros

●  Heats evenly, thanks to heavy-gauge aluminum alloy body

●  PTFE nonstick coating aided by a plasma primer for extra durability

●  Has a removable silicone grip for safe and cool stovetop handling

●  Works with induction stoves, too

Cons

●  Some may find the straight handle awkward at first

●  Has a limited flat surface area and shallow bowl

Specs

●  10-inch pan offers 6.75 inches of flat cooking surface

●  Can be used with gas, ceramic, electric and induction stovetops

●  Oven safe to 300 degrees

With its performance and sleek design, Zwilling’s Madura Plus Fry Pan stands out as the perfect pick for cooking eggs. Its linear design, coupled with a durable nonstick coating, make it an ideal one-and-done pan for couples, singles or anyone with modest kitchen cupboard space.

Without butter or oil, this pan excelled at making eggs every which way with no sticking or browning. Its softly curved, low sides make turning food over or out a simple endeavor. The pan’s construction includes the benefits of a quick-and-even-heating forged aluminum body with three tough layers of PTFE Dura-Slide nonstick coating. While we’ve only used the Madura Plus for four months, it has withstood our efforts to gouge or damage the coating. Zwilling goes so far as to say it’s OK to use metal utensils on this line, though we recommend more gentle handling for all nonstick pans.

Traditionally, pans designed for egg cookery are 8 inches in diameter. While the Zwilling Madura Plus is available in that size (as well as an 11-inch format), the 10-inch pan is ideal for eggs while also being versatile enough to handle main-course proteins for two. It performed as well as our front-runner when it came to cooking salmon, rendering a crisp and beautiful fillet.

It’s also user-friendly. The sleek handle is padded with a stay-cool silicone sleeve that feels luxurious while providing a steady grip (it’s removable for easy cleaning). At first, the lack of angle to the handle seemed unusual, but we found its length, grip and lack of a notable bend a plus. It made the pan feel like an extension of our hand, allowing for greater control.

Best upgrade nonstick pan

Pros

●  A durable plasma-primed and titanium-enhanced nonstick coating

●  Sturdy and well-balanced in the hand and on the stovetop

●  Finish dishes in the oven at up to 500 degrees

●  Great for induction

• 30-year warranty

Cons

●  Among the heaviest of the pans we tested, at 2.12 pounds

●  The priciest of our top picks

Specs

●  10.5-inch pan (advertised as 10-inch) offers 8.75 inches of flat cooking surface

●  Can be used with gas, ceramic, electric and induction stovetops

●  Oven safe to 500 degrees

If you need a nice gift for a home cook, the Demeyere Alu Pro 5 is a stunner and strong contender. Its top performance and substantial feel make it a worthy addition to any kitchen.

This pan performed almost as well on our tests as our overall winner. In addition to induction-oven-friendliness, the Demeyere Alu Pro 5’s never-hot stainless-steel handle coupled with its ability to withstand temperatures of up to 500 degrees make it a great pan for cooking proteins, among other things.

Like our other picks, the Demeyere Alu Pro 5’s body is made of forged aluminum. Some manufacturers have responded to the consumer demand for increased safety and durability by creating stronger, better nonstick coatings; the Demeyere Alu Pro 5, like all our top picks, uses these newer coating technologies. This model is coated with a blend of PTFE and titanium. Of the titanium-enhanced nonstick pans we tested, the Alu Pro 5 was the only one that made the cut. It is virtually scratchproof and showed only minor surface scuffs in our scratch test.

The pan has two minor negatives. The first is its shape — some may find the lip is too severe and the sides too curved to transfer fragile food and liquids as adroitly as you can with other pans. One other consideration, and this is a matter of taste, is its weight: Some cooks may find it a tad heavy.

Best ceramic frying pan

Pros

●  Slick and fun to cook with

●  Affordably priced compared to less-capable designer ceramic pans

●  Durable exterior

Cons

●  Its form causes items to slide to its outer edge during the cooking process

●  Not as attractive as the Caraway reviewed below

Specs

●  10.25-inch pan offers 8.5 inches of flat cooking surface

●  Can be used with gas, ceramic, electric and induction stovetops

●  Oven safe to 550 degrees

The Ninja Extended Life Premium Ceramic Fry Pan is the only ceramic pan we evaluated that could compete, test for test, against the traditional nonstick pans on our list. We weren’t sure how the Ninja would fare against trendier ceramic nonstick brands like Caraway and Great Jones, but its performance and value placed it at the head of the ceramic pack.

Some consumers who worry about using traditional nonstick feel more comfortable with ceramic pans, which have a silicone coating (though it is a somewhat murky issue; see “The safety of nonstick and ceramic coatings”). We found the Ninja was more durable than many in its class. It’s made of hard anodized aluminum; this process changes the aluminum exterior of the pan through an added layer of oxidation. Its ceramic coating looks glossy to the eye, and it performs as well as the best nonstick pans we tested. It scored the second-highest on our tests of all the pans, nonstick and ceramic alike.

It delicately fried and scrambled eggs, imparting a terrific texture — without the use of butter or oil. Other ceramic pans we vetted required additional fat. It also performed well on the trials where we checked for even heating and browning.

Its only downside is its shape. The pan’s bottom has a gentle slope that’s highest at its center and lowest at its outer edge. This incline caused everything we started in the middle of the pan — fried eggs, a thick piece of salmon — to migrate to the far side of the pan while cooking. This wasn’t the only pan we reviewed that did this, though it’s the only one to make our final list. Despite this slight design flaw, we didn’t notice uneven cooking.

Best space-saving ceramic frying pan

Pros

●           Sturdy folding stainless-steel handle saves major storage space

●           Slick, durable ceramic coating is ideal for everyday cooking

●           Even heating across the pan’s cooking surface means no hot spots

●           Sleek, modern look complements its clever design

Cons

●           Shallow depth (2 inches) makes it unsuitable for stir-fries or sautes

●           Straight sides make it difficult to slide a delicate crepe or omelet onto a plate

Specs

●           9.5-inch pan offers 9.5 inches of flat cooking surface

●           Folding handle uses a proprietary design and is warrantied for 20 years

●           Can be used with gas, ceramic, induction and electric stovetops.

●           Oven safe to 450 degrees Fahrenheit

Ceramic is the preferred surface material for home cooks who prefer not to use pans with traditional non-stick coatings, but their performance on the stove is often not as strong. Joseph Joseph’s 9.5-inch Space Ceramic Frying Pan, however, aced our tests. It offers even heating, passing our test for hot spots by imparting a consistent golden hue to our even dusting of flour. Scrambled eggs and fried eggs required no fat to delicately brown at the edges and easily slid around the pan and onto our plates with little more than a twitch of the wrist (this would be more difficult, however, with delicate dishes like crepes and omelets). Salmon skin crisped without burning as the fish’s pink flesh warmed to a perfect mid-rare.

Throughout our testing, we learned this pan’s only downside is also part of its beauty. The frying pan’s flat bottom and straight sides are clean and sleek-looking. This aspect of its design also aids its space-saving utility (more on that later), but its shallow 2-inch depth will prove problematic for folks who like to move food around as it cooks.

Regardless of your kitchen’s size, it’s likely that storage matters. Joseph Joseph gets this, maybe better than most homeware brands. It’s evident across its product lines, including those for the kitchen (see one of our editor’s favorite nesting food storage containers). This frying pan is part of its new Space cookware line, which launched earlier this year and takes storage to heart, but not at the cost of performance (as is often the case). The Space line features an unusual stainless-steel handle engineered to lock into place when it’s in use and fold away when it’s not. This allows the pan to take up less space in the cupboard and stack more neatly than traditional pots and pans—many of the pots and pans in the line nest inside each other.

The exterior of the pan’s heavy-gauge aluminum body and ceramic cooking surface sport a deep midnight blue tone, the series’ signature color. Highly durable, we were unable to dent the pan or scratch its surface during our tests. While the pan is dishwasher safe, as with every other pan in this article, handwashing is recommended for the maximum performance and longevity of the pan’s nonstick properties. This pan can be purchased independently or as part of a 2-pan set with a 3.8-quart non-stick saute pan featuring approximately 4.5 inches of depth.

Others you should know about

An elegant ceramic upgrade

The Caraway Ceramic Fry Pan is the only other ceramic pan that fared well in our tests; it was also the most expensive ($95). It is lighter and a better performer than the similarly sized pan from Great Jones, while offering many of the same benefits in terms of style and colorways (from Cream and Navy to Marigold and Black). The Caraway 10.5-Inch Fry Pan is sold on its own and as a pair with the brand’s 8-inch fry pan ($185).

Great for wedding registries

Zwilling’s Forte Plus aced several tests and came in just points behind its sleeker sibling, the Madura Plus, and its cousin, the Demeyere Alu Pro 5. Sold only at Williams Sonoma, pans from this worthy series will likely end up on plenty of wedding registries. It comes in 8-, 10- and 12-inch sizes ($99.95 to $139.95) and uses the same five-layer Ti-X coating as the Demeyere Alu Pro 5.

The safety of nonstick coatings

Nonstick pans manufactured after 2013 are generally considered safe. There was concern in the past about nonstick pans because they used to be made with chemicals called PFOA (or perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (or perfluorooctane sulfonate). These nonstick coatings belong to a group of chemical polymers known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Discovered in the 1940s, these polymers were used in industrial applications like floor wax and furniture polish. They appealed to cookware manufacturers because they repelled oil and prevented food from sticking.

As early as the 1970s, 3M, which manufactured and used PFOAs, found the chemicals in its workers’ blood. By the 1990s, these chemicals were detected in the blood of the general population. Before long, the EPA got involved, and manufacturers began phasing PFOA out of their products. Nonstick pans have not utilized PFOA or PFOS chemicals in their coating since 2013. Today, nonstick pans manufactured and sold in the U.S. use coatings made of PTFE (or polytetrafluoroethylene), which is a different type of PFAS.

The EPA is still studying the impacts of PFAS, including PTFE. They are largely concerned about PTFE/PFAS as a pollutant, which has been in the news lately since the EPA lowered the acceptable level of PFAS in drinking water. Many believe PTFE is a safe coating that can actually promote good health (through fat-free or low-fat cooking) when it is used, cleaned and stored according to manufacturers’ directions.

“Nonstick pans have to be used correctly,” says Jason Bolton, Ph.D., associate dean and a program administrator for Aquaculture, Food, Innovation, and Nutrition at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Orono, Maine. “The coating itself is a solid material; it won’t dissolve. You’re not releasing gas into the air or the food [you’re cooking],” he explains. “But avoid using a peeling pan where you’re ingesting the material. Or heating your nonstick pan past the manufacturer’s recommended temperature where some aspects of the coating become unstable.”

The safety of ceramic coatings

What about ceramic pans? Ceramic pans aren’t actually ceramic; instead, they are treated with silicone coatings, which may be a safer alternative to nonstick coatings — thanks to the stability of silicone and the absence of potentially harmful compounds. But these surfaces require the same special handling that nonstick pans require. While a ceramic coating won’t blister or peel like a nonstick pan, over time it can lose its slickness and ability to cook things without the addition of oil or butter.

Some experts note that silicone hasn’t been tested long enough to assure its safety profile, citing studies showing compounds can migrate from silicone molds.

Safe use, cleaning and storage

Still, cooking in fat is a known health danger — one nonstick pans help us to avoid. For the sake of precaution and the longevity of your cookware, though, it’s important to follow best practices when cooking with these pans:

●  Season your nonstick pan when it arrives. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations for seasoning the pan before its first use. We found the steps vary quite a bit by manufacturer; some don’t recommend this step at all. But based on our research, we believe all pans benefit from a round or two rounds of seasoning.

●  Never use pan spray. While the fat in pan spray won’t damage the nonstick coating, many of the additives used will.

●  Whether using a ceramic pan or a nonstick pan, heat your pan up slowly over low heat.

●  Always cook on low to medium heat. If you require a ripping hot pan for a dish, pull out your cast iron or stainless steel cookware instead.

●  Avoid using metal tools, especially knives. Even if the manufacturer says it’s acceptable to use metal spatulas or tongs — as was the case with several of our top picks — the coating on your pans will last longer if you don’t.

●  Don’t put nonstick and ceramic pans in the dishwasher, even if the manufacturer suggests it. Maintain the integrity of your pan by hand-washing it with a soft sponge or cloth. Also, be sure to dry it thoroughly before putting it away. Water may pool in the pan when left to air dry.

 ●  Store your pans carefully. All types of nonstick and ceramic pans can be harmed by the contact that occurs when nested directly with other pans in your cupboard. You can buy liners or use doubled-up paper towels or even paper plates to keep your pots and pans from scratching each other.

 ●  Replace your pans the minute you notice anything off with the coating — a ding, a dent, a blister or signs of peeling.

How we picked

Trust us

I have been a food editor and writer for nearly two decades. I’m also a recipe tester and the author of two cookbooks. As an avid home cook, I am always searching for well-designed, multipurpose kitchen equipment and tools.

In researching this article, I spoke with five experts: Jason Bolton, Ph.D., a food safety specialist at the University of Maine; Evan Hennessey, chef-owner of Stages at One Washington in Dover, N.H.; James Roberts, chef-owner of Toutant in Buffalo, N.Y.; Jake Brach, a chef and instructor; and cookbook author Amy Rosen.

We tested

We tested 10 nonstick frying pans and four ceramic pans from leading manufacturers. Our goal was to identify nonstick pans that live up to the promise of cooking food well with little or no oil, cleaning up with little effort, and offering enough integrity to endure regular home use. We evaluated them for:

●  Even heating: We sprinkled each pan with fine flour and then heated each one on the same burner at the same heat level to determine the length of time it took to brown the flour and how even the browning was.

●  Cooking eggs: We fried eggs without fat in every pan, checking the evenness of the cook on each egg’s underside, how the egg glided around the pan (or didn’t), and how easy it was to remove any trace of the egg from the pan in cleanup. If a pan excelled at this task, we next scrambled two eggs in it. Here, the measure was how much egg was left in the pan after cooking. For front-runners, we also tested to ensure they could produce a delicate rolled omelet without tearing the egg on its way out of the pan.

●  Making crispy-skinned fish: Some people prefer their fish skin off, but cooking fish with little additional fat while crisping its skin is one of the best uses of a nonstick pan. In this instance, we cooked skin-on salmon fillets — cut to the same size and weight — without any fat to check each pan’s proficiency with this task and ease of cleaning.

●  Durability: Weight isn’t enough here, though many assume a pan is of superior quality simply because it weighs more. When it comes to nonstick and ceramic pans, determining how easily a coating can become scratched or dinged is key. Using a metal fish spatula, a metal spoon and a paring knife, we attempted to scratch and scrape each new pan when it was hot to see how easily the coating could become compromised.

●  Versatility: A good frying pan must be flat-bottomed with an ample cooking surface relative to the pan’s overall size. Its handle should be long enough to be useful and stay cool while also being short enough that the pan is not difficult to store. The best frying pan should withstand oven temperatures sufficient to finish proteins or make a frittata.

●  Ease of use: We assessed each pan’s weight and balance, the ratio of handle to body, the amount of usable flat cooking surface and whether it can be used at high temperatures in the oven.

●  Ease of cleaning: Here we measured not just the success of the nonstick or silicone coating but also how difficult the outer body, rim and handle are to clean.

Our experts

• Jason Bolton, Ph.D, associate dean and a program administrator for Aquaculture, Food, Innovation and Nutrition at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Orono, Maine
• Jake Brach, a chef, instructor, cookbook author and Culinary Institute of America fellow
• Chef Evan Hennessey, owner of Stages at One Washington and The Living Room in Dover, N.H.
• James Roberts, chef and owner of Toutant in Buffalo, N.Y.
• Amy Rosen, Toronto-based award-winning freelance travel and food writer; cookbook author; and former editor-in-chief of Modern Farmer