Cook Up Something Great With Best Stainless Steel Frying Pans

Now that we’ve given you the lowdown on the best stainless steel frying pans you should be buying in 2021, we recommend using the below buying guide to help make the best decision possible.

What is stainless steel?

Stainless steel is known for its heat and corrosion resistance. It is a family of iron-based alloys with a minimum chromium content of 10.5%. Chromium is what gives stainless steel its resilience against corrosion, compared to other types of steel. All steels are mostly carbon and iron, but stainless steel is made from these two elements plus other elements. The most common element found in stainless steel is chromium. Others include nickel, molybdenum, magnesium, and nitrogen.

Things to consider when choosing stainless steel frying pans

There are plenty of stainless steel frying pans on the market, but they are not all of equal quality. To ensure you are getting a stainless steel frying pan that will perform well and last a long time, read the things you should consider before buying below.

Individual pan or set?

Do you need more than one pan? If the answer is yes, you may be better off buying a set of pans. This may save you time and money.

Middle material

As we mentioned earlier, stainless steel is highly durable, rust-resistant, and corrosion-resistant. However, stainless steel is not a great heat conductor. For this reason, it is important to have a different type of metal in the middle that does a better job of conducting heat. The most popular materials used between two layers of stainless steel are aluminum and copper.

Aluminum core pots are cheaper than copper pans and offer a decent amount of conductivity. However, copper is a better heat conductor and will heat up faster, offering you more control when cooking.

More expensive are aluminum or copper-clad pans. Core pans have the conducting material at the base of the pan, whereas cladding pans have the conducting material up the sides too.

Nonstick

You may want to buy a nonstick frying pan. This means you won’t need to use as much oil. However, the nonstick layer can often be easily removed without proper care. Although they may say they are dishwasher safe, it's better not to put a nonstick frying pan in a dishwasher.

Weight

The frying pan should have a little weight to it when you lift it. It should feel heavy but not to the point where it is difficult to use it regularly. A heavy pan means that a lot of stainless steel has been used in the material blend, which will make it sturdy and less prone to denting.

It is important to consider the inner material when testing the weight of a product because an aluminum core needs to be three times thicker than copper to provide the same heat distribution. Therefore, only compare the weights between several aluminum pans or several copper pans.

Oven safe

Look for a frying pan that can safely go in the oven. This will allow you to grill the top of whatever food you are cooking without worrying about ruining your pan.

Cool handle

There are a few ways in which a pan handle can remain cool enough not to burn your hand. You might want to buy a frying pan with a long handle, as the end is further away from the heat source. You can also look for a pan with an airflow handle that minimizes the amount of metal around the base to transfer less heat.

Handle hook

To save space in your kitchen, have you thought about buying a pots and pans rack? If you have one of these or will have one in the future, it might be a good investment to buy a pan with a hook hole on its handle.

Lid

A frying pan lid allows you to let something simmer without the sauce splattering all over your stove. You can also create more heat with less energy if you use a lid.

Thermo spot indicator

You may like the Thermo spot indicator feature. A red spot will appear when your frying pan has heated to the best temperature to cook with. This useful feature can prevent undercooking food, and also has the added safety benefit of reducing surprise burns when handling your pan after you finish cooking.

Read customer reviews

Always read customer reviews. This will tell you any recurring malfunctions with the product that you should be aware of.

Stainless steel frying pan price range

A stainless steel frying pan can cost from $10 and up to $220. A decent stainless steel pan with copper or aluminum core will cost $40 and up.

How we choose the best stainless steel frying pans

We compared the materials’ quality with how well the pan performed to choose the best stainless steel frying pans. In addition, we timed how long each pan took to heat up and judged how warm the handle was. We have selected products that we feel are durable and offer good value for money.

Stainless Steel Frying Pan FAQ

Q: Can I leave my pan to heat with nothing in it?

A: It is recommended that you preheat your pan before you saute or fry something in it. However, leaving it for too long when it is dry will cause a stainless steel frying pan to discolor. Once your pan has discolored, it will become quite difficult to return it to normal.

Q: Why has my pan changed shape?

A: The most common reason a pan has changed shape is that it has been dropped.

Alternatively, putting a boiling pan into cold water can warp the metal. Therefore, when placing a pan in a sink to be washed, ensure the water is warm.

Q: What does “seasoning” a stainless steel pan mean?

A: Seasoning a pan is a cleaning and preparation method used to ensure your pan performs at optimum levels when in use. To season your pan, you should wash it with warm soapy water. Thoroughly dry the pan, then add some oil. Heat the oil for two to four minutes, then let cool until lukewarm. Remove the excess oil. The base of the pan should absorb some of the oil. This will make food less likely to stick to your stainless steel pan.