Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I don't get much respect for this, but my pans come from a restaurant supply house. They're cheap, expendable, and they work.

"Restaurant supply-house" means they're not non-stick.

It took some time to learn how to fry things without them sticking... some time indeed. But I got there, in part helped by gas stoves, repetition (to learn proper 'gas mark' settings for various foods), and a tight wallet.

For nonstick, still have a cheap thing bought ages ago. It's scratched, but works. I have heard that scratching in a non-stick pan can indicate the nonstick material may have gone into food, so that's something to think about.

I think about it like I think about a satellite falling out of orbit onto my head. Sure, it could happen, but there is a plethora of other things that could kill me first.

A frying pan has to brown. Non-stick isn't good for this.

Personally, I love Calphalon SS!

Watch Amazon and other sites for sales and close-outs.

Most of our skillets and sautee pans are stainless (thank you wedding registry!)
We do have one non-stick skillet and one black steel omelette pan.
We've had the non-stick for 5 or 6 years and it is in near-perfect condition b/c we so rarely use it. I seem to recall it is the latest generation of teflon...supposedly tougher and more scratch resistant. My husband bought it at Wal-mart back when he was my boyfriend and had to relocate for several months. The company set him up at one of those furnished extended stay places and the kitchen equipment was deplorable.
Anywhooo, this inexpensive non stick skillet is actually well made. Heavy, heats evenly.
I have seen Calphalon relatively inexpensive at TJMaxx/HomeGoods and Marshalls. CuisinArt makes a nice copy cat, I haven't tested any, but the heft and materials and construction are comparable.

@wookie! When we go to our timeshare vacation, I pack a sautee pan and my santoku. I have a protective locking sheath for my knife. "Never leave home without it".

I do have a non stick Calphalon omelette pan, and there is not a scratch on it. I believe it is a virgin pan.

Essentially your options are this, a) buy an inexpensive commercial pan and replace it regularly, or b) buy an All-Clad pan for a premium and never replace (it has, after all, a lifetime warranty). I like to buy things once, so I went with All-Clad, and I've been very happy with my decision. The pan just works, and will work forever.

I have a 12" Calphalon nonstick frying pan that I received as a gift, and it's really nice. Their "contemporary nonstick" is their lowest-priced line, but this thing has lasted me through the years. I plan to avoid nonstick in the future for health reasons, but if it's what you want, I recommend the Calphalon line. (If you're like me and don't cook meat, nonstick won't cramp your style in the fond-creating department.)

Cast iron.

Simply Calphalon is actually the cheapest Calphalon. I have some Calphalon Contemporary, their 2.5 quart hard anodized saucepan is one of my favorites in the kitchen, and a Cooks Illustrated recommendation.

I also own Calphalon One Hard Anodized skillets and love them too.

That said, I also like Stainless Steel for browning, and cast iron for most non-stick. Lodge is definitely a quality company with great prices. If I wanted cheaper non-stick, I'd go that route.

i want to buy a non stick fry pan but dont know which is better ?Posted by onepercent99, March 21, 2008 at 6:10 PM

Imagine our confusion!

If you can get into a Restaurant Depot, get their house brand, called Winco. A 10" nonstick skillet will run you about $21. It is heavy aluminum with as good and durable a nonstick coating as is manufactured. My other choice would be to get French black steel skillets. They are probably about $26 for a 10" pan, but once seasoned, will last a lifetime. They are perfectly nonstick and are lighter than cast iron. I wouldn't bother with All Clad et al.

Okay ... please excuse my evangelism and my forthcoming caps, but my Berndes skillet from their Signocast line (aluminum, $135) has CHANGED. MY. LIFE.

LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOOOOOOVE IT!!!!!!

Here are some excerpts from the blog I wrote about mine soon after I got it:

'I've always shied away from nonstick because I've heard about how it can erode and leach into the food, which has the potential to cause health problems. No such worries with Berndes. The finish is pretty much indestructible. And get this: there's a lifetime guarantee on it. So if anything happens to the pan, even if I do something totally stupid, I can exchange it and get a free new pan.

And this isn't just any nonstick. I can go totally greaseless. I've made grilled cheese sandwiches, toasted stuff, browned meat, cooked several different types of eggs, all without a shred of oil, grease, or cooking spray. The food just rolls right out of the pan, doesn't leave a trace! I can leave it uncleaned for days, and when I do clean it the crusty stuff just slides right off.

"But Elana," you say, "it's only a skillet. It's so limiting! Why spend so much money on a piece so limited in function?"

To which I chortle indulgently, "Not this skillet! It's actually quite deep, so it's ideal for making one-pot meals. I've even cooked pasta in mine! In fact, the pasta cooked faster because the water was able to heat more quickly! This puppy can hold a huge amount of food. Not only that, it's oven-safe up to 450 degrees, so you could even cook casseroles in it. Or, for perfectly moist cuts of meat, you can sear them quickly on the stovetop and then pop 'em in the oven to finish.'

Seriously - buy one. You won't regret it.

Personally, I'd avoid going with cast iron, if it's going to be your only skillet - they take so long to heat up and cool down, which can really mess with your cooking depending on what you're making. The aluminum on my pan heats and cools lickety-split.

If you're looking for a true non-stick skillet (e.g., Teflon-coated), go with an inexpensive heavy-duty aluminum pan with a riveted metal handle. You can usually find 12-inch pans at commercial suppliers for less than $30. Non-stick pans are, by definition, disposable. No matter how careful you are, the Teflon-type coatings will eventually wear out, get too scratched to use, etc. Therefore, buying an expensive name-brand non-stick is a complete waste of money. Not to mention that the expensive brands have poor coatings in my experience. Aluminum is the best heat conductor and it is lightweight. The metal handle allows it to go under the broiler for frittatas, etc. You probably only need one or two non-stick skillets (maybe a 12-inch and a 10-inch). They are very handy, especially in home kitchens, but as already mentioned, they are not suitable for all types of cooking. You'll need to get some "real" cookware, too.

For permanent, good quality cookware, go with the best you can afford. I prefer All-Clad Stainless, but many other recommendations here are also very good.

Cats iron all the way, as others have duly noted.

onepercent: I think crazyspice's confusion might have occured because you asked for both a "non stick fry pan" and then listed the stainless aluminum or carbon steel comment.