The Best Cookware for Induction Cooktops, Tested and Reviewed

Whether you're in the market for a nonstick skillet or a Dutch oven, here's what to get.

By Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm
Updated Jun. 01, 2023

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Braised chicken thighs in a stainless steel frying pan

Serious Eats / J. Kenji López-Alt

If you've transitioned from a gas or electric range to an induction cooktop and didn't know that not all cookware is induction compatible, well, that was probably surprising. To be induction-friendly, cookware must have a ferromagnetic base, which works with an induction burner's electromagnetic coil that sits below the cooktop's surface and, when on, generates a magnetic field. But that, in itself, doesn't make anything hot. Only when a ferromagnetic piece of cookware is placed on an induction burner does this field cause an electrical current to flow through the cookware (don't worry—it's not the kind that could shock you!), generating heat. A non-induction-friendly piece of cookware simply won't heat up...at all.

We went through the site to find the induction-friendly cookware we've already tested and loved, making it seamless for us to recommend what you should buy for your own home kitchen. Now, you have one handy "What cookware should I buy for my induction cooktop?" guide that we'll continually update as we test new products.

A note: If you're curious about whether or not a piece of cookware you already own is induction compatible, grab a magnet. If the magnet sticks to the bottom of the cookware, it's compatible. And if it doesn't? Well, you're not out of options: Induction interference disks exist. Place one of these between your induction cooktop and non-compatible cookware, et voila: Your non-induction skillet or saucepan works once again.

  • The Best Cast Iron Skillet for Induction Cooktops

    Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron

    Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet

     Amazon
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    Any cookware made from cast iron (including enameled cast iron), is induction compatible, which is great considering how versatile a great cast iron skillet is. After testing 22 cast iron skillets, this one from Lodge came out on top. It performed well in all our tests and has an unbeatable price. For a lightweight cast iron skillet, we recommend this model, also from Lodge.

    Key Specs

    • Material: Cast iron
    • Temperature range: N/A
    • Care instructions: Hand-wash only (for a cast iron cleaning and care how-to, head here)
    • Price at time of publish: $20
    We Tested 22 Cast Iron Skillets—Here Are the Best Ones
    Cast iron pan pizza

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

  • The Best Dutch Oven for Induction Cooktops

    Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron 5.5-Quart Round Dutch Oven

    Le Creuset 5.5-Quart Dutch Oven and Staub 5.5-Quart Dutch Oven, Marseille

    Amazon
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    A large, enameled cast iron is essential no matter what kind of cooktop you have: For braising, stovetop cooking, boiling, deep-frying, bread baking, and more. After extensive testing, we named this model from Le Creuset our winner. We also recommended this Dutch oven from Staub. For a budget-friendly option, we like this one from Cuisinart.

    Key Specs

    • Material: Enameled cast iron
    • Temperature range: Up to 500°F
    • Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe, but hand-washing is recommended
    • Price at time of publish: $420
    We Tested 20 Dutch Ovens—Here Are Our Favorites
    two hands with oven mitts on removing a Dutch oven from an oven

    Serious Eats / Will Dickey

  • The Best Wok for Induction Cooktops

    Yosukata Carbon Steel Wok Pan

    Yokusata The Wok Shop Carbon Steel Wok with Wood Side Handles

    Amazon
    View On Amazon

    Both of our favorite flat-bottomed carbon steel works are induction compatible, though we only included the Yosukata above, as The Wok Shop often experiences very significant shipping delays. However, you really can't go wrong with either of these: they're both reasonably priced, are heat responsive, and perform exceptionally well.

    Key Specs

    • Material: Carbon steel
    • Temperature range: Up to 600°F
    • Care instructions: Hand-wash only
    • Price at time of publish: $60
    The Best Flat-Bottomed Woks
    Yosukata wok.

    Serious Eats / Tim Chin

  • The Best Nonstick Skillet for Induction Cooktops

    T-fal Professional Total Nonstick Thermo-Spot Heat Indicator Fry Pan

    T-fal Professional Total Nonstick Thermo-Spot Heat Indicator Fry Pan

    Amazon
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    A good nonstick skillet is mighty helpful to have around when cooking anything delicate or that might otherwise majorly stick—like omelettes, scrambled eggs, or fish piccata. This skillet from T-fal is one of our favorites. It's not too expensive (which, in our opinion, is a very great thing in a nonstick skillet, as it'll need to be replaced every few years) and is, of course, induction-friendly.

    Key Specs

    • Material: Stainless steel base; titanium nonstick
    • Temperature range: Up to 400°F
    • Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe, though we recommend hand-washing
    • Price at time of publish: $32
    We Tested 16 Nonstick Skillets and Still Don't Think You Should Spend a Ton on One
    an overhead look at the T-fal nontick skillet sitting on a white surface

    Serious Eats / Donna Currie
    Continue to 5 of 14 below.

  • The Best Stockpot for Induction Cooktops

    Cuisinart 12-Quart MultiClad Pro Stainless Stock Pot With Cover

    Cuisinart MCP66-28N MultiClad Pro Stainless 12-Quart Skillet, Stockpot w/Cover

    Amazon
    View On Amazon

    After testing 16 stockpots, we landed on this model from Cuisinart as our top 12-quart pick. It's solidly built, has wide, comfortable handles, and it excelled in all of our cooking tests. Our favorite 16-quart stockpot from Tramontina is also induction compatible, should you want a slightly bigger size for making stock, boiling lobsters, or what have you.

    Key Specs

    • Material: Stainless steel
    • Temperature range: Up to 550°F
    • Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe
    • Price at time of publish: $140
    We Tested 19 Stockpots—Here Are Our Favorites
    Two hands with oven mitts on gripping the handles of a stockpot

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

  • The Best Stainless Steel Skillet for Induction Cooktops

    Made In 12-Inch Stainless Steel Skillet

    Made In 12-Inch Stainless Steel Skillet

    Amazon
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    We love both the 10- and 12-inch Made In Stainless Steel Skillets and think it's worth having both sizes around. (Fact: Their more reasonable price points gave them the edge over All-Clad and Le Creuset during our stainless steel skillet testing.) For a budget-friendly stainless steel skillet, we recommend this one from Tramontina, which is about $50.

    Key Specs

    • Material: Stainless steel
    • Temperature range: Up to 800°F
    • Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe
    • Price at time of publish: $109
    We Tested 29 Stainless-Steel Skillets to Find the Best Ones
    Food tossed in skillet

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

  • The Best Carbon Steel Skillet for Induction Cooktops

    Mauviel M'Steel Black Carbon Natural Nonstick Frying Pan With Iron Handle 11-in

    Mauviel Mauviel M'Steel Black Carbon Natural Nonstick Frying Pan With Iron Handle 11-in

    Amazon
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    If you love cast iron, then you should also know about carbon steel. We've called them "skillet siblings" before and it's true: They share a lot of the same features. They both are induction compatible and have excellent heat retention, which make them great for searing and browning. However, a well-seasoned carbon steel skillet can be more non-stick than a cast iron one. And because of its sloped sides, a carbon steel skillet is better for sautéing (cast iron still takes the cake shallow-frying, cornbread, and pan pizza). After testing, we like this model from Mauviel.

    Key Specs

    • Material: Carbon steel
    • Temperature range: N/A (manufacturer doesn't specify)
    • Care instructions: Hand-wash only
    • Price at time of publish: $96
    We Tested 13 Carbon Steel Pans—Three Stood Out
    Searing the fat cap on a rack of lamb

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

  • The Best Saucier for Induction Cooktops

    Made In Stainless Clad Saucier

    Stainless Clad Saucier

    Made In
    View On Amazon View On Madeincookware.com

    We're team saucier over saucepan. Why? Well, a saucier does everything a saucepan can do, but has rounded edges, which make stirring and whisking in it a cinch. We recommend a 3-quart size, which is versatile without being too large. This model from Made In is our favorite.

    Key Specs

    • Material: Stainless steel
    • Temperature range: Up to 800°F
    • Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe
    • Price at time of publish: $130
    We Tested Sauciers—Here Are Our Favorite Models
    Making pastry cream in a saucier with a hand mid-whisk.

    Serious Eats / Tim Chin
    Continue to 9 of 14 below.

  • The Best Saucepan for Induction Cooktops

    Zwilling Spirit 3-ply Stainless Steel 4-Quart Saucepan

    Zwilling Spirit 3-ply Stainless Steel 4-Quart Saucepan

    Zwilling
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    All the pros of sauciers being said, there's still a good reason to invest in a 4-quart, straight-sided saucepan for boiling larger amounts of water, cooking grains, or poaching vegetables. Or, maybe, you just prefer a saucepan over a saucier (you do you!). Our favorite saucepan is the one from Zwilling. In our tests, it was heat responsive, wide enough for easy stirring, and had a comfortable, large handle. If you're wanting a 3-quart saucepan, we recommend models from Tramontina and All-Clad.

    Key Specs

    • Material: Stainless steel; aluminum; tempered glass
    • Temperature range: Up to 400°F (with lid)
    • Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe
    • Price at time of publish: $100
    We Tested 9 Saucepans and Came Away with Three Favorites
    A stainless steel saucepan on a marble countertop

    Serious Eats / Irvin Lin

  • The Best Grill Pan for Induction Cooktops

    Lodge Chef Collection 11-Inch Cast Iron Square Grill Pan

    Lodge Chef Collection 11-Inch Cast Iron Square Grill Pan

    Amazon
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    Another Great Induction-Friendly Option

    Staub Enameled Cast Iron Grill Pan

    Staub-enameled-cast-iron-grill-pan

    Williams Sonoma
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    Both of our favorite grill pans are induction-friendly. The Lodge is made from traditional cast iron (read: it's nearly indestructible and will get more seasoned with time), while the Staub is made from enameled cast iron (read: easier to clean, but more fragile and it will never build up seasoning). Both are great and yield good grill marks—it's just whatever you prefer.

    Key Specs

    • Material: Cast iron (Lodge); enameled cast iron (Staub)
    • Temperature range: N/A (Lodge); up to 500°F (Staub)
    • Care instructions: Hand-wash only (Lodge); dishwasher-safe, but hand-washing is recommended (Staub)
    • Price at time of publish: $56 (Lodge) and $190 (Staub)
    We Tested 7 Grill Pans—Our Favorites Got Top Marks
    the lodge grill pan on a marble countertop

    Serious Eats / Ashlee Redger

  • The Best Braiser for Induction Cooktops

    Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Braiser

    Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Braiser, 3.5 qt., Marseille

    Amazon
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    If you haven't heard of a braiser before, now's the time to get familiar. It looks like a Dutch oven, but is much shorter and has flared sides. It's good for braises, as well as shallow-frying, pan roasting, searing and simmering, and more. Our favorite braiser is from Le Creuset. It's durable, comes in a range of colors, and it has a large lid knob and wide, lopped handles that make it easy to pick up.

    Key Specs

    • Material: Enameled cast iron
    • Temperature range: Up to 500°F
    • Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe, though hand-washing is recommended
    • Price at time of publish: $370
    We Tested 8 Braisers—Here Are the Best Models for Braises, Shallow Frying, and More
    Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast Iron Braiser, 3.5-quart

    Serious Eats / Taylor Murray

  • The Best Enameled Cast Iron Skillet for Induction Cooktops

    Staub 10-Inch Fry Pan

    Staub Cast Iron 10-inch Fry Pan - Grenadine, Made in France

    Amazon
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    We recently reviewed enameled cast iron skillets (again, cast iron equals induction compatible) and came away with a few favorites, including our overall pick from Staub. It performed incredibly well, had flared sides that allowed for easy flipping, and was relatively lightweight.

    Key Specs

    • Material: Enameled cast iron
    • Temperature range: Up to 900°F
    • Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe, though hand-washing is recommended
    • Price at time of publish: $195
    We Tested 8 Enameled Cast Iron Skillets and Found Three Great Options
    staub skillet on marble countertop

    Serious Eats / Taylor Murray
    Continue to 13 of 14 below.

  • The Best Saute Pan for Induction Cooktops

    Made In Stainless Clad Saute Pan 3.5 QT

    Made In Stainless Clad Saute Pan 3.5 QT

    Made In
    View On Amazon View On Madeincookware.com

    Our favorite saute pan (and actually all of our recommended saute pans) are induction-friendly. We named the Made In our overall top pick for its wide surface, flared lip that made it easy to pour from, and tight-fitting lid. We also liked its handle, which was flat and easy to hold. Its secondary handle was nice and wide, too.

    Key Specs

    • Material: Stainless steel
    • Temperature range: Up to 800°F
    • Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe, though hand-washing is recommended
    • Price at time of publish: $159
    We Tested 9 Sauté Pans, and 3 (Shallow) Fried The Competition
    the Made In saute pan on a marble surface

    Serious Eats / Jesse Raub

  • The Best Small Saucepan for Induction Cooktops

    Made In Stainless Clad Saucepan

    Made In 2 Quart Stainless Clad Saucepan

    Made In
    View On Madeincookware.com

    Our favorite small saucepan also hails from Made In and (along with our other small saucepan top picks from Duxtop and All-Clad) is induction compatible. The Made In had a concave handle that made for easy, secure pouring (no rolling in your palm as it's tilted) and was fully clad for even heating. We also liked its rolled rim, which made from splash-free pouring.

    Key Specs

    • Material: Stainless steel
    • Temperature range: Up to 800°F
    • Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe, though hand-washing is recommended
    • Price at time of publish: $129
    We Tested 8 Small Saucepans and Found Three We Love for Sauces, Browned Butter, and More
    a person pouring browned butter from a small saucepan

    Serious Eats / Ashlee Redger

FAQs

How do you know if cookware is induction compatible?

To know if your cookware is induction compatible, check its product listing: the manufacturer should tell you. If not, grab a magnet and see if it sticks to the bottom of the pan. If it's magnetic, it's induction-friendly.

Can you use induction cookware on a gas stove?

Yep! You absolutely can. All of our above cookware recommendations can be used on both induction and gas stovetops.

Where do you buy induction-friendly cookware?

While you can certainly shop for induction compatible cookware in a store (bring a magnet— if it sticks to the bottom of the cookware in question, you found something induction-friendly), you can also buy through our links above. Generally, we don't recommend purchasing cookware sets, as they often include pots or pans you won't actually use.

Can induction-friendly cookware be used in the oven?

This depends on the cookware in question! Some items—like cast iron skillets, Dutch ovens, and stainless steel skillets—are absolutely oven-safe. Others, like nonstick skillets, may be oven-safe, but to low temperatures. It's always worth checking the manufacturer's care instructions.