The Ultimate Guide to Skillets | Gear Heads

We have tested almost every size and type of skillet out there, from cast iron to carbon steel to nonstick and more. So which skillets should you stock in your kitchen? Lisa and Hannah are here to give you a crash course in skillets so you can decide for yourself.

ABOUT US: Located in Boston’s Seaport District in the historic Innovation and Design Building, America's Test Kitchen features 15,000 square feet of kitchen space including multiple photography and video studios. It is the home of Cook’s Illustrated magazine and Cook’s Country magazine and is the workday destination for more than 60 test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes over and over again until we understand how and why they work and until we arrive at the best version.

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[joedyhicks]

Been using cast iron for many many years and my every day go-to pan is a gate marked antique pan I picked up at a yard sale ($5) that my best guess is about 130 years old.
Every time I use it I think of the people and families that pan has fed, if cooking connects a person to their roots then this pan has deep deep roots.

[SusanBinks]

Hannah and Lisa are fantastic at their jobs. I love the passion they bring to evaluating products to make all of us better, happier consumers. Another fine video, ladies.

[wheels]

Could you please do an episode on best cookware for induction cooktops, and on the differences between induction cooking and gas? Thanks!

[s.annehancock]

This channel and all the hosts never disappoint. Thank you all for sharing your unparalleled expertise in such an engaging, fun and accessible style. You all make cooking so much fun.

[jamiel]

My favorite skillet of all time is my 1948 Griswold cast iron. Smooth as glass, was my grandmother's. Never found anything better.

[marybaker]

I absolutely LOVE it when the two of you do a show. You each bring a different approach to the same subject which for me is quite helpful. Thank you so much.

[EricLS]

The thing that blew my mind when I tried to get “serious” about cooking, was how PTFE essentially *can’t* brown properly. You can kind of get there, but it’s essentially cooking with an insulator. Once I learned that, the journey of pan materials, and temperature really began. I always just dumped heat into my aluminum PTFE pans, and getting cast iron or other materials that hot is a very very different experience. (Aka take the battery out of your smoke detector temporarily)

[jacquelynbauer]

Cast iron all the way. It is non-stick after you season them. They never wear out and never need replaced. I am using one that my grandma Haas had. She got it as a wedding gift in 1903. I also use it to bake a pineapple upside down cake that is a winner.

[vlmellody]

I love my cast iron pans. I was given a set of le creuset when I got married and they have out lasted that marriage by more than 30 years. I especially love the 9 inch skillet because it's fairly light weight for cast iron and still cooks beautifully. I also have a set of vintage pieces that a neighbor gave me. They're a little bit heavier than my le creuset, but, because they're all different sizes, they provide greater variety and fulfill most of my needs.
I also have some clad stainless steel, but they rarely see the light of day because I of my other pans.

[ColleenHershon]

I got tired of replacing nonstick, and now I just use my cast iron. I keep them well seasoned, and they work beautifully!

[petergreenwald]

Griswold 10" cast circa 1950s. Mine is so well seasoned, I've left it in the sink full of water over night. No problems. All-Clad pans, 12" with lid, 10" no lid, and 11.5" saute with lid. Bought them all preowned, nearly new or new for far less than 1/2 price. (plus 2 tea kettles from AC, cause some lady decided they didn't fit her kitchen decor... lol $20ea, $99ea at Macy's) Some non-stick Calphalon that I will never ever buy again due to cost versus lifespan, bought new. And for eggs, I bought a $4, paper thin, non-stick from Walmart. That has lasted easily as long as the other non-stick or better. My pots are Wearever with the bonded aluminum bottoms. They work fine but am hunting for an All-Clad sauce pan still. If you are afraid of a used (preowned), you are afraid of the one you cooked dinner in last night.
Just visit flea markets, consignment shops, and snoop on Craigslist. Good hunting!

[anthonyw]

Professional, precise and great demonstrations. Thank you ladies and crew at ATK for an amazing job 👏 👏👏👏🤩😍.

[jayceperlmutter]

Grew up with cast iron - love them - especially for beef steak, but rarely do I eat that anymore :< - But now I mostly use the carbon steel skillet in day-to-day cooking. But, I use stainless 3 ply for sauteeing chicken, etc. because I like to make a pan sauce using deglazing and I like the light color to gauge doneness.

[dmatters]

I only cook for myself, so I have an 8" cast iron skillet which I use primarily for cooking eggs or the occasional burger. I have a 12" stainless steel skillet for cooking everything else.

[draven_sword]

I have a cast iron skillet I got from my grandparents when I moved away to go to college. 7 years later and I still use it several times a week. It's a BSR from the 60's, so not anything super fancy, but I love that little pan.

[sylvieseguin]

I'm with Lisa! Cast iron all the way. I have from a very small 6" to the big monster 12" and they are all from Lodge. I also have duch oven pot, a small sauce pot all in cast iron and 2 square pan and a bean pot from my grand mother and who knows how long she add those for. I love the square one because I can make up to 3 grille cheese sandwich and in the small one I us to make square eggs for my daughter breakfast and she would put it on her toast and she was always amaze that it cover the toast. As for the maintenance to me it's now seconded nature. Depending on what you cook in it sometime just a good paper towel to remove all the grease and your done. I JUST LOVE THEM. My favorite place to find them is in flea market or garage sale

[lsamoa]

I actually prefer stainless steel pans with the disc at the bottom because they work just as fine but are much more lightweight. The fully clad ones can get really heavy.

[bluedrummajor]

I've had my All Clad triply skillets for almost 30 yrs. I love them. If you get the skillet very hot, and then use cold oil, it will act like a non stick pan.

[andydominguez]

I was interested in carbon steel, so I picked up a Matfer Borgeat based on ATK’s recommendation. I figured it would be a reasonably good pan, but I was floored with just how great it is! I have a few absolutely perfectly seasoned cast iron pieces that I love, but the Matfer has become my go-to for almost all tasks.

[glbernini]

Found a100yo Lodge pan at a thrift shop & was amazed at how smooth the interior was! Best $10 I've spent in years. 3 hours chiseling rust & residue off was a good workout as well!