Cast iron, stainless or nonstick: which skillet should you buy?

There's no single best skillet material. Each one is excellent at some jobs and frustrating at others. Knowing which is which keeps you from buying a pan that fights the way you cook.

Quick comparison

Material	Great at	Less good at	Care
Nonstick (PTFE)	Eggs, pancakes, fish, low-fat cooking	High-heat searing; coating wears out	Gentle utensils, medium heat, hand wash usually recommended
Ceramic nonstick	Eggs and delicate foods; PTFE-free	Release often fades faster than PTFE	Gentle utensils, moderate heat
Cast iron	Searing, cornbread, oven-to-table, high heat	Heavy; acidic sauces can strip seasoning	Dry promptly, keep lightly oiled
Carbon steel	Searing and stir-frying, lighter than cast iron	Needs seasoning like cast iron	Same as cast iron
Stainless steel (clad)	Searing, browning, pan sauces, oven use	Food sticks without proper preheating and fat	Dishwasher-safe for many pans; tough to damage

Nonstick: easy, but plan to replace it

Nonstick pans make eggs and fish effortless, which is why most kitchens have one. Things to know:

• Use medium or lower heat. Traditional PTFE coatings start to break down if overheated, generally above about 500 °F, which can happen quickly when an empty pan sits on a high burner. The fumes can be particularly dangerous for pet birds.
• Avoid metal utensils and abrasive scrubbers.
• Expect to replace it every few years with regular use. A pan whose coating is flaking or no longer releases food is done.

Ceramic-coated pans avoid PTFE but tend to lose their slickness sooner.

Cast iron: heavy, durable, forgiving

A cast iron skillet can last generations. It holds heat well, which makes it great for searing and baking.

• Seasoning (layers of polymerized oil) is what makes it naturally slick. It builds up with use.
• Weight: a 12-inch cast iron pan is heavy to lift one-handed. Consider a 10-inch if that's a concern.
• Heat: it heats slowly and unevenly at first but stays hot once heated.
• Care: wash, dry immediately, and wipe on a thin film of oil. Rust is fixable.

Enameled cast iron doesn't need seasoning and handles acidic foods, but it isn't nonstick and the enamel can chip.

Stainless steel: the workhorse

Clad stainless pans (layers of steel with aluminum or copper in between) heat evenly and brown food beautifully, leaving the browned bits that make pan sauces.

• Sticking usually means the pan wasn't hot enough before the food went in, or the food was moved too soon.
• Durability: stainless is very hard to ruin. Many are dishwasher- and oven-safe.
• Construction: "fully clad" pans have the conductive layer running up the sides; "disc-bottom" pans have it only on the base.

Induction and other practical details

• Induction cooktops need magnetic cookware. If a magnet sticks firmly to the bottom, it will work. Cast iron and carbon steel always do; many but not all stainless and nonstick pans do.
• Oven-safe temperature: check both the pan and the handle. Plastic or silicone handles lower the limit.
• Size: a 10-inch skillet suits one or two people; a 12-inch gives room to sear without crowding.

A practical combination

Many cooks end up with one nonstick pan for eggs and delicate foods and one cast iron or stainless pan for everything that needs high heat. Together they cover almost everything a home kitchen needs.

Questions people ask

Is nonstick cookware safe?

Used as directed (moderate heat, no overheating an empty pan), modern PTFE nonstick pans are widely considered safe for everyday cooking. Replace pans with damaged coatings.

Can I cook tomatoes in cast iron?

Short cooking is usually fine in well-seasoned cast iron. Long-simmered acidic sauces can strip seasoning and pick up a metallic taste; enameled cast iron or stainless is better for those.

Why does everything stick to my stainless pan?

Preheat the pan before adding oil, let the oil shimmer, and don't move food until it releases naturally.