When moving into a new home, there are a few items placed on the essentials checklist.
Loo roll? Check. Surface cleaner and cloths? Check. A kettle, teabags and milk? All here.
What’s missing? That would be a decent saucepan and frying pan to serve your first home-cooked meal. One of each suits just fine for smaller households, so long as you invest in quality.
What are the different types of frying pans and their respective benefits?
The best frying pans at a glance
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Our Place Cast Iron Always Pan
Never has a cookware brand caused quite as big a commotion as Our Place. Oprah reportedly called the brand’s cult favourite Always Pan a “kitchen magician”, and it can count popstar-turned-cooking show host Selena Gomez among its collaborators.
The cast iron iteration of its signature product employs an easy-care matt black enamel coating to bolster its already impressive convenience credentials. These include an integrated beachwood spatula and two rubber hot grips for safe handling.
And if you want more from the eight-in-one design that bakes, broils, braises and the rest, opt for added extras including a fry deck and alternate clay Tagine lid.
Buy now £135.00, Our Place
GreenPan X Stanley Tucci Stanley Pan
Available in four colourways – Venetian Teal, Carrara White, Stainless Steel and Milano Black – the Stanley Pan is part of a wider Tucci collection with GreenPan which includes a Dutch Oven, 16cm and 20cm saucepans, 20cm and 26cm frying pans, a 26cm sauté pan, a 30cm covered frying pan and the star of the show – the 33cm Stanley Pan. All of which are available at F&M.
Each vessel within the collection has been crafted with a three-ply stainless-steel body which is said to deliver professional-grade results. GreenPan’s signature eco-friendly PFAS-free ceramic nonstick coating is additionally infused with layers of diamonds (you heard us right) for elite heat transfer and durability.
The star of the show, however, is the 33cm Stanley Pan - a fits-everything, colossal non-stick with style and function to boot.
Buy now £179.95, F&M
Le Creuset 3 Ply Coated Frying Pan 28cm
Le Creuset may be most famous for its cast iron, but its technologically advanced frying pan has you covered when you’re hankering for steak or brunch pancakes.
This tough and durable pan is crafted from three layers of stainless steel for even heat distribution and has been finished with a non-stick yet PFOA-free coating which makes for easier cleaning and healthier meals as you’ll need less fat to stop food sticking.
Use it across all heat sources - including induction and oven as well as popped in the dishwasher once you’ve finished cheffing. It also comes with a lifetime guarantee for total peace of mind.
Buy now £143.20, Fenwick
GreenPan Eco-Smartshape Non-Stick Frying Pan Light Wood 28cm
Part of GreenPan’s toxic-free frying pan range, this non-stick option isn’t just an attractive pick, but an incredibly smart one too. It’s oven-safe up to 140°C and has no trace of nasty PFAS, meaning healthy cooking can be enjoyed by all. The Eco-Smartshape is a sustainable choice for eco-warriors, who can attach a separate handle to the pan to make it recyclable. The unique design of the piece also requires 60 per cent less packaging for lower CO2 emissions in the production process.
Buy now £52.56, Amazon
Calphalon Classic Stainless Steel Cookware, Fry Pan, 2-Piece
If you have enough pots and pans in the cupboards but are keen to give stainless steel cookware a go, then try out this two piece frying pan set from Calphalon. The flat and wide bottoms are designed to heat food evenly and provide a large amount of space for cooking, whilst the sloped sides are great for pouring, tossing and rolling.
Whether it’s a fried egg, endless stacks of pancakes or searing meat for Sunday lunch, you can say goodbye to scraping stuck food off the bottom of the pan as these are truly non-stick. They are easy to clean, leave no stains and most importantly come with a 10-year warranty.
Buy now £121.06, Amazon
Hestan NanoBond Stainless Steel Frying Pan, 22cm
Flip and fry with this sleek-looking pan that’s safe with its toxin-free construction. The luxury piece was handcrafted in Italy from molecular titanium and hails from the ever-popular NanoBond range. The Hestan ProCore triple bonded stainless steel base promises efficient conduction, while the titanium-reinforced surface is scratch-resistant and stain-resistant. Once you’re done whipping up a storm, gently bung in the sink and wash with ease thanks to the flush rivet detailing.
Buy now £160.00, John Lewis
KitchenAid Classic Forged Non-Stick 24cm Frying Pan
KitchenAid only do fancy blenders, right? Wrong. They do a range of premium kitchen appliances, as it transpires, including this posh but practical frying pan that has an extra-thick forged base that maintains its shape and heats up quickly and evenly. Meanwhile, the non-stick ceramic coating provides easy food release and fast cleaning, while it’s oven-safe up to 160°C.
Buy now £45.00, Amazon
Zwilling Pro 20cm 18/10 Stainless Steel Frying Pan Silver
You can always count on German brand Zwilling, founded in 1731, to add beautiful aesthetics to utilitarian pieces.
Its 20cm stainless steel frying pan is an inspired match for induction cooking, designed by Italian architect Matteo Thun and product designer Antonio Rodriguez, crafted from the very best 18/10 stainless steel and boasting a handsome satin finish.
Perfect for searing perfectly-pink steaks (caramelised around the fat, natch), it comes with a strong aluminium core that heats the uncoated pan quickly and distributes it all the way to the rim while keeping the handle as cool as a cucumber. A built-in pourer is convenient for sauces and such, while everything is dishwasher-safe to boot.
Buy now £79.95, Zwilling
Kuhn Rikon Allround Frying Pan
This durable stainless steel frying pan is a hit. It features a tough three-layer non-stick coating for low-fat frying, plus is made from resilient 18/10 stainless steel. Cook with ease thanks to the encapsulated base which spreads heat evenly all around - making breakfast omelettes a breeze. Serve with confidence knowing the stainless steel handle will stay cool on the hob.
Buy now £47.96, Kuhn Rikon
Copper Non Stick Frying Pan with Stone Coating
This non-stick frying pan is so pretty we had to show it from two angles - and don’t worry the handle has a Bakelite wood effect and is completely heat resistant. Obvious good looks aside, how did it perform? Heating quickly and evenly, this non-stick beauty cooked a sticky stir-fry to perfection and cleaned up with little elbow grease required.
Buy now £19.99, Robert Dyas
OXO Frying Pan, Non Stick Pan with Soft Touch Handle
Sauté, stir, simmer and sear to your heart’s content with OXO’s non-stick frypan. The German-engineered cookware requires less oil or butter due to its long-lasting coating that will give you years of stick-free cooking. The pan is created using a patented Magneto induction technology where a magnetic coating on the base gives unrivalled stability and ensures it won’t change shape, wobble or scratch over time. It is oven-safe up to 180°C.
Buy now £42.99, Amazon
KitchenCraft MasterClass Cast Aluminium Non Stick Induction 3-in-1 Multi Section Grill Pan
If you’re looking to cook multiple foods on your griddle pan at once, check out KitchenCraft’s multi-section pan with a main griddle compartment and two smaller round sections perfect for frying eggs or cooking burgers. The pan is made to cook big fry ups and it’s a great space saver for small kitchens or camping trips.
The compartments are not only great for cooking lots at once but it also stops flavours and juices from mixing, perfect if you’re cooking food for both veggies and meat eaters.
The double non-stick coating is durable and allows you to cook healthier food as you can use less oil or none at all. We found that the grip on the handle was very good and its protective coating means it doesn’t heat up no matter how hot the pan is.
Buy now £39.95, Amazon
