Best Nonstick Frying Pan for 2024
Love 'em or hate 'em, nonstick skillets make cooking certain foods a whole lot easier. We tested more than a dozen to find the perfect nonstick pan for your kitchen.
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What's the best overall nonstick frying pan?
If you're still getting your bearings in the kitchen, a proper nonstick frying pan can be a godsend. They're a versatile kitchen essential and perfect for just about everything from whipping up fluffy omelets to toasting walnuts for a salad. I've tested some of the best nonstick pans on the market right now, and Misen's 10-inch pan is my overall favorite, but below you'll also find my picks for the best cheap nonstick fry pan and the best nonstick skillet for use on an induction stove.
Nonstick cookware may lose some points for its inability to get as hot as stainless steel or cast iron, but that's the trade-off for pots and pans that rinse clean in seconds and require very little maintenance. To find the best nonstick fry pan to buy in 2024, we put a dozen to the test. Misen's excellent pan topped the field, but other nonstick skillets caught my eye, including a true budget pick, and a unique nonstick pan that costs more but should last longer (more on that in a bit).
And if you're wondering if nonstick cookware and Teflon are safe to use, the answer is yes. But that wasn't always the case. You can read more about that here.
Best nonstick fry pans for 2024
For a nonstick skillet, the Misen 10-inch frying pan ticked more boxes than any others I tested. It's sturdy but not heavy and has an excellent nonstick surface that releases eggs and pancake batter with ease. Misen's nonstick pans use a PFOA-free, three-layer platinum coating that I found just slightly more nonstick than others. The gently flared sides allowed for pancakes and eggs to slide out without the use of a spatula but still kept contents from spilling over during cooking, even when given a few shakes.
What pushed the Misen pan over the top for me was the handle. It's encased in a protective and removable rubber sheath and makes for a seriously comfortable gripper. The handle also has almost no slant, something I find makes negotiating things like eggs and pancakes easier since they often require a good bit of maneuvering and flipping. It's also a great-looking skillet. Nonstick skillets don't generally have much swagger, but this one looks like something you'd find in a professional kitchen. Misen's excellent nonstick pan is available in three sizes: 8, 10 and 12 inches.
Pros
- Sturdily built
- Comfortable handle
- Looks great
Cons:
- On the expensive side for a nonstick skillet
- Handle is not oven-safe
Best budget nonstick pan
Tramontina Professional fry pan
Tramontina's 10-inch skillet takes the top spot for the best budget nonstick fry pan. You can find cheaper pans, but none of them match Tramontina's excellent combination of nonstick surfaces, even heating and a comfy handle. The base is cast aluminum which should resist warping over time, but it still has less heft tha some competitors which could spell a shorter lifespan than some other skillets on our list. It's oven-safe up to 400 degrees F.
This wallet-friendly pan is available in four sizes from eight inches up to 14 (which is an unusually large size and more pan than the average chef would want or need).
Pros:
- Excellent value
- Light and easy to maneuver
- Available in four sizes
Cons:
- Thinner pan which could mean easier warping
- Rough bottom can scratch glass stovetops
Pros:
- Imparts a better than typical nonstick cookware
- Resistant to metal utensils
- Dishwasher and oven-safe
Cons:
- Expensive
- Not as nonstick as Teflon
Best splurge nonstick pan
HexClad hybrid frying pan
HexClad is an intriguing addition to the nonstick conversation. While I'd almost never recommend spending over $100 -- or even close to that -- on a single nonstick pan given the inevitable surface erosion, HexClad may be the exception. This unique skillet has a surface that combines traditional nonstick with a honeycomb pattern of raised stainless steel to protect it.
The HexClad promise is that you'll get the benefits of nonstick but with the searing abilities of stainless steel, and a pan that should last longer than the average nonstick. I found the hybrid surface does indeed release food much in the way most other nonstick pans do. And while it doesn't sear quite like stainless steel, as the marketing lingo would have you believe, it does a better job than most other Teflon or nonstick skillets. Read my full review of HexClad cookware here.
Pros:
- Imparts a better than typical nonstick cookware
- Resistant to metal utensils
- Dishwasher and oven-safe
Cons:
- Expensive
- Not as nonstick as Teflon
Best nonstick set and best for induction cooktops
All-Clad hard-anodized frying pans
If you want a small set of nonstick fry pans, I recommend All-Clad's excellent hard-anodized nonstick pans, which come in a set of two for around $70. All-Clad is a high-end cookware brand favorite of professional chefs but the brand's nonstick skillets are priced for everyone.
Instead of a fully aluminum base, these nonstick pans are made with an aluminum core encased in bonded stainless steel so they'll work when used with induction cooktops. Be warned: The steel also makes them heavier than traditional nonstick pans. I've personally used an All-Clad's hard-anodized nonstick pan regularly for about five years. The nonstick coating is as good but it will chip fairly easily if you slip and use a metal or hard plastic utensil on it.
Pros:
- High sides are great for avoiding mess
- Works on induction stovetops
Cons:
- Heavier than most nonstick pans
- Coating chips easily
The rest of the field: Other nonstick pans we tested
In truth, a lot of these nonstick pans performed well in their most basic duty to cook food and then subsequently release it for an easy clean. The reason many didn't make the cut was a bloated price tag that just doesn't seem worth it for a pan that only lasts a few years. Others didn't have handles I loved, had balance issues, cooked less evenly than the winners or had other small flaws that edged them out of the top spots.
Factors to consider: How to choose a nonstick pan
You have three basic options for the core material breakdown of your nonstick skillet. All three of these skillet types will have a nonstick coating. These coatings are largely made from a synthetic fluoropolymer called polytetrafluoroethylene, or PTFE. Teflon is a familiar brand name for this nonstick material that you've likely heard of. Some cheap pan producers use fewer coatings of PTFE and so will wear out faster.
A visual tutorial on how not to store nonstick cookware.
It's what's underneath the PTFE that matters more and, depending on your cooking needs and the type of stovetop you use, one might be better for you than the others.
Fully aluminum
Fully aluminum nonstick skillets are great because they are light and cheap -- nonstick pans have a short lifespan -- but they don't have the structure that comes with tough stainless steel so they're likely to warp faster. They heat up quicker than other pans since aluminum is a fierce conductor but won't work on induction surfaces.
Aluminum core with steel plate bonded to the bottom
With a stainless steel plate fasted to the bottom, your pan is likely to have more rigidity so if you tend to abuse cookware, it shouldn't warp or dent as easily. These pans are great because they'll work on induction stoves. The downside is that they're a bit heavier and generally more expensive.
Aluminum core fully encased in stainless steel
This makeup is similar to the above except the stainless steel plate surrounds the aluminum core entirely. These pans will also work with induction heating elements but have even more total weight and often cost more too. On the plus side, you'll have a sturdy pan with a core that should better withstand abuse. Be ready to exercise some patience, however, since a stainless steel-wrapped pan will take longer to heat up than one with only aluminum.
The materials that your pan is made from will affect the weight, durability and stove compatibility. And price too, of course.
How we test nonstick skillets
There are a few simple tests I run on nonstick skillets for measuring even heating, surface flatness as well as each pan's nonstick properties and ability to release food.
Fried and eggs and omelets: classic nonstick fare
The first and arguably most important test shows us how well each pan releases sticky foods including eggs and pancakes. I cooked both a fried egg and whipped egg omelet in each. The hope is that each one releases the food completely once cooked with as little food left as possible. In truth, all of the fry pans released the eggs well during this test and with no single skillet flunking it. There were some slight variances in performance, however. The pans I've selected as my top picks in each category all performed as well or better than average.
This is the lift you can expect with a good nonstick pan.
Pancakes reveal all. Well, a lot anyway
I also cooked a pan-sized pancake in each pan -- a test that does double duty. Beyond illuminating a pan's non-stickiness, it also shows how evenly a skillet heats and cooks.
After loading a cold pan with one cup of pancake batter, I turned the heat on and let it cook for two minutes. Normally, you'd add pancake batter to a preheated pan but here I want the batter to spread evenly and settle in the pan before cooking so I can really see if they have hot or cold spots. I flipped the pancake out of the pan and upside down. Yes, it was a messy business, but what was revealed on the other side were pancake gradients that shed light on each pan's ability to cook evenly across its surface.
Browning a pancake shows us how evenly a pan cooks and how well it releases a notoriously sticky breakfast food.
Other considerations
While performing these tests, I'm also careful to note other factors like a pan's overall size, weight and balance on the stove. I also consider the height and slope angle of its sides as well as the angle and construction of the handle. Some of these factors are admittedly subjective, especially handle comfort, so it might make sense to find a cookware superstore and test various handles before making a final selection.
It might seem like a small thing, but the handle angle can make a big difference in maneuvering the pan. I like the subtle slope of Misen's nonstick frying pan. The rubber sheath was easy on my hand.
Durability of nonstick coatings
This is a trickier factor to assess. Ultimately, you'll want your nonstick coating to last as long as possible, but you're really only able to gauge this with consistent use over time. In my experience, decent nonstick frying pans will last anywhere from three to four years before they really start to break down. While I don't have the luxury of testing each pan's durability over that timespan, I do look deep into reviews on each pan to see if there were any red flags or patterns that might suggest they corrode faster.
If your nonstick skillet looks anything like this, it's time to pony up for a fresh pan.
While no nonstick pan will last forever, our top pick the Misen as well as the All-Clad set feature three layers of nonstick coating which should conceivably give them a longer life.
Price was one of the biggest factors
Because of the short lifespan, you'd be wise not to spend a fortune on one nonstick skillet. Besides the HexClad which offers a unique hybrid surface intended to withstand metal utensils and wear and tear, I don't recommend spending more than $60 or $70 on a single nonstick pan.
If you go too cheap (pans under $40 or so), you'll find that nonstick coatings start to corrode much more quickly and you'll need to replace them sooner. I've made this mistake before and it's simply not worth the hassle just to save a few bucks.
Cost and value were some of the biggest determining factors I considered when choosing the best nonstick fry pans for 2024.
Quick guide to caring for your nonstick cookware
- You should never use metal utensils on nonstick skillets since they will scrape and scratch the coating and cause the pan to lose its nonstick properties much faster.
- Nonstick cooking spray is also not recommended for PTFE-coated pans. It can lead to a filmy buildup over time. Butter or natural cooking oil is your friend but a good, new nonstick pan shouldn't need much help.
- Don't use high heat when cooking with your nonstick pan. Scorching temps will damage the sensitive nonstick surface.
- Always handwash your nonstick pan. Some skillets are technically "dishwasher safe" but exposing them to that much hot water and soap for long periods will erode the nonstick surface over time. Plus, quality nonstick pans generally don't take more than a few soft wipes with a wet sponge and hot water to get clean.
- Storing nonstick cookware properly is also paramount. If you're going to stack it, use rubber or felt separators to protect the nonstick finish.