Our Favorite Pans for Searing, Sauteing, and Frying

I recently spoke with James Beard-nominated chef Julia Sullivan, who told me this pan could “replace all of the pans in my kitchen.” She was right. The Blue Carbon Steel Frying Pan offers the best of both cast iron and stainless steel. It offers heat retention, is lightweight, easy to clean, and is even shaped a bit like a wok, making it excellent to sauté veggies in, too.

If you love cast iron too much to switch, but still want an upgrade, this one from Field Company is the echelon of cast iron cooking. Somehow, they made a cast iron skillet that offers the heat retention and non-stick capabilities we all love from cast iron that is both “lightweight and smooth,” as well. The pan comes pre-seasoned, and you can barely feel the metal rivulets on the interior, making it great for cooking more delicate foods in.

Scouted Editor Jillian Lucas says The Always Pan can be “used for practically anything.” The ceramic nonstick pan is great for sauteing, simmering, and more. It has two pour spouts, a steamer attachment (that can also be used as a colander) and a spoon rest on the handle. It can truly do any task you put it to.

Scouted Contributor Elinor Walker says this is a nonstick pan “that actually lasts.” Whereas others lose their coating after about a year, Elinor has had this pan for five years and says “there is still not a chip, scratch, or morsel of food to be found on it.” The porcelain enamel acts as a durable, lightweight insulator, and plus, the pan is both oven and dishwasher safe.

If you’re considering a wok, Wilson Tang of Nom Wah in NYC says this pan will make you think twice. He told me that “most woks aren’t compatible with home cooks' stovetops,” and instead recommended the T-fal 12.5-inch pan “because of the surface area on the bottom for frying.”