The 4 Best Nonstick Pans of 2023

A nonstick pan is the best tool for cooking fluffy omelets, whisper-thin crepes, and delicate fish fillets—without the risk of food sticking to the bottom.

After cooking many dozens of eggs in more than 25 pans since 2016, we still think the Tramontina Professional 10-Inch Restaurant Fry Pan offers the best value for the money—in some cases, it outperforms pans that are more than triple the price.

For over four years, we cooked in the same model that we tested in 2016. And though it wasn't brand-new-slick by the time I donated it in 2020, it still released fried eggs and omelets without resistance. In addition to its durable coating, the Tramontina pan offers good heat distribution and excellent maneuverability.

We recommend pans that quickly release fried eggs, omelets, and pancakes with little to no effort on our part.

We regularly check in with folks who use our picks on how well these pans wear over time.

A quality, long-lasting nonstick skillet doesn't have to cost more than $50. Some cost significantly less.

We tested—and recommend—pans that work on all types of cooktops, even induction.

With its classic flared-lip shape, slick nonstick coating, and comfortable handle, this quality pan will last for years.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $33.

This variant of the Tramontina Professional nonstick pan, made specifically for Walmart, functions identically to our pick, with minor aesthetic differences. It also costs less.

In our tests, the Tramontina Professional 10-Inch Restaurant Fry Pan distributed heat more evenly than other nonstick pans, thanks to its thick, cast-aluminum construction. The flared edge let us easily scrape the corners with a spatula, flip fried eggs, and slide omelets onto a plate. This lightweight pan is easy to maneuver, and we appreciate its comfortable-to-hold handle, with a removable silicone sheath for heat protection. With proper care, the Tramontina pan's nonstick coating should stay slick and scratch-free for at least four years (based on our experience so far). If you have an induction cooktop, however, go with one of our other picks, because this Tramontina pan isn't induction-compatible.

Note that you can find variants of the 10-inch Tramontina pan sold specifically by retailers like Sam's Club and Walmart. A Tramontina representative told us these variants are the same pan, aside from aesthetic differences (such as the color of the handle and the number of rivets). We tested the version from Walmart, which has two rivets instead of three, and a handle that's more maroon than red. True to the company's claim, it performed identically.

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The Nordic Ware pan's design is very similar to that of the Tramontina pan, and it performs just as well, though its surface isn't as smooth to the touch. The inner rivets are nonstick-coated for easier cleaning, a feature many pans lack.

If for some reason our top pick is sold out, or if you can find it for a lower price, the Nordic Ware Restaurant Cookware 10.5-Inch Nonstick Fry Pan is a solid choice. It's made from cast aluminum and has flared sides, a bent lip, and a silicone handle—just like our top pick, the Tramontina pan. (Also like our top pick, it won't work on induction cooktops.) The Nordic Ware pan's coating isn't as smooth to the touch, but that didn't impact its nonstick qualities. Eggs and crepes released from the pan just as easily as from our other picks. The Nordic Ware's nonstick-coated inner rivets (which some folks find easier to clean than uncoated ones) are an added perk that the Tramontina pan doesn't have. The Nordic Ware pan is a sound option, but it's not our top pick because it typically costs a bit more than the Tramontina nonstick skillet.

This heavy-bottomed pan is a solid choice if you cook on induction. It heats up quickly and evenly, and it's super-slick.

If you cook on an induction cooktop, you’ll want a nonstick skillet with an encapsulated disk—a thick, tri-ply steel and aluminum plate—welded to the bottom of the pan. Induction burners generate heat with a magnetic field, so the base of the pan needs to contain ferrous metals, like iron and steel, in order to work on induction. Of the encapsulated-bottomed skillets we tested, the Tramontina Tri-Ply Base 10-Inch Nonstick Fry Pan is our pick for folks who cook on induction ranges. It heated up quickly and evenly when used with our top-pick portable induction burner, and its smooth, hollow, stainless steel handle is comfortable to hold and stays cool. However, we don't recommend pans with an encapsulated bottom for use on radiant-heat cooktops, such as gas, electric coil, and glass. These cooking surfaces tend to overheat the pan's sides, resulting in hot spots that can accelerate the breakdown of nonstick coating.

With its classic flared-lip shape, slick nonstick coating, and comfortable handle, this quality pan will last for years.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $33.

This variant of the Tramontina Professional nonstick pan, made specifically for Walmart, functions identically to our pick, with minor aesthetic differences. It also costs less.

The Nordic Ware pan's design is very similar to that of the Tramontina pan, and it performs just as well, though its surface isn't as smooth to the touch. The inner rivets are nonstick-coated for easier cleaning, a feature many pans lack.

This heavy-bottomed pan is a solid choice if you cook on induction. It heats up quickly and evenly, and it's super-slick.

I worked the omelet station during the Sunday grand buffet at the California Culinary Academy, as part of a work-study program while I was a student there. My second day on the job, the chef handed me three brand-new nonstick pans and told me to take good care of them. When my shift was over, I dropped off the pans at the dish station. About 20 minutes later, I went back, only to find that the once-pristine egg pans were ruined after the dishwasher subjected them to a stainless steel scrubber. The chef just shook his head and told me it was my job to figure out how I was going to make decent omelets with trashed pans. Even though I actively avoided brunch shifts in restaurants throughout my career, I will never forget the lesson I learned that day. Whether in restaurants or in test kitchens, I make sure to treat nonstick pans with the same care and attention as I do my personal knives.

In addition to drawing on personal experience, I pored over science literature and editorial sources to get the skinny on what makes a great nonstick pan and how to safely cook in one. I spoke with Penny Rosema, of the Cookware & Bakeware Alliance (previously the Cookware Manufacturers Association); Cynthia Salitsky, former global communications leader for Chemours (DuPont); and Kurt Mecray, technical marketing manager for P.P.G. Whitford. I also looked at respected editorial sources, including Cooking For Engineers and Serious Eats.

It's useful to have at least one nonstick skillet in your kitchen for cooking eggs, fish fillets, or other delicate items. A nonstick pan is also great for beginner cooks or anyone who wants something that's easy to use and to clean. The slick coating allows you to use less oil and cook over moderately low heat without the risk of food sticking to the pan.

But nonstick cookware has some drawbacks, primarily that it's easy to damage and has a shorter lifespan than uncoated cookware. All nonstick coatings—whether they’re PTFE or ceramic—are delicate and will eventually wear out. That's why even though we think nonstick coated pans are convenient to use, we advise against buying a large set of nonstick cookware—you don't want to have to replace the whole set every few years. Most folks need only one or two nonstick skillets to round out their cookware collection.

If you cook on induction—technology that works only with magnetic materials—check to make sure you get a skillet that's compatible with your cooktop, like our pick with a tri-ply base. Many, if not most, nonstick skillets are made only of aluminum, which won't work on induction.

We’ve been covering nonstick cookware since 2016, and we understand how confusing the subject can be. Branding jargon such as "diamond" or "ceramic titanium" is unclear, and it makes comparison shopping a daunting task. But when we cut through all of that hyped-up marketing verbiage, we found that there are only two main types of nonstick coatings.

Short for polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE is a synthetic polymer that repels water and reduces friction. Not only is it used for cookware, but it's also a common material in joint replacements, among other applications. Teflon is the most famous PTFE coating, but other companies make proprietary cookware coatings too. For PTFE used on cookware, two of the major producers are PPG (formerly Whitford) and Chemours (which produces Teflon and is a subsidiary of DuPont). In our experience, many big-name cookware brands use a coating from one of these two companies. For instance, our top and runner-up picks have PPG coatings.

In recent years, Teflon (and PTFE in general) has been under scrutiny, mostly because it used to be produced using PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) or PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate), chemicals that have since been shown to cause a number of health problems in humans when ingested. There was no proven risk in cooking with nonstick surfaces made with PFOA or PFOS—these chemicals were barely present, if at all, in the pans themselves—but it was a health hazard for people working in and living around factories that produced PTFE. Nonstick manufacturers have now phased out PFOA and replaced it with other per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); these break down faster, but their health effects are still being studied. You can read more on PFAS later in this guide.

This is not actually ceramic but instead a ceramic-like coating called sol-gel (short for "solution-gel"). Sol-gel coatings don't use polyfluoroalkyl polymers like PTFE but instead are silica-based. For that reason they’re often touted as being "greener" or better for you, but neither claim has much evidence to back it up. Ceramic-coated cookware is relatively new, and there's little research on its possible impacts on the environment or human health.

The biggest issue with "ceramic" coated pans is that their nonstick properties don't last as long as those coated with PTFE. According to the Cookware & Bakeware Alliance (PDF), "Initial nonstick properties of sol-gel coatings are excellent … However, ceramics rely on siloxane chemistry for nonstick properties, so the release characteristic may diminish over time. By comparison, conventional nonstick PTFE coatings provide very good release for a longer period of time." Unlike PTFE (where the coating itself is hydrophobic, making it nonstick), sol-gel coatings rely on the release of the silicone oil that's impregnated in the silica-based matrix. In other words, sol-gel gets its nonstick property from being a self-depleting substance, meaning that it releases a bit of silicone oil (on a molecular level) when heated to keep food from sticking. And there's a finite amount of silicone oil that a pan has to give, no matter how carefully you treat it.

This chart from PPG comparing its nonstick coatings—including Eclipse, which is used on our top and runner-up picks—states that its Fusion sol-gel coating "offers improved wear resistance compared to entry-level PTFE coatings." Simply put: Fusion sol-gel coating lasts longer than budget PTFE, but it doesn't compare to higher-quality, wear-resistant PTFE. All of our picks are coated with much more durable PTFE than what's considered entry level.

Anecdotally speaking, when I’ve talked to friends and family about their ceramic-coated cookware, their biggest complaint is its short lifespan—which seems to be around a year, depending on how often you use the pan and how well you treat it. When we tested trendy Instagram cookware in 2020, we found that the ceramic coating on the Caraway and Equal Parts pans started to degrade after three to six months of regular use. As described above, the decline was gradual—the pans didn't stop working entirely. But nonetheless, we’ve focused on pans with PTFE-based nonstick coatings because they last longer than those with sol-gel coatings (which is one reason ceramic pans aren't particularly "green," since you have to replace them more often).

A good nonstick pan has the traits of a traditional skillet—even heating, classic flared sides, good balance between body and handle—but it adds a slick coating to make it easier to cook delicate foods like eggs and fish. We narrowed our search mostly to open-stock, 10-inch pans, but we also included one set of two pans. We believe 10 inches is the best size to get if you want just one pan for cooking omelets or two fried eggs. But if you do want something larger to make, say, a stir-fry for four people, most of our picks come in multiple sizes. Beyond that, we selected our picks by looking for the following features:

Though we favored skillets that released food with little to no effort on our part, we quickly realized that some pans’ super-smooth coatings could reveal a design weakness: a slightly convex cooking surface. Flatness is important because the nonstick coating on an uneven surface causes butter and oil to slide to the lowest point, making it nearly impossible to get even coverage in a domed pan. A convex surface can also cause two fried eggs to migrate to opposite sides of the pan, making it hard to flip them without using a spatula.

A nonstick pan that distributes heat evenly across the cooking surface will not only keep your food from scorching but also last longer. Nonstick coating breaks down faster at high temperatures, so hot spots can shorten a pan's lifespan. We prefer skillets made from cast or anodized aluminum because it's an inexpensive material, an excellent heat conductor, and durable.

However, pans that are fully aluminum won't work on induction because they’re not magnetic. So to find a pick that would work on induction, we also tested aluminum pans with either a bonded steel plate on the bottom or an encapsulated bottom (a thick layer of aluminum encased in stainless steel). We think you’re better off with the latter, since these heavy-bottomed pans are less likely to warp, and they heat up faster on induction cooktops, in our experience.

Stainless steel tri-ply (aluminum sandwiched by two layers of stainless steel) also works on induction and is an excellent material for even heat distribution. But fully clad tri-ply nonstick pans are much more expensive than their aluminum counterparts, and paying more for a pan that will last only a few years is generally not worth it.

Just as with traditional skillets, nonstick pans with flared sides perform the best. The wide shape enables quick and accurate flipping without the use of a spatula. And even if you’re more inclined to use a turner, the wide flare offers more room to maneuver under food than straight sides do. Flared sides also promote more evaporation, which means less water collects in the skillet, and foods develop a golden crust. A bent lip is a bonus that makes it easy to pour off liquids (like excess grease or batter) with minimal dripping.

Skillets with weight balanced between the handle and the body are the most stable and sit flat on the burner. The latter is especially important when you’re using induction or ceramic cooktops, where full contact with the burner is key. Well-balanced pans also make it easier to swirl crepe batter and flip delicate foods. But balance doesn't mean much if the handle is uncomfortable to grip or awkwardly angled.

The surface on a brand-new nonstick pan is the slickest it will ever be before it makes the slow march toward ineffectiveness through use and wear. Even with proper care, any nonstick skillet has a shorter lifespan than other cookware because the nonstick coating will inevitably wear off. We think $30 to $60 is plenty to spend on a piece of cookware that will give you three to five years of use.

Though many pans come with a limited lifetime warranty, these guarantees won't cover wear and tear (like surface scratches and gradual breakdown of the nonstick coating) or misuse and abuse. Read the instruction manual that comes with any nonstick pan you buy, since some things—like using nonstick cooking spray or putting your pan in the dishwasher—will void the warranty.

When we first tested nonstick pans, in 2016, we conducted a full battery of tests that included making French omelets, fried eggs over easy, seared tilapia fillets, hash browns, and crepes. In the process, we realized the tests had a lot of redundancy. For example, searing delicate tilapia didn't show us anything different than frying eggs over easy did. And crepes exhibited the same browning pattern as hash browns.

For previous updates, from 2017 to 2021, we pared down our testing to cooking French omelets, fried eggs over easy, and crepes. French omelets are traditionally fluffy and colorless, so we used them to test how gently the skillets cooked eggs without browning and how quickly they released. Flipping fried eggs over easy is a delicate task, and we looked for pans with flared sides that made this simple to do without the help of a spatula. Making tall stacks of crepes helped us judge how comfortable and maneuverable each pan felt in the hand while we swirled the batter across the surface. The browning pattern on the crepes themselves also showed us how well each pan distributed heat across the cooking surface. To test how well induction-friendly pans distributed heat, we dusted the encapsulated-bottomed pans with a light coating of flour and heated them over medium heat on a portable induction burner. As the flour browned, it gave us an even clearer picture of hot spots and allowed us to judge how quickly each pan heated up.

For the 2022 update, we still cooked fried eggs and French omelets in each pan, and we browned flour in the induction skillets. However, we decided to cook pancakes instead of crepes because that seemed like a more real-world use for home cooks.

With its classic flared-lip shape, slick nonstick coating, and comfortable handle, this quality pan will last for years.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $33.

This variant of the Tramontina Professional nonstick pan, made specifically for Walmart, functions identically to our pick, with minor aesthetic differences. It also costs less.

The Tramontina Professional 10-Inch Restaurant Fry Pan is superbly nonstick, excellent at evenly distributing heat, easily maneuverable, and affordable. The handle is comfortable to hold and comes with a removable silicone sheath. The 10-inch pan's surface is the perfect size for cooking a three-egg omelet, and its flared sides are well angled, for easy flipping. We also like that this pan is available in four sizes (8, 10, 12, and 14 inches) to accommodate different cooking needs.

The Tramontina Professional pan's nonstick coating (PPG Eclipse) is smooth and slick. We found that it easily released food through repeated tests. Pale-yellow omelets effortlessly slid from this pan, as did tilapia fillets. We know that nonstick pans are best when they’re brand new, and age is the true test of value. For over four years at home, I regularly used the first Tramontina 10-inch nonstick pan we tested in 2016. After all that time its nonstick coating had dulled a bit, but it still released eggs and fish fillets without resistance. In 2020 I replaced the old Tramontina pan with a new one, to compare its wear resistance and longevity to that of our runner-up pick, the Nordic Ware pan.

We were impressed with how the Tramontina Professional pan yielded evenly golden crepes and fluffy yellow French omelets. The thick, cast-aluminum construction helps disperse consistent heat across the cooking surface, resulting in fewer hot spots and better heat control. By comparison, the Anolon Advanced pan showed the most extreme browning and got very hot when we placed it over the same heat setting.

The Tramontina pan's wide-angle curves made flipping fried eggs and fish simple, keeping yolks and fillets intact. We also noticed how easily maneuverable the Tramontina pan was as we repeatedly swirled crepe batter. The pan's comfortable-to-hold handle and good balance kept hand and arm fatigue at bay, and the bent lip allowed us to cleanly pour out excess crepe batter without any rogue drips. Trying to pour batter out of pans with straight lips, like the Scanpan and Swiss Diamond skillets, was a different story: Batter dripped down the sides of each pan and onto the stove and countertops.

Even though we didn't test these pans in the oven, Tramontina Professional promises its skillet is good up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. So go ahead and make frittatas and Spanish tortillas without worrying about damage. We also like that the silicone sheath on the handle is removable, so you can choose whether or not to use it (I personally chose not to use the sheath because I like holding pans with a folded dish towel).

Tramontina Professional uses PPG Eclipse nonstick coating on this skillet. PPG claims that Eclipse has "high abrasion resistance," and if this chart is an indicator of durability, it's the second sturdiest coating the company makes. We can't speak to how this particular coating compares to similar ones from, say, DuPont. But we do know from hands-on experience that the Eclipse coating stays slick for years with proper use and care.

For what you get, the Tramontina Professional pan is a bargain. Because most nonstick cookware has a three- to five-year lifespan, $30 (give or take) is a reasonable price to pay. This pan also comes with a limited lifetime warranty that protects against manufacturer defects (like loose rivets, or coating that bubbles and flakes off) but not against general wear and tear, misuse, or abuse.

You can sometimes find the Tramontina Professional nonstick pan by a different name at certain retailers. A Tramontina representative informed us that other retailer-specific variants—such as the Tramontina Professional Aluminum 10″ Non-Stick Fry Pan (sold at Walmart) and the Member's Mark Nonstick 10″ Restaurant Fry Pan (sold at Sam's Club)—have the same nonstick coating and perform essentially the same, differing only in small details (like the color of the handle and the number of rivets). We cooked flawless omelets in the version from Walmart, which has a slightly different handle and two rivets instead of three, and it performed identically to our pick.

Several Wirecutter staff members use the Tramontina Professional pan for their personal cooking, and for the most part, they report that the pan has held up well. Senior staff writer Kimber Streams told us that the 8-inch Tramontina skillet they purchased in 2018 is still "the best egg pan" after five years of frequent use.

Senior engineering manager Polina Grinbaum has been using her nonstick skillet almost daily for two years. Polina said she likes that the Tramontina pan is well balanced, comfortable to hold, and oven-safe. She also reported that her husband (the primary dishwasher in their household) said "it's the easiest pan to clean that we have."

Wirecutter editor Phil Ryan has been cooking in his Tramontina nonstick skillets almost daily for over three years and confirms that they’re still slick. Phil's only minor complaint (one shared by senior editor Grant Clauser) is that he wished this skillet came with a lid. But even though there's no corresponding lid for this pan, chances are good that many folks already have a lid—from another piece of cookware kicking around their kitchen cabinets—that would do the trick.

This pan does have a couple of minor flaws. It's not compatible with induction cooktops (though the Tramontina Tri-Ply, our pick for induction, is). Also, the rivets that secure the handle to the pan don't have a nonstick coating. Although coated rivets are a nice feature, because they make cleanup easier, we don't think having to scrub a little egg off of some bare aluminum is a dealbreaker.

The Nordic Ware pan's design is very similar to that of the Tramontina pan, and it performs just as well, though its surface isn't as smooth to the touch. The inner rivets are nonstick-coated for easier cleaning, a feature many pans lack.

If our top pick is sold out, or if you can find this pan for cheaper, we think the Nordic Ware Restaurant Cookware 10.5-Inch Nonstick Fry Pan is a solid second choice. It has a similar shape and handle to the Tramontina Professional pan, with a slightly larger cooking surface (8 inches versus 7¾ inches). And the Nordic Ware pan has the added feature of nonstick-coated interior rivets, which some people find easier to clean. Both pans are made from lightweight, even-heating cast aluminum. The most noticeable difference between the two skillets is that the Nordic Ware pan's nonstick surface is a little rougher to the touch than the Tramontina pan's (though the coating itself is the same). But that didn't affect the Nordic Ware pan's nonstick effectiveness. We were still able to flip fried eggs and roll up fluffy yellow omelets with ease. The reason this pan is not our top pick is that it typically costs a little more than the Tramontina pan, and they perform virtually the same.

The Nordic Ware nonstick skillet distributes heat very well. Our omelets and crepes cooked evenly across the surface and showed no signs of obvious hot spots. The flared sides allowed for easy egg flipping, and the bent lip allowed us to pour hot grease and excess crepe batter from the pan with no drips escaping down the side. Though its surface feels a little rougher, the Nordic Ware pan has the same nonstick coating as the Tramontina pan (Eclipse, which PPG says is one of its most durable coatings). Since we first recommended the Nordic Ware pan in 2020, we can attest that it maintains its nonstick properties when it's properly used and cared for.

The silicone sheath fits snugly on the handle, so it can be a pain to remove (I have strong hands, and it took some muscle to get that thing off). But the grip is nice and secure. Both the skillet and the silicone handle are oven-safe up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and the pan is available in three sizes: 8, 10, and 12 inches.

Nordic Ware backs this nonstick skillet with a limited 20-year warranty that covers workmanship defects. However, damage from metal utensils, scour pads, high heat, or the dishwasher voids the warranty.

I’ve been using the Nordic Ware nonstick skillet in my home since 2020. I swap between this pan and a Tramontina Professional pan every couple of weeks. So the Nordic Ware pan doesn't get as much use as it would if it were my only nonstick skillet. I cook eggs almost every day, and I can confidently say that both pans wear and age the same. The Tramontina Professional skillet will always be ever-so-slightly slicker than the Nordic Ware pan, due to the former's smoother surface. But unless you’re using them side by side, you won't know the difference.

This heavy-bottomed pan is a solid choice if you cook on induction. It heats up quickly and evenly, and it's super-slick.

If you have an induction cooktop, all-aluminum pans, like our top and runner-up picks, won't work. You’re best off with a skillet that has an encapsulated bottom. And we like the Tramontina Tri-Ply Base 10-Inch Nonstick Fry Pan because it has a super-slick surface, a bent lip, wide flared sides, and a comfortable-to-hold handle. It evenly distributes heat across the cooking surface, too. (To be clear: Encapsulated cookware is ideal for induction cooktops, but we don't think it's the best choice for radiant-heat cooktops—namely gas, electric coil, glass, and ceramic. That's because radiant heat tends to overheat the sides of a pan, resulting in hot spots. And intense hot spots cause the nonstick coating to degrade faster.)

The nonstick surface makes cooking in the stainless steel Tramontina Tri-Ply—and cleaning it afterward—easy. The high, flared sides allow you to comfortably flip food with a spatula. And, as with our other picks, this pan's bent lip lets you pour out hot grease without any dribbling on your countertops or down the side of the pan.

In our tests, we found that the Tramontina Tri-Ply heated quickly and evenly on a portable induction cooktop. It produced pancakes that were consistently golden to the edges, as well as fluffy, pale-yellow omelets. The tri-ply base also evenly toasted flour across the cooking surface. The Tramontina Tri-Ply pan's browning and heat distribution slightly outperformed that of the Cuisinart Chef's Classic Pro pan, possibly because its encapsulated disk is a tiny bit thicker than the one on the Cuisinart pan.

During our tests, the Tramontina Tri-Ply pan's hollow, oval-shaped stainless steel handle stayed cool and felt good in the hand. Compared with the similarly hollow, stainless steel handle on the Ozeri pan we tested, the Tramontina pan's handle felt more secure. And thanks to its flattened oval shape, the Tramontina handle won't slide around as much if your hands are wet or a little greasy.

This pan uses Starflon T5 nonstick coating, which seems to be a proprietary coating exclusive to Tramontina cookware. At this time, we don't have any information on how Starflon T5 compares to Eclipse (the coating used on our top and runner-up picks). The Tramontina Tri-Ply nonstick skillet is oven-safe up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, and it is available in three sizes: 8, 10, and 12 inches. It's backed by a "lifetime warranty" that covers your pan "if it is found to be defective under normal, noncommercial household use and when cared for according to the manufacturer's instruction." As usual, since nonstick pans have a finite lifespan, the warranty excludes "normal wear and tear … defects caused by accidents, fire, abuse or misuse of the products or not following the use and care instructions."

If you want a pan with a roomy cooking surface: There are many things to like about Misen's Nonstick Pan, including superb heat distribution, a solid flat base for good weight and balance, and a comfortable-to-hold, silicone-sheathed handle. The generous 9-inch cooking surface is 1¼ inches larger than that of the Tramontina Pro, and it provides more room for, say, larger fish fillets or squeezing in an extra pancake. So why isn't this pan a pick? For one thing, the 10-inch Misen pan is currently $55, and we don't have hard evidence that the nonstick coating will stay slick long enough to warrant the relatively high price. Also, it seems to go out of stock more often than our picks.

If you want an attractive set of skillets: The 8- and 10-inch skillets included in the All-Clad HA1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Fry Pan Set are thick, slick, and suitable for all cooktops, including induction. In our tests, this set performed on par with our top pick, the Tramontina Professional. Like our top pick, the All-Clad pans have aluminum bodies, bent lips, and riveted cast stainless steel handles. Unlike the Tramontina, which has flared sides, the All-Clad's sides are more upright, which cramped our range of motion when using a spatula to flip fried eggs. Even though the set is on the expensive side, we still think it's a decent value; the pans are sturdy and crafted from thick-gauge anodized aluminum, which evenly distributes heat across the cooking surface.

Because they have a bonded steel plate on the bottom, the All-Clad pans will work on induction ranges. However, if induction is your primary cooktop, we suggest that you opt for a nonstick pan with an encapsulated bottom, like the Tramontina Tri-Ply, which heats up faster and more evenly on induction.

If you want a great pan for induction (provided you can find it): The Ozeri 10-Inch Stainless Steel Pan with Nonstick Coating, our former pick for induction cooktops, is still a solid choice. It's no longer a pick because of spotty availability due to supply-chain issues. We still like the Ozeri pan for its flared sides, bent lip, coated rivets, and super-slick coating. In our tests, it heated evenly and felt balanced and substantial. However, our long-term tester, Wirecutter senior editor Marguerite Preston, found that the smooth stainless steel handle was too slippery to grip when her hands were wet or a little greasy. She recommends using a dish towel to grab the handle. An important detail to keep in mind when purchasing the Ozeri pan: Be sure you’re buying the version with the black nonstick coating and not the bronze. There are many negative reviews on Amazon saying that the bronze coating starts to chip after a short amount of time.

If you like a straight-sided pan: For the 2022 update of this guide, we also tested the Cuisinart Chef's Classic Pro 10-Inch Nonstick Pan. This pan boasts a slick cooking surface, a bent lip, and a riveted handle. The Cuisinart pan's sides are straighter than those of our other induction picks. We prefer pans with wide flared sides because there's more room to maneuver a spatula under food for a clean flip. In our tests, we found that the Cuisinart pan's straight-sided design made it difficult to flip fried eggs with a silicone spatula. That said, we were pleased with the French omelet and golden pancakes we cooked in the Cuisinart Chef's Classic Pro.

Many people are concerned that using nonstick cookware is dangerous to their health. The issue is complicated, and we’ll get into the details below. But in broad strokes: PTFE is made using chemicals that could cause a variety of health issues if, for instance, they enter your water supply. However, as noted by the American Cancer Society, the chemicals are barely present, if at all, in the final PTFE product coating your nonstick pan. So as far as we know, PTFE is safe to cook with, especially over medium and low heat. (We don't recommend using pans with this coating over searing high heat, since it can degrade the PTFE, releasing fumes that are toxic enough to kill birds.) People working in or living near factories that manufacture PTFE, however, could be at risk.

PTFE coatings get their questionable reputation from a time when they were produced using either PFOA or PFOS, which are (along with PTFE itself) part of a larger group of chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). You may have seen PFOA and PFOS in the news due to the harm they’ve caused as pollutants. Sometimes referred to as "forever chemicals," they linger in the environment and the body for a long time, and they’ve been linked to a number of health issues (PDF), including cancer.

Nonstick coatings in the US are no longer produced using PFOA or PFOS. Manufacturers phased out both chemicals in the mid 2010s and replaced them with other PFAS, including GenX chemicals (a replacement for PFOA from Chemours, the maker of Teflon) and PFBS (a PFOS replacement manufactured by 3M). In theory, these newer, shorter-chain PFAS compounds are safer than PFOA and PFOS because they break down faster and therefore may not remain in the environment or bloodstream as long.

But the new PFAS compounds haven't been in use long enough for us to know whether they have long-term effects on humans who are exposed to them. And studies in animals already show that the newer PFAS may still pose risks. The EPA reports that, "following oral exposure [in animals] ... GenX chemicals have been linked to health effects on the liver, the kidney, the immune system, and developmental effects, as well as cancer. PFBS has been linked to health effects on the thyroid, reproductive system, development, and kidney."

The EPA under the current administration seems to be concerned about PFAS as a whole, and it says it is working to research these compounds more thoroughly. As of June 2022, the EPA has issued an interim updated health advisory (PDF) on PFOA and PFOS in drinking water, significantly lowering the level at which water is considered to be contaminated. At the same time, it issued a new health advisory for GenX and PFBS (although at higher doses than the health advisory for PFOA and PFOS). The agency has also proposed designating PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (also known as CERCLA or Superfund), which would in part hold companies accountable for cleaning up PFOA and PFOS pollution.

All of which is to say that nonstick pans seem to be safe to cook with if used correctly at moderate temperatures. But there is real reason to be concerned about all PFAS as a pollutant, even if the newer ones appear to be less risky. There's also a lot we don't know, including which steps individual manufacturers are currently taking to protect their workers or prevent PFAS from entering the water supply. If that concerns you, there are PTFE-free cookware options that naturally develop nonstick qualities.

Because nonstick pans aren't heirloom pieces and the coating will eventually wear off, you will have to deal with disposal. But before you send your pan to the landfill, check to see whether you can recycle it. Many cities will take spent pans with the recycling (though some cities won't take coated pans, and you probably need to remove any plastic parts). If such a recycling system doesn't exist in your area, you can also try to take the pan to a scrap yard.

If you’re concerned about the environmental and public health impacts of PFAS compounds, there are other options. One popular alternative is ceramic nonstick cookware, which gets its nonstick properties from silica and silicone-based coatings. But we don't recommend it as a sustainable alternative to PTFE cookware. As discussed earlier, ceramic coatings have shorter lifespans than PTFE coatings, and they tend to lose their nonstick properties quite quickly. That means you’ll need to replace your pan more frequently, generating more waste.

Instead, consider a pan that will last a lifetime. Although it's not an apples-to-apples comparison, a pre-seasoned cast-iron skillet has decent initial release and will become smoother as you use it over time. We’re not trying to claim that cast iron is as slick out of the box as a new nonstick skillet, because it's definitely not. Cast iron is also quite a bit heavier. But the more you use it, the slicker it gets as it builds more layers of seasoning, and it will last much longer, possibly for generations.

Another more-sustainable option for a nonstick-adjacent pan is carbon steel. Like cast iron, carbon-steel pans are made from a combination of carbon and iron, and they develop a slick cooking surface via the layers of seasoning that develop with each use. They can last a lifetime if you care for them properly—and possibly even if you don't. If your carbon-steel pan gets rusty, there are a few ways to restore it to usable condition.

Wirecutter editor Gabriella Gershenson has been using the Made In 10-Inch carbon-steel skillet and the Mauviel 3651.28 M'Steel 11-Inch frying pan regularly in her home since 2019. They’ve taken the place of nonstick pans in her kitchen, and she even prefers them to her cast-iron skillets most of the time. She said she liked how easy it was to season both pans—it took only an afternoon to get them slick enough to fry eggs without incident. (Some brands, like Made In, offer pre-seasoned pans as well, though Gabriella said she hasn't tried those.) She also enjoys how the carbon-steel pan can tolerate very high heat, puts a great sear on foods like fish and vegetables, and can go safely from stovetop to oven. A carbon-steel pan weighs more than a nonstick pan, but it is considerably lighter than its cast-iron counterpart (a 10-inch pan from Made In weighs 3 pounds, versus 4.29 pounds for the 10.25-inch version of our cast-iron skillet pick). Because carbon steel is more reactive than cast iron, it heats up (and cools down) much more quickly. Gabriella said she finds this especially convenient when preparing fast-cooking foods, like fried eggs and omelets.

Cast-iron and carbon-steel pans are both induction-compatible, too.

The coating on nonstick pans is delicate, to say the least. To prolong the life of your pan, follow these rules:

This is not a comprehensive list of everything we tested in previous iterations of this guide, just what's still available.

HexClad is a nonstick-coated fully clad stainless steel tri-ply pan with a raised stainless steel grid paving its surface—both interior and exterior. In our tests, eggs stuck to that uncoated grid, which yielded broken yolks and torn omelets. The HexClad did flawlessly release a golden pancake, though said pancake wasn't as evenly browned as the ones we made in our picks.

The OXO Good Grips Pro nonstick anodized aluminum skillet feels solid and well made. It has a slick coating and good balance. But it lacks enough bend in the lip to prevent grease and sauce from dribbling down the side of the pan while pouring. And although it is on a par with our picks in quality, it normally costs a bit more than most of them.

A number of new cookware startups offer nonstick skillets, but most are pricey and have persistent stock issues. Material Kitchen's 10.5-inch pan is currently $95, which is more than we think you should pay for a piece of cookware with such a limited lifespan.

Made In's tri-ply nonstick fry pan is similarly expensive, currently around $130, and we found it had some balance issues. The pan tilts back toward the handle—a bit of a safety issue if the pan contains hot oil and nothing else. That also means it doesn't sit flat—a real problem for induction cooktops, which rely on flush contact to heat properly.

Our former runner-up pick, the Cuisinart Contour Hard Anodized nonstick pan, is still a good choice. But its price is too steep to justify, given this pan's incompatibility with induction cooktops.

The stainless tri-ply All-Clad 10-Inch Non-Stick Fry Pan is no longer our upgrade pick. This All-Clad pan is still a stellar performer across all cooktops, but there are now much less expensive pans that cook on induction. Since nonstick pans have a relatively short lifespan, we think its current price of $190 is way too much to spend for one.

The Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Nonstick Stainless Steel Skillet has availability issues. But probably even more important: The most common complaint among Amazon reviewers is that the nonstick coating peels off in sheets.

The Tramontina Professional Fusion Nonstick Fry Pan features a rivetless design, for easier cleaning. We wanted to love this pan, but it has a slightly domed cooking surface that sends oil and eggs racing to the edge.

In our search to find a great budget pan, we tested the T-fal Initiatives Fry Pan. It was an adequate performer in our tests, but it felt pretty flimsy. We think that the Tramontina pan, our top pick, is a better-quality pan for around the same price.

The T-fal Titanium Advanced has a large cooking surface and high, steep sides (which made flipping eggs and rolling omelets a chore for us).

The T-fal ProGrade Titanium Nonstick Fry Pan has flared sides that are great for tossing and flipping, and the surface is nice and slick. But we all agreed that the bulky handle was too big, especially with folded towels or hot pads.

The Vollrath Wear-Ever Ever-Smooth Fry Pan With CeramiGuard II Non-Stick is a pro-style coated aluminum skillet with excellent heat distribution and handling. We even loved the nonstick-coated rivets. But we can't recommend this pan because using it in a home kitchen (as opposed to a restaurant kitchen) voids the warranty.

The Scanpan Classic Fry Pan has a big cooking surface that's too large for three-egg omelets. We couldn't make an even layer of eggs before folding, and that resulted in a lumpy omelet. The pan's straight sides yielded half-flipped hash browns. It did have good heat distribution, though.

The Swiss Diamond Nonstick Fry Pan is very similar to the Scanpan in design and handling but typically costs a lot more. It has a similarly large cooking surface and straight sides. And we had the same issues making omelets and flipping hash browns with the Swiss Diamond as we did with the Scanpan.

The Anolon Advanced 10-Inch French Skillet is a sturdily constructed anodized aluminum skillet with a riveted, silicone-coated handle. It has generously sloped sides and a bent lip, and it can survive oven temperatures up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The downsides of this pan are its small cooking surface (7 inches) and tendency to get very hot. When we cooked tilapia, the surface temperature rose to 486 degrees by the time the fish came out of the pan.

This article was edited by Gabriella Gershenson and Marguerite Preston.

We haven't found evidence that nonstick pans themselves are toxic, at least when used over low or medium heat. However, the PFAS compounds used to make PTFE nonstick coatings may pose a health risk as a drinking water pollutant. In other words, the production of nonstick pans could be toxic to factory workers and nearby communities, but the amount of PFAS in the finished product is minuscule and generally considered safe. Note, however, that while nonstick pans are currently considered safe, they should only be used over moderate heat. At high temperatures, PTFE can break down, releasing fumes toxic enough to kill birds. If you’re concerned about the health risks or environmental impact of PFAS, consider using a cast-iron or carbon-steel pan instead.

Ceramic coatings (which, despite the name, are actually made from a silica-based material called sol-gel) have a much shorter lifespan than PTFE coatings like Teflon. The biggest complaint we read and hear about ceramic is that it seems to lose its slickness after about a year of regular use. A pan with PTFE coating, on the other hand, can last up to five years if you use and maintain it with proper care.

We think the best alternative to nonstick pans is a well-seasoned cast-iron or carbon-steel pan. Yes, both skillets require more attention and care, especially as you build up the "seasoning" on the surface that makes them more slick. But well-maintained cast-iron and carbon-steel pans can last a lifetime and beyond.

The nonstick coating will lose its slickness over time—that's unavoidable. You’ll know it's time to replace your nonstick pan when delicate foods, such as eggs and fish fillets, stick to the surface. Also ditch your nonstick pan if the coating has deep scratches. But before you throw your pan in the trash, check your local recycling program to see whether it accepts cookware.

Kurt Mecray, technical marketing manager, P.P.G. Whitford, interview, July 28, 2022

Penny Rosema, managing director, Cookware Manufacturers Association, interview

Cynthia Salitsky, global communications leader, Chemours (DuPont), interview, March 29, 2016

The Cookware Advisor, What's In Your Non-Stick?, Cooking For Engineers, June 18, 2013

Nonstick Skillets (subscription required), Cook's Illustrated, October 1, 2016

J. Kenji López-Alt, 9 Essential Pots and Pans, Serious Eats, December 3, 2013

Alina Tugend, How Not to Wreck a Nonstick Pan, The New York Times, December 17, 2010

Maryellen Driscoll, Test Drive: Nonstick Skillets, Fine Cooking, February 1, 2009

Natalie Lazar, What do you mean it's not Teflon?? A Comprehensive Guide To Non-Stick Cookware, The Cookware Advisor

Lesley Stockton

Lesley Stockton is a senior staff writer reporting on all things cooking and entertaining for Wirecutter. Her expertise builds on a lifelong career in the culinary world—from a restaurant cook and caterer to a food editor at Martha Stewart. She is perfectly happy to leave all that behind to be a full-time kitchen-gear nerd.

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