Pans guide
The pan is the material
There is no such thing as a good pan, only the right material for what you are cooking. Five materials, five different agreements about who does the work.
Seasoned iron is non-stick, and it is the non-stick that lasts
Carbon steel and spun iron arrive bare and build a surface as you use them. De Buyer are explicit that seasoning produces a dark patina which increases the pan's non-stick properties, and Netherton Foundry describe their spun iron as the non-stick pan for people who hate non-stick pans, supplied pre-seasoned so it works from the first use.
The agreement is simple. You keep it dry, you cook fat in it, and in exchange the surface improves for thirty years instead of degrading for three. The cost is that it will rust if left wet overnight, and that tomatoes and wine strip the patina you have built.
- Seasoning builds a patina that makes the pan more non-stick over time. Borough Kitchen
- Netherton describe spun iron as the non-stick option for people who dislike coatings. Sous Chef
- It is supplied already seasoned. Sous Chef
Coated non-stick is a consumable, and the warranty knows it
A coated pan is the only item in a kitchen that is designed to wear out. That is not a scandal, it is a trade: nothing else releases an egg like it on day one. Price it as four or five years of use rather than as furniture and it is good value.
The detail worth knowing is in the small print. Scanpan warn against aerosol cooking sprays because the propellants burn at low temperatures and leave residue that cannot be removed, and state that damage from them is not covered by their warranty. Almost everybody uses spray on a non-stick pan, and almost nobody reads that sentence.
Cast iron is thermal mass, which is a feature and a weight
Cast iron is slow to heat and slow to let go, which is exactly what you want for a steak, a braise or anything that must not drop temperature when cold food hits it. It is also heavy enough that lifting a full casserole out of an oven is a two-handed job you should think about before buying the biggest one.
Enamelled cast iron takes the acid problem away and gives up the patina in exchange, which is why it is the braising pan rather than the frying pan in most kitchens.
Copper is response, and three-ply is the compromise
Copper changes temperature almost as fast as you change the hob, which matters for sauces, sugar and anything you can ruin in ten seconds. It is dear, it wants cleaning, and in a domestic kitchen it is a specialist rather than a workhorse.
Fully clad three-ply stainless is the sensible default and the one to own most of: a layer of aluminium between two of steel, so the sides heat as well as the base, and dishwasher-safe with a lifetime guarantee. Le Creuset describe exactly that trade on their three-ply range. It will never be the best pan for any one job and it will be adequate for all of them.
- The three-ply range is dishwasher safe and carries a lifetime guarantee. Le Creuset
Induction changed which of these you can buy
If your hob is induction the material question narrows before you start, because the pan has to be magnetic. Cast iron and carbon steel are fine. Copper and aluminium are not, unless the maker has built a steel layer into the base specifically for it, which is why De Buyer sell an induction version of their copper pan with a magnetic stainless base.
Check this before anything else. It is the one specification that turns an excellent pan into an ornament.
- The copper pan is sold in a named induction version. Sous Chef
What a connoisseur actually does
Own three and stop: a seasoned iron or carbon steel frying pan for heat and eggs, a fully clad three-ply saucepan or saute for everything else, and one enamelled cast iron casserole for braising. Add a coated non-stick only if you cook a lot of eggs and omelettes, and treat it as a four-year item.
Do not buy a set. Do not buy copper until you have wanted it for a specific job. And never, under any circumstances, use aerosol spray in a coated pan.
Pans we have judged for this
Researched 2026-10-20. Prices are what the retailer asked on that date.