Your guide to choosing the best frying pan for your kitchen

The frying pan is one of the most used items in the kitchen. We use it to cook meals, scramble eggs or make pancakes. You name it. You can literally choose from a wide variety of products, each claiming it’s the best in the market.

You’ll sometimes pay extra money for one pan just to end up with a low-quality pan that burns food, the top coat will start disappearing after a while and pancakes that stick. I’m sure you’re already thinking about that one frying pan right now. It’s tiring, to be honest. Having one pan that can stay in your kitchen as an investment is crucial. 

But what if I tell you that not all pans are made the same? Some of them are convenient to use like nonstick pans. And some of them are cheap and most of them can cause a lot of health problems in the long run. That’s right! So what to do? Do you need to buy the most expensive pan in the market? Will that solve the problem? Or do we actually need to know what material each pan is made of, and then we can decide what works best, and what doesn’t? 

So let’s look at the available options you have out there and let’s put a lens on each one of them and see which one ticks all the boxes.

What to look for in a pan

• Durable: Choose something that will stand the test of time. Something that, even if expensive, can stay with you for as long as you’re willing to use it. 

• Versatile: a versatile pan that can cook every single meal. One that doesn’t react to certain foods and doesn’t leach once it hits a certain degree. 

• Good value for money: expensive doesn’t always mean good quality. You can buy something affordable and you’ll be surprised at the quality of it. And you can also break the bank and end up with a trashy pan that doesn’t worth the price.

• Easy to maintain: we’re all about efficiency here. Why choose something high maintenance when you can choose something that ticks all the boxes and is easy to maintain? 

Frying pans

Cast iron

Need extra iron in your diet? Easy, cook with a cast iron pan. Cast iron is considered one of the safest options too. it’s naturally non-stick, and it’s durable and affordable. But cast iron comes with so many disadvantages, it’s heavy and doesn’t transmit heat evenly.

It can get rusty if you don’t dry it right after washing it. Not packing-friendly and it reacts to acidic foods, which makes it non-versatile. But I do find that cast irons are a must in every kitchen, as you can heavily rely on them without ever needing to replace them which makes them durable. It can also go into the oven and it’s compatible with all cooktops. I’ll give it a 7/10 for quality and durability.

Non-stick, AKA Tefal

non-stick pans are the cheapest option out there. You can buy them for as cheap as 3$.

They are easy to move around and maintain, and the eggs slide right off the pan once they’re cooked and you don’t actually need to add so much oil or butter. But once they’re heavily used for a few months, they’ll start to lose the top coat.

The eggs won’t slide as easily as they once did. And the pan will end up in the trash before you know it. Plus it’s not good for your health as the top layer is made of Teflon which is a form of plastic and you’ll actually ingest a small amount of it with every meal. And once there’s even the tiniest scratch, you’ll have to ditch it away unless you choose to carry on using it, which’s not a good idea. So did the non-stick check all the boxes? NO. I’ll give it a 4/10 

Aluminium

Aluminium Pans are an affordable option too. They heat up really fast, they cook almost every meal you want and they are lightweight and easy to maintain. But Aluminium unfortunately needs a lot of oil to make it non-stick and it scratches easily.  Making it hazardous to your health since you’ll be ingesting aluminium continuously. Raw Aluminium is also reactive to acidic foods. Which is going to make your food taste different. I’ll give it a 3/10  

Granite

Granite stone pans are non-toxic (as long as the pan isn’t scratched). Which makes them the safest option in the market. It requires just a little bit of oil and it’s durable. It doesn’t react to acidic food which means that your meals will taste good. But choose carefully as some companies produce cheap pans with thin granite layers. These will often scratch so easily and they are not heat resistant. Granite is also not safe for glass cooktops as you might risk breaking it. You’ll also need to always use wooden or silicone utensils. Not the most convenient to use. I’ll give it a 7/10  

Stainless steel

When choosing a stainless steel pan, opt for a high-quality one as low quality means it’s mixed with other materials, such as nickel and chromium. Stainless steel is considered safe to use, it’s durable and you can cook anything with it, without running the risk of reacting to acidic foods or leaching chemicals into your meals. It’s lightweight and easy to clean. It doesn’t rust and can go on top of any hub and oven. However, it’s not non-stick and it needs oil and preparation before it turns into a non-stick pan. Convenient? No. that’s an 8/10

Ceramic

Ceramic frying pans are a safe option, as they are made of durable metal and coated with kiln-baked clay. It’s better for your health but it’s not non-stick and you need to take good care of it as it has a short life span. Food can build up easily on it making it really hard to maintain and clean up. However, ceramic frying pans are non-reactive which means that you can still cook anything on them. They are also affordable.  That’s a 6/10

Copper

Copper is one of those things you buy for a crazy amount of money and then end up regret buying it. It’s expensive, high maintenance and can be toxic. It’s reactive to certain foods and will leach into your meals. That said, Copper has some advantages which are why chefs prefer using it over other materials. It heats up quickly and distributes heat evenly. Your meals will cook faster and You’ll have a meal well cooked with no burnt spots. It’s also good-looking if you want to have it for display as part of your rustic kitchen decor. So that’s a 3/10 for copper, SORRY!

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Titanium

Titanium frying pans are that best friend you have had since childhood and will stay with you no matter what. It’s lightweight which means that it’s easy to travel around or when you’re camping. It’s scratch resistant and durable. Naturally non-stick and transmits heat quickly. And most importantly, it’s good for your health.

 However, Titanium frying pans also have some disadvantages. they can be expensive, It’s quite an investment to make and someone with a limited budget will have to save up for it. Is it worth it? Definitely.

The other drawback is that they don’t distribute heat evenly, therefore, you need to constantly check your food and mix it whilst cooking. You do also need to be careful as you might end up with burnt food as it transmits heat quickly. But this is not a really big issue considering all the benefits Titanium pan has So, That’s a well-deserved 9/10 for titanium 

Glass

Glass is obviously one of the safest options for your health when it comes to cookware. It’s pure and doesn’t have layers added to it. It’s basically just glass. It’s non-reactive and easy to clean. It delivers high-quality meals without worrying about metals transferring into your food. It’s also a statement piece and gives an aesthetically pleasing look to every kitchen.   However, glass has so many disadvantages. 

• It’s delicate and breaks easily.
• It doesn’t resist high temperatures.
• Slow at transmitting heat 
•  It can be expensive 
• Non-durable as it can break easily
• Needs oil to make it non-stick

It’s also not a good idea to have it around kids as it can shatter to tiny pieces when it breaks. That’s why I’ll give glass pans a 6/10

Porcelain enamel

Porcelain is another healthy alternative when it comes to frying pans. It’s naturally non-stick and doesn’t have any nasty chemicals that can get into your food. It’s also durable when taken care of. It doesn’t rust and it’s also dishwasher safe. But it has its cons, it’s heavy due to the cast iron base, and it can chip if you don’t take good care of it. Plus it can be a little bit pricey. But I feel like it’s a great investment if you don’t mind the weight. 8/10 it is.

Golden frying pan

A timeless and elegant piece that alleviates every kitchen. It gives such a luxurious look to your kitchen and it’s rare, making it stand out from the rest, that’s if you want to put it on display. Golden pans are stunning and I think they will make a great gift for every housewife.

They are so expensive that anyone will feel guilty about cooking with them. They’re, however, of high quality and can resist the test of time. Its core is made of stainless steel and titanium. I’ll give it a 5/10

The takeaway: 

Buying a good quality frying pan for your kitchen shouldn’t be a second thought, it must be a top priority, especially for those who like to spend most of their time in the kitchen making food. It’s one of those things that you spend your money wisely when purchasing. 

We also learned a lot and as a result of our research, we came to the conclusion that the best frying pan you could buy that ticks all the boxes we mentioned earlier is the TITANIUM FRYING PAN. other healthy and safe cookware options you may consider regardless of the drawbacks are:

• Porcelain enamel
• Stainless steel
• Cast iron
• Glass
• Granite

How to use and clean your pan properly

• Always wash your pan with warm soapy water and dry immediately.
• Use wooden or silicone utensils to avoid scratchings.
• Check the manufacturer’s instructions on how to take care of your pan.
• Choose from reliable sources and never go cheap on your cookware because your health comes first.
• Avoid using the dishwasher to clean your frying pans.
• Always make sure to keep an eye on your food while it’s cooking to avoid burning and food buildup on your pans.