A stainless steel skillet is really the cornerstone of any kitchen, whether you are a professional chef or just somebody who likes to cook every now and then; everybody needs a good skillet and that’s what I’d like to talk about in this article today.
Sometimes called a fry pan, a skillet is something you’re going to use no matter what you’re cooking, from simple eggs to whole fancy meals. Most people use the traditional 12-inch fry pan while others like a stainless steel electric skillet or electric frying pan. I’m going to focus mainly on a regular steel skillet in this article today and discuss electric frying pan options another time.
First you need to ask yourself how much cooking you really plan on doing. I ask this because if you’re not going to be cooking all that often, then a nonstick skillet may be more suited to you because many people find it easier to use. On the other hand if you prefer stainless steel but aren’t planning on doing a whole lot of cooking, then you can save some money by buying a cheaper and lighter skillet. The heavier a skillet is, the longer it will last and consequently, the more expensive it will be. So keep that in mind.
One thing to look out for is how the stainless steel is contrived. Many popular brands are made out of polished steel on the outside to make them look nice, with an aluminum core on the inside to facilitate even heating, and then stainless steel on the interiors. You should really look for that sort of configuration because you will get the best heating all around.
What sizes are available? Generally speaking, you’re going to run up against several mainstay sizes, including:
- 8 inch
- 10 inch
- 12 inch
- 13 inch
- 14 inch
Many people like to have a standard 14 inch skillet that will handle just about everything and then a smaller eight or ten inch skillet for making things like eggs; you don’t want to have to pull out the big dog every time.
Some of the most popular skillet brands include:
- Cuisinart
- All-Clad
- Calphalon
- T-Fal
- Farberware
Based on customer reviews I would suggest that Cuisinart, All Clad, and Calphalon are the most popular brands for purchasing individual skillets. Here are three of the very most popularly purchased skillets on the market at the moment:
Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Fry Pans
At $30, you simply can’t go wrong with this 14 inch 18/10 stainless steel, mirror-finished, aluminum based masterpiece. It even comes with a lid! Out of 133 customer ratings, I give it a solid 93% A. it has 75 out of 5 star reviews. It may only last a year or two, but for the price – who cares?
All-Clad Stainless-Steel Fry Pan
At $115 this is a much more expensive skillet but will undoubtedly last much longer. It is 12 inches and has a classic sloped side and aluminum core inside the stainless steel outer layers. Out of 106 customer ratings, I give it a solid 98% A. this is as close to 5 out of 5 stars that I will ever give! It’s a very nice skillet that really cooks!
Calphalon Triply Stainless Steel 10-Inch Omelet Pan
Finally, at $40 this is a very nice middle of the range to skillet. It has a very nice round surface that is perfect for making omelettes and things like that. All in all I give this a solid 89% B+ rating based on 40 customer reviews. Some people have suggested that food sticks to this skillet quite a bit so if that sort of thing bothers you, you may want to look at different options.
There are certain pieces of cookware that every chef holds dear, and the stainless steel skillet is definitely one of them. You can get away with not having certain things in your kitchen, but one thing you absolutely have to have is a workhorse skillet that you can rely on day after day to get the job done. Hopefully now you have a better idea of some of the options that are available to help steer you on your way to finding the perfect skillet for you.
