Best for: Delicate proteins like fish and seafood, melting sugar, making candy, and sauces.

The details: Copper frying pans are expensive, but they offer superb heat conductivity. That means they heat up quickly and cool down just as fast, giving you more control when you’re making something you have to monitor closely, like a caramel sauce. “They’re at the opposite end of the spectrum from cast iron,” Nitahara says. “Because it heats up and cools down quickly, you can bring a sauce right to the brink, then remove it from the heat before it breaks from the high heat.”

People are concerned about peeling because nonstick coating peels if used to cook at extremely high temperatures. Extreme temperatures are not a problem for cast iron skillets, however, they must be pre-seasoned to maintain their quality over time. Most iron skillets are safe to use in the oven.

Bacon Press: A cast iron bacon press is a heavy, flat weight with a handle, designed to be placed on top of bacon strips or other meats as they cook. It helps to prevent curling and ensures even cooking by applying consistent pressure to the meat.

Both pans are typically made of stainless steel, but fry pans often come with non-stick coatings, while French skillets do not.

Considerations: