Regardless of size, cast iron skillets are a kitchen essential that can handle a variety of cooking tasks.  Whether you're cooking for one person or more, there's a cast iron skillet to suit your needs.

Enameled cast iron frying pans boast the same durable construction and heat retention as unfinished cast iron, but with a smooth, elegant enamel coating for easier cleanup. These pans are made the exact same way as an enameled cast iron Dutch oven: Molten iron-carbon alloy is poured into a proprietary frying pan mold and then left to cool, before being coated with an enamel made from powdered glass.

Can a Non-Stick Pan Go in the Oven?

For purchasing guidance, please read our review of the best stainless steel skillets and our sauté pan round-up. But whichever pan you choose, there are a few things to keep in mind while shopping.

Best for: everyday cooking: stir-fries, all sorts of vegetables and sauces, and meat

SKILLET AND FRYING PAN MATERIALS

Similarly to cast iron, carbon steel pans need to be seasoned before use (though some, like ours, do come preseasoned). As if these pans weren’t already versatile enough, carbon steel is also safe to use on the grill as well as over an open flame.

In the range of cookware, skillets and pans are two of the most commonly interchanged. They are fairly similar in shape, available in almost the same sizes, and are often chunked into the same product category.