Cleaning Cast Iron Camp Oven

SKILLET VS. FRY PAN: THE BOTTOM LINE

A skillet features the same design and function because they are the same type of pan. Although the word skillet is most commonly used in reference to cast iron skillets, the same piece of cookware could also be called a cast iron frying pan. In other words, the two terms are interchangeable and refer to the same type of pan.

Stainless Steel Frying Pans

Black Cast Iron Construction: Griddles and grill pans made of black cast iron are prized for their excellent heat retention and distribution, making them suitable for a variety of cooking methods. The black finish adds a sleek and modern aesthetic to the traditional cast iron material.

The details: These pans solve the frustration of food sticking, and they require little oil for cooking. Plus they’re lightweight, easy to clean, and affordable. But they can’t take the high heat of a cast-iron or stainless steel frying pan. “You’re not going to get much of a sear in a nonstick pan,” says Cindy Fisher, who conducted Consumer Reports’ cookware tests.

And they don’t last as long as cast-iron, stainless, or copper frying pans. “Nonstick is going to wear out the fastest,” Nitahara says. “The nonstick coating is fragile, and once you scratch it, it’s hard to flip an egg.”

In our tests of nonstick pans, we cook four eggs in quick succession. An excellent rating means all four eggs easily slid out of the pan. A poor rating indicates that some egg residue was left behind. To test nonstick durability, we rub the pan with steel wool for 2,000 strokes or until the coating has worn through.

Ready to Cook?

A frying pan sports a shallow broad metal pan with sloping sides and does not have a lid but has an open design for better thermal distribution during cooking.

Best for: You can cook almost anything in these versatile pans that just get better over time. You can sear a thick piece of meat on the stovetop and then move the pan to the oven to finish. Carbon steel is good at high heat, and you can use these pans to fry eggs, fish, and make delicate sauces.