A good choice, especially for heavily used cookware, is a tri-ply or five-ply combination of stainless steel and aluminum (or hard-anodized aluminum). Stainless steel provides a durable surface, providing excellent heat retention and safety. Interior layers of aluminum ensure even heat distribution. All these work together to create the ideal cooking base, whether you’re using a skillet or sauté pan.

While often overlooked, the handle of a frypan is one of its most crucial components. Once you’ve decided on the size and material of your frypan, make sure to take note of the handle on the products you’ve shortlisted. Look for a handle that’s strong and will remain cool when cooking on a stovetop. Wider handles are more beneficial for cooking since they allow for better control, especially when you’re preparing food that needs to be tossed. Lastly, stainless steel handles are ideal for low heat conductivity since they can tolerate higher temperatures than plastic or silicone handles.

You can use skillets for pan-frying or searing a few servings of meat. However, dishes that cook quickly and need constant stirring or flipping, such as a beef stir fry or a spinach mushroom omelet, gives a skillet a chance to really shine. 

Best for: Almost any food that needs frying, browning, or searing. Because it’s ovenproof, stainless is also a good choice for foods that you start on the stovetop and then move to the oven to finish, like thick pork chops.

The details: Nitahara says that 95 percent of the pans used in the CIA’s teaching kitchens are stainless steel because they can take a lot of punishment. “The only time we don’t use them is on egg day, when we use nonstick,” he says. He adds that the shiny surface of a stainless pan makes it easy to see whether your food is browning.

In CR’s tests of stainless steel pans, we measure heating evenness by cooking pancakes, and we gauge how evenly a pan sautés by cooking potatoes until they’re tender. We also conduct a cleaning test to see how easy it is to remove cooked-on food. You’d think that all stainless pans would be about the same to clean, but our tests show that some require a lot more scrubbing than others.

Here are two recommended stainless steel pans from CR’s tests.

Cookware Size 

Use Sizzling Hot Plate Benefits

Cast Iron Skillets Versatility

Sizzling steak plates and platters offer a unique and interactive dining experience, allowing restaurants and home cooks to present sizzling, aromatic dishes directly to the table. This article explores the features, applications, and benefits of sizzling steak plates and platters, highlighting their ability to enhance the presentation and enjoyment of sizzling hot meals.

    One of the primary functions of a cast iron round dutch oven is braising. By slowly cooking meats or vegetables in liquid over low heat, the Dutch oven tenderizes tough cuts of meat and infuses dishes with rich, complex flavors. Whether simmering a hearty beef stew or braising a succulent chicken in wine, the black cast iron dutch oven excels at transforming humble ingredients into culinary masterpieces.

The following is a side-by-side comparison highlighting the differences and similarities between the two pans.

    A 10-piece cast iron cookware set typically includes a variety of skillets, a Dutch oven, and other essential accessories that are perfect for everyday cooking.  A 10-piece cast iron cookware set is perfect for a small family or someone who is just starting to collect cookware.

Non stick pans have a relatively short lifespan, and require a bit of extra care to protect them from damage.