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Eggs frying in a nonstick pan on a stovetop. Credit: Reviewed / Lindsay D. Mattison

The Best Nonstick Pans of 2024

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Eggs frying in a nonstick pan on a stovetop. Credit: Reviewed / Lindsay D. Mattison

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Editor's Choice Product image of OXO Non-Stick Pro 10-inch Open Frypan
Best Overall

OXO Non-Stick Pro 10-inch Open Frypan

Check Price at Amazon

The OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Frying Pan is our top-rated nonstick pan, with its comfortable handle, medium-weight design, and superb nonstick properties. Read More

Pros

  • Heats quickly
  • Retains heat
  • Comfortable handle
  • Inexpensive

Cons

  • Not induction-capabale
2
Editor's Choice Product image of GreenPan Valencia Pro Ceramic Nonstick 11" Fry Pan
Best Ceramic Nonstick

GreenPan Valencia Pro Ceramic Nonstick 11" Fry Pan

Check Price at Amazon

In everyday use this pan easily releases eggs without sticking, sears meat with excellent color, and cleans up with little more than a quick wipe. Read More

Pros

  • Ceramic nonstick coating
  • Lightweight
  • Even heating

Cons

  • None that we could find
3
Editor's Choice Product image of All-Clad 4110 NS R2 Non-Stick Fry Pan
Best Upgrade

All-Clad 4110 NS R2 Non-Stick Fry Pan

Check Price at Amazon

Of the pans we tested, the All-Clad was quickest to warm up and the most even-heating, however, its straight handle makes some tasks tricky. Read More

Pros

  • Quick and even heating
  • Induction compatible
  • Sturdy and well-built

Cons

  • Too heavy to easily flip
  • Expensive
4
Editor's Choice Product image of Circulon A1 12-Inch ScratchDefense Nonstick Frying Pan
Most Durable

Circulon A1 12-Inch ScratchDefense Nonstick Frying Pan

Check Price at Amazon

This durable nonstick pan boasts an ergonomic design, slick nonstick interior, and durable build. But its never-scratch claim is exaggerated. Read More

Pros

  • Durable build
  • Great nonstick performance
  • Metal utensil safe

Cons

  • "Never scratch" promise is exaggerated
  • Not broiler-safe
5
Product image of Caraway Fry Pan

Caraway Fry Pan

Check Price at Caraway

This beautiful nonstick pan is heavy and expensive, but it excels at cooking eggs. Read More

Pros

  • Gorgeous appearance
  • Releases eggs easily
  • Heats quickly

Cons

  • Heavy
  • Expensive
  • Best Overall OXO Non-Stick Pro 10-inch Open Frypan
  • Best Ceramic Nonstick GreenPan Valencia Pro Ceramic Nonstick 11" Fry Pan
  • Best Upgrade All-Clad 4110 NS R2 10-inch
  • Most Durable Circulon A1 12-Inch ScratchDefense Nonstick Frying Pan
  • Other Nonstick Pans We Tested
  • How We Tested Nonstick Pans
  • How to Choose the Best Nonstick Pan for You
  • More Articles You Might Enjoy

When friends and family ask for my advice on buying a good nonstick pan, I generally advise them not to spend a lot of money. Sure, the best nonstick frying pans will fry eggs and flip pancakes with ease, and they’re easy to clean, but they’re generally not built to last. Without proper care, it’s easy to scratch the bottom of the pan beyond repair. So I’ve been surprised that so many expensive nonstick pans have popped up in the last few years, and set out to test them.

The best nonstick pan with a traditional coating is the OXO Good Grips 10-inch Non-Stick Pro Open Fry Pan (available at Amazon for $38.99) , an affordable, high-quality nonstick pan that’s just right for day-to-day kitchen tasks. This pan also happens to be our best value.

But if budget isn’t an issue, upgrade to our number-two choice, the induction-capable All Clad 10-inch Non-Stick Fry Pan (available at Amazon), which features more even heating with its multi-clad stainless steel construction. If you prefer a ceramic nonstick skillet, our favorite is the GreenPan Valencia Pro Hard Anodized Ceramic Nonstick 11-inch Fry Pan (available at Amazon). Rest assured, we’ve done the testing to find the best nonstick pans for you.

A mushroom omelet is displayed in the OXO GoodGrips nonstick pan.
Credit: Reviewed.com/Lindsay D. Mattison

The OXO Good Grips nonstick pan is an affordable, high-quality non-stick pan that’s just right for the day-to-day tasks of your kitchen.

Best Overall
OXO Non-Stick Pro 10-inch Open Frypan

We were pleasantly surprised when one of the least expensive pans we tested also received the highest scores. OXO’s attention to detail rarely disappoints, and this 10-inch Non-Stick Pro Open Fry Pan was a winner from the beginning. The long metal handle was smooth, with an ergonomic design that was comfortable to hold and balance, and it stays cool during use.

The OXO aced all our tests. Fried eggs moved freely around in the pan without any cooking oil, and the angle of its edges made it effortless to flip over-easy eggs with the flick of a wrist. The omelet we made didn’t stick or leave any residue in the pan, and we ended up with a dish we’d be proud to serve at a restaurant.

The product heated quickly, and when we added room-temperature water to the heated pan, it recovered its original temperature within one minute. That heat recovery was further evidenced by our pancake test, creating a light and fluffy pancake that had even browning on both sides.

We had no problems naming this 3-layer PTFE, heavy-gauge anodized aluminum pan our choice for Best Overall. In fact, I ordered a set of 8- and 10-inch pans for my home kitchen right after testing it! The only flaw we could find is that it’s not induction-capable.

Pros

  • Heats quickly

  • Retains heat

  • Comfortable handle

  • Inexpensive

Cons

  • Not induction-capabale

$38.99 from Amazon

$49.99 from Home Depot

$38.99 from Walmart
Left: meat browned in skillet. Right: clean skillet on stove.
Credit: Reviewed / Danielle DeSiato

Excellent browning and easy cleanup are a winning combination for the GreenPan Valencia Pro.

Best Ceramic Nonstick
GreenPan Valencia Pro Ceramic Nonstick 11" Fry Pan

When it comes to ceramic nonstick skillets, there are a lot of beautiful options on the market, but we prefer function over aesthetics. That’s not to say the GreenPan Valencia Pro 11-inch Ceramic Nonstick Fry Pan doesn't look good—it does—that’s just not its priority. In regular, everyday use it performs as well as its PTFE counterparts even if it doesn't have quite the same eye-catching appeal as its ceramic competitors.

Fried eggs cook without sticking and scrambled eggs leave no trace. Sauces reduce perfectly and quesadillas brown beautifully. In addition to its superior nonstick qualities, this pan browns meat exceptionally well and creates a true fond (the browning on the pan where all the flavor is) while still deglazing and cleaning up with little effort.

The GreenPan Valencia Pro is lightweight and easy to maneuver, allowing us to flip a few eggs at one time with the flick of the wrist. It also heats evenly and retains heat well. It's oven and broiler-safe up to 600°F and works with induction cooktops. This skillet also comes as part of an 11-piece set, which includes all the pots, pans, and skillets you need to cook and entertain with ease.

Pros

  • Ceramic nonstick coating

  • Lightweight

  • Even heating

Cons

  • None that we could find

$59.99 from Amazon

$59.99 from Target

$69.99 from Home Depot

$59.99 from Walmart
Three All-Clad nonstick frying pans filled with food sits on a kitchen counter.
Credit: All-Clad

The All-Clad 10-inch nonstick pan was the quickest to warm up and provided the most even heating of all the nonstick pans we tested.

Best Upgrade
All-Clad 4110 NS R2 10-inch

All-Clad’s USA-made, bonded stainless-steel pans regularly top performance lists. They make our favorite stainless-steel skillet, so we weren’t surprised their nonstick aced our tests.

This pan features their renowned all-clad stainless-steel bottom with three layers of PFOA-free nonstick coating. Although we recommend hand-washing nonstick pans, it is dishwasher-safe and oven-safe to up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

The induction-compatible All-Clad earned top marks on all our tests. Omelets slid easily on the surface, and pancakes turned out light and fluffy. Of all the pans in our test group, the All-Clad was the quickest to warm up and provided the most even heating, browning both sides of the pancake nicely.

It was one of the heaviest pans we tested, but the straight handle design balanced the weight well. While it was slightly too hefty to flip eggs, the nonstick coating still performed. The eggs released easily, and we could flip them with the flick of a spatula, even without cooking oil.

Our only significant complaint is the lofty price tag. All-Clad backs their cookware with a limited lifetime guarantee, but they don’t cover normal wear and tear. Several Amazon reviewers note that the warranty doesn’t cover scratches to the nonstick surface, so you’ll want to take very good care of this expensive pan to avoid longevity issues.

Pros

  • Quick and even heating

  • Induction compatible

  • Sturdy and well-built

Cons

  • Too heavy to easily flip

  • Expensive

$189.95 from Amazon

$189.99 from Walmart
The Circulon ScratchDefense Nonstick Frying Pan next to metal utensils on a napkin.
Credit: Reviewed / Timothy Renzi

This durable nonstick pan is a great choice for high-use kitchens.

Most Durable
Circulon A1 12-Inch ScratchDefense Nonstick Frying Pan

Circulon's ScratchDefense cookware claims to feature such a durable interior, that the brand actually encourages the use of metal utensils in this pan, promising that it will "never scratch."

Throughout each recipe test we conducted in this pan, we used metal utensils and noticed the interior stayed intact. The nonstick finish is reliably slick, easily releasing everything from delicate eggs to seared salmon skin. This skillet also features a high quality build that's sturdy on a flat cooktop and an ergonomic handle that makes it easy to carry. We were even able to achieve an impressive sear in this pan, producing an evenly browned crust on a salmon fillet.

However, its "never scratch" promise is exaggerated. Our lab ran additional tests on this pan, and after four strong scrapes with a metal utensil, a few scratches developed. We also noticed coating deterioration after using a sander to simulate longterm scrubbing with an abrasive sponge.

But that doesn't mean this pan isn't durable; if you use it to cook with metal utensils (carefully!) and take care to use non-abrasive sponges when cleaning, this pan will likely last you a long time.

Read our full review of the Circulon ScratchDefense nonstick pan

Pros

  • Durable build

  • Great nonstick performance

  • Metal utensil safe

Cons

  • "Never scratch" promise is exaggerated

  • Not broiler-safe

Buy now at Amazon

$49.62 from Walmart

Other Nonstick Pans We Tested

Product image of Caraway Fry Pan
Caraway Fry Pan

Overall, we were very impressed with the Caraway 10.5-inch Fry Pan. We will say that the pan was very heavy—one of the heaviest in the test group—but the handle features a tiny bump on the bottom.

It fits perfectly against your index finger, helping you position your hand in the ideal place to balance the weight. The weight can be attributed to the construction, which uses an aluminum and stainless steel base, but that also helps it heat up quickly and retain heat well.

When it came to nonstick properties, we loved that the omelet was released without sticking to the ceramic coating, and it ended up being one of our favorite pans to use for flipping eggs—despite the weight.

It’s also easily one of the most beautiful pans in the group, but the price tag is a little higher than we’d prefer.

Pros

  • Gorgeous appearance

  • Releases eggs easily

  • Heats quickly

Cons

  • Heavy

  • Expensive

Buy now at Caraway

$95.00 from Target

$95.00 from Home Depot
Product image of Calphalon Contemporary Nonstick 10-inch Omelette Pan
Calphalon Contemporary Nonstick 10-inch Omelette Pan

We’ve tested Calphalon pans in the past, and generally been happy with their results. The Calphalon Premier 10-Inch Hard-Anodized Nonstick Frying Pan is not only beautiful to look at, but performs like a charm.

We love the pan’s perfect balance and thick anodized aluminum base, which provide both sturdiness and ease of movement. The three-layer PTFE coating was nonstick in the center, creating a gorgeous omelet, but its fluted edges are a bit tall for effectively flipping food in the skillet.

Pros

  • Beautifully designed

  • Easy to manuever

  • Affordable

Cons

  • Not induction compatible

Buy now at Amazon

$62.72 from Walmart
Product image of Great Jones Large Fry - 10-1/4-inch
Great Jones Large Fry - 10-1/4-inch

The Great Jones 10-1/4-inch Large Fry Pan has an unusual, but great, handle. The copper U-shaped handle is surprisingly ergonomic, making it easy to flip eggs with one hand. It’s also attached without any rivets on the inside—making clean-up that much easier.

The ceramic coating was fully nonstick, excelling at both eggs and pancakes, and we loved that the aluminum core fully clad stainless steel construction heated quickly.

Unfortunately, the product didn’t maintain heat as well as some other models, creating less color on the second side of the pancake. That said, we’d be happy to make pancakes in this pan any day; they cooked up fluffier than ones made in the other pans and still tasted great.

Pros

  • Releases eggs easily

  • Easy to clean

Cons

  • Heavy

  • Doesn't retain heat well

Buy now at Great Jones
Product image of GreenPan SmartShape Ceramic Nonstick Frying Pan, 9.5-inch
GreenPan SmartShape Ceramic Nonstick Frying Pan, 9.5-inch

GreenPan made the first ceramic nonstick pans to hit the market, and today they offer the most variety. Their modern catalog includes stainless steel, hard-anodized aluminum, or aluminum coated with their Thermolon ceramic coating.

We tested the SmartShape Ceramic because of its high ratings and magnetic base for induction. The pan performed admirably, allowing the fried eggs to move freely and flip with ease. The omelet left a tiny bit of pan residue, but it was released with a presentation-ready finish.

We also love that the pan doesn’t have any rivets on the inside, making clean-up a breeze. Our only major complaint was that it didn’t maintain heat well, so the pancake took longer than we’d like to brown on the second side.

Pros

  • Lightweight

  • Releases eggs easily

  • Induction capable

  • Easy to clean

Cons

  • Didn't maintain heat well

Buy now at Amazon
Product image of Hestan ProBond Forged Stainless Steel Nonstick Skillet - Medium
Hestan ProBond Forged Stainless Steel Nonstick Skillet - Medium

The Hestan ProBond Forged Stainless Steel Nonstick Skillet’s price is high enough to take your breath away: $200 is a lot of money to spend on any pan, especially knowing that PTFE coating has a limited lifetime. That said, we can’t deny this pan is extremely well made. We can't deny this pan is extremely well made.

It features an exclusive TITUM nonstick coating. Three layers of PFOA-free nonstick are reinforced with diamond particles that are anchored to the pan with durable titanium plasma technology.

The pan is a little on the heavy side, but during testing, the eggs moved around freely, and it created one of the best omelets in the group. It also heated quickly and maintained its heat exceptionally well. If budget isn’t an issue, we have no hesitation in recommending this pan.

Pros

  • Great nonstick surface

  • Heats quickly

  • Maintains heat well

Cons

  • Heavy

  • Expensive

Buy now at Hestan

$219.95 from Amazon

$220.00 from Abt
Product image of Scanpan Classic 9.5-inch Fry Pan
Scanpan Classic 9.5-inch Fry Pan

This Danish-made product features a proprietary PFOA-free ceramic titanium, making it unique among the PTFE pans we tested. This type of nonstick coating is supposedly safe for use with metal utensils, which is typically a big no-no.

Sure enough, the Scanpan Classic Fry Pan was one of the only pans to pass our scratch tests with flying colors. We saw visible marks after scouring it with steel wool and scraping it with metal utensils, but none of the scratches penetrated the surface. However, it was the only pan we tested that warped when heated and placed in cold water.

During testing, the pan felt light in my hands, and its short handle made it easy to maneuver—although the handle’s plastic material did get hot after extended use. It was one of the few pans we tested that didn’t have rivets connecting the handle to the inside of the pan, which made for easier cleaning. Unfortunately, the pan’s heavy base made it the slowest to preheat.

The Scanpan Classic Fry Pan is definitely an appealing purchase, thanks to its ease of cleaning and scratch resistance. This product could last a long time, so long as you’re careful not to expose it to extreme changes in temperature, like placing it in the sink while it’s still hot.

Pros

  • Scratch-resistant coating

  • Easy to maneuver

  • Easy to clean

Cons

  • Handle gets hot

  • Slow to heat

$60.21 from Amazon

$89.95 from Walmart
Product image of Gotham Steel Ti-Cerama 9.5-inch Nonstick Fry Pan
Gotham Steel Ti-Cerama 9.5-inch Nonstick Fry Pan

Considering its extremely low price tag, we were impressed with the Gotham Steel 9.5-Inch Nonstick Fry Pan. It was one of the lightest pans we tested, and its all-aluminum base helped it heat up very quickly.

The Ti-Cerama titanium-reinforced ceramic coating created a great cooking surface, and our omelet turned out the perfect color with no stick at all. It certainly rivaled more expensive pans performance-wise, but the handle was very uncomfortable and became hot after extended use.

The pan also had a few scratches after normal use, so we don’t expect it to last a lifetime.

Pros

  • Heats quickly

  • Releases eggs easily

  • Inexpensive

Cons

  • Uncomfortable handle

  • Handle gets hot

$18.75 from Amazon
Product image of Our Place Always Pan
Our Place Always Pan

In general, we like the highly sought-after Our Place Always Pan. It’s designed to replace several pots and pans to streamline storage: It has a nonstick ceramic coating, deep walls for pan-frying, a large surface area for stir-frying, and a steamer basket insert, all wrapped up in a gorgeous package.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work as a replacement for a nonstick frying pan. This pan is better suited to cooking that requires stirring and sautéing ingredients, not flipping them with the flick of your wrist.

While this pan might heat up quickly, it doesn’t retain heat as well as some of its competitors. If you only have storage space for one pan, the Always Pan would work in a pinch, but it isn’t our first choice for cooking eggs.

Pros

  • Versatile pan

  • Gorgeous appearance

  • Heats quickly

Cons

  • Doesn’t retain heat well

  • Not fully nonstick with eggs

Buy now at Our Place

How We Tested Nonstick Pans

The Testers

Professional chefs, Lindsay Mattison and Danielle DeSiato are both big breakfast fans and never skip this all-important meal. They know exactly what to look for in a nonstick pan, not only from a professional perspective but from day-in and day-out home cooking.

The Tests

We choose highly rated products to test. Most are 10-inch frying pans—large enough to cook a three-egg omelet, but not too big to fry a single egg. Tests focused on whether the nonstick pans released food easily, but design and construction also factored into the score. Pans needed to demonstrate even heat distribution and be properly balanced and weighted for comfort.

Rows of pancakes show how cooked they are.
Credit: Reviewed.com/Lindsay D. Mattison

Pancakes are delicious, but they're also a good measure of how evenly a pan conducts and retains heat.

  • Step One: We cooked two over-easy eggs in each pan, flipping them with a flick of our wrists. If we needed to use a utensil to loosen the egg or flip it manually with a spatula, the pan lost points.

  • Step Two: Then, we cleaned the pans and whisked up a three-egg French omelet. Smooth omelets passed; rough and jagged omelets not so much.

  • Step Three: Next, we made a batch of pancakes, a great measure of how evenly a pan conducts and retains heat. If the pan cooked the first side evenly, without sticking, and retained enough heat to brown the second side, it walked away with top marks.

  • Step Four: Finally, we heated room-temperature water in each pan and measured the water temperature after one and two minutes. Products that heated quickly were awarded bonus points.

  • Step Five: We then removed the hot water and replaced it with new water, monitoring how quickly the pan could recover to its original temperature.

How to Choose the Best Nonstick Pan for You

A French omelet slides down a pan, leaving bits behind to evaluate the pan's nonstick properties.
Credit: Reviewed.com/Lindsay D. Mattison

We cooked French omelets without cooking oil. Smooth omelets passed; rough and jagged omelets not so much.

Why You Should Own a Nonstick Pan

Stainless steel and cast-iron pans are great for many uses. They can be used at high heat, making them ideal for searing meat and creating pan sauces.

They’re also designed to last a long time, with heavy, tri-ply, or multi-clad construction and durable surfaces. However, they can be a pain to clean, and they’re not the best for cooking delicate foods that stick easily.

Nonstick pans, on the other hand, are designed to release food easily, making them ideal for eggs, pancakes, delicate fish, or crepes. Beyond helping cook, the nonstick coating makes clean-up significantly easier.

While some products feature a stainless-steel base that can be used with induction burners, most are made from coated aluminum to lighten them up. Aluminum construction also helps the pan heat up faster, making them great for quick dishes like grilled cheese, quesadillas, or reheating leftovers without a microwave. You may also see etched surfaces in stainless steel or cast aluminum that create a nonstick surface.

PTFE Vs. Ceramic Coating

Omelette
Credit: Reviewed.com / Lindsay Mattison

It’s important that your nonstick pan heats evenly, otherwise there’s no chance those eggs will look Instagram-worthy.

Nonstick cookware once had a reputation for being cancer-causing, but the chemical coating (containing PFOAs) that was responsible for health concerns isn't used anymore. Today, the two main types of coating for nonstick pans are a friction-resistant synthetic called PTFE (previously known as Teflon) and ceramic.

Some companies produce proprietary PTFE, like All-Clad’s non-reinforced PTFE or Scanpan’s titanium-reinforced PTFE. Regardless of the brand, these pans work because they’re sprayed with one or several layers of the nonstick coating, which simulates the coating that builds up over time on cast iron or carbon steel pans.

Over time, this coating can scratch or wear off, losing its nonstick properties. High heat also degrades PTFE, which breaks down at high temperatures exceeding 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ceramic pans have gained popularity because of their “green” status and safety concerns of chemical coatings. These pans are not actually made from ceramic material: Like PTFE pans, they feature a coating on top of a steel or aluminum base.

Ceramic coating is made from sand that’s turned into a solution-gel, or “sol-gel.” When the pan is heated, the coating releases a silicon oil (different from synthetic silicone) that resists sticking. Like PTFE, the silicon layer degrades over time (especially in contact with high heat), so the product has a limited nonstick lifetime.

Caring for Nonstick Pans

scratch test on nonstick pans
Credit: Reviewed.com / Jackson Ruckar

We tested to see how the nonstick coatings would hold up over time.

We picked a few models with PTFE and ceramic coatings and performed destructive tests designed to test the pan’s ability to hold up over time. We used steel wool and metal cutlery (which you should never use on a nonstick pan unless the manufacturer states otherwise) to get a sense of each pan’s durability.

Almost all of the pans scratched when we hacked at them with steel wool, but some did better than others when used with metal utensils. Many warped when we exposed them to thermal shock, dunking the pan in cold water after heating it on high heat.

These tests demonstrated that almost all of these pans can be damaged with little effort, so it’s important to take care when using coated pans!

To avoid damaging your pan, choose wooden, silicone, rubber, or nylon utensils instead of metal ones, and never use stainless-steel scrubbing brushes when cleaning. Always use gentle detergents, and avoid the dishwasher—even if they say they’re dishwasher safe. (I know, hand washing is such a pain!)

When cooking, use low or medium settings instead of high heat. Don’t heat them up empty, and avoid using them in the oven (especially if they have plastic handles).

Finally, take care when storing nonstick pans. Stacking them on top of each other can damage the coating on the edges of the pan. If stacking is your only option, place a towel or cork trivet between the pans for protection.

Meet the testers

Lindsay D. Mattison

Lindsay D. Mattison

Professional Chef

@linzdmattison

Lindsay is a professional chef, recipe developer, writer, and developmental editor. After years of working in restaurant kitchens, she turned to writing to share her passion for local, organic, and seasonal ingredients with home cooks and food enthusiasts.

See all of Lindsay D. Mattison's reviews
Danielle DeSiato

Danielle DeSiato

Managing Editor, Kitchen & Appliances

@kissthecake

Managing Editor, Kitchen & Appliances. Danielle has a B.S. from Syracuse University and a AAS in Culinary Arts from Newbury College. Previously, Danielle was a Test Cook and Associate Editor at America's Test Kitchen, as well as a freelance recipe developer and food writer. She’s the mom of two boys and loves making pizza on Friday nights.

See all of Danielle DeSiato's reviews

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