This type of pan is frequently used for pan-searing, roasting, and deep-frying. Therefore it must be thick enough to effectively spread heat while remaining light and easy to handle. Cast-iron skillets are the finest for making fonds or browning meals with a crispy, textured crust.

Applications in Restaurants and Home Cooking:

Finally, a frying pan is a flexible cooking vessel that you can use for sautéing, grilling, and baking, among other things.

Skillets are the heavier option because of its thickness, the material used to craft it, and larger size. This extra weight allows skillets to distribute heat evenly and retain heat better, making it ideal for recipes that involve searing and braising.

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.

8 – Copper Frying Pans

Everyone can appreciate a good frying pan—especially when they turn out your favorite pork chops or soft scrambled eggs. A well-equipped kitchen typically contains several different varieties of frying pans or skillets, including cast iron, stainless steel, and nonstick. (We're not counting the other essential pots and pans you should have, too, like a saucepan, heavy-bottomed pot, or even a wok). Here is how to use, clean, and care for each.

Benefits of Enameled Cast Iron Cookware Sets:

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.”