So, Why Is There So Much Confusion in the Kitchen?

Cast Iron Soup Pot

Pans are measured according to the diameter of the lip, not the diameter of the cooking surface. Most home burners can only comfortably fit a pan of around 12 inches in diameter. Because of its straight sides, a 12-inch sauté pan will also have a large, 12-inch-wide cooking surface (about 113 square inches). A skillet, on the other hand, loses at least an inch on each side, making the effective cooking area only 10 inches wide (about 79 square inches). This means that, given a skillet and a sauté pan of equal diameter, the skillet will have 30% less cooking area than the sauté pan. That's not an insignificant amount.

 All in all, cast iron cookware is a versatile and durable addition to any kitchen.  Understanding the types of cast iron cookware available, their prices, and where to buy them can help you make an informed decision when adding these essentials to your cooking arsenal.  Whether you're frying, grilling, or baking, cast iron cookware is a timeless investment that will enhance your cooking experience for years to come.

Sizzle Pan Material

    If you love steak sizzle plate cast iron, then you know the blissful feeling of hearing your food being brought to your table on a sizzling hot plate.  The combination of the steak sizzle plate cast iron and the aroma of the steak is enough to make anyone salivate.  But where can you find these sizzling dishes to recreate the experience at home?

Carbon Steel Frying Pans

Modern copper pans—including ours—tend to be lined with stainless steel, which makes for a more durable pan than the more traditional (but much higher-maintenance) tin-lined copper pans.

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.

Dutch Oven Manufacturers

Enameled Cast Iron: Enameled cast iron Dutch ovens combine the benefits of cast iron with the convenience of an enamel coating. They are resistant to acidic foods, easy to clean, and come in a range of vibrant colors.

The quick answer is, no. A skillet and frying pan are different because of each’s cooking surface and design. There is often confusion because the terms “skillet” and “frying pan” are often used interchangeably. And you can typically use either one of them for many cooking preparations, even if one is better suited for a specific cooking method. Plus, both of these style pans are often made from the same materials and come in similar sizes, so it's easy to understand why there can be confusion. While similar, a skillet is technically a bit deeper and has a slightly larger cooking surface area than a frying pan.