Fry Pans & Skillets

The best material depends on how you cook. Tri-ply stainless steel handles high-heat searing, deglazing, and acidic ingredients while building great fond for sauces. Non-stick and ceramic non-stick pans are ideal for eggs, fish, and low-fat cooking where easy release matters most. Carbon steel heats quickly and develops a natural seasoning over time. Enameled cast iron excels at heat retention for dishes that benefit from steady, even warmth.

In everyday cooking, a frying pan and a skillet are the same thing. Both feature a wide, flat base with sloped sides for easy flipping and sliding food onto a plate. The terms are used interchangeably across brands and cookware categories. Tramontina offers both under the frying pan and skillet category, ranging from traditional non-stick to stainless steel to cast iron. For skillets with deeper sides and lids, see our skillet pans.

A 10-inch frying pan is a good all-purpose size for one to two people, handling everything from eggs to chicken breasts. A 12-inch frying pan gives you more surface area for cooking larger portions or items that need room to brown without crowding. If you cook for a family, consider having both sizes. An 8-inch pan is useful for single servings and side tasks like toasting spices. Our explainer on what is a skillet covers the shapes in more detail.

A ceramic non-stick frying pan has a smooth ceramic coating over its metal body. Tramontina ceramic non-stick frying pans have interiors made without intentionally added PTFE, PFOA, PFAS, lead, and cadmium. They release food easily with less oil, clean up quickly, and work best at low to medium heat with gentle utensils. See how it compares with every other shape and surface in our guide to the types of pans.

Metal utensils are not recommended on non-stick or ceramic non-stick frying pans because they can scratch and damage the coating over time. Use silicone, wood, or nylon utensils instead. Stainless steel, carbon steel, and cast iron frying pans can handle metal utensils without issue.

Wash the pan with warm, soapy water and dry it thoroughly. Apply a thin, even layer of a high-smoke-point oil to the entire cooking surface. Heat the pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat until the oil begins to smoke, then let it cool completely. Repeat this process two to three times to build an initial seasoning. With regular cooking, the seasoning improves and food release gets better over time.

The Signature and Triverge tri-ply clad stainless steel frying pans are oven safe up to 500°F / 260°C, so you can start on the stovetop and finish in the oven. Tempo pans and many non-stick pans, like the 3-pack of non-stick fry pans, are rated to 350°F / 176°C, so check the rating on each product. The exact limit varies by model, so confirm on the product page before your first oven use. For the full stainless lineup, see our stainless steel pans.

Proper preheating is the key. Heat your stainless steel frying pan over medium heat for one to two minutes, then add oil. When the oil shimmers, place food in the pan and let it sear without moving it until a crust forms, and it will release on its own. Our guide on how to cook with stainless steel covers the details.