Frying pans and skillets: The heart of every kitchen
Frying pans and skillets are undoubtedly the workhorses of the kitchen, essential for a multitude of cooking tasks. Whether you're a novice home cook or a seasoned chef, understanding the variety, functionality and versatility of these kitchen staples is key to enhancing your culinary experience. Kitchen Warehouse offers an extensive range of frying pans and skillets, each boasting unique features and benefits to suit different cooking styles and needs.
Top features to consider when purchasing
- Material: Options include stainless steel, non-stick, aluminium, copper, ceramic, carbon steel and cast iron.
- Size: Ranging from small pans for individual servings, to large ones for family meals.
- Thickness: Thicker pans ensure more even heat distribution.
- Handle: Opt for materials like stainless steel, aluminium, or silicone that remain cool.
- Finish: Depending on your style of cooking and the things you cook most regularly, you might prefer non-stick for ease of use and cleaning or cast iron for superior heat retention.
- Oven safe: Easily transfer your food from the stovetop to the oven with an oven-safe pan.
Discover the different materials for frying pans
Frying pans can be made using a variety of different materials, each with their own strengths. The most common include:
- Stainless steel: A stainless steel frypan is long-lasting, durable, lightweight and non-reactive to acidic ingredients. They're also suitable for use with metal utensils.
- Cast iron : A cast iron skillet offers even heat distribution and a heavier, sturdier build. It also has excellent heat retention and is naturally non-stick through the process of seasoning.
- Enamelled cast iron: Enamelled cast iron cookware combines the excellent heat retention of cast iron with a smooth, non-reactive enamel coating, ideal for slow cooking and braising.
- Aluminium: Aluminium frying pans are super versatile. They are lightweight and affordable, provide even heat distribution and are oven safe, dishwasher safe and resistant to scratching and rust.
- Carbon steel: Carbon steel frying pans are practically indestructible. They offer even heat distribution and, like cast iron, have a natural non-stick surface once seasoned correctly.
- Non-stick: Easy to clean and cook with as food releases easily without sticking
- Ceramic: A healthier alternative to traditional non-stick surfaces, ceramic fry pans are free from PFOA, lead and cadmium
- Blue steel: Loved for their quick and uniform heating abilities, with a robust cooking surface that gradually forms a non-stick layer, making them perfectly suited for searing and cooking at high temperatures.
Best frying pans for searing meat
Searing meat requires a high heat to effectively brown the outside and form a crust that seals in the juices. As non-stick frying pans are not suitable to these high temperatures, a cast iron frypan or blue steel frypan is your best choice. Cast iron is incredibly durable and provides even heat distribution which is required for searing meat to perfection.
Does size matter when you are purchasing a frying pan?
Size is definitely an important factor to consider. We have smaller frying pans that are perfect for frying an egg for one, as well as larger frypans for when you need to cook for the whole family.
For cooking soups and stews, go for a deep frypan that can safely hold liquids. To sear meat, flip burgers and create thin crepes, a grill pan and crepe pan has a wide and flat surface that will give you the space you need. You may also consider purchasing a frying pan set to help cover all bases.
Common uses for frypans
- Frying eggs, pancakes, and crepes
- Searing and browning meats
- Sautéing vegetables and stir fries
- Simmering sauces and gravies
- Baking dishes like frittatas and skillet cookies
Complementary accessories or products
- Spatulas and turners
- Pan covers or lids
- Cooking tongs
- Trivets for serving
- Pan racks for storage
Discover our top selling brands for frypans:
FAQs
What is the difference between a frying pan and a skillet?
While commonly used interchangeably, skillets are usually deeper with sloping sides, whereas frying pans are typically flat bottomed and shallow.
Is cast iron better than non-stick?
It depends on your cooking needs. Cast iron frypans offer superior heat retention and durability with a naturally non-stick surface developing over time, while non-stick pans provide immediate ease of use with a non-stick coating for low fat cooking and easy cleanup. A cast iron pan will last a lifetime if cared for correctly, whereas non-stick pans tend to have a much shorter lifespan of under 10 years as the non-stick surface will deteriorate over time.
Can I use metal utensils on non-stick pans?
It's generally advised to use wooden or silicone utensils to prevent scratching the non-stick surface.
Are frying pans oven safe?
It depends on the material. Cast iron, stainless steel, carbon steel and blue steel can all go in the oven. Some traditional non-stick pans and ceramic pans can also go in the oven, but always check the manufacturer’s guidelines for temperature limits.
How do I maintain a cast iron skillet?
Traditional or raw cast iron pans require regular seasoning as they build up a non-stick patina over time; the more you cook with them the better, because the patina builds with every use. Always wash with a mild detergent or just with water, avoid abrasive soaps and scrubs and always dry them completely before storing to prevent rust. Enamelled cast iron already features an enamelled coating which becomes smoother and thus more non-stick the more you use it. See our handy cleaning guide for more information on caring for your enamelled cast iron.
Can frying pans go in the dishwasher?
Many non-stick and stainless steel pans are dishwasher safe, but always check the care instructions. We generally advise you to hand wash them in warm soapy water instead.
Are there frying pans suitable for induction cooktops?
Yes, look for pans specifically labelled as induction compatible. Kitchen Warehouse has a range of different induction cookware options from all your favourite brands.
What size pan is best for a single person?
Smaller pans around 18cm to 20cm are ideal for single servings.
How do I choose the right pan size for my family?
Consider the number of servings you usually cook. Pans around 28cm to 32cm are most suitable for family meals.
What is the benefit of a pan with a glass lid?
Glass lids allow you to monitor cooking progress without losing heat or moisture and they expand the versatility of your frying pan or skillet.
The right frying pan or skillet can transform your cooking experience, offering versatility, durability, and efficiency. Whether you prefer the rugged durability of cast iron or the convenience of non-stick, Kitchen Warehouse has a pan to suit every cooking need and style. Enhance your kitchen arsenal today and discover the joys of cooking with the perfect frying pan or skillet.