The Best Cooking Pans You Should Own In 2024
12 Piece Cookware Set Oberon Series
The Best Cooking Pans at Dalstrong
- 10" Frying Pan & Skillet Silver | Oberon Series
- 12" Frying Pan & Skillet ETERNA Non-stick | Oberon Series
- 12" Frying Pan & Skillet Hammered Finish Black | Avalon Series
- 12" Frying Pan & Skillet Silver | Oberon Series
- 12" Sauté Frying Pan ETERNA Non-stick | Oberon Series
There is great value in owning a cooking pan. You might use it every day to scramble eggs or make pancakes and quickly put them aside or in the sink for a wash without thinking much about it. But today, we’re going to talk about the wonderful outcomes of owning a cookware set, how to maintain them, and Dalstrong’s best cookware sets.
1. What Is A Cooking Pan?
Avalon Series 12" Frying Pan & Skillet Hammered Finish Black
Let’s be honest, cookware sets are the finest creations of cookware. But before diving into the specifics of it, let’s talk about what a cooking pan really is and its uses. If you’re all about frying, sauteing, and searing food to your liking, a cooking pan is your best friend.
A standard pan, just like the one in your kitchen, has a long handle. Whereas larger pans would have two handles on either side and a glass lid to go with them.
2. What Do I Look For In A Cooking Pan?
12" Sauté Frying Pan ETERNA Non-stick | Oberon Series
Most of us at some point have purchased a cooking pan or a cookware set at some point and we’ve opted for one that is average-sized. But, size is not all that matters when it comes to pans. The shape, surface area, and material are equally important, especially if you plan on using your cookware set for different foods and tasks such as searing, sauteing, or frying. There isn’t a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution.
However, that is where pan sets would come in handy, giving you bundles of cookware sets to choose from. We’ve made this available at Dalstrong for you, so we don’t compromise on variety. Let me elaborate on the traits and qualities necessary for a good cooking pan or a cookware set.
Material
Stainless Steel CookwareStainless steel is the go-to pick for most of us, as stainless steel cookware is generally recognized as safe, stain-resistant, and, most importantly, durable.
The pieces of stainless steel cookware are always in demand because they heat up instantly, which decreases your cooking time, are light in weight, clean easily, and are low in maintenance. Cooking pans and cookware sets made with stainless steel are durable enough to last a lifetime. So, if you’ve got an induction cooktop, you can use your cooking pan and cookware sets on it, as long as the base of your pan is made with stainless steel.
Tri-Ply CookwareA fully clad tri-ply cookware set is more versatile and safe since it has three layers of stain-resistant aluminum. This helps in achieving the perfect level of heat distribution, too. Ultimately, it minimizes cooking time. The inner and outer layers have stainless steel added to them from the three layers. Wherein the middle layer has a layer of aluminum. Their stain-resistant nature makes them durable, too.
Copper CookwareCopper cookware is on the higher end of price but is also used a lot more today by home cooks and professional chefs for a variety of reasons. They are highly durable and lined with stainless steel, which is crucial to preventing copper particles from leaching into your food over time. Copper pans are thicker in build, which is excellent since they can hold onto your food's flavor, consistency, and color.
Aluminum CookwareAluminum cookware sets are the quite affordable. This is the most affordable type of cookware widely available. While they offer excellent heat conductivity, they don’t provide the proper heat distribution. This is why I suggest anodized aluminum as they are stain and scratch-resistant to acidic foods, and offer a decent level of heat distribution. However, aluminum cooking pans made with anodized aluminum aren’t compatible with induction cooktops.
It’s wise to note that aluminum cooking pans and cookware sets cool down much quicker than those made with other materials, though. They’re also as light as stainless steel cookware, so that’s a bonus.
Ceramic CookwareThe best part about ceramic cookware material is that they’re dishwasher friendly, easy to maintain, and built for durability. Cooking pans like an enameled cast iron cookware come in various colors and designs – Yep, you got that right – it’s the beautiful piece of cookware that is placed at the center of the table at a Thanksgiving dinner. Ceramic and iron cookware are much lighter than a traditional Le-Creuset, which should give you an idea about its weight and depth.
However, ceramic cookware can be easily chipped or incompatible with a dishwasher anymore if damaged and not maintained well. Coated in porcelain enamel, these pans are made with high-quality carbon steel, too.
Non-Stick CookwareWe all love a pan with a nonstick coating! Remember, the best nonstick cookware set will conduct heat tremendously since it is made with aluminum. The goal is for nonstick cookware to resist burnt or charred food from sticking to the rim of your cookware sets. However, you should keep in mind that using nonstick pans at a high temperature will damage any stainless steel material added to it.
Size
Earlier I mentioned that size is not all that matters when it comes to cookware sets and cooking pans. But, you can choose the right size is by observing or measuring the surface area to determine the best cookware set that will work for you. Let’s talk about this specifically with each pan.
Pan Type
Saute PanA sauté pan has a significantly larger surface area than a frying pan. Saute pans come equipped with a glass lid to ensure the food is being cooked evenly at the right temperature. A saute pan can retain heat and moisture better than a standard cooking pan. The vertical shape makes sautéing vegetables a breeze. Perfect for searing almost all meats or reducing any sauces that you make for gravy or pasta.
Frying PanA frying pan is more angular compared to a saute pan. It has a slope that allows food to cook evenly and achieve crispiness on the edges of certain meats or vegetables. A frying pan usually does not require a lid for the same reason.
Cast Iron or SkilletA skillet or dutch oven is the perfect hybrid of a saute pan and a frying pan. If you want the qualities of a cast iron with volume and depth, a dutch oven is a perfect kind if you want to get the perfect char on your asparagus or a sear on your pork or lamb chops. You can use your cast iron to cook beans, pilafs, and curries in it too since they are great for locking in flavor. While cast iron is mainly used to cook a steak to perfection, you can use them to bake certain goodies in a dutch oven, too. The slanted sides are can offer a lovely rustic tinge to your apple pie, berry cobbler, or cookie skillet. Yum.
Handles
Riveted HandlesRiveted handles are quite durable and created to last a lifetime. They’re small pieces in a metal utensil that are carefully positioned between two hardened pieces of metal. Rivets are usually made out of aluminum or stainless steel. The structure of rivets makes them harder to clean but are much sturdier than welded handles, but we’ll go into that in a quick minute.
The reason why riveted handles are a fan favorite is their nature to quickly get re-installed if they ever fall out over time. All you need is a screwdriver to tighten the rivets. Thanks to the stainless steel design of riveted handles, food particles can’t collect or rust on them.
Welded HandlesWelded handles are just as durable as riveted handles, and it all comes down to the maintenance of your cooking pan. Welded handles are made with stainless steel, too. In fact, they’re an excellent choice of handles for aluminum cookware, nonstick cookware, or copper cookware. Their thick texture is perfect for heavy cookware pieces.
The only thing you need to be certain of when buying cookware such as a frying pan, saute pan, non stick pan or cast iron dutch oven is the quality of stainless steel used for the handles on each of them. That could make or break the quality of your cooking pan as a whole. The best part about welded handles is their inability to rust or have food particles lodge on them. This makes your cooking pan entirely sanitary for each use.
3. How To Maintain Your Cooking Pans
12" Frying Pan & Skillet ETERNA Non-stick | Oberon Series
If you read Dalstrong’s blogs, you know how often we talk about the importance of maintaining your cookware. Be it knife sets, individual knives, or pots and pans. We make our cooking pans with premium quality nonstick material, and we do not compromise on that.
But, the key to a durable piece of cookware is the care and maintenance that goes into it, too. It is not much different for nonstick pans. Your frying pans and saute pans endure high temperatures every time you cook something in them. So, let’s talk about maintaining them and saving them from any damage.
1. Non-Stick Frying Pans
Out of all other cooking pans, frying pans take on extreme temperatures because of high heat, as you’re working with meats and hot oils at least once a day. Once we take our frying pans off the stove or induction top, rinse them under cold water to keep burnt or overly charred food from sticking, we’re decreasing its durability tremendously. But, here’s one way to tackle the stuck-on foods on your frying pan.
Baking SodaBaking soda can clean grease off your cooking pan with ease. Make a thick paste of baking soda with some hydrogen peroxide and add a few drops of dish liquid. Use a scrubber made with stainless steel as it requires less effort, and apply the paste to the food particles. Use warm water to rinse off the paste after 30 minutes, and bob’s your uncle! You can do this to pans with a nonstick surface, too.
2. Non-Stick Saute Pan
Over time, rinsing your saute pan with cold water weakens the base or disc and increases the chances of it falling off from the bottom. You don’t know what wrist fatigue is until you’re scrubbing food from the bottom of your saute pan. You can clean off those dried-up sauces from your saute pan with a few ingredients that are already on the cooking surface in your kitchen.
KetchupYep! Your favorite condiment can do wonders for your greasy saute pan. Simply allow 2 tablespoons of ketchup to sit on your browned saute pan overnight, and then rinse it off with warm water using a stainless steel scrubber.
3. Non-Stick Cast Iron
Cast iron skillets, especially dutch ovens, are on the expensive side of cooking pans, so you want to make sure you’re taking good care of them. With two common household items, you can scrub off stuck-on food particles like vegetable peels or fish skin from over-searing it. Accidents happen. But, with the instructions below, you will be back to healthy cooking in no time.
Salt and VinegarSalt and vinegar, the two most common ingredients in your kitchen, can help you with removing stuck-on salmon skin or vegetable peels of potatoes and carrots from your cast iron or the smell of leftover food in your dutch oven. Soak your cast iron with white vinegar for about an hour and sprinkle a tablespoon of salt over it, too. Add some dish liquid and scrub vigorously with a stainless steel scrubber or a sponge.
And there you have it, folks! Here’s to long-lasting, clean, and safe pans.
Over the years, Dalstrong has provided state-of-the-art cookware. So now, it’s time for us to go over some of the best cooking pans available here, and have a quick chat along the way about how these pieces of cookware became some of our best-selling pieces. Let’s go!
4. Best Cooking Pans for Frying at Dalstrong
1. 12" Sauté Frying Pan Hammered Finish Black | Avalon Series
If you’ve read our article about the best pots and pans sets in 2024, you know that we can’t mention the Avalon series. This 12” nonstick saute frying pan is made with, not tri-Ply, but a 5-Ply copper forged foundation.
Since heat conductivity is an essential element in cooking pans, we’re proud to reveal that this piece nonstick cookware conducts heat 5 times better than iron cookware, and 20 times better than stainless steel cookware. This frying pan was made with 2.5mm thickness to prevent it from warping and denting. Something you want if you own nonstick cookware.
Pros:
- This frying pan has a non stick coating to ensure a safe and healthy cooking process by not leeching its material into your food.
- Oven-friendly for that perfect finish on your Shakshouka.
- Carefully designed side handles for grip and safety.
- It is dishwasher and oven safe.
Cons:
- Seasoning food in nonstick cookware pan can be tedious.
- This 12” inch frying pan could be hard to store, as it does require a decent amount of space.
2. 10" Frying Pan Hammered Finish Silver | Avalon Series
This 5-Ply frying pan has a copper forged foundation along with a nonstick build to lock in the flavor and consistency of your food. Apart from its eye-catching design, it is the perfect size for both, home cooks and seasoned chefs. It is made with nonreactive 18/10 stainless steel and premium aluminum for high heat retention without losing your food’s nutritional value, taste, or color.
This 10” inch frying pan from the Avalon series gives you a luxurious experience with its silver hammered finish. Enjoy healthy cooking in this nonstick cookware, thanks to its non-toxic make.
Pros:
- This frying pan is broiler, dishwasher and oven safe up to 600º degrees F. This nonstick frying pan has got you covered.
- The lid has a vented hole for pressure release as you simmer soups and sauces without the hazard of it boiling over.
- This nonstick frying pan conducts heat 5x times better than iron cookware, and 20x better than stainless steel cookware, making this frying pan extremely durable.
- The nonstick build is compatible with dishwashers and is oven safe, too.
Cons:
- The nonstick frying pan could be a tad heavy for everyday use, I suggest you purchase a pot, as you could fry and simmer food in it as it is not too heavy-duty.
- If you prefer a welded handle over a riveted one, I suggest you opt for a nonstick cookware or a nonstick cast iron instead.
5. Best Saute Pans at Dalstrong
1. 12" Sauté Frying Pan ETERNA Non-stick | Oberon Series
Dalstrong’s Oberon series is known for having the best nonstick cookware. It’s no different this time. This versatile bad boy may not be total steel but is a total steal. Get it? Apologies.
Breathtaking in its appearance and build, this nonstick frying pan is made with 5-Ply copper which helps it heat 5x faster than iron cookware, and 20x faster than steel cookware. The mirror-polished exterior improves its grip tremendously. Its thickness is a solid 2.5mm which protects it from warping and denting. The glass lid fits the frying pan perfectly. Enjoy the added perks of a scratch-free silk carrying bag and a fry pan protector.
Pros:
- The Copper Forged Foundation is a game-changer and helps in heat retention for even cooking without damaging the nonstick coating.
- Easily cleaned without much effort, making it low in maintenance.
- Comes with a sturdy side handle to strengthen its grip tenfolds.
Cons:
- May not be budget-friendly for some.
- Perhaps, you’re looking for a smaller nonstick frying pan and this might not be the perfect fit for you. But keep reading, and we’ll you the perfect fit.
6. Best Woks At Dalstrong
1. 12" Frying Pan Wok ETERNA Non-stick | Oberon Series
If you’re looking for the perfect hybrid of a wok and frying, the 12” inch nonstick cookware wok says hello. This 3-Ply aluminum cladded frying pan wok is the perfect buy for a couple or a small family; holding just enough food for 3-4 people. The stainless steel lid has a vented hole that acts as a pressure release to prevent the pan from rattling or spilling food over.
Additionally, this wok can be used to store leftovers, sides, and other sauces. Designed to last a lifetime, the 18/10 stainless steel provides exceptional distribution of heat and maximum conductivity. Resistant to dents, it is gas and induction cooktop friendly.
Pros:
- It comes equipped with ultra strong 2.5mm thickness to prevent warpning and denting.
- It has an impeccable talent for heat retention and conductivity to prevent your food’s nutritional value without damaging its nonstick nature.
- It is equipped with a nonstick coating.
Cons:
- It is used by professional chefs, which could be intimidating for the novice.
- If you live by yourself, you may not need a wok as big as this one.
7. Best Cooking Pan Sets at Dalstrong
1. 12 Piece Cookware Set Oberon Series
This 12-piece cookware set from the Oberon series is versatile all around. The 3-Ply Copper aluminum cladded poses a challenge to a traditional stainless steel cookware set. Striking in its appearance, it is functional with a full range of culinary essentials. This 12-piece cookware set would allow you to cook and sear steaks, saute, deep-fry fritters, and make all kinds of sauces and jams.
This set includes:
- 9" Frying Pan
- 10" Frying Pan
- 12" Saute Pan
- 5 QT Pot
- 8 QT Pot
- 4 QT Saucier
- Perfect-fit stainless steel lids
- Scratch-free Avalon Series silk carrying bags
- Dalstrong padded pan protectors
- Dalstrong Support
Pros:
- This set is built to last generations, so it is worth the price.
- It is a one-stop shop for everything that you would require in your kitchen.
Cons:
- This might be an expensive purchase for a new cook.
- Slightly overkill for someone that lives by themselves, but it all depends on preference.
2. 6 Piece Cookware Set Oberon Series
This 6 piece cookware set is a promising purchase, to say the least. The 3-Ply aluminum cladedd cookware has tremendous conductivity and is made with premium quality. It is not as heavy as stainless steel cookware sets. Every piece of cookware that belongs in a kitchen is included in this set. They are oven and broiler safe up to 500 degrees F.
This set includes:
- 9" Frying Pan
- 12" Saute Pan
- 5 QT Pot
- Perfect-fit tempered glass lids
- Scratch-free Oberon Series silk carrying bags
- Dalstrong padded pan protectors
- Neatly packed with Dalstrong’s Packaging
- Dalstrong Support
Pros:
- Heats up instantly and has maximum conductivity.
- Vented hole on the lid acts as a pressure release and prevents spillage.
- Safe and easy transition from stovetop to oven.
Cons:
- Individuals might prefer the traditional route and go for a stainless steel set.
- This set could be intimidating if you’re a novice in the kitchen.
8. Frequently Asked Questions
Which pans do professional chefs use?
Professional chefs use stainless steel pans and nonstick pans as they’re the most durable.
What is the best pan material to cook with?
Stainless steel, aluminum and non-stick pan materials are the best to cook with.
What type of pans are healthiest to cook with?
Cast iron skillets are the healthiest to work with as they retain the flavor profile while cooking food evenly at an incredible heat retention rate.
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Written by Ananya Tiwari
Ananya loves the fine things in life. When she isn’t penning down poetry or song lyrics, she spends her time cooking and creating recipes while also enjoying new cuisines.
