When you’re cooking with less oil, finding the best nonstick pans is a must! And bonus, the best nonstick pans will help make clean-up quicker and easier. Thanks to the smooth finish, sticky foods like sauces and scrambled eggs can be wiped right out of the pan with a little soap and water, meaning you won’t have to soak or scrub to get your cookware clean.
Nonstick skillets or fry pans are ideal for recipes like my Tex Mex Migas or Skillet French Onion Chicken, but you can also find nonstick sauce pans, sauté pans, and even grill pans for cooking different meals. There are lots of options out there, so to help you find the best nonstick pans for your kitchen, I’ve put together a list of the cookware I have in my own kitchen, as well as a few options that come highly recommended by other cooking pros.
Our Top Picks
- What’s in My Kitchen: Calphalon Contemporary Aluminum Nonstick Everyday Pan – $59.99 at Walmart
- Best Cookware Set: Le Creuset Toughened Nonstick PRO Cookware Set – $419.95 at Amazon
- My Favorite Grill Pan: OXO Good Grips Square Grill Pan – $49.95 at Amazon
- Best Fry Pan Set: All-Clad HA1 Nonstick 5-Piece Fry Pan Set – $149.99 at Amazon
- Best Budget-Friendly: Tramontina 10-Inch Nonstick Restaurant Fry Pan – $21.98 at Walmart
Reviews of The Best Nonstick Pans
1. What’s in My Kitchen: Calphalon Contemporary Aluminum Nonstick Everyday Pan
When I want to use a nonstick pan, I almost always reach for this one from Calphalon. The 12-inch shape is big enough to hold several pieces of meat at once, so you can cook multiple chicken cutlets at once for Chicken Parm. It also has higher walls than your average fry pan, giving you more room to work without causing a splatter. I also love that this nonstick pan has two looped handles — which makes it more comfortable to carry, and I often transfer the pan directly to the dining table and serve right out of it.
This everyday pan comes with a tempered glass lid, making it easy to monitor your food as you cook, and you can also put it in the oven to finish cooking, as long as the temperature is below 450 degrees F. I highly recommend this extremely versatile cookware and love that its smooth, nonstick finish makes it a breeze to wipe clean, no matter what you cook in it.
The Specs:
- Material: Hard-anodized aluminum
- Size: 12 inches
- Dishwasher Safe: Yes
- Oven Safe: Up to 450 degrees F
- Lid Included: Yes
The Pros:
- Versatile
- Spacious interior
- Ergonomic handles
- Ideal for serving
- Lifetime warranty
The Cons:
- Can’t use metal utensils on it
- Longer preheat time
Buy the Calphalon Contemporary Aluminum Nonstick Everyday Pan:
2. Best Cookware Set: Le Creuset Toughened Nonstick PRO Cookware Set
If you’re in the market for a whole new set of cookware, you can’t go wrong with the Nonstick PRO line from Le Creuset. The six-piece set includes all the essential items you need in your kitchen, including 8- and 11-inch fry pans, a 3-quart saucepan with a lid, and a 4-¼ quart sauté pan with a lid. However, larger and smaller sets are also available, depending on your needs and storage.
These nonstick pans have a unique textured finish that browns meat beautifully, and they’re still quick and easy to clean when you’re done cooking. The handles stay cool to the touch when you’re cooking on the stovetop, and you can also use the cookware in the oven, with temperatures up to 500 degrees F — much higher than most other nonstick pans. The set is a bit expensive, but I think it’s completely worth it.
The Specs:
- Material: Hard-anodized aluminum
- Size: 8- and 11-inch fry pans, 3-quart saucepan, 4-¼ quart saute pan
- Dishwasher Safe: Yes
- Oven Safe: Up to 500 degrees F
- Lid Included: Yes, for sauce and saute pans
The Pros:
- Heats evenly
- Textured surface for better browning
- Stay-cool handles
- Safe to use metal utensils
- Multiple set sizes available
The Cons:
- Hand-wash recommended
- Slightly heavy
What Others are Saying: The Le Creuset Toughened Nonstick PRO Cookware Set has a 4.7-star rating from just under 500 reviews on Amazon. People calls it the best overall nonstick cookware set, and Food & Wine lists it as the best nonstick cookware set for pros.
Buy the Le Creuset Toughened Nonstick PRO Cookware Set:
3. My Favorite Grill Pan: OXO Good Grips Square Grill Pan
You can enjoy tasty grilled meals — like my Grilled Chicken Sandwich or Grilled Pineapple — any time of the year with the help of this nonstick grill pan from OXO. The 11-inch square pan has raised ridges along the bottom, creating the same char marks you’d get from the grill, and the raised cooking surface also allows fat to drain away from thick cuts of meat. It has a comfortable silicone-coated handle that stays cool to the touch, and because it has a smooth nonstick finish, the pan is easy to wipe clean after cooking, even if there are bits of food stuck to it.
The Specs:
- Material: Hard-anodized aluminum
- Size: 11-inch square
- Dishwasher Safe: No
- Oven Safe: Up to 390 degrees F
- Lid Included: No
The Pros:
- Lightweight
- Spacious cooking area
- Ergonomic, cool-touch handle
- Great for searing
The Cons:
- Hand-wash only
- May not fit on all stove burners
What Others are Saying: The OXO Good Grips Square Grill Pan has a 4.6-star rating from more than 200 Amazon reviews. It is also recommended by the cooking experts at The Kitchn.
Buy the OXO Good Grips Square Grill Pan:
4. Best Fry Pan Set: All-Clad HA1 Nonstick 5-Piece Fry Pan Set
Frying pans are an essential piece of cookware for your kitchen — you can use them to make everything from High-Protein Scrambled Eggs to Mixed Berry Cobbler — and this set of three from All-Clad will cover all your bases when cooking. It includes 8-, 10-, and 12-inch pans, as well as two glass lids, and because the pans have a stainless steel plate in the bottom, they’re more resistant to warping and can even be used on induction stovetops. Foods will slide right off the nonstick finish, and you can put these frying pans in the oven at temperatures up to 500 degrees F, if needed.
The Specs:
- Material: Aluminum and stainless steel
- Size: 8-, 10-, and 12-inch
- Dishwasher Safe: Yes
- Oven Safe: Up to 500 degrees F
- Lid Included: Yes, for 10- and 12-inch pans
The Pros:
- Good value
- Very durable
- Scratch-resistant finish
- Warp-resistant base
- Induction-compatible
The Cons:
- Hand-wash recommended
- Uncomfortable handles
What Others are Saying:
The All-Clad HA1 Nonstick 5-Piece Fry Pan Set has more than 12,000 reviews on Amazon with an average rating of 4.6 stars. Both Food & Wine and Bon Appetit lists it as the best nonstick pan set.
Buy the All-Clad HA1 Nonstick 5-Piece Fry Pan Set:
5. Best Budget-Friendly: Tramontina 10-Inch Nonstick Restaurant Fry Pan
This inexpensive fry pan from Tramontina is perfect if you just want one nonstick option for cooking certain dishes. It comes in a range of sizes, from 8 inches all the way up to 14 inches, and its reinforced nonstick coating allows sticky foods to slide right off. I love that it has a removable silicone grip on the handle that prevents it from getting too hot to the touch, and the lightweight design is easy to move on and off the stovetop as you cook.
The Specs:
- Material: Aluminum
- Size: 10-inch
- Dishwasher Safe: Yes
- Oven Safe: Up to 400 degrees F
- Lid Included: No
The Pros:
- Affordable
- Lightweight
- Heats evenly
- Multiple sizes available
- Removable silicone grip
The Cons:
- Somewhat shallow
- Longer-than-average handle
What Others are Saying:
The Tramontina Nonstick Restaurant Fry Pan has a 4.6-star average rating from more than 18,000 reviewers on Amazon. It’s also listed as the best nonstick pan by Wirecutter and the best budget nonstick pan by Bon Appetit.
Buy the Tramontina Nonstick Restaurant Fry Pan:
Also Great
6. Best Ceramic: GreenPan Lima Ceramic Nonstick Pan
I love GreenPan cookware and it’s a great alternative to aluminum ones you might already own. The GreenPan Lima Nonstick Pan is another great budget-friendly choice for your kitchen. It’s made using a non-toxic ceramic coating that prevents food from sticking, and it’s actually oven-safe up to 600 degrees. Plus, it comes with a glass lid, all for a reasonable price. But just note it is not dishwasher safe and must be hand-washed.
The Specs:
- Material: Ceramic
- Size: 12-inch
- Dishwasher Safe: No
- Oven Safe: Up to 600 degrees F
- Lid Included: Yes
The Pros:
- Affordable
- Non-toxic coating
- Glass lid for cooking
- Multiple sizes available
- Free of PFAS, PFOA, lead, and cadmium
The Cons:
- Not dishwasher safe
- Can’t use on an induction stovetops
What Others are Saying:
Real Simple named the GreenPan Lima Ceramic Nonstick Pan the best budget frying pan. It also has a 4.5-star rating from more than 3,000 reviews on Amazon.
Buy the GreenPan Lima Ceramic Nonstick Pan:
7. Best Colorful: Caraway Nonstick Ceramic Frying Pan
The Caraway Nonstick Ceramic Frying Pan is a stylish choice that you’ll want to keep on display in your kitchen. These pans come in two sizes and have a colorful exterior, and their nonstick finish is made from a non-toxic coating. The brand also claims it is free of PTFE, PFOA, PFAS, lead, cadmium and other potentially toxic materials. I absolutely love how fun the cookware is, though you have to be a bit careful with them to maintain the finish. They tend to get discolored quickly, so they’re only recommended for use on low to medium heat.
The Specs:
- Material: Aluminum
- Size: 8 and 10.5 inches
- Dishwasher Safe: No
- Oven Safe: Up to 550 degrees F
- Lid Included: No
The Pros:
- Colorful options
- Non-toxic coating
- Works on any stovetop
- Multiple sizes available
- Free of PTFE, PFOA, PFAS, lead, and cadmium
The Cons:
- Expensive
- Can get discolored
What Others are Saying:
Good Housekeeping named the Caraway Ceramic Cookware Set, which includes the frying pan, the most stylish ceramic cookware set. The pan itself has a 4.3-star rating from more than 1,500 reviews on Amazon.
Buy the Caraway Nonstick Ceramic Frying Pan:
8. Our Place Always Pan 2.0
For a non-toxic nonstick pan, the Always Pan 2.0 has a unique ceramic coating that’s free from any chemicals. This pan is popular thanks to its retro appearance and versatile design, and it comes with a steamer basket and wooden spatula. It can apparently has 10 different functions, but I mostly use it for sautéing, and you can add on things like fry deck and an egg poacher if you like. It’s quite large, but it’s pretty enough to leave on your stovetop as decor and it comes in a ton of pretty colors to pick from.
The Specs:
- Material: Aluminum with ceramic coating
- Size: 10.5 inches
- Dishwasher Safe: No
- Oven Safe: Up to 450 degrees F
- Lid Included: Yes
The Pros:
- Has multiple functions
- Can get additional tools for a cost
- Looks pretty of stovetop
- Comes with steamer basket and wooden spatula
- Free of PTFEs, PFOAs, other PFAS, lead, and cadmium
The Cons:
- Color can fade over time
- Large for storing
What Others are Saying:
Food & Wine believes the Always Pan 2.0 is better than the original. It also has a 4.6-star rating from more than 34,000 reviews on the Our Place site.
Our Place Always Pan 2.0:
Other Nonstick Pans to Consider
T-fal Advanced Nonstick Fry Pan
If you’re new to cooking, this nonstick fry pan from T-fal is an excellent budget-friendly choice. It has a unique “Thermo-Spot” in the center of the pan that changes color when the pan is preheated correctly, making it foolproof for beginners. The pan comes in three sizes, but it’s only oven-safe up to 350 degrees. The T-fal Advanced Nonstick Fry Pan is available at Amazon for $26.19.
Made In Nonstick Frying Pan
Made In is a popular direct-to-consumer cookware brand, and its Nonstick Frying Pan is one of its best-selling items, boasting more than 13,000 reviews and a 4.9-star rating on the site. It comes in a few sizes, and the pan has a five-layer stainless steel construction, making it induction-compatible. However, it is fairly pricey for a single pan, and it must be washed by hand. The Made In Nonstick Frying Pan is available at Amazon for $129.
Blue Diamond Ceramic Nonstick Frying Pan
Blue Diamond has a variety of really inexpensive nonstick pans, and the cookware is both metal utensil- and dishwasher-safe. However, due to their inexpensive cost, the coating tends to wear off fairly quickly, so they’re not the most long-lasting option for your kitchen. The Blue Diamond Ceramic Nonstick Frying Pan is available at Amazon for $19.88.
About Me
Hi! I’m Gina, the creator and recipe developer of Skinnytaste, where I share delicious and healthy recipes for the whole family, made with seasonal, whole foods. My goal is to make healthy cooking easy and accessible, and the right tools can help. Nonstick pans are perfect for those days when you don’t want to spend hours cleaning up after dinner, and they’re a great choice for anyone who is a beginner at cooking.
To put together this list of the best nonstick pans, I started with the cookware that I use in my own kitchen and highly recommend. For products I haven’t personally used, I looked for highly-rated models from brands that I know and trust. I prioritized options that receive positive feedback from everyday users and cooking professionals, including professional product testers and food publications.
Everything to Know Before Buying a Nonstick Pan
What to Consider Before Buying a Nonstick Pan
There are a few different things you’ll want to think about when selecting the best nonstick cookware for your kitchen.
Pan Style: Nonstick pans come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so you’ll want to think about what type of pan you use the most while cooking. Nonstick frying pans are a popular choice, as they’re useful for cooking sticky foods like scrambled eggs and stir-fry sauces, but you can also find nonstick saute pans, sauce pans, grill pans, and more.
Oven Safe: Some recipes require you to start cooking on the stovetop, then transfer your pan into the oven. If you often do this, it’s important to look for a nonstick pan that’s oven safe. Many nonstick finishes can only withstand certain temperatures, so it can ruin the cookware if they’re exposed to too-high heat. Most are oven safe up 450 to 600 degrees F, so double check before putting it into the oven.
Cleaning: Nonstick pans are great because they’re easy to clean, but if you really dislike scrubbing, you may want to look for cookware that’s also dishwasher-safe.
Are Nonstick Pans Safe?
Nonstick pans are safe to use in your home, so long as you’re using them according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Be sure not to expose the pan to temperatures higher than recommended, which can damage the finish. If your pan gets scratched, it will damage the nonstick coating, so you’ll need to replace it. Not only do scratches impact the performance of your cookware, but the finish may also flake off while cooking and end up in your food, which can be toxic to ingest.
Can You Put a Nonstick Pan in the Oven?
Certain nonstick pans can be used in the oven, but they generally have a maximum temperature that shouldn’t be exceeded, so check the user manual before doing so. If it is safe, it’s beneficial for recipes like my Braised Brisket, which you start on the stovetop and finish cooking in the oven.
How Do You Clean a Nonstick Pan?
The best part of cooking in a nonstick pan is that cleanup is quick and easy. After cooking, you can generally wipe out any food that may be left in the pan. From here, all that’s needed is a quick scrub with soap and water — just be sure to avoid using any abrasive tools that could scratch the finish. Some nonstick pans are also dishwasher safe if you want a more thorough clean.
How Do You Season a Nonstick Pan?
Some brands recommend seasoning your nonstick pan periodically to keep its finish in good shape, but this may not be necessary for all products. To season a nonstick pan, coat the inside of the pan with a thin layer of neutral cooking oil. Put the pan on the stovetop over medium heat for two or three minutes, then remove it from the heat and let it cool down. You can use a paper towel to wipe away any excess oil.
What Are the Best Utensils for Nonstick Pans?
When cooking in a nonstick pan, it’s important to use utensils that won’t damage the finish. Wooden, plastic, or silicone utensils are the best options for nonstick cookware. You’ll want to avoid metal utensils, which can easily scratch the finish.
The Best Healthy Recipes
You can make all sorts of healthy recipes in a nonstick pan, including options for every meal of the day. I always use a nonstick frying pan for scrambled eggs and stir fry, which often involves sticky sauce. During the cold winter months, I also love using my nonstick grill pan to cook hamburgers, chicken breasts, and other meat.
If you’re looking for inspiration for your weekly dinner menu, some of my favorite recipes to prepare in a nonstick skillet include:
Prices were accurate at time of publication.
