Home chefs know that the right cookware makes all the difference when it comes to creating the perfect meal. And, if there's one kind of pan that has garnered a lot of praise, it's the classic stainless steel.
Stainless steel pans are a highly sought-after kitchen essential for several good reasons. For starters, they're versatile, meaning you can use them for everything from frying to boiling to a variety of other cooking methods.
They can also withstand high temperatures — and thanks to the metal handles, they can usually be popped into the oven directly from the stove.
You also never have to worry about scratching off any nonstick coating (since, contrary to belief, stainless steel is not nonstick) — and whether you opt for a tri-ply or five-ply construction (we'll get to those details below), you can expect your pan to be durable as well as long-lasting.
Former Shop TODAY recipe editor Kelly Vaughan tried several stainless steel pans at different price points for our Shop TODAY Ranked series. She compared how well they worked, looking at a number of factors, including heat distribution, ease of cleaning and more.
Best overall$109.95$139.99
Best budget$49.95$70.00
Best splurge$undefined$179.99
Best direct-to-consumer$undefined$135.00
What to look for in a stainless steel pan
Tri-ply, five-ply, clad — what do all of these stainless steel pan descriptions actually mean?
We spoke to Lisa McManus, executive editor of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews, and Richard LaMarita, chef-instructor of Plant-Based Culinary Arts at the Institute of Culinary Education’s New York City campus, to break things down.
"These pans may be called 'stainless steel,' but they’re actually not solid stainless steel — and that’s a good thing," says McManus.
"Instead, they’re made of layers of different metals bonded together to get the benefits of the different metals. A tri-ply or 'three-ply' pan is made of three layers, usually with steel layers sandwiching an aluminum layer." The same goes for five-ply pans, just with two additional layers added in.
As for the benefits of these different metals, aluminum transfers heat very quickly from the flame to the food while steel holds onto it longer.
In turn, you get “a quick, responsive pan because of the aluminum or copper core, and a steel outer and inner layer that hold and spread the heat for even cooking and fewer hotspots," according to McManus.
Clad, on the other hand, means the pan's metal layers make up the whole pan from rim to rim (versus just the core) — and McManus says this is what you should be looking for.
Best overall stainless steel pan
Appearance and comfort: 5/5 | Heat distribution, overall performance: 5/5 | Size and weight: 5/5 | Overall score: 5/5
Lightweight and easy to handle, Vaughan awarded the All-Clad's tri-ply fry pan the best of the bunch. Even though it took the longest to boil water out of these top five contenders, it fully delivered when it came to cooking food.
The salmon flipped nicely and evenly without sticking to the pan, the onions caramelized evenly without getting burnt and the steak took just seven minutes to cook medium rare with "nice color."
Vaughan did note that the oil got quite hot when cooking the salmon, which made it difficult to clean the pan with just soap and hot water. She swapped out her regular sponge for a Brillo pad to tackle the remaining stuck-on grease. The steak, on the other hand, had a normal amount of brown bits stick to the pan, but deglazed with wine in just two minutes as she predicted it would.
Other stainless steel pans to try, tested by our editor
Best budget:
Appearance and comfort: 4/5 | Heat distribution, overall performance: 4/5 | Size and weight: 5/5 | Overall score: 4.3/5
If you're in search of the best affordable option, look no further than Tramontina's tri-ply clad fry pan. "It's comfortable to handle, a nice, large size that would comfortably fit two pieces of meat/fish and feels like quality construction," says Vaughan.
The salmon flipped easily with no sticking or resistance, though the oil and pan got quite smoky. The onions, on the other hand, stuck to the pan ever so slightly, which resulted in them looking a little bit burnt. But the steak came out perfectly, which made this pan stand out from the rest of the affordable options.
"No smoking, even cooking and cooked in under 8 minutes," raved Vaughan. "It developed a lovely, even golden sear on both sides. This was great!"
Best splurge:
Appearance and comfort: 5/5 | Heat distribution, overall performance: 5/5 | Size and weight: 5/5 | Overall score: 5/5
If you're really ready to invest in your cookware, All-Clad's five-ply fry pan takes the cake. It cooked consistently well in every single test, is pretty lightweight compared to other stainless steel pans and was easy enough to clean. "I just had zero issues," said Vaughan. "And I know it’s the brand that most advanced home cooks and pros alike swear by."
When cooking salmon, this pan was significantly less smoky than other contenders while still delivering a crispy skin on the filet. While the onions felt a bit overcrowded in the 10-inch size, they cooked down beautifully — browning evenly without ever burning. The steak achieved a really nice sear around the perimeter, and deglazing the bottom of the pan was effortless — the brown bits easily released from the bottom of the pan within 15 seconds once the wine was added.
Vaughan does note that the pan runs hot (the wine reduced nearly completely in about one minute during the steak test), but conducts heat evenly. “I tried to not be swayed by the brand or price point, but it really did perform better than any of the other pans I’ve tested yet."
In fact, this pan scored the same as my overall favorite — but the more affordable price point of the All-Clad D3 was a deciding factor in making it my top choice.
Best direct-to-consumer:
Appearance and comfort: 3/5 | Heat distribution, overall performance: 4/5 | Size and weight: 5/5 | Overall score: 4/5
From the deeper, sloped sides to the extra half-inch in size, this Caraway fry pan had several unique features that made it stand out from the rest. It can comfortably fit two steaks or salmon fillets, and Vaughan especially likes it for "anything where the initial product takes up a lot of room before it shrinks as it cooks."
From the stick-free salmon filet (that only got smoky in the last one to two minutes) to the quick browning on the onions in just eight minutes, the stainless steel pan from this viral brand lived up to the hype. It even performed well during the steak test, where Vaughan was impressed by the even sear and quick release of the stuck-on browned bits upon deglazing with wine.
"Overall impressions are that this pan is a great shape and comfortable to use," says Vaughan. "But does run hot." The handle doesn't heat up due to the higher sides, but she did burn herself twice on the top lip.
Easiest to clean:
Appearance and Comfort: 4/5 | Heat distribution, overall performance: 4/5 | Size and weight: 5/5 | Overall score: 4.3/5
Goodbye heavy-duty scrubbing, hello Misen's fry pan! "I don’t know what magical powers this stainless steel pan has but it is way easier to clean than others," says Vaughan. "This one also did perform well throughout all of my tests, so it’s not like it’s just easy to clean, but the fact that it is easy to clean really gave it a leg up against the competitors."
Out of all of the pans tested, this one boiled water the quickest in just one minute and 45 seconds. The salmon, onions and steak cooked especially fast too, and felt spacious enough to comfortably fit two fillets. Everything flipped easily, didn't get too smoky and, even after these three tests, there was no grease or oil build up.
"The pan is heavy and the handle is a little long and thick, which isn’t as slick as some, but I don’t think that makes a huge difference in the overall experience of cooking with this pan," added Vaughan. She also noticed that it felt rather slippery on her electric stovetop.
What we cooked on the stainless steel pans
While cooking, Vaughan focused on four tests: the water-boil test, the salmon test, the caramelized onion test and the steak test.
The water-boil test
Vaughan added 2 cups of water to each pan with the heat set on high. She then set a timer to see how long each pan took to boil (aka reach 212 degrees Fahrenheit).
The salmon test
Prior to cooking thick, center-cut salmon (one per pan), Vaughan patted the filets dry with paper towels. She then seasoned the skin of each with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper. After, Vaughan flipped the salmon and seasoned the opposite side with 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper.
Before cooking, she heated the pan on medium heat for 30 seconds and added 1 tablespoon of non-virgin olive oil to the pan before heating it for 30 seconds more.
Following, Vaughan let the salmon cook skin-side down for 5 minutes before flipping and letting the internal temperature reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
The caramelized onion test
Before cooking caramelized onions on the pans Vaughan was testing, she heated 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter on each until it sizzled, noting how long it took per pan.
She then added two slices of medium yellow onions along with 2 tablespoons of kosher salt and stirred. After, she sautéed the combination over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, noting how quickly the onions browned.
Moving forward, Vaughan deglazed each pan with 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, noting how easily the brown bits came up on their own.
The steak test
For each pan, Vaughan seasoned one 8-once strip steak with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper on each side. She then heated each pan over medium-high heat, adding 1 tablespoon of neutral oil and 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter until it simmered.
Following, Vaughan cooked each steak for 4 minutes per side. The pan sauce mixture she incorporated was made by adding 1/4 cup of red wine to the pan to cook and deglaze the brown bits from the bottom. She then added 1/2 cup of beef stock, one smashed clove and one sprig of fresh rosemary and cooked until it was reduced in half.
How we tested the stainless steel pans
Recipe editor Kelly Vaughan tested all of the above stainless steel pans, evaluating each one based on five key factors:
- Appearance: How does the pan look? Does it have sloped sides or any other notable features? What material is it made of?
- Comfort: How does the pan feel? Is it heavy? Is it ergonomic?
- Overall performance: How long does it take to boil water, caramelize onions and cook different proteins? Is there even heat distribution? Does food stick to the pan?
- Ease of cleaning: Do any require soaking to remove the stuck-on browned bits? Is there discoloration on the underside of the pan?
- Price: Do the more expensive options perform that much better than the less expensive options? What differences do you feel or notice for the price?
Why trust Shop TODAY?
The tester, Kelly Vaughan, is a former editor at Shop TODAY who oversaw all stages of recipe development from pitch to publications for TODAY Table. She also assisted on other food franchises across the digital brand.
She knows how to properly test products to produce fair, transparent outcomes and ratings — especially when it comes to cookware after spending a year and a half working as a line cook in a traditional French brasserie. Throughout this testing process, she was able to discover which stainless steel pans worked the best.
The writer, Lauren Witonsky, has been on the Shop TODAY team for more than two years and routinely covers cooking topics, including The Pioneer Woman’s kitchen relaunch and chef Laura Vitale's pizza recipes.
Meet the experts
- Lisa McManus is the executive editor of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews.
- Richard LaMarita is the chef-instructor of Plant-Based Culinary Arts at the Institute of Culinary Education’s New York City campus.
