Fry Pans

The Made In 12-inch Stainless Clad Frying Pan is a professional-grade, 5-ply stainless pan built for high-heat searing, browning, and oven finishing, and sized for cooking several portions at once. It holds several chicken thighs or a full batch of vegetables in a single layer without crowding, which is what separates a deep sear from a steamed, gray one.
Why It PerformsFully clad from floor to rim: The conductive layers extend up the walls, so heat stays even across the full 12-inch surface, edge to edge.Built for fond: A bare stainless surface browns proteins and builds the browned bits that become a pan sauce when deglazed with wine or stock.Broiler-ready heat rating: The pan’s rating is well above that of nonstick cookware, so it moves from the burner straight under the broiler.Stay Cool Handle: The hollow stainless handle slows the transfer of heat and remains comfortable to grip on the stovetop.Rolled rim: Sauces and rendered fat pour cleanly without dripping down the side.
What It Does BestSearing steaks, chops, and chicken thighs for a familyBuilding and reducing pan saucesBrowning a full batch of vegetables or mushrooms in one layerShallow frying cutletsFinishing dishes under the broilerStainless is not the best choice for eggs or other delicate, low-fat cooking, where a nonstick surface performs better. It excels instead at high-heat browning and fond-building, which a nonstick coating cannot deliver.
How It ComparesCompared with All-Clad’s 12-inch D3 fry pan, a common benchmark in this category, the Made In pan uses 5-ply construction instead of 3-ply and carries a higher oven rating: 800°F versus 600°F for the D3. The two pans are similar in size. Made In’s Stainless Clad Frying Pan was named “Best Overall Stainless Steel Frying Pan” by Food Network.The same pan comes in the Made In 10-inch Stainless Clad Frying Pan and the Made In 8-inch Stainless Clad Frying Pan, which suit smaller households and single servings. For eggs and fish, pair it with the Made In 12-inch ProCoat Non-Stick Fry Pan or the Made In 12-inch CeramiClad Non-Stick Frying Pan. Learn More

The Made In Carbon Steel Perforated Grill Frying Pan brings frying-pan cooking to the grill. Its 53 perforations let flame and smoke reach the food, while the solid rim and deep sloped walls keep shrimp, sliced peppers, and chopped vegetables from slipping between the grates. Set it on a gas grill, a charcoal kettle, or a campfire grate and toss the contents the way you would in a skillet, with char and smoke flavor a solid pan cannot give.
Why It PerformsPerforated floor: Dime-sized holes let direct flame and smoke reach the food, so vegetables char and shrimp pick up grill flavor instead of steaming.Long handle for tossing: A single long handle lets you shake and toss the pan one-handed, the way you would a skillet on the stove.Deep, sloped walls: Food stays in the pan when you shake or toss it, and the walls make it easy to push ingredients from a hot zone to a cooler one.Built for fire: Carbon steel takes the direct heat of a grill or open fire without coatings to protect.Improves with use: The seasoning darkens and the surface becomes more slick each time the pan is cooked in and oiled.
What It Does BestShishito peppers, sliced onions, and mixed grilled vegetablesShrimp, scallops, and other small seafoodChicken wingsGrilled fruit such as peaches and pineapple
Choosing the Right Made In PanFor a perforated pan with two loop handles that sits compactly on the grate and lifts with both hands, see the Made In 12-inch Seasoned Carbon Steel Grill Basket. For searing on a stovetop, in the oven, or over a grill with a solid floor, the Made In 12-inch Seasoned Carbon Steel Frying Pan is the better choice. For smash burgers and breakfast for a crowd on the grill, the Made In Professional Carbon Steel Griddle gives a large, flat surface. Keep the pan in shape with Made In Carbon Steel Seasoning Wax and the Made In Carbon Steel Cleaning Set. Learn More

The 12.6-inch Atlantis Proline is the pan for cooking in quantity, whether that means a cut-up chicken, six salmon fillets or fried rice for a crowd. A helper handle across from the main handle carries part of the load, which matters once a pan this size is full. Both stay-cool handles are welded in place with no rivets, which keeps the cooking surface smooth and easy to clean. We recommend this size for anyone who regularly cooks for four or more people.Its layered walls, built around an aluminum core, carry heat all the way up the flared sides, and the TriplInduc base resists warping and works especially efficiently on an induction burner. On a pan this broad, that even edge is what lets you use the whole surface. The flat base measures about 10.2 inches, and a burner much smaller than that heats the center and leaves an outer ring cooler, so Demeyere recommends a burner or induction zone close to the size of the base.For daily cooking for two or three, the 11-inch Proline does the same jobs with less to lift. The Industry 5 12.5-inch fry pan offers the same diameter in a lighter five-layer pan, also with a helper handle. Both collections are compared in our Demeyere buying guide. Learn More

Cooks who find a 12-inch cast iron skillet too heavy to lift with one hand often move to carbon steel. This 12.5-inch Paderno pan has room for several chicken thighs or a large batch of greens, and its sloped sides, the classic French skillet shape, let you toss food and slide it onto a plate.Carbon steel heats faster than cast iron and changes temperature soon after the burner does. It needs seasoning before first use and gets slicker as it is used; the steps are in the details below.Choosing Between Paderno’s Steel PansThis is Paderno’s lighter carbon steel line. If you want a heavier pan that holds more heat for searing steaks, the 12.5-inch Black Steel Frying Pan is the same diameter in thicker steel. For eggs and single portions, the 8.625-inch Carbon Steel Frying Pan is the smaller size. Learn More

The Made In Seasoned Carbon Steel Grill Basket keeps small and sliced foods on the grill and out of the fire. Its 53 perforations let flame and smoke reach the food, while the solid rim and sloped walls hold shrimp, shishito peppers, and chopped vegetables that would otherwise fall between the grates. Two loop handles make it easy to set the basket on a gas grill, a charcoal kettle, or a campfire grate, then lift it off full with both hands.
Why It PerformsPerforated floor: Dime-sized holes let direct flame and smoke reach the food, so vegetables char and shrimp pick up grill flavor instead of steaming.Two loop handles: Short handles on opposite sides take up less room on the grate than a long handle and give a secure two-handed grip when the basket is full and hot.Sloped walls: Food stays in the basket when you shake it, and the walls make it easy to push ingredients from a hot zone to a cooler one.Built for fire: Pre-seasoned 2 mm carbon steel takes the direct heat of a grill or open fire with no coating to protect, and the seasoning darkens and grows slicker with use.
What It Does BestShishito peppers, onions, and tomatillosShrimp and other small seafoodChicken wingsGrilled fruit and mixed vegetables
Choosing the Right Made In PanFor a perforated pan with a long handle for one-handed tossing, see the Made In 12-inch Carbon Steel Perforated Grill Frying Pan. For smash burgers and breakfast for a crowd on the grill, the Made In Professional Carbon Steel Griddle gives a large, flat surface. Keep the basket in shape with Made In Carbon Steel Seasoning Wax and the Made In Carbon Steel Cleaning Set. Learn More

This is the pan Matfer sells as 12 5/8 inches; the rim measures 12 3/8 inches. It gives a professional line cook or a home cook feeding a crowd the surface area to sear in one batch rather than three.A pan this size is the one to choose for paella-style rice, a large frittata or several steaks at once. It needs a large burner to heat evenly across the base.For an even larger surface, see the 14-inch pan; for a wide, shallow rice pan, the Matfer paella pan. Learn More

The Made In 12-inch ProCoat Non-Stick Fry Pan is the nonstick pan for family-size cooking. Its wide floor holds a full batch of scrambled eggs, several pancakes, or a batch of fish fillets in a single layer, so food browns evenly instead of steaming in a crowded pan. Made In bonds multiple layers of professional-grade, FDA-approved nonstick to the same stainless clad body used in its Stainless Clad line, so even a pan this large heats evenly and responds quickly to the burner.
Why It PerformsClad stainless body under the coating: Heat spreads across the full 12-inch floor and up the walls, so pancakes at the edge of the pan cook at the same rate as those in the center.Multi-layer professional coating: Made In applies several layers of nonstick and builds the pan for the pace of a commercial kitchen. Made In states that the coating lasts up to 70 times longer than ceramic nonstick.Flared lip and long handle: The flared rim and long, ergonomic handle make it easier to flip, stir, and slide food out of a large, full pan.Stovetop to oven: The hollow Stay Cool Handle stays comfortable on the burner, and the oven-safe coating allows a frittata or a family-size dish to finish in the oven.
What It Does BestScrambled eggs, omelets, and fried eggs for a familyPancakes, French toast, and crepes in batchesFish fillets and crab cakes that tend to stickWilting large batches of spinach and other greensLarge frittatas started on the burner and finished in the oven
Choosing the Right Made In PanProCoat also comes in the Made In 10-inch ProCoat Non-Stick Fry Pan for two portions and the Made In 8-inch ProCoat Non-Stick Fry Pan for single servings. Cooks who prefer a ceramic surface, or a slightly higher oven rating, should compare the Made In 12-inch CeramiClad Non-Stick Frying Pan. For a hard sear and pan sauces at the same size, choose the Made In 12-inch Stainless Clad Frying Pan or the Made In 12-inch Seasoned Carbon Steel Frying Pan. Learn More

At 12 1/2 inches, the Tradition is a pan for high-volume cooking: a full skillet of sautéed greens, several steaks at once or a family batch of fried rice.The heavy-duty body and thick base keep the pan flat on the burner when it is full and hot. A pan of this size and weight is easiest to handle on a large burner.For an uncoated pan that seasons instead, compare the Matfer black carbon steel fry pan. Learn More

Widest of the fry pans in Demeyere’s lighter stainless collection, the Industry 5 12.5-inch is big enough to sear a spatchcocked chicken or to brown the meat for a large pot of chili in two batches. A helper handle opposite the main handle gives you a second grip when the pan is full.Demeyere clads the pan in five layers with a thick aluminum core, and its 10.2-inch base stays flat on the cooktop as it heats. Demeyere’s Silvinox treatment, an electrochemical process that removes impurities from the steel, adds durability and leaves a lasting shine that is easy to clean, and dripless rims make it simple to pour off sauces and liquids. A pan this broad needs a burner to match. Demeyere advises a burner or induction zone that matches the base, so measure your largest burner before choosing this pan over the 11-inch.Cooks who mainly cook for four will find the Industry 5 11-inch fry pan easier to lift and to fit in a cabinet. If heat retention matters more than weight, the Atlantis Proline 12.6-inch is the heavier seven-layer version. See our Demeyere cookware guide for help choosing between the two collections. Learn More