The Finest Egg Pans of 2024, Examined & Reviewed

The common-or-garden egg: endlessly versatile, kinda costly proper now. The typical American really eats about 280 eggs a 12 months. The upward pattern in consumption regardless of rising prices in all probability stems from the truth that the egg just isn’t solely one of the crucial workable proteins in your kitchen, however that there are such a lot of methods to prepare dinner it. There are 100 “verified” methods, demonstrated by the folds in a conventional chef’s toque. Fried, baked, poached, steamed, scrambled—somewhat method goes a protracted method to make your good egg, however the precise instruments come in useful as properly.

So, simply how a lot of a distinction can a great pan make with regards to egg cookery? The straightforward reply is: It completely helps. We took a deep dive into our cookware critiques, coupled with our culinary information to focus on among the finest egg pans. (We’ll chorus from any “egg-cellent” jokes.) 

The Winners, at a Look

Issues to Contemplate

Do You Want Fats When Cooking Eggs in a Nonstick Skillet?

The quick reply is sure. Although a nonstick pan would require lower than stainless-steel, somewhat fats helps add an additional buffer between the eggs and the pan, particularly since each objects are liquid. For a way like frying, fats can also be important for including taste and creating the Maillard response that leads to the crispy, lattice-like backside of a wonderfully fried egg.

Can You Use Solid Iron and Carbon Metal to Prepare dinner Eggs? 

Sure, however we suggest seasoning each pans properly first. Forged iron is porous, so it is lower than superb for delicate egg preparations like scrambles or omelets. The micro divots will latch onto the egg proteins and entice them within the cracks as you push your egg combination round, leading to sticking.

As talked about in our forged iron skillet evaluate, eggs may even often stick with the pan if it isn’t seasoned properly. Now we have a information to seasoning right here, however cooking fatty objects like bacon in a forged iron pan additionally helps construct up its nonstick talents over time. As soon as seasoned, forged iron is nice for fried eggs or stovetop-to-oven egg dishes, like frittatas.

A lot of the identical may be mentioned for carbon metal, although it’s much less porous than forged iron—leading to a smoother floor that’s not as stick-prone, however nonetheless advantages from seasoning.

Can You Prepare dinner Eggs in a Stainless Metal Skillet?

It takes a little bit of a studying curve to grasp, however cooks favor stainless-steel skillets for a motive. The place residence cooks will run into hassle with eggs and stainless-steel just isn’t heating the pan up sufficient. In case you place an egg on a stainless-steel pan that’s nonetheless chilly or lukewarm, the egg will doubtless stick. The answer: warmth, warmth, warmth. One of the best ways to find out in case your stainless pan is at a nonstick warmth degree is so as to add a couple of droplets of water. If the droplets dance and skitter throughout the pan, you’re able to go.

Which Dimension Egg Pan Ought to You Purchase?

It’s helpful to have pans in a couple of totally different sizes. For a jack-of-all-trades, a 10- or 12-inch pan is good. In any other case, an 8-inch skillet is nice for cooking solo or frying just some eggs.

Our Favourite Egg Pans

What we appreciated: We don’t name for nonstick a lot, however the one factor it’s tremendous helpful for is cooking delicate proteins like eggs. We additionally suppose it’s what most individuals will consider as an egg pan. This skillet from Tramontina is extraordinarily well-priced (about $30 on the time of writing) and has a detachable silicone grip. In our checks, eggs slipped and slid round its nonstick floor. And, once more, it’s CHEAP. You’ll be able to learn extra about why we don’t suggest splurging on nonstick right here, however the TL;DR is that it simply doesn’t final all that lengthy.

What we didn’t like: This pan isn’t induction-compatible. If in case you have an induction cooktop, we suggest this skillet from T-fal.

Key Specs

• Most oven temperature: 400℉
• Induction-compatible: No
• Weight: 1 pound, 15 ounces
• Dishwasher-safe: Sure

What we appreciated: That is our budget-friendly carbon metal suggestion and, as soon as seasoned, it’s particularly nice for fried eggs and frittatas. Carbon metal pans have smoother surfaces than forged iron, so that they’ll be extra slick out of the gate, too. One factor to notice: Maintain off on making acidic dishes, like shakshuka, on this pan till it’s well-seasoned. The acid can strip the pan’s seasoning (the identical goes for forged iron).

What we didn’t like: This pan could be very light-weight and may spin round on glass cooktops.

Key Specs

• Most oven temperature: 660℉
• Induction-compatible: Sure
• Weight: 2 kilos, 10 ounces
• Dishwasher-safe: No

What we appreciated: Additionally nice for frittatas and fried eggs, our favourite forged iron skillet from Lodge has a value you may’t beat. To your ease, it comes pre-seasoned. After we examined forged iron skillets we discovered fried eggs slid proper off. This bodes properly for its long-term talents as an egg pan: It would solely get extra nonstick with use. 

What we didn’t like: This pan is kind of heavy. 

Key Specs

• Most oven temperature: 650℉
• Induction-compatible: Sure
• Weight: 5 kilos, 7 ounces
• Dishwasher-safe: No

What we appreciated: Suitable with induction and competitively priced, Made In’s stainless-steel skillet has been one in every of our favorites for years. It has a snug deal with and feels well-balanced when picked up. After somewhat observe, your egg cookery will present you why stainless-steel’s one of the crucial versatile supplies there’s. 

What we didn’t like: Whereas we didn’t expertise this, different evaluate websites have discovered that this pan can warp (which might make it a no-go for induction).

Key Specs

• Most oven temperature: 800℉
• Induction-compatible: Sure
• Weight: 3 kilos
• Dishwasher-safe: Sure

FAQs

Why are my eggs sticking to the pan?

This might be as a result of your nonstick pan is older and its coating has damaged down an excessive amount of. As soon as a nonstick pan exhibits main indicators of damage (and scratches), it’s time to switch it. In case you’re utilizing forged iron or carbon metal, it might be that the pan wants extra seasoning. And, lastly, in the event you’re cracking eggs into a stainless-steel skillet solely to search out them mounted to the floor, you in all probability did not warmth the pan up sufficient.

Is a nonstick pan finest for eggs? 

Nonstick pans will, typically, make egg cooking simple and stick-free. Although acutely aware shoppers could go for a ceramic-coated nonstick skillet—due to the chemical substances in conventional PTFE coatings—ceramic may be extra brittle than its different counterparts, inflicting it to lose its nonstick properties sooner.

Why We’re the Consultants

• Emily Ziemski is an editor and recipe developer who has over 14 years of cooking expertise. 
• In that point, she estimates she’s cooked lots of, if not hundreds, of eggs.
• We have extensively reviewed every kind of skillets, together with nonstick, carbon metal, forged iron, and stainless-steel.