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Reviewed/Lindsay D. Mattison
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Reviewed/Lindsay D. Mattison
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The Mauviel M’Steel is our favorite carbon steel pan. It’s lightweight, heats quickly, and has a fantastic nonstick surface. Read More
This pre-seasoned carbon steel pan is lightweight, heats quickly, and is large enough to handle most cooking tasks. Read More
This unique carbon steel pan has some of the best traits of stainless steel and cast iron. It heats quickly, holds the heat, and cooks evenly. Read More
This expensive carbon steel pan is hand-crafted in the U.S.A and excels in performance, reaching 200 degrees Fahrenheit within 60 seconds. Read More
If you’re looking for a carbon steel pan that doesn’t have to be seasoned, Lodge is the way to go. Read More
Most home cooks are familiar with cast-iron skillets, but carbon steel cookware has eluded the mainstream—for now. As a former professional chef, I’m super familiar with these quick-heating, semi-lightweight pans. Many restaurants use them because the pans heat up quickly, and retain heat for a long time after being removed from the stovetop.
Both carbon steel and cast iron pans are good for one-pot cooking since they can go from the stovetop to the ove. Specifically, carbon steel pans are good for getting a hard sear on a steak, but they also develop a seasoning layer that makes them as non-stick as the best ceramic or Teflon-coated pans.
Their versatility makes them a clear choice as a workhorse in home kitchens. For the best carbon steel pan we tested, check out the Mauviel M'Steel Round Frying Pan (available at Amazon) , which outranked the competition thanks to its lightweight design, nonstick quality, and superior heat maintenance.
A seared steak is cooked perfectly inside a Mauviel M'Steel 12.5-inch pan, the best carbon steel pan we tested.
The BK Cookware is a great pan at a great price.
The KitchenAid Carbon Steel Pan is rust-resistant thanks to a nitrogen-infused surface.
Heats quickly
Works well as a nonstick pan
Great warranty
Expensive
Small interior surface area
Heavy
Pre-seasoned
Heats quickly
Works well as a nonstick pan
Uncomfortable handle
Shallow flared edges
Lightweight
Comfortable handle
Large interior surface area
Not very nonstick
Bowl-shaped edges make it hard to pour
Easily to clean
Nonstick surface
Small interior surface area
Shallow flared edges
Uncomfortable handle
These oven-safe pans can be used on any stovetop, including induction cooktops, and are perfect for handling a variety of cooking tasks—everything from creating the perfect sear on a steak to cooking delicate eggs. That said, these pans also require some maintenance. This extra requirement might be what turns most home cooks away from these versatile naturally nonstick pans, but we promise: It’s not that much work.
Basically, bare carbon steel rusts very quickly, so these pans need to be seasoned to create a protective layer. If the pan is properly cared for, the seasoning process only needs to happen right after you receive the pan.
Carbon steel pans should be heavier than non-stick pans but not nearly as heavy as a cast-iron skillet. Between four to four-and-a-half pounds is really ideal. You want to be able to hold it in one hand and toss the contents of the skillet without feeling like your wrist might buckle!
The handle size and design are equally important, too. Our favorite handles were straight, not curved, to balance out the weight of the pan. The longer handles felt more awkward to use, so we recommend looking for a pan with a handle no longer than nine inches.
Finally, the pan’s shape had a lot to do with its success. Steep, bowl-shaped edges make it hard to toss vegetables, but shallow sides allow too much grease to escape when searing steak. Instead, look for wide, sloping sides, which also make it easy to pour out pan sauces or slide a spatula into the pan.
The seasoning process protects the bare steel from rusting, and it creates a nonstick layer.
To season a carbon steel pan, first make sure any wax coating has been scrubbed off using soapy, hot water. Then, heat the pan over high heat to open its pores. After a minute or so, add a very thin layer of neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point (like canola oil), rubbing it all over the pan’s surface with a paper towel or old towel. The pan will smoke to high heaven, so make sure the fan is on and the windows are open!
After a few minutes, you’ll notice the shiny silver surface turn to black: that’s the seasoning layer. Turn the pan and continue heating until it’s black all over. And just like that, the pan is ready to use! The more you cook with it, the more that coating will improve, creating an exceptional non-stick surface that will work as well as a ceramic or Teflon-coated pan.
Carbon steel pans shouldn't be washed with soapy water. Instead, use a brush to remove any burnt-on bits.
Carbon steel pans also require a specific cleaning regimen because soap removes the seasoning layer. We noticed the pre-seasoned pans fared a little better when we cleaned them with soap, but all the pans we seasoned ourselves lost their coating after a single wash.
The good news? It’s not hard to clean these pans with a scrub brush (like this Lodge Cast-Iron Scrub Brush). The non-stick seasoning layer helps even burnt-on bits slide away with ease. After the pan is scrubbed clean, it’s important to dry it immediately and coat it with a thin layer of oil.
The best news? If you accidentally wash off the seasoning layer, you can repeat that initial seasoning step and the pan will be good as new. These heavy-duty pants are pretty hard to destroy, so don’t be afraid to learn as you go.
We seared, sauteed, and seasoned in these skillets to find the best carbon steel pan.
When testing any carbon steel pan, we evaluate its nonstick surface (after seasoning, if required), even-heating capabilities, weight, comfort level of the handles, and how easy it is to clean.
First, we season the pan according to the brand's instructions. Then, we conduct several cooking tests: making crepes, cooking over-easy and scrambled eggs, searing steak, and tossing veggies. We evaluate how easily food releases, how evenly it cooks, and how comfortable the pan is to maneuver. Then, we clean the pan according to the brand's instructions, monitoring for any deterioration along the way.
Lindsay is a professional chef, recipe developer, writer, and developmental editor. After years of working in restaurant kitchens, she turned to writing to share her passion for local, organic, and seasonal ingredients with home cooks and food enthusiasts.
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