Buyer’s Guide To Stainless Steel Pans
by Holly Thomson
Select the right stainless steel pan for your kitchen in our guide to stainless steel pans. Stainless steel is a fantastic choice for pans, and often seen in professional kitchens.
Additionally, frying with stainless steel frying pans can require a little practice, especially if you're more used to using non-stick. However, you can achieve an almost non-stick effect with the right techniques.
Stainless steel is durable, versatile, and built to last. If you want a pan that can handle anything from searing to deglazing, it’s a solid investment.
Jump To…
Which pan is best for...?
Which are the best stainless steel pots and pans?
What you should look for in stainless steel pots and pans?
5 Best stainless steel pans
Stainless steel cookware FAQs
What stainless steel pans do chefs use?
Which Pan Is Best For...?
- Best for: Boiling, simmering, and reheating - De Buyer Affinity Stainless Steel Saucepan with Lid (18cm)
- Best for: Searing, browning, and frying at high temperatures - De Buyer Affinity Stainless Steel Frying Pan
- Best for: High-performance cooking with a durable, non-reactive surface. - Hestan Nanobond Frying Pan (22cm)
- Best for: Versatile cooking tasks like frying, searing, and flambéing. - De Buyer Prim Appety Stainless Steel Frying Pan (28cm)
- Best for: Sauce reduction, sautéing vegetables, and precise cooking. - De Buyer Alchimy Sauté Pan (16cm, Conical)
Which are the best stainless steel pans?
Start with the material. 18/10 stainless steel is a type of stainless steel cast with 18% chromium and 10% nickel. It is some of the very best steel composition for kitchen pans, as it resists rust and keeps its shine.
Plus, look for a stainless steel pan with a core of aluminium or copper. This combination ensures even heat distribution, essential for cooking without hot spots.
You might see stainless steel pans with 3-ply or 5-ply thickness for instance. Which refers to the layers of metal in the pan.
What you should look for in a stainless steel pan?
Choosing the best stainless steel pan depends on quality and features that improve your cooking performance. And everyone has their own preference. But here are the criteria we like to look for at Sous Chef.
- Correct composition: Look for cookware with layered construction—such as "sandwich base", triply (or tri-ply) or 5-ply/multi-ply. A common setup includes an aluminum core sandwiched between stainless steel layers, which helps spread heat evenly. Some pans have a “sandwich base” (only layered on the bottom), while full 3-ply or 5-ply pans extend the layers up the sides, offering better all-around heat control.
- Helpful features: Pouring lips, measurement lines, and curved rims make cooking and pouring easier; straight rims work well for shallow frying. These small design details can make a big difference in everyday use.
- Lyonnaise shape: Pans with high, curved sides (Lyonnaise cut) let you slide food out easily—great for delicate dishes. The shape also avoids sharp angles, which helps with stirring and flipping.
- Cool, sturdy handles: Welded or riveted handles that stay cool make cooking safer and more comfortable. They also provide a strong, secure grip, especially when moving a hot pan.
- Wide, flat bottom: A broad base gives more space to cook multiple items at once without overcrowding—ideal for pancakes or eggs. It also ensures even browning and better heat contact.
- Non-stick coating: Stainless steel pans with a non-stick layer, like the De Buyer Affinity, need little oil and are easy to clean. Food releases easily, making them perfect for flipping eggs or pancakes.
- Dishwasher safe: Most stainless steel pans are dishwasher friendly—just skip those with wooden handles or non-stick unless the label says it's okay. This makes cleanup much quicker after cooking.
Five best stainless steel pans
- Best for: Boiling, simmering, and reheating.
- Multi-layered stainless steel with an aluminium core ensures even heat distribution across the base and sides.
- Comes with a stainless steel lid, ideal for cooking rice or keeping food warm.
- Rolled lip design allows for drip-free pouring.
- Best for: Searing, browning, and frying at high temperatures.
- Constructed with multiple layers of magnetic stainless steel and an aluminium core for fast, even heating.
- Available in various sizes (20–32cm) to suit different cooking needs.
- Ideal for everyday high-temperature cooking.
- Best for: High-performance cooking with a durable, non-reactive surface.
- Features an ultra-resilient cooking surface that is scratch and stain-resistant.
- NanoBond technology makes it four times stronger than traditional stainless steel.
- Suitable for use with metal utensils and resistant to tarnishing.
- Best for: Versatile cooking tasks like frying, searing, and flambéing.
- High-quality stainless steel construction ensures durability.
- Curved edge forms a pouring lip all around for easy transfer of sauces and oils.
- Compatible with all hobs, including induction.
- Best for: Sauce reduction, sautéing vegetables, and precise cooking.
- Triple-layer design guarantees fast, even heat distribution and control.
- Conical shape facilitates easy stirring and sauce reduction.
- Suitable for all stovetops, including induction.
Stainless steel pans FAQs
What are the downsides to stainless steel cookware?
Stainless steel isn’t instantly non-stick, so you need to heat the pan more before cooking, and sometimes use a little more oil. Plus stainless steel can discolour more than a non-stick pan. Although, we personally love the look of a well-loved pan!
Which brand of stainless steel cookware is best?
At Sous Chef we love De Buyer’s range of stainless steel.
What should not be cooked in stainless steel?
Certain foods or cooking methods can be tricky or potentially damaging in stainless steel:
- Highly acidic foods (like tomatoes, vinegar-based sauces), cooking these for long periods might cause a metallic taste or damage the finish, especially if the cookware is low quality.
- Sticky foods without oil or butter. Eggs, pancakes, or fish can stick badly if the pan isn’t preheated and greased properly.
Is stainless steel a good material for pans?
At Sous Chef, we think its one of the best materials. It’s a material of pan that every member of the team has at home - for its fantastic versatility and durability. Its a common choice in restaurant kitchens too for exactly that reason
What stainless steel pans do chefs use?
Many professional chefs choose the Hestan Nanobond range for its unmatched performance, durability, and innovation. These pans are made with thousands of molecular titanium layers over stainless steel, making them 35% more conductive than traditional stainless steel—which means faster, more even heating. They're also incredibly resistant to scratching, staining, and tarnishing, even from acidic ingredients or metal utensils. The mirror-like finish doesn’t just look sleek—it’s also dishwasher safe and easy to clean. With their exceptional heat control, durability, and striking design, Hestan Nanobond pans are a go-to for chefs who demand the best in both professional and home kitchens.
What is a stainless steel pan good for?
- It’s strong, reliable, and built to last. Great for searing, deglazing, or tossing into the oven.
- They can handle very high heat
- When the stainless steel pan is a "sandwich"/triply/5-ply/multiply pan, they conduct quickly and evenly. Copper core pans are the premium range for conductivity and temperature control.
- Easy and simple to clean
- Robust and resilient to busy kitchen use
- Doesn’t react to food, or tarnish easily
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Read more: Understand the best ways to cook with stainless steel, and browse all stainless steel pots and pans.
