The Greatest Egg Pans of 2024, Examined & Reviewed

The standard egg: endlessly versatile, kinda costly proper now. The typical American truly eats about 280 eggs a yr. The upward development in consumption regardless of rising prices in all probability stems from the truth that the egg isn’t solely probably the most workable proteins in your kitchen, however that there are such a lot of methods to cook dinner it. There are 100 “verified” methods, demonstrated by the folds in a standard chef’s toque. Fried, baked, poached, steamed, scrambled—slightly method goes an extended solution to make your good egg, however the suitable instruments turn out to be useful as nicely.

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

The Winners, at a Look

Issues to Think about

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

The brief reply is sure. Although a nonstick pan would require lower than chrome steel, slightly fats helps add an additional buffer between the eggs and the pan, particularly since each objects are liquid. For a method like frying, fats can also be important for including taste and creating the Maillard response that ends in the crispy, lattice-like backside of a superbly fried egg.

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

Sure, however we advocate seasoning each pans nicely first. Forged iron is porous, so it is lower than perfect 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 follow the pan if it isn’t seasoned nicely. We now 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 might be stated 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 Cook dinner Eggs in a Stainless Metal Skillet?

It takes a little bit of a studying curve to grasp, however cooks favor chrome steel skillets for a cause. The place dwelling cooks will run into hassle with eggs and chrome steel isn’t heating the pan up sufficient. In case you place an egg on a chrome steel pan that’s nonetheless chilly or lukewarm, the egg will possible stick. The answer: warmth, warmth, warmth. The easiest way 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 completely 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 only a few eggs.

Our Favourite Egg Pans

What we favored: 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 assume 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 exams, eggs slipped and slid round its nonstick floor. And, once more, it’s CHEAP. You may learn extra about why we don’t advocate 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. You probably have an induction cooktop, we advocate this skillet from T-fal.

Key Specs

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

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

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

Key Specs

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

What we favored: Appropriate with induction and competitively priced, Made In’s chrome steel skillet has been considered one of our favorites for years. It has a snug deal with and feels well-balanced when picked up. After slightly apply, your egg cookery will present you why chrome steel’s probably the most 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 wear and tear (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, if you happen to’re cracking eggs into a chrome steel skillet solely to seek 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 customers might go for a ceramic-coated nonstick skillet—due to the chemical substances in conventional PTFE coatings—ceramic might 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 1000’s, of eggs.
• We have extensively reviewed all types of skillets, together with nonstick, carbon metal, forged iron, and chrome steel.