The best carbon-steel pan will offer you all the convenience and ease of a nonstick skillet and then some. Properly seasoned carbon-steel cookware is just as nonstick as ceramic or PTFE-based nonstick cookware, and unlike those types of pans, carbon-steel cookware will actually get better the more you use it. Carbon steel is tough and durable, it can withstand high heat, and there’s no need to worry about scratching its cooking surface. This is why we generally suggest opting for carbon-steel, cast-iron, or even a stainless-steel pan over nonstick pans, because they’re simply superior pieces of cookware—provided you care for them properly.
The best-carbon steel pans
We get that not everybody wants to season carbon-steel pans. If that’s you, there are plenty of pre-seasoned pans out there that we stand by. However, if you don’t mind the little teensy bit of work of seasoning a pan, you will be rewarded with an heirloom-quality pan with an exceptional finish.
If you aren’t super familiar with carbon-steel pans, here’s a basic rundown. Compared to other long-lasting cookware like cast-iron skillets, they are lighter weight and easier to maneuver. They have a flat, wide cooking surface perfect for frying eggs and omelets, flipping crepes, searing meat, stir-frying vegetables—the list goes on. In terms of versatility, carbon steel can’t be beat.
To find out which carbon-steel pans are the best of the best, we consulted our test kitchen editors, the home cooks on our product testing team, and culinary professionals to come up with three outstanding options for anybody looking for their first carbon-steel pan. Check out our picks below.
If you’re interested in finding more of the best cookware, check out our reviews of our favorite cast-iron pans and best carbon-steel woks.
The best carbon-steel pan according to the Bon Appétit test kitchen: De Buyer Mineral B Pro Carbon Steel Fry Pan
Pros: Easy to maneuver, and a well-established reputation for quality
Cons: The initial seasoning process takes a bit of time
Food director Chris Morocco’s pick is the De Buyer Mineral B Pro carbon-steel pan. De Buyer is an old-school name in the cookware world, and the brand’s carbon-steel pan is one of its best-known products. “I love these as an alternative to all but the best cast irons,” Morocco says. “They are lighter, easier to use and handle, season faster, and start out with slicker surfaces.”
The basic Mineral B pan comes with a simple handle with a heat-resistant epoxy finish that makes it easier to grasp. The problem is that the finish can melt above 400°, making stovetop to oven cooking (something we find ourselves doing a lot with carbon-steel pans) to be a bit of a problem. This is why Morocco prefers the Mineral B Pro model, which comes with an oven-safe stainless-steel handle.
One important thing to note about De Buyer pans is that they come unseasoned with a layer of protective beeswax. This can be a pro or a con—depending on how much you like to do things yourself—however seasoning a carbon-steel pan is pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Our product testers found that compared to other pans, you might need to reseason the De Buyer the first couple of times you use it, but once it develops a nice nonstick patina, rest assured that it will last you.
Specs
Sizes: 9.5″ and 11″
Weight: 3 lb. and 4.8 lb.
Oven-safe: Yes
Induction cooktop compatible: Yes
Warranty: lifetime warranty
Best carbon-steel pan according to expert home cooks: Merten & Storck Carbon Steel 10″ Skillet with Stainless-Steel Handle
Pros: Exceptionally light and has a nonstick surface right out of the box
Cons: Very little, according to our testers
For home cooks accustomed to the convenience of a nonstick pan, pre-seasoned carbon-steel skillets are out there, and the Merten & Storck pan is the best that we’ve tested. It aced the egg test. From first use, testers noted that “a fried egg slid right off with the ease of Teflon.”
This skillet has moderately sloped sides and a generous cooking space, making it easy to sear a batch of chicken thighs or a large steak without too much cramping. The stainless-steel handle is easy to maneuver and stays relatively cool. It’s also one of the lightest pans we’ve tested, yet still manages to retain heat well. There is a slightly more inexpensive version with a simpler carbon-steel handle, but it gets a lot hotter than the stainless, so we’d say the extra dollars are worth the additional comfort the stainless-steel handle provides.
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