The 5 Best Egg Pans I’ve Found as a Professional Kitchen Gear Tester

Sure, your average skillet is highly multipurpose: great for searing steaks and salmon, sautéing spinach or kale, and even baking sweets like cornbread or brownies. But can it cook eggs without sticking? Having a solid egg pan on hand to support your breakfast (or anytime) egg needs is important.

Some pans are finicky when it comes to helping you crank out a good egg. The wrong pan leaves most of your scramble stuck to the edges, your prized bacon-and-Gruyère frittata stuck to the skillet, or your over-easy eggs glued to the surface. Thankfully, not all pans will ruin your eggs. Some use materials that, alone or with the right prep, help over-easy eggs glide onto a plate. Others offer benefits, such as lightweight construction, that make tilting easy, and some have wide cooking surfaces that fit multiple eggs at once. Below, you’ll find the egg pans that, in my opinion as a professional kitchen gear tester, are the best: no sticking, no fuss, just reliable performance for breakfast and beyond.

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best Egg Pan

Tramontina 10-Inch Professional Aluminum Nonstick Restaurant Fry Pan

$45 at Amazon $45 at Target View on Walmart

With nonstick-coated aluminum, silicone handles that stay cool, and a spacious surface, our longtime champion from Tramontina consistently tops our reviews. When I tried to ruin it with metal utensils during a recent retest, it came out with barely any scratches. It distributes heat quickly and evenly, helping fried eggs and omelettes cook without hot spots.

The Best Ceramic Egg Pan

Caraway Nonstick Ceramic Frying Pan

$125

$105 at Amazon View on Target

$125

$107 at Sur La Table

This egg pan stands out as the most aesthetically pleasing pick, available in eight different colors. But what really wins me over is the forever-chemical-free, nonstick ceramic coating. It also makes cooking eggs easier since you no longer have to fear them sticking.

The Best Carbon Steel Egg Pan

OXO Obsidian Pre-Seasoned Carbon Steel, 10" Frying Pan

$60

$45 at Amazon $60 at Home Depot View on Perigold.com

This pre-seasoned carbon steel pan from OXO heats up quickly, so if you’re tight on time in the mornings, you won’t have to wait for your skillet to get ready for action. It has a spacious surface (10 inches), yet remains lightweight. I also appreciate the silicone guard that keeps the handle cool.

The Best Cast Iron Egg Pan

Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

$30

$25 at Amazon $25 at Target $25 at Home Depot

With proper care, this cast iron egg pan can last a lifetime. Unlike most nonstick pans, which are PTFE-coated, this one is made of heavy-duty cast iron that's scratch-resistant. Crafted with a pre-seasoned classic pebbled surface, it becomes more nonstick as you cook with it, and layers of polymerized fat create a slick finish, helping over-easy eggs slide right off.

The Best Stainless Steel Egg Pan

Made In 12-Inch Stainless Steel Skillet

$139 at Amazon

$119

$139 at Made In Cookware

Stainless steel pans like this one from Made In respond quickly to temperature changes so that your eggs don’t overcook. With enough oil to evenly cover the pan’s surface and room-temperature eggs to start, omelettes glide off the skillet without a hitch. This nonstick skillet was the most comfortable to use during our sautéing tests, thanks to the curved edges on its handle.

What We Learned

Pan Material Matters, but Not As Much As You’d Think

Nonstick, cast iron, ceramic, stainless steel, and carbon steel pans all can cook fried eggs evenly, with crispy edges and a jammy center. That said, technique and prep differ depending on the pan. The pre-seasoning on the OXO and the Lodge creates a slick surface that eggs love. Stainless steel pans, such as the one from Made In, don’t require seasoning but do need a generous amount of oil (again, more fat) to prevent sticking. Coated nonstick pans, like the ones from Tramontina and Caraway, offer the easiest release, often letting eggs slide free with little fat.

Even when using nonstick egg pans like the ones from Tramontina or Caraway, don’t skip the fat. You need less fat, not no fat, to cook with nonstick. In our tests, adding fat consistently improved results. It encourages the Maillard reaction, giving eggs those golden, crispy edges, and also provides an extra layer of insurance by making sure your eggs release seamlessly. However, keep in mind that with all nonstick pans, you should replace them as soon as they begin to show wear. If you’re looking for a durable skillet that you can keep for the long term, I recommend the cast iron Lodge or stainless steel Made In.  

The Surface, Handle, and Lip Affect How Well a Pan Cooks Eggs

Choose a pan that’s spacious enough to hold two or three eggs. Skillets like the Made In or Caraway work well, as their cooking surfaces measure over 10 inches, allowing you to cook more than one egg at a time. When I tested nonstick pans, I found that skillets with a rounded rim, like the one from OXO, let delicate foods like fried eggs slide out more easily than those with a flat edge. During those same tests, pans with easy-to-grip, stay-cool handles, like the one on the Tramontina, were especially helpful. A handle that doesn’t get too hot allows for better control when lifting or tilting the pan and helps prevent burns.

Our Favorite Egg Pans

The Best Egg Pan

Tramontina 10-Inch Professional Aluminum Nonstick Restaurant Fry Pan

$45 at Amazon $45 at Target View on Walmart

What we liked: I picked this Tramontina egg pan as a winner during my nonstick skillet review. It fits nearly three eggs at once, and the nonstick coating lets ingredients slide right off. The aluminum construction distributed heat quickly and evenly, which helped dishes like over-easy eggs and frittatas cook to my desired doneness. That nimbleness is the reason aluminum pans are often used in professional restaurant kitchens. Weighing under two pounds, the pan felt light in my hand, so tilting and releasing omelettes didn’t strain my wrist. It has a rounded rim, making it easier to slide food out. A silicone sleeve keeps the handle cool during use, and the whole pan cleans up easily. It’s dishwasher-safe, but for the health of your pans, hand-washing is better.

What we didn’t like: This egg pan is not compatible with induction cooktops. It also maxes out at 400°F in the oven, which is something to keep in mind when baking egg dishes like soufflés.

Key Specs

• Materials: Aluminum with nonstick coating
• Diameter: 10 inches
• Maximum oven temperature: 400°F
• Induction-compatible: No
• Weight: 2 pounds
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes, but hand-washing is recommended

The Best Ceramic Egg Pan

Caraway Nonstick Ceramic Frying Pan

$125

$105 at Amazon View on Target

$125

$107 at Sur La Table

What we liked: While testing non-toxic cookware sets, the Caraway frying pan quickly rose to the top. With over 10 inches of cooking space, it easily fits three over-easy eggs at once. The ceramic coating isn’t made with forever chemicals. This pan includes all the components I look for in a great egg pan, including a cool-to-the-touch handle and a rounded rim that makes sliding eggs out simple. It also comes in eight different colors, so finding one that fits your kitchen aesthetic won’t be a problem. Cleanup is easy since eggs don’t stick to it. It can also withstand oven temperatures of up to 550°F.

What we didn’t like: Like any nonstick pan (traditional or ceramic), the coating will eventually wear down.

Key Specs

• Materials: Aluminum, ceramic
• Diameter: 10.5 inches
• Maximum oven temperature: 550°F
• Induction-compatible: Yes
• Weight: 5 pounds
• Dishwasher-safe: No

The Best Carbon Steel Egg Pan

OXO Obsidian Pre-Seasoned Carbon Steel, 10" Frying Pan

$60

$45 at Amazon $60 at Home Depot View on Perigold.com

What we liked: This pre-seasoned carbon steel egg pan from OXO responds quickly to temperature changes and will hold up over time with proper oiling and drying. It fits three eggs at once and also includes a silicone guard on the handle to keep your palms from getting burned. Weighing under three pounds, the pan is light enough to tilt and jiggle while cooking. It also works on induction cooktops and handles oven temperatures of up to 660°F—which is helpful, because you’ll use this pan for way more than just eggs. 

What we didn’t like: Since it lacks a nonstick coating, you have to season the surface to build that slick layer eggs need to release.

Key Specs

• Materials: Carbon steel
• Diameter: 10 inches
• Maximum oven temperature: 660°F
• Induction-compatible: Yes
• Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Dishwasher-safe: No

The Best Cast Iron Egg Pan

Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

$30

$25 at Amazon $25 at Target $25 at Home Depot

What we liked: Most cast iron pans require seasoning first, but this one from Lodge comes pre-seasoned. Its classic pebbled surface is coated with layers of polymerized fat, creating a naturally slick finish that delivers eggs with crispy, golden edges and gooey yolks that won’t stick to the skillet. In our tests, we found that it excelled at conducting and maintaining heat. It heats up quickly, which is ideal if you’re short on time in the morning. We recorded a 53.4% increase in its surface temperature after just a minute on the stove. At over 10 inches wide, it fits multiple eggs at once and has a rounded rim that helps over-easy eggs slide right off. Oven-safe up to 650°F, it also stands out as our most budget-friendly egg pan. 

What we didn’t like: It weighs over five pounds, making it one of the heavier options. It also requires hand-washing since it’s not dishwasher-safe.

Key Specs

• Materials: Cast iron
• Diameter: 10.25 inches
• Maximum oven temperature: 650°F
• Induction-compatible: Yes
• Weight: 5.4 pounds
• Dishwasher-safe: No

The Best Stainless Steel Egg Pan

Made In 12-Inch Stainless Steel Skillet

$139 at Amazon

$119

$139 at Made In Cookware

What we liked: Stainless steel pans like this one from Made In respond quickly to heat changes, so that your egg dishes cook evenly every time. It stands out as the biggest egg pan among the winners, with a 12-inch cooking surface. This pan checks all the boxes: It’s lightweight at just three pounds, has stay-cool handles, and has that important rounded rim that helps omelettes slide off easily. It works on induction cooktops, cleans up in the dishwasher, and handles oven temperatures of up to 800°F.

What we didn’t like: Because this stainless steel pan lacks a nonstick surface, you’ll need to add plenty of oil and use room-temperature eggs when cooking to prevent sticking. 

Key Specs

• Materials: Stainless steel
• Diameter: 12 inches
• Maximum oven temperature: 800°F
• Induction-compatible: Yes
• Weight: 3 pounds
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes
  

FAQs

Can you cook eggs without fat in a nonstick pan?

Sure, you can technically cook an egg in a nonstick pan without any fat, as proteins will still (mostly) release from the surface. Most nonstick pans, like the winning model from Tramontina, are typically made from materials like aluminum or ceramic and often coated with PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) or a non-toxic food-repelling layer. That said, adding a little fat not only boosts the flavor and crispiness of your eggs but also gives you a backup against any possible sticking.

Can you cook eggs in cast iron or carbon steel pans?

You can absolutely cook eggs—fried, scrambled, or even baked into a frittata—in a cast iron skillet like the winner from Lodge, or a carbon steel pan like my top pick from OXO, but seasoning the surface is key. Seasoning builds up layers of polymerized fat, which creates a nonstick coating. Our winners come pre-seasoned, but if you’re using a skillet that isn’t, check out our guides on how to make cast iron and carbon steel pans nonstick.

Why We’re the Experts

• Ashia Aubourg is a Serious Eats contributor with experience reviewing cooking gear and working in kitchens (and farms!). Her work with Serious Eats spans gift guides, educational pieces, and product reviews. She recently fried eggs, flipped omelettes, and made crepes to find the best nonstick skillets.
• For this story, Ashia combed through our reviews of numerous nonstick, cast iron, ceramic, stainless steel, and carbon steel pans, comparing winning models for preparing eggs in each category.