For oyster lovers, a cast iron oyster grill pan is a must-have.  The individual indentations hold the oysters in place, allowing them to cook with their own juices and absorb the smoky flavor from the grill.  Cast iron oyster grill pan this method of grilling oysters brings out the natural saltiness of the oysters and adds a pleasant charred flavor.

Like skillets or frying pans, our 3.5 qt Saute Pan can be used to cook on the stovetop. Unlike a frying pan, a Sauté Pan is usually much deeper. The Saute Pan's straight, vertical sides are designed to hold a greater volume and prevent spills while limiting the cook's access with a spatula. 

But to keen observers and cookware enthusiasts (that’s us!), there are some key differences. This article compares and contrasts skillets and pans and shares the best cooking techniques and dishes to use each one.

Home Entertaining: Home cooks can utilize sizzling steak plates and platters to add a touch of flair to home-cooked meals, impressing guests with the dramatic presentation of sizzling hot dishes at dinner parties and gatherings.

Sizzling Plate Made Of

    Enamel pots are a popular choice for slow cooking and stewing.  Enamel coating not only adds a pop of color to the kitchen but also makes the pot easy to clean and maintain.  

A sauté pan’s straight edges and larger surface area make it ideal for tasks like searing meat or reducing pan sauces. A skillet’s sides are slanted. This pan’s slanted edges make it excellent for stir-frying and other quick-cooking methods that require a lot of movement in the pan.

Non-stick frying pans are also easy to clean and maintain, as food and grease can be wiped away with ease. They are also safe for use on all stovetops, including induction.

“There are a few things to consider when you’re buying cookware, including how you cook, durability, and price,” says Lance Nitahara, an assistant professor at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, N.Y. “On the low end of the price scale are nonstick and cast iron; copper is on the high end. But each does a different thing.”

Below, you’ll find advice on how to choose the right frying pan for how you cook, plus highlights of top-performing pans from CR’s tests, listed alphabetically and not by rank. You can see how all the pans we test perform in our frying pan ratings and learn more about the different types of pans in our cookware buying guide.