5 Best Carbon Steel Pans for Every Budget (2024)
Sometimes in this wild life you run into a rabbit hole that ends up being more like a huge chasm. Such is the state of interest and appreciation for the world of carbon steel pans. One might think that this humble culinary nod could be overlooked in favor of heritage cast iron, utilitarian non-stick or current hexagonal hybrid pan technologies. You would be wrong; carbon steel is not as well and is not second to none.
There is an intense, rabid fan following for this style of cookware that shocks even me and I write for mineral water influencers. From busy subreddit to a secret world of obsessed home and professional chefs to in-demand carbon steel artisans selling their wares with raffle tickets, the dedication and appreciation for carbon steel runs deep. It’s a booming American foodie subculture that’s largely unexplored by the wider press, and I can only hope to scratch the surface to do it justice with this guide (once the surface is scratched, of course, I advise season the pan again with grape seed oil over high heat).
What is carbon steel? It’s sort of an intermediate type of pan (made of an iron-carbon alloy) that splits the difference, more or less, between the ease of use of stainless steel and the long-lasting durability of cast iron. With proper care and use, carbon steel pans move effortlessly between different cooking styles, allowing you to fry an egg and sear the steak using the same pan. There is a slight learning curve to using these pans, for which YouTube and forums (like the above hub Reddit) are your friends. But they are also tanks – they stand up to use and wear and tear and can be redone time and time again to get the most out of your cooking experience.
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What kind of carbon steel pan should you buy?
Carbon steel pant makers offer a wide range of sizes and styles, from small artisanal operations to cult brands gone big to crafty Instagrammy upstarts (it’s like looking into a pan-shaped mirror of America). Price, of course, plays a major role in the choice, and as I’ve been testing and cooking with pans for several months, I’ve been surprised and impressed by how well some of the pans at the lower end of the cost spectrum cook.
Take it from me and carbon steel lovers online when I say that your first carbon steel pan will not be your last carbon steel pan. Because these cookware varies so much in size, depth, and best use, it’s hard to settle on just one. A flat pan works great for some cooking styles; for other styles, a large, deep pan or even a wok is what you’re really looking for. My advice would be to start with one of the entry-level pans in this guide, then – when you’re fully #CarbonPilled – consider investing in a heirloom, small-production pan from an independent manufacturer. Treated right and loved, a carbon steel skillet can become a family heirloom, something you’ll pass down to your children and display proudly in your home.
I cooked and cooked and cooked with these pans for three months, trying different models and styles, and came up with the recommendations above. Each pan in the manual was given a couple of cooking essentials – a fried egg, sautéed onions – and then as I got to know the pans better I started to think about them in terms of certain dishes and applications Poaching Chicken in a Smithey Forge Deep Fryer , for example, or to use Lodge to fry bacon.
Multiple pans were tested for each product category, with an emphasis on pans under $55, as well as “deep” pans and flat pans.
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