Best Frying Pan For Electric Stove

Having a good frying pan is very important for any kitchen. Eggs for breakfast? You need a frying pan. Stir fry for lunch? A frying pan again. Grilling some meat on the stove – it’s the frying pan, and so on… But what pans are the best for electric stoves? Today, we solve this question. First, we’ll show you 8 of the best frying pans on the market, each with distinct advantages. In the second part of this article, you’ll find a buying guide to help you choose which frying pan is the best for you.

Table of Contents

• Stainless Steel Frying Pans 
• Cast Iron Frying Pans 
• Aluminum Frying Pans 
• Hard Anodized Frying Pans
• Nonstick Coatings 
• Things To Consider Before Buying A Frying Pan 
  • What kind of cooktop do you have? 
  • Is it oven-safe?
  • Is it dishwasher-safe? 
  • Is the handle good and stable? 
  • Is the bottom completely flat? 
• Final Thoughts 

All-Clad is known for making top-notch cookware that can last for a lifetime, and this frying pan is certainly a prime example of their craftsmanship. Simple, functional, and well made – this frying pan is so versatile that you’ll probably find yourself using it every day. 

As the name suggests, the All-Clad 4114 Stainless Steel Tri-Ply Bonded Fry Pan is made primarily of stainless steel. This includes the whole exterior, as well as the handle. Stainless steel is a great choice because it’s virtually indestructible. Water and time can’t do anything to it, as stainless steel is completely resistant to corrosion and rust. You can scratch this pan with metal utensils, you can soak it in water for days… whatever you do, this pan can withstand it. 

One area where stainless steel doesn’t perform that well is heat conduction. To solve this problem, All-Clad has sandwiched a layer of aluminum in between the two external stainless steel layers. This way, you get the durability of stainless steel, but also the amazing conductivity of aluminum. Since all parts are made of metal including the (rather comfortable) handle, you can also place this frying pan in the oven.

• Durable stainless steel construction
• Aluminum core ensures even heating
• Easy maintenance
• Oven-safe up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit

• Requires seasoning if you want the cooking surface to be non-stick
• A little expensive

When it comes to choosing the perfect frying pan for an electric stove, there are two kinds of people. On one side are those who favor old-school classics such as stainless steel. On the other side are those who swear by their nonstick frying pans and don’t want to even hear about anything else. This frying pan is for this second type of person. 

This 12-inch frying pan is made of hard anodized aluminum. The anodization process makes the aluminum much more impact-resistant and the result is simply beautiful. The exterior of this pan is as tough as stainless steel, but in a classy black color. On the inside, though, this skillet is covered with a Quantanium nonstick coating that makes the food slide right off. 

Another great thing about this frying pan from Cuisinart is the fact that it comes with a lid. Having a matching lid at hand makes your go-to frying pan much more versatile than without it. Put the tight-fitting lid on and you can use your frying pan for sauteing and slow cooking too. The lid is made of tempered glass.

• Latest generation nonstick cooking surface
• Tempered glass lid included
• Handles are comfortable and remain cold to the touch
• You can use metal utensils
• Oven-safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit

• Not as durable as stainless steel

If you never owned a stainless steel frying pan before, the Cuisinart MCP22-24N MultiClad Pro Stainless 10-Inch Open Skillet is a great place to start. This nice 10-inch frying pan is perfect for electric stoves of all kinds. 

The exterior of this frying pan is made of stainless steel, the official king of durability in cookware. On the external side, you’ll find a nice brushed finish on the stainless steel that gives the pan an elegant look. On the inside, on the other hand, the surface is highly polished and totally smooth to get it as close to nonstick as possible. Between these two layers of steel, there is a layer of aluminum inside that makes this pan much more responsive to temperature changes. 

This frying pan has a long, well-balanced handle that’s made of stainless steel too. Even though it’s made of metal, the handle is quite comfortable to hold. Thanks to the V-shape root, the handle also remains cool to the touch on the stovetop.

• Durable stainless steel exterior
• Aluminum core for better heat conductivity
• Stainless steel handle stays cool on the stovetop .
• Oven-safe up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit
• Dishwasher-safe

• Handle can get hot if exposed directly to a source of heat

This 12-inch cast iron skillet from Lodge is an incredibly affordable pan that can last literally a lifetime. For the uninitiated, using the heavy cast iron pans of this kind can be a little intimidating. However, there is no reason for this as cast iron pans tend to work great on electric stoves. 

Cast iron is one of the materials that have been used in cookware literally for ages. There are good reasons for that too. There is no other material used in cookware that retains heat as well as cast iron. What this means is that once this pan gets hot it stays hot. This way, you can reach a stable temperature as high as you want it which is perfect for searing meat, for example. 

Another great thing about cast iron is that it becomes naturally nonstick if properly seasoned. This skillet from Lodge comes pre-seasoned with natural oil so you can use it right out of the box, but the seasoning still needs to be maintained from time to time. However, the benefits of a seasoned cast iron pan are great: you can even make omelets in it with no issue.

• Sturdy and durable
• Amazing heat retention
• Perfect for searing
• Naturally nonstick if properly seasoned
• Great value for money

• Requires regular seasoning
• Quite heavy
• Not dishwasher-safe

Sometimes all you need is a simple nonstick pan, and the Cook N Home 10.25-Inch Nonstick Heavy-Gauge Crepe Pan. This pan is called a crepe pan and it really does work great for making crepes, but there is no reason why one couldn’t use it for other things too. We found that it’s perfect for making omelets and all kinds of eggs, for example. Thanks to the high-quality nonstick coating on the inside, you can cook virtually anything in this pan and all of this while using much less oil than usual. 

This pan from Cook N Home really brings out the best the world of nonstick frying pans has to offer. The pan itself is made of aluminum which ensures even heat conduction without hotspot and fast response to temperature changes. Aluminum is also really lightweight, which makes handling this pan really easy and effortless.

• Aluminum construction provides great heat conductivity
• Superb nonstick coating
• Lightweight
• Good value for money

• Not as durable as some other options
• Not suitable for use on extremely high heat

Deep frying pans can be much more versatile than shallow ones when used in everyday cooking. The Anolon 82246 Advanced Deep Nonstick Fry Pan with Lid has gently sloping sides that are almost 3 inches high. At the same time, with this 12-inch skillet, you also get a lot of space on the flat cooking surface.

The inside of the pan is covered with Autograph 2 nonstick coating all the way up the sides. This coating works really well and is also extremely durable. So much so that you can even use metal utensils! The pan itself is made of hard anodized aluminum which conducts heat really well. The exterior is covered with a nonstick coat in a bronze color that looks really nice. 

This frying pan from Anolon also includes a tight-fitting tempered glass lid. Tempered glass takes heat really well, so both the pan and the lid can go into the oven. The handles both on the frying pan and on the lid are large and comfortable. They are covered with Anolon’s SureGrip covers that feel comfortable and secure in your hand.

• Nonstick coating is durable and metal utensil safe
• Hard anodized aluminum construction is though and heats evenly
• Oven-safe up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
• Comes with a lifetime warranty

• Shouldn’t be used on very high heat
• A little expensive

The Ozeri Stone Earth Frying Pan is an example of a new generation of nonstick frying pans. This pan has a cooking surface made with a new, eco-friendly, stone-like nonstick coating. This coating is free of harmful chemicals like PFOA and some newer ones that are not so often mentioned like the GenX fluorinated chemicals. This coating does contain PTFE, though, which makes it so effective. However, research shows that PTFE is fine and doesn’t degrade at temperatures lower than 500 degrees Fahrenheit. This is as high as any electric stove can go, so there is no need to worry about anything with this pan. 

The Ozeri Stone Earth Frying Pan is available in three different sizes so you can get the one that suits your needs perfectly. We especially liked the largest, 12-inch pan. It’s lightweight but really feels sturdy in the hand. The handle is very comfortable cause it’s made of silicone and its base is securely riveted to the pan with three rivets.

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• Durable and safe nonstick coating
• Comes in 6 different colors
• Compatible with all kinds of stovetops
• Oven-safe up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit

• Not dishwasher-safe
• Contains PTFE

The Rachael Ray 87631-T Cucina Hard Anodized Nonstick Skillet with Helper Handle is a beautiful, large skillet perfect for using on an electric stove every day. This elegant, black frying pan is made of hard anodized aluminum. This means it’s really lightweight and tough at the same time. It also heats really evenly. 

Measuring 14 inches in diameter, this frying pan is very large. To balance out the size, there are handles on both sides. On one side is a long, standard handle, the kind you usually find on frying pans. On the other side is a helper handle, which is really useful as this size of pan would be really hard to handle without using both hands. 

The inside of this frying pan is covered with a durable non-stick coating that is also dishwasher-safe. While this pan is oven-safe, it is only up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, so this is something to keep in mind when using it.

• Lightweight and durable
• Even heat distribution
• Durable nonstick interior
• Dishwasher-safe
• Comfortable handles

• Oven-safe only up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

One of the advantages of electric stoves is that they are compatible with all kinds of cookware. If you have a regular electric stove, you can use any kind of cookware you like which lets you take advantage of the ability to use different materials when making different dishes. 

Induction cooktops, although they use electricity so they are technically electric, work a little differently than regular electric stoves and require specific cookware. We’ll talk more about this in the second section of this guide, but for now, let’s go over all types of pans you can use on an electric stove. 

The truth is, all these kinds of frying pans have distinct advantages and are better than others at certain things. This is why there is no frying pan in the world that would be perfect for everyone. However, this guide should help you find the one that’s right for your needs. 

Stainless Steel Frying Pans

Stainless steel has been used in the cookware industry for ages, and there are good reasons for this. First of all, stainless steel doesn’t rust in contact with water. This is really important for modern cookware as you obviously want to wash it regularly. If something burns on your stainless steel pan, you can soak it for hours and nothing will happen to the metal. In short, the advantages of stainless steel are that it’s literally indestructible, it’s easy to maintain, and it doesn’t react with food. 

The disadvantage of stainless steel, when it comes to cookware at least, is that it’s not the best conductor of heat. Cookware made just of stainless steel is prone to heating unevenly and creating hotspots. Luckily, this is actually a thing of the past. Modern stainless steel cookware is usually made with a layer of aluminum between two layers of stainless steel. You’ll often see the term “bonded cookware” used.

Aluminum is a much better heat conductor than stainless steel, so adding this layer makes the frying pan heat evenly across the cooking surface. It also makes the pan more responsive to changes in temperature. 

Moreover, it doesn’t just have to be one layer of aluminum, although this tends to work well. Some fancier pans have 5 layers of alternating stainless steel and aluminum, while some manufacturers also add a copper layer. 

In any case, stainless steel frying pans are perfect workhorses for the kitchen. They are very versatile and they can take a lot of abuse so you never have to worry about damaging your pan. And when you are done with cooking, they can go into the dishwasher. Finally, unlike some other metals, stainless steel doesn’t react with food which makes it one of the safest materials to use in cookware. 

Cast Iron Frying Pans

The tradition of using cast iron in cookware dates back more than 1000 years. While cast iron frying pans look and feel very old-school, kind of like something you’d want to use over a campfire, they actually perform really well on electric stoves. 

Electric coil stoves are notorious for heating unevenly, but a cast iron pan can make up for this. Once a cast iron frying pan gets hot, it stays hot, so you can maintain a nice, even temperature. Cast iron pans also cool down slowly, so you don’t really have a lot of flexibility, but you can still do many things with this kind of pan. 

Cast iron pans are perfect for slowly stewing something, and they also sear meat wonderfully. You really can’t get the sizzle you get with a cast iron pan with anything else. If seasoned properly, cast iron pans become naturally nonstick. So much so that you can even make eggs in them. If you haven’t tried this, you definitely should. 

Due to the amazing heat retention properties of cast iron, cast iron pans are also perfect for recipes that require transferring the food from the stovetop into the oven. The cast iron pan remains hot, so you can move the food without having it cool down. 

One thing to keep in mind about cast iron pans is that they are really heavy. They also shouldn’t ever be washed in the dishwasher. Not everyone likes this, and cast iron pans are not for everyone. However, they do work great and many professional chefs love them! 

Aluminum Frying Pans

Aluminum is a material that is often used in professional kitchens thanks to its amazing heat conductivity. Aluminum gets hot quickly and cools down quickly. It also conducts heat really evenly. If they have a nice, thick bottom, aluminum pans always give you even heating across the cooking surface. 

One issue with aluminum is that it reacts with acidic foods and leeches small amounts of metal into your food. You should never make tomato sauce in an aluminum pan, for example. These pans are fine for frying, though, but that’s something to keep in mind. 

Hard Anodized Frying Pans

Hard anodized aluminum frying pans are a better version of aluminum pans. The anodization process makes aluminum much tougher and more impact-resistant. At the same time, anodized aluminum doesn’t react with food. Overall, it’s a great material for a frying pan. It is not as durable as stainless steel, but it comes close. At the same time, it’s much more lightweight. 

Nonstick Coatings

Nonstick pans are always made of some metal, while the interior surface is covered with a nonstick coating. This metal is usually aluminum or hard anodized aluminum (which is the better option). However, some stainless steel pans with a nonstick coating on the inside are also available. 

Nonstick pans work great on electric stoves. One important thing to pay attention to, though, is what kind of coating is used. Older nonstick coatings used to contain PFOA, which is a harmful chemical that gets released into the air if the pan is used on high heat. The gas released can also be harmful to pets. Luckily, today manufacturers have recognized this issue and tend to keep nonstick coatings free of PFOA, but it’s definitely worth checking before getting a nonstick frying pan. 

Things To Consider Before Buying A Frying Pan

What kind of cooktop do you have?

Appliances that fall into the category of “electric stove” can be quite different. An electric stove can be a regular old electric coil stove, a stove with a ceramic or glass cooktop, or an induction cooktop.

On electric coil stoves, you can use any kind of cookware. No limitations. If the cooktop is made of glass or ceramics, you need to pay attention to the bottoms of pans you are using. You don’t want your glass cooktop to get scratched, so anything with a bottom that’s not smooth is not a good choice. Cast iron is too rough, for example, but enameled cast iron works just fine. 

For induction cooktops, you need to choose magnetic metals. Cast iron works, stainless steel works, but not aluminum. However, pans with a combination of stainless steel and aluminum usually work on induction cooktops. 

Is it oven-safe?

Being able to place your frying pan in the oven is always a good thing. Maybe you don’t plan on doing so now, but it’s good to have the option when trying out new recipes. In any case, this is something you should definitely check before buying a frying pan. Cast iron and stainless steel pans can go into the oven at any temperature, while other types of frying pans can only be put into the oven up to a certain temperature. 

Is it dishwasher-safe?

If you own a dishwashing machine, you probably want your frying pan to be dishwasher-safe. Stainless steel is usually dishwasher-safe, but make sure to double-check about non-stick frying pans. 

Is the handle good and stable?

The handle is a detail that is often overlooked when choosing a frying pan. A handle that’s comfortable and well-balanced is essential if you want to enjoy the experience of using your frying pan. Look for handles that stay cool on the stovetop and that are ergonomically designed.

Is the bottom completely flat?

Last but not least, this is one thing to keep in mind especially when it comes to electric stoves. While gas cooktops have no such problems, with an electric stove you want the bottom of your frying pan to be completely flat. Some of you might be surprised to learn that this is actually not always the case, but a flat bottom is a must for the cookware to work well on electric cooktops. 

Final Thoughts

Choosing a frying pan is a very personal decision. What the right pan is for you depends on your style of cooking. Stainless steel frying pans, like the  All-Clad 4114 Stainless Steel Tri-Ply Bonded Fry Pan work on all kinds of electric stovetops. They are real workhorses and are great for everyday use in the kitchen. 

On the other hand, a good nonstick pan like the Cuisinart 622-30G Chef’s Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 12-Inch Skillet with Glass Cover performs much better when you need to cook delicate foods like eggs or fish. The final choice is yours. In any case, we hope this guide has been helpful.