Frying pans come in a variety of materials. Which type of frying pan is best for you will depend on what you are cooking and the level of maintenance you want to put into your pan. In most cases, you will likely need a few different types of frying pans to satisfy cooking your menu items. Take a look at these five frying pan types to determine which pans you need in your kitchen.

The first thing item on the agenda when purchasing a frypan is what size you should be looking for. Frypans generally range from 20cm up to 32cm in diameter. While 24cm is the most commonly purchased option, each option offers advantages based on your needs. As a general guide:

COPPER CORE FRYING PANS

Offering excellent heat conduction, aluminum frying pans dissipate heat quickly for efficient, even cooking. Uncoated aluminum frying pans have a stick-, rust-, and corrosion-resistant surface and should only be used to cook low-acidic foods since acidic foods, such as tomato paste, citrus, and vinegar, react with aluminum and can alter the flavor of your food. Many professional aluminum frying pans are hard-anodized or feature a non-stick coating to make them non-reactive. Aluminum pans are not compatible with induction cooktops since aluminum is not magnetic.

Seasoned Cast Iron: Bacon presses and steak weights are typically made of seasoned cast iron, which provides excellent heat retention and durability. Proper seasoning and maintenance are essential to ensure the longevity and non-stick properties of the cast iron surfaces.

The geometry of a pan can affect how easily moisture is driven off of food, and how rapidly a sauce will reduce. It's often claimed that the sloped sides of a skillet help moisture exuded by cooking meats evaporate more rapidly, allowing you to sear more efficiently. And this is true, but only given the same cooking area. In other words, a 12-inch skillet with a 10-inch cooking area will sear foods more efficiently than a 10-inch sauté pan. The corollary to this, of course, is that, given an equal amount of food that needs searing over super-high heat (some steaks, for example), the large surface area of a sauté pan does not offer any significant advantages over a skillet—you'll still have to cook in just as many batches.

Enhanced Cooking Results: Bacon presses and steak weights help to achieve optimal cooking results by ensuring that meats are evenly cooked, preventing curling, and promoting the development of desirable sear marks. This results in improved texture and flavor in the finished dishes.

In many cases, you can use a frying pan and a French skillet interchangeably. For example, you can use both for cooking eggs, sautéing vegetables, searing meats, and making thick sauces.

Aluminum is one of the most easily available natural elements, so aluminum frying pans are quite affordable. It is an excellent conductor of heat and heats up faster than stainless steel. In fact, aluminum is sometimes incorporated in stainless steel pans to improve their conductivity.

Invest in a high-quality frying pan if you want the most versatility when cooking. Get a skillet if you need a specialized strategy for a certain reason. If you want versatility and a pan that you can use on some special dishes you can get both.

In conclusion, black cast iron griddles and grill pans offer versatile cooking options for a wide range of culinary creations. Whether used in home kitchens or professional settings, these culinary tools enhance cooking techniques, impart unique flavors, and create visually appealing dishes, making them valuable additions to any culinary repertoire.