Best non-stick frying pans: tried and tested

The best non-stick frying pans

The best non-stick frying pan: food should slide easily out of the pan, it should be durable and heat evenly. But can you get all this without paying a fortune?

Le Creuset, Ninja and Tefal frying pans – and more – have all been put through their paces, and we've dry-fried dozens of eggs and analysed thermal imaging camera footage to reveal the best non-stick frying pans from our tests.

We've also scratched and scraped through tough durability tests to discover the frying pans that last.

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The non-stick frying pans we tested

All the non-stick frying pans we tested are listed in alphabetical order below. 

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Dunelm Essentials stainless steel frying pan

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Available from Dunelm (£26)

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Induction hob compatible? Yes

Size (diameter x depth) 28 x 4cm

Need to know Dishwasher-safe, oven-safe up to 180°C

Eaziglide Neverstick2 non-stick frying pan

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Induction hob compatible? Yes

Size (diameter x depth) 30 x 6.3cm

Measured weight 1.4kg

Need to know States PFOA-free and ceramic-free; dishwasher-safe; oven-safe up to 260°C; also available in 20cm, 24cm and 28cm sizes; lifetime guarantee

Eaziglide Neverstick3 professional frying pan

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Induction hob compatible? Yes

Size (diameter x depth) 28 x 5.9cm

Measured weight 1.1kg

Need to know States PFOA-free and ceramic-free; dishwasher-safe; oven-safe up to 260°C; also available in 20cm, 24cm and 30cm sizes; lifetime guarantee

Habitat aluminium frying pan

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Available from Argos (£8.50)

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Induction hob compatible? Yes

Size (diameter x depth) 28 x 4.8cm

Measured weight 1.1kg

Need to know Not dishwasher-safe, oven-safe up to 130°C, also available in 24cm size

Hexclad hybrid pan

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Induction hob compatible? Yes

Size (diameter x depth) 30 x 4.4cm

Measured weight 1.5kg

Need to know States PFOA-free; dishwasher-safe; oven-safe up to 500°C; also available in 20cm and 25cm sizes; lifetime warranty

Ikea 365+ frying pan

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Available from Ikea (£15)

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Induction hob compatible? Yes

Size (diameter x depth) 28 x 4.6cm

Measured weight 1kg

Need to know States PFOA-free; not dishwasher-safe; oven-safe but no temperature stated; also available in 20cm, 24cm and 32cm sizes

JML non-stick copper stone frying pan

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Induction hob compatible? Yes

Size (diameter x depth) 28 x 5cm

Measured weight 1kg

Need to know Not dishwasher-safe, oven-safe up to 150°C, also available in 20cm and 24cm sizes

Le Creuset 3-ply stainless steel non-stick frying pan

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Induction hob compatible? Yes

Size (diameter x depth) 30 x 4.7cm

Measured weight 1.3kg

Need to know States PFOA-free, dishwasher-safe, oven-safe up to 260°C, also available in 20cm and 26cm sizes, lifetime warranty

Read our reviews of the best saucepans and salt and pepper grinders for more Le Creuset reviews

Ninja Zerostick aluminium frying pan

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Induction hob compatible? Yes

Size (diameter x depth) 30 x 4.8cm

Measured weight 1.4kg

Need to know States PFOA-free, lead-free and calcium-free; dishwasher-safe; oven-safe up to 260°C; also available in 20cm, 24cm, 26cm, 28cm and 30cm sizes; 10-year replacement guarantee upon registration with Ninja

What more from Ninja? – read our air fryer reviews and multi cooker reviews

Our Place Always pan

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Available from Our Place (£125)

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Induction hob compatible? Yes

Size (diameter x depth) 25.5 x 6.7cm

Measured weight 1.3kg

Need to know States PFOA-free, PTFEs-free, lead-free and cadmium-free; not dishwasher-safe; not oven-safe; other colours available

Prestige Earthpan Eco frying pan

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Induction hob compatible? Yes

Size (diameter x depth) 28 x 5.2cm

Measured weight 1kg

Need to know States PFOA-free and toxin-free ceramic, dishwasher-safe, not oven-safe, also available in 20cm and 24cm sizes, handle made with recycled plastic, 100% recycled aluminium body, available with a lid, five-year guarantee

ProCook Professional granite frying pan

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Available from ProCook (£49)

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Induction hob compatible? Yes

Size (diameter x depth) 28 x 5.2cm

Measured weight 1.1kg

Need to know States PFOA-free, dishwasher-safe, oven-safe up to 260°C, also available in 20cm and 24cm sizes, comes with a lid, 25-year guarantee

Russell Hobbs metallic marble frying pan

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Induction hob compatible? Yes

Size (diameter x depth) 28 x 4.7cm

Measured weight 0.9kg

Need to know States PFOA-free; dishwasher-safe; not oven-safe; also available in 20cm, 24cm and 30cm sizes; 10-year guarantee

Smeg aluminium frying pan

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Induction hob compatible? Yes

Size (diameter x depth) 28 x 4.7cm

Measured weight 1.5kg

Need to know Dishwasher-safe; oven-safe up to 250°C; also available in 24cm, 26cm and 30cm sizes; other colours available; 15-year guarantee

Tefal Emotion stainless steel non-stick frying pan

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Induction hob compatible? Yes

Size (diameter x depth) 30 x 4.9cm

Measured weight 1.4kg

Need to know States PFOA-free, lead-free and calcium-free; dishwasher-safe; oven-safe up to 175°C; also available in 20cm, 24cm and 28cm sizes; 10-year guarantee

Tefal Titanium Excellence induction frying pan

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Induction hob compatible? Yes

Size (diameter x depth) 28 x 4.9cm

Measured weight 1.1kg

Need to know States PFOA-free, lead-free and calcium-free; dishwasher-safe; oven-safe up to 175°C; also available in 21cm, 24cm and 32cm sizes; 10-year guarantee

How we test non-stick frying pans

Brands cannot buy their way into our testing. We choose the most searched-for frying pans to test, and pay for every pan we test. We don't accept any freebies so no one can influence what we write.

We also regularly revisit the non-stick frying pans on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing, and when we find them, we do.

We test every frying pan on an induction hob. This type of hob is the most energy efficient; more of the energy they release goes into heating up the pan, rather than the surroundings.

This means the pan's coating gets the toughest heating test, so we discover which are really the best non-stick frying pans.

Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent

Non-stick coating

• We repeatedly dry-fried eggs in each non-stick frying pan.
• We rate each pan on how easy it is to remove the eggs, the amount of residue left in the pan and how easy that is to remove.
• The best non-stick frying pans let the eggs slide off easily. The worst end up as semi-scrambled eggs by the time they're served on the plate.

Heat distribution

• We use a thermal imaging camera and analyse the results with special software to measure the heat distribution of each frying pan.
• We also measure how quickly each pan heats up.
• The best frying pans keep a uniform temperature across the surface of the pan. The worst pans vary in temperature by as much as 180°C across the pan's surface.

Scratch resistance

• We use a laboratory-approved, hardness-test pencil to assess how well each pan stands up to lots of light scratches. This lets us see how a pan fares after repeatedly taking it in and out of a cupboard or months of handwashing.
• We also heavily scratch each non-stick surface to assess how the pan copes with big bangs and scrapes. 
• The best non-stick pans don't show signs of scratches at all. The worst non-stick coating crumbles and comes away. 

Strength

• We lift very heavy weights in each non-stick frying pan to see how strong and well built the pan is.
• The best are as solid as rocks. The worst have handles that start to bend and the pan edge deforms under the strain. 

Handle heat

• We use temperature probes and thermal imaging to see how hot each handle gets while cooking with each pan.
• Most pan handles are OK, but some get hot at the base. One we've tested reached 100°C.

Washing

• We handwash each frying pan an hour after cooking with it, to see how easily it can be scrubbed clean.
• The best non-stick frying pans clean up in a matter of seconds with a soft sponge. The worst have residual marks on them, even after a full minute of scrubbing.

More ways to fry with our Best Buys – air fryer reviews

What does PFOA-free mean?

PFOA-free means the chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) wasn't used to make the non-stick coating of a frying pan.

This chemical is part of the larger family of PFASs (perfluorooctanoic acid and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a group of thousands of industrial chemicals used in all sorts of everyday items such as food packaging, clothing and cosmetics. 

PFOA was used worldwide as an industrial surfactant in chemical processes. It's now considered a health concern and was added to the POP Regulation Annex I in 2020, which prohibits its use in manufacturing, and in products placed on the market.

This means any frying pan sold in Europe should be PFOA-free. That's why some manufacturers don't state 'PFOA-free' as they consider it self-evident advertising. 

It's worth noting that even if a product is claimed to be PFOA-free, it might still contain chemicals from the same family of substances.

In the UK, these regulations are currently under review. The government was due to have a consultation on a new draft of the UK Chemical Strategy in 2022.

For more information, check out ClientEarth, PFAS Free and Chem Trust.

How to care for your non-stick frying pan

Most premium and high-end non-stick frying pans come with a care guide. We recommend reading this before use and following the instructions. 

Some recommend not using the pans on high heat to extend the life of the non-stick coating.

After our testing we found that one pan's coating peeled off after just two uses on high heat, so sometimes there isn't much wiggle room. 

Here are a few simple tips to get the best use and longest life out of your non-stick frying pan: 

• Handwash it before using it for the first time Use hot soapy water to remove any residue or dirt.
• Don't use metal utensils They can scratch off the non-stick surface. It's much safer to stick to wooden or silicone utensils.
• Allow the pan to cool naturally before you wash it This will help to avoid the pan warping.
• Always handwash It's worth doing this even if the pan is dishwasher-safe.
• Try to store your non-stick pans without anything on top of them If that isn't possible, use a tea towel or fabric pan protectors to cover the non-stick surface. 

Get the perfect finish to your kitchenware – see our reviews of the best dishwasher tablets

Why don't all pans work on induction hobs?

To work on an induction hob, a frying pan needs enough iron (a magnetic material) in its base. 

If your existing pans don't heat up at all, it's likely that they don't have enough magnetic material to perform optimally. All pans we test are compatible with induction hobs. Read our reviews above if you're in the market for new induction hob frying pans. Also see our pick of the best induction hobs.  

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