Last Updated on January 24, 2023 by Claire
You probably followed all sorts of guidelines and “to-do-lists” on how to cook eggs without them sticking to your pans, but you still end up with a solid layer of hot sticky eggs on your pan that is tough to wash off, a smoke-filled kitchen, or worse still, burnt and bad-tasting eggs. Thus, making you feel that cooking eggs without them sticking to the pan is an almost impossible task.
Professional chefs and other experts often mention that using a non-stick pan to cook the eggs is the first or most important step towards solving this problem. This is because non-stick pans make it easy to cook eggs and reduce the stress needed to clean the pan after use as the eggs can be gotten off their surface quite easily. But hardly any of them go into specifics about what the best non-stick egg pans are, or even a review of the best options to consider depending on your needs and preferences.
Best Pan to Cook Eggs Without Sticking
The good news is that this article is going to be giving you a brief review of the best pans to cook eggs without sticking, their pros and cons, and some considerations you need to keep in mind when looking to purchase one.
Non-stick egg pans come in various materials such as ceramics, stainless steel, aluminum, enameled steel, cast iron, and more. But one thing you need to keep in mind is that the sturdiness, durability, ease of cleaning, and heat conductivity of the nonstick egg pan are dependent on the type of material it’s made of.
Some non-stick egg pans come as a single unit, single with a lid, double unit, and a complete set (3-piece sets or more).
Best budget: Calphalon Nonstick Frying Pan Set with Stay-Cool Handles, 8- and 10-Inch, Grey
Best overall: Cuisinart 622-30G Nonstick-Hard-Anodized, 12-Inch, Skillet w/Glass Cover
Best for single cooks: MICHELANGELO Small Frying Pan with Lid, 8Inch Nonstick Frying Pan with Bakelite Handle, 8 Inch Frying Pan Nonstick with Stone-Derived Coating, Nonstick Small Skillet with lid-8 Inch
While most pans out there will do a good job of cooking, frying, browning, and more. Not all of them are easy to clean and keep in top shape after each use. The focus of my review is mostly on the ease of cleaning and maintenance of these pans, and how good their “non-stick” properties are, especially when it comes to making eggs without them sticking to the pan.
Comes with a high-quality stainless steel build, glass lid, and ‘cold touch’ handle, induction stovetop compatible, hard anodized exterior, dense, non-porous, and highly wear-resistant.
From a previous review, I had stated that this was like my “go-to” pan when it comes to making scrambled eggs without any sticky mess. One thing I like about it is its versatility, durability, high content capacity (12 inches), and the fact that it’s a “workhorse”.
I have to admit that sometimes the heat from the stovetop doesn’t get distributed evenly, but I feel it’s just a downside of its large surface area. Although in all honesty you probably won’t even notice this except you pay extremely close attention to your food. But this largely depends on the type of stovetop you use, and in all honesty, isn’t really a downside.
Pros
- Made by an established brand
- High content capacity and very versatile
- Sturdy and durable
Cons
Large size might put it at a disadvantage when it comes to storage, as not everyone has a big kitchen.
SGS approved, versatile sauté pan with pour spout, Switzerland ILAG nonstick granite coating, PFOA free, smokeless, works with all stovetops, glass lid & ‘cool-touch’ handle, nonstick.
Love sautéing, boiling, steaming, shallow & deep frying food? Then you’d love this 10-inch pan. I got excellent results every time I used it to cook vegetables, brown chicken, make omelets, bacon, and scrambled eggs.
But that’s all just by the way. What I loved most about this pan was the fact that cleaning it after use was extremely easy; a quick wipe with a paper towel and a rinse with water was all it took to get it cleaned and ready for next use.
Though some “nit-picky” users might complain that the size should have been a little larger to hold more content, I don’t really see that as a downside or con to this overall good product.
Pros
- Can be used to make various dishes
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Durable
- Consistent results
Cons
Some users might complain about its “in-between” size, that it should have been a little larger or smaller
Induction compatible, ultra non-stick stone coating, heats up quickly & evenly, non-toxic & easy to clean, bakelite handle & tempered glass lid.
When reviewing a non-stick pan from a reputable manufacturer such as Michael Angelo, then you should expect only positives from that review.
You already know the usual accouterment of positives such as durability, excellent build quality, consistent results, and more. But have you ever added ease of cleaning to the equation? Now that’s where this pan really gets me.
I especially loved the fact that you don’t have a mess on the outside of the pan to clean after cooking, and it seems to clean up well and easily with very little stress. For making my omelets, sauces, and scrambled eggs I wouldn’t think twice before seeing myself reaching for this pan.
The only downside to this pan is that for some, it might seem a little pricey for what it offers. But in all honesty, its positives far outweigh the cost, making it excellent value for money nonetheless.
Pros
- Lightweight and induction compatible
- Non-toxic
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Will easily last a generation with proper maintenance
Cons
Small size (8 inches) means it’s mostly good for a single serving or cooking as opposed to larger-sized pans.
Gas stovetop compatible, easy to clean, non-stick, electric, and induction stovetop compatible.
This pan can cook just about anything! The lid is fairly heavy and steam-vented; which allows you to keep the lid on while cooking and keeps splatter to a minimum.
To be honest, cleaning this pan couldn’t be any easier, it’s really “non-stick” in every sense of the word! All you need to do is adhere to instructions, and make sure you only use low to medium heat and you will get many years of wonderful cooking experiences with this pan.
Pros
- Lightweight (without the lid)
- Perfect size
- Durable, sturdy, and easy to clean
- Steam-vented lid helps to reduce splatters; which means you can keep the lid on during cooking
Cons
- No oven safe
- Not suitable for frequent high-temperature cooking
- Some have complained that the pan’s handles aren’t too comfortable for them
PFOA & PTFE free coating, oven safe up to 500°F, uniform & fast heat induction, compatible with all stoves, superior non-stick/scratch resistant & easy to clean, ergonomic stainless steel handle & glass lid.
The 8 and 10-inch sizes mean everyone can find the “right” fit. They’re easy to use, clean, and maintain.
I could go on all day raving about their reliability and the fact that they produce excellent results every time, but I’ll just sum it up in one sentence- It’s a good, high-quality non-stick pan set with a nice, heavy bottom for great heat distribution. The only thing is I’m unhappy about the packaging it came in, but otherwise, it’s a great non-stick set.
Pros
- Easy to use, clean, and maintain
- Non-stick and durable
- Superb results
- Worth the money
Cons
A little pricey
NSF-Certified commercial-grade 3004 heavy-gauge aluminum, Gas Stovetop and electric stovetop Compatible, High-performance reinforced PFOA-free nonstick coating, oven, and dishwasher Safe.
One thing that impresses me about this pan is its stainless steel handle with a removable silicone grip which allows me to find a convenient way to hold a hot pan comfortably! In addition to this, it’s also relatively inexpensive, perfectly weighted and balanced, non-stick, and extremely easy to clean. There’s something to love about this pan for everyone.
You can be sure of getting excellent results every time you use this pan for making omelets or scrambled eggs. However, if you do a lot of frying I’d advise you to avoid the 8-inch pan and go for the larger ones as they are more suited for frying.
Pros
- Comfortable stainless steel and silicon grip handle
- Perfect weight and balance
- Durable and long-lasting
- Virtually indestructible
Cons
- Not available as a set
- 8-inch models are best suited for scrambled eggs or single servings, so if you do a lot of cooking you’d be better served by the larger-sized ones
Durable hard-anodized aluminum construction, cast stay-cool stainless steel long handle, oven safe up to 450ºF, PFOA-free nonstick coating.
The great thing about this pan is that its heat distribution is superb. This means you’d get evenly and well-cooked, great-tasting meals every time!
I also like that it’s available as a 2 piece-set as opposed to a single pan which means you have more options when cooking, and you can always find the perfect size no matter what recipe you’re dealing with.
The major downside to this pan is that cleaning it requires hand washing and careful cleaning practices if you want to get many years of use out of it. This means if you’re the “lazy” type that doesn’t want much stress during cleaning then you should look somewhere else.
It’s also not confirmed if it’s induction compatible as I didn’t have enough time to vet this fact.
Pros
- Oven safe
- 2 piece set means you can do more
- Excellent heat distribution
Cons
Hand washing is required
Guide to buying non-stick egg pans
Consider the following when selecting your non-stick egg pan:
Material and coating
Non-stick egg pans are made with various materials such as ceramics, stainless steel, aluminum, enameled steel, cast iron, and more. However, stainless steel pans that are badly scratched can potentially expose you to chromium and nickel, which in higher amounts may cause health problems, per AARP. The sturdiness, durability, ease of cleaning, and heat conductivity of the nonstick egg pan depends on the type of material it’s made of.
I’ll recommend you look for a pan that:
- has a smooth surface finish
- retains heat very well
- fits snugly on your stovetops (consider the type of stovetop you use)
- has a PFOA-free coating with a durable non-stick surface
- is non-toxic and will not react with food (avoid pans with copper coatings)
- Size
When it comes to eggs; a bigger pan is better for frying eggs (10-12 inch pans are better), and smaller pans are better for scrambled eggs (8-10 inch pans).
So you need to put this into consideration when shopping because your cooking needs matter also; how many eggs you plan on cooking at once, how many guests you’re cooking for, the type of recipe you have in mind, and more.
- Price
The fact is using an expensive pan doesn’t guarantee you a delicious meal. So it’s best you find a pan (single or set) that ticks all your boxes, fits into your budget, and satisfies all considerations listed in this article.
- Induction compatible
Some stovetops work by using an electromagnetic field to heat the cookware. This process is known as induction.
An upside to cooking with induction is that you don’t have to deal with open flames, thus leaving the bottom of your pans clean after use with none of the visible burn marks or stains associated with open flame stoves.
Not all non-stick pans are compatible with induction, simply because a pan must contain iron (Fe) in order to be compatible for use on an induction cooktop. The iron content is what makes the non-stick pan magnetic and allows the transfer of heat energy to it.
Non-stick pans made of materials such as magnetic stainless steel, enamel-coated cast iron, enameled steel, or a mix of these materials are induction compatible and are recommended for use.
- Weight
When it comes to weight, note that overly heavy pans do not fry food evenly, whilst frying pans that are too lightweight are not capable of withstanding extreme heat and may easily break when subjected to these conditions. So you need to find a pan that hits the right balance between size and weight.
A pan that meets this consideration will be strong enough to withstand high heat, retain its shape, and cook eggs evenly, without wobbling or tilting during cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
What pan is best for eggs?
Most cooking experts affirm that the best pans to use for eggs are frequently used, well-cleaned, and seasoned cast iron pans. Any ceramic, non-stick, carbon steel, stainless steel, or aluminum pans are an excellent alternative to cast iron pans, so far the pan is preheated to the right temperature before adding the eggs.
What pan size should I use for eggs?
When it comes to eggs, the best pan size depends on the type of eggs you want to make. A bigger pan is better for frying eggs (10-12 inch pans are best), and smaller pans are better for scrambled eggs (8-10 inch pans).
Why do eggs stick to frying pans?
Eggs contain proteins that enable them to easily spread and form a chemical bond with any surface they come into contact with. This is the reason why eggs easily stick to frying pans immediately after they come into contact with their surface.
Conclusion
This wraps it up for the topic “best pan to cook eggs without sticking”.
I’ll recommend the Cuisinart 622-30G Nonstick-Hard-Anodized, 12-Inch, Skillet w/Glass Cover as the best overall pick for any type of cooking. But just like everything else, it all comes down to you. It all comes down to what your needs and preferences are, and which ones tick all the right boxes and fit into your budget.
