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Cast iron pans have been a popular kitchen staple for years, but professional chefs around the world have come to love pans of a different material: carbon steel. This alloy is made from steel and carbon (just like cast iron) but in slightly different proportions. When used to create cookware, the result is a lighter, less brittle, smoother metal that performs almost exactly like cast iron, with similar durability and versatility. Once the pan has been seasoned, it will give you a nonstick surface that stands up to metal cooking tools, so you won’t have to worry about scratches. You’ll be able to use a carbon steel pan for searing, frying, sauteing, and broiling on just about any cooktop, including induction, BBQ grills, and on a campfire.
Like cast iron, carbon steel does require some mindful maintenance in order to retain its seasoning, but when it's properly cared for, it will last for the long-term. If you’re thinking about investing in some new cookware, here are the best carbon steel pans.
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Arrives pre-seasoned
Securely riveted handles
Can use on any cooktop
Inexpensive
Hand wash only
Requires special attention to maintain seasoning
Lodge is well-known for its vast array of cast iron cookware, so it makes sense that the company would venture into making carbon steel cookware as well. Like Lodge's cast iron, this skillet comes pre-seasoned, so you can start cooking with it right away, but of course, more seasoning will make it more nonstick and more rust-resistant. The skillet comes in a 10- or 12-inch size and is broiler safe.
Like cast iron, carbon steel pans become more and more nonstick over time, without the need for special coatings during manufacturing. In use, carbon steel pans are thinner and lighter than cast iron, and also more responsive to temperature changes. This one can be used on all cooktops, including induction, as well as on a barbecue grill or campfire.
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Professional-grade quality
Suitable for all cooktops
Welded handle makes it easy to clean
Will require seasoning and regular maintenance to upkeep surface
This all-purpose pan by Matfer Bourgeat is made in France and is designed for commercial and home use. Constructed of unseasoned black carbon steel, you’ll have to season it yourself (but once you do, it will perform as a non-stick surface). The steel handle is welded securely to the body of the pan, and since it does not have traditional rivets, it is easier to keep clean since there’s nowhere for food particles and residue to hide.
The angled sides make it suitable for a variety of uses, from stir-frying to sauteeing, and you’ll be able to use this on just about any cooking surface, even induction. Be sure to wash the pan thoroughly with a bristle brush and mild dish detergent to remove the protective coating before first use.
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Arrives pre-seasoned
Inexpensive
Oven safe to 600 degrees
Not as durable as higher end pans
If you’re not sure you’ll love cooking with carbon steel, this affordable 12-inch skillet is a good starter piece. It’s pre-seasoned, so you can use it right after giving it a preliminary wash to remove the protective silicone wax and it’s a nice size for searing a few small chops for dinner. The handle is coated cast iron, and shaped to give you a comfortable hand-hold while you cook.
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Sturdy construction
Flat bottom lets you use on any cooktop
Helper handles allow for easy transport on and off stove
Can be a bit bulky to store
Hand wash only
Carbon steel is one of the traditional materials for woks, and if you peek into a Chinese kitchen, you may see woks in use that are well seasoned at the bottom of the bowl where the cooking occurs, with less seasoning towards the top.
This wok is made for home use, with a flat bottom that allows it to be used on any cooktop, so you don’t need to fuss with a wok ring on your gas burner. The long handle has a convenient hanging loop for storing the wok, and a helper handle so you can carry it easily, even when it’s full of your favorite fried rice recipe.
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Beautifully constructed
High sides gives it versatility
Ergonomic handle has good grip and balance
Oven safe maximum temperature is lower than some other pans
This pan straddles the line between a low-sided frying pan and a wok, with medium-high sides that will keep your food contained when you’re stir-frying, yet it won’t take as much storage space as a wok. This pick is made in France and comes with a beeswax coating that protects the metal as the pan travels from the manufacturer to your door.
The pan has a long, ergonomic handle that is securely riveted to the pan's body, to help you toss the ingredients as you cook and easily hang the pan when it's not in use. You can also use this pan in the oven for a maximum of 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
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Well-built, traditional style
Generous handles make it easy to move on and off the burner
Comes in a wide variety of sizes to accommodate any size party
Can be difficult to store
Hand wash only
If you’re going to buy a paella pan, why not buy one from a Spanish cookware company like Magfesa? They’ve got the know-how and the experience to make a pan that will perform when you need it. Paella pans are often made from carbon steel, which helps to produce the socarrat—the crisp rice at the bottom of the pan—while the dimpled bottom on this pan also improves the cooking process.
Two generous handles make this one easy to move and carry as it goes from stovetop to oven to table. This option is a large 17-inch pan, but it's also available in smaller and larger diameters so you can scale your recipe to however many people you're serving.
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Super sturdy single-piece construction
Arrives pre-seasoned
Helper handle makes moving this pan easy
Expensive
Made from a single piece of Australian steel and designed to be a pan that gets passed down through generations, this skillet is pre-seasoned so you can get right to cooking, whether you’re searing steaks or cooking the perfect burger. The long handle has cutouts near the pan’s edge to help vent heat and keep the handle cooler in use, while a helper handle gives you an extra hand-hold when you’ve got a full pan to move.
Considering cast iron instead? Check out our reviews of the best cast iron pans for your kitchen.
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Solid construction
Securely riveted handles
Works great for omelettes and pancakes as well as crepes
Protective beeswax coating can be challenging to remove
Hand wash only
Made in France by a well-known, premium cookware company, this crepe pan comes with a protective beeswax coating that should be removed before seasoning the pan. Once it is seasoned, it provides a wonderfully nonstick surface and even heating to make crepes, pancakes, and omelettes with minimal oil.
While this pan has low sides that make it perfect for crepes, it can also be used for searing meat, making or heating tortillas, and cooking any foods that don’t require the higher sides of a traditional skillet or frying pan.
The Lodge 12-Inch Seasoned Carbon Steel Skillet takes the top spot because of its lightweight yet rugged construction and how quickly it heats up. Plus, it's easy to clean. On a budget? Give the BK Cookware 11-Inch Black Carbon Steel Skillet a try. It's nonstick out of the box and lighter than a typical cast iron pan.
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
Donna Currie is a food writer and product tester for The Spruce Eats. A self-professed "kitchen geek," she's written many roundups on a range of essential kitchen items, from the best induction burners to the top seafood kitchen tools of the year.
This piece was edited by Bernadette Machard de Gramont, an LA-based writer who specializes in global food and wine content. She researches and tests a variety of cookware, bakeware, and wine tools, and interviews field experts for their insight.
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