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The Spruce Eats / Lecia Landis
The Lodge Cast Iron Griddle Pan is a versatile item that you’ll find yourself using for more than just crêpes. We also like the high-sloped sides of the lightweight Norpro Nonstick Crêpe Pan.
Whether you’re planning a leisurely weekend brunch, a festive afternoon bash, or a simple nod to the culinary wonders of France, adding crêpes to your menu makes a beautiful, on-theme, and delicious statement. These very thin pancakes aren’t complicated to make at home, but they do require a bit of practice, along with a pan that’s specially designed to nail the crêpe’s delicate texture. If you’re concerned that this’ll be a one-use only piece of cookware, you’ll soon find that the pan’s flat surface is also incredibly useful for making fluffy pancakes or delicious smash burgers, or quickly searing your steak.
From beginner to expert, here are the best crêpe pans.
Best Overall
Lodge 10.5-Inch Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Griddle
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Amazon
Affordable
Durable
Pre-seasoned
Can be used for other cooking projects
Not dishwasher-friendly
With its gentle price and sturdy construction, this crêpe pan from Lodge is designed to last a lifetime (and then some). The cast-iron pan multitasks like a champion, removing the “I don’t want a tool in my kitchen that can only do one thing” dilemma that many apartment-dwellers and others with small kitchens and/or limited storage space face.
“This versatile pan is perfect for pancakes and crêpes, but it can also be used for vegetables, tortillas and sandwiches, with its shallow edges allowing you to easily maneuver your ingredients,” explains Aysegul Sanford, a Lodge fan and food blogger of Foolproof Living.
Being made from bare cast iron does mean that you’ll have to season it frequently, but it also allows this crêpe pan to heat up thoroughly so your pancakes and crêpes will brown evenly. Cast iron retains heat pretty well, so be sure to turn your stove’s heat down, or you might end up with a burnt breakfast. Like all cast iron, you’ll want to wash this pan by hand and quickly dry it so no rust develops.
Price at time of publish: $25
Material: Cast iron | Diameter: 10.5 inches | Oven Safe Temperature: 500 degrees
Best Budget
Norpro Nonstick Crêpe Pan
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Amazon
High sloped sides
Lightweight
Stay-cool handle
Not dishwasher-friendly
Heat distribution might be uneven
This nonstick crêpe pan rings in at well under $20, making it an excellent option for any aspiring crêpe makers on a tight budget. Norpro’s pan features a nonstick coating that one Amazon reviewer describes as “effective and fairly durable,” and the pan’s light weight enables easy movement. The sloped sides can keep batter from spilling onto your stove, which means this pan can be used to make an accompanying omelet or your favorite grilled cheese. Just keep in mind that the actual cooking surface is only 8 inches wide.
This also has a 6-inch stay-cool handle, so you won’t burn yourself in a pre-coffee haze. Norpro recommends using wooden utensils on the pan to avoid scratching the coating, and it can be used on electric stoves, gas stoves, and induction stoves.
Price at time of publish: $14
Material: Steel | Diameter: 8 inches | Oven Safe Temperature: Not stated
Best Nonstick
ESLITE LIFE Nonstick Crêpe Pan
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Amazon
Attractive design
Reasonably priced
Made from aluminum
Easy to clean
The pan might warp when left above heat
With a 9.5-inch cooking surface, a nonstick granite coating, and a stay-cool Bakelite handle, this crêpe pan is perfect for those who want to just slide their crêpes right onto their plates. The durable surface is wrapped around an aluminum core, so this will heat up quickly. Just be sure to use it over low or medium heat so you won’t start melting the handle. It’s also compatible with all cooktops, though it shouldn’t go into either the oven or dishwasher.
Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon opts for the ESLITE LIFE pan, because “it comes with a crêpe spreader, does not have rivets like the carbon steel alternatives where the crêpe batter can get stuck, and is super-easy to hand-clean with a soapy sponge.”
Price at time of publish: $27
Material: Aluminum | Diameter: 9.5 inches | Oven Safe Temperature: Not oven-safe
“For the best at-home crêpe-making experience, it is best to get a well-reviewed non-stick crêpe pan over cheaper alternatives. Crêpes are very delicate by nature, and having a non-stick crêpe pan takes away the fine-tuning trial-and-error necessary to produce a perfect crêpe on a cast iron or carbon steel crêpe pan.” — Jessica Randhawa, recipe developer of The Forked Spoon
Best Carbon Steel
De Buyer Blue Carbon Steel Crepe & Tortilla Pan
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Amazon
Smooth nonstick surface
Easy to clean
Lightweight
Affordable
Needs seasoning and maintenance
The crêpe, as we know it, originated in France, so it makes sense that a longstanding French cookware brand is behind this well-crafted and easy-to-use crêpe pan. De Buyer uses a blend of iron and steel for this pan’s blue carbon steel. Available as a 7-inch, an 8-inch, and a 9.5-inch pan, this crêpe pan offers an impressively sized flat cooking surface, with an extra-large welded handle that’s designed with flipping in mind.
Once you’ve washed off the wax coating and given it a good seasoning with mineral oil, you’ll be raving, like the reviewers, about the smooth surface, which allows crêpes to slide right off (and also results in easy cleanup). If you prefer a thicker steel pan with slightly better heat distribution, de Buyer has a crêpe pan from its Mineral B cookware line.
Price at time of publish: $25
Material: Carbon steel | Diameter: 7 inches, 8 inches, 9.5 inches | Oven Safe Temperature: 400 degrees
Best Enameled
Le Creuset Cast Iron Crepe Pan
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Williams Sonoma
Visually appealing
Large cooking surface
Comes with crêpe tools
Includes a lifetime warranty
Expensive
Le Creuset is iconic for its widely acclaimed Dutch ovens, but its cookware triumphs don’t stop there. The French brand also makes an impeccable crêpe pan made of enameled cast iron, which allows for superior heat conductivity and provides a nonstick surface for easy crêpe removal. The 10.5-inch pan has a comfortable angled handle and comes with a wooden rateau, the T-shaped tool that makes it incredibly easy to evenly spread batter around the pan. It also includes the wooden spatula, or spanell, for folding and removing your crêpe.
This pan comes with a hefty price tag, but Le Creuset offers a lifetime warranty, so this crêpe pan purchase will keep you supplied with flawlessly thin pancakes for years to come.
Price at time of publish: $184
Material: Enameled cast iron | Diameter: 10.5 inches | Oven Safe Temperature: 500 degrees
Best Copper
Mauviel Copper Crêpe Pan
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Williams Sonoma
Aesthetically pleasing
Superior heat distribution
Exceptionally durable
Large cooking surface
Expensive
Needs maintenance
Another French heritage brand, Mauviel is famous for its beautiful and highly functional copper cookware. With this lightweight pan, Mauviel has cast a thin layer of 18/10 stainless steel onto the 2-millimeter-thick copper exterior. The copper allows for faster heat conductivity and will cool down more quickly than some other materials like cast iron. One special stylish detail here is the riveted copper handle, which is long enough to keep your hands away from the heat.
The copper exterior will develop a patina over time, which only adds to its picturesque appeal. As with all copper cookware, you will need to care for it to keep it from tarnishing.
Price at time of publish: $290
Material: Copper, stainless steel | Diameter: 12.25 inches | Oven Safe Temperature: 500 degrees
Best For Beginners
Nordic Ware 03460 Traditional French Steel Crepe Pan
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Amazon
Effective nonstick coating
Large cooking area
Easy to clean
Affordable
Might have hot spots
First-time crêpe makers often find that a larger pan can help mitigate errors, and this model from Nordic Ware offers a substantial amount of cooking space. It provides a long handle for easy maneuvering, and the pan’s aluminized steel material is efficient at transferring heat. Atop the 10-inch pan is a nonstick coating, so you’ll have one fewer worry. It also has a stainless steel handle that is designed to stay-cool no, matter how big your batch is.
Best of all, Nordic Ware’s crêpe pan is reasonably priced for its quality, so crêpe newbies won’t need to shell out the big bucks before they become crêpe-making experts.
Price at time of publish: $32
Material: Aluminized steel | Diameter: 10 inches | Oven Safe Temperature: 450 degrees
The versatile Lodge Cast Iron Griddle Pan is very affordable and might become one of your go-to pieces of cookware. If you’re looking for stylish cookware that will last for decades, we love the Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Crêpe Pan.
How We Selected
To select the best crêpe pans to include on this list, we considered factors like ease of use, consistency of temperature, ease of cleanup, durability, and value. Our research included seeking out expert opinions from Aysegul Sanford, a food blogger at Foolproof Living, and Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon. We also considered customer reviews to gather a thorough collection of perspectives on each product to help make our final choices for each category.
What to Look for in a Crêpe Pan
Material
Like all cookware, crêpe pans are constructed from different metals and coatings that have different advantages. Aluminized steel and stainless steel are lighter in weight and budget-friendly, but, depending on their quality, they might develop hot spots on them. They might also have a nonstick coating. Cast iron and carbon steel are tops for durability and heat retention, with enameled cast iron allowing for colorful finishes. Copper, meanwhile, heats up quickly and evenly, is also exceptionally durable, and has more aesthetic appeal for some.
Accessories
Most crêpe pans are sold à la carte without accompanying accessories, but there are certain items that all crêpe chefs should have on-hand. Wooden or silicone tools are essential, as metal cooking instruments can scratch surfaces. A reliable kitchen rag, towel, or cloth will help you get a solid and safe grip on the handle of your crêpe pan.
Maintenance
The vast majority of crêpe pans need to be washed by hand using hot water, gentle dish soap, and non-abrasive sponges. If your crêpe-making process leaves sticky residue on the pan that can’t be cleansed with just a sponge and soap, kosher salt can be used to scrub away leftover crêpe bits. Keep in mind that bare cast iron and carbon steel pans will need to be frequently seasoned to develop a nonstick surface.
FAQs
What’s the difference between a frying pan and a crêpe pan?
The biggest distinction between a crêpe pan and a classic frying pan is the flatness of a crêpe pan. To make a crêpe, you need a flat surface, so crêpe pans feature very flat bases and very short sides. Frying pans, however, have taller sloping sides, which gives them more versatility.
Aside from crêpes, what can you make on a crêpe pan?
Crêpe pans may be specifically designed for crêpes, but they can also be used to make plenty of other flatbreads or pastries, such as pancakes, tortillas, dosas, and naan. Since crêpe pans have flat surfaces with even heat distribution, they can also double as griddles, so they’re ideal for searing steaks, cooking burgers, and even making eggs.
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
This article was written by Taylor Tobin, a freelance journalist who covers cooking, product reviews, and recipe content for outlets like Simply Recipes, HuffPost, Insider, and Allrecipes. She recently became an avid pancake and crêpe maker, and her cast-iron Lodge crêpe pan comes in very handy for her weekend brunch projects.
Sources
- Aysegul Sanford, Foolproof Living
- Jessica Randhawa, The Forked Spoon