Non-stick fry pans are a preferred choice when cooking on low heat as the external coating suffers damage when exposed to excessive heat. You could use non-stick pans for more delicate meals like crepes, eggs, pancakes and more. However, non-stick cookware cannot produce the searing effect, which means it excludes many of the more popular recipes.

Stainless steel cookware, being the workhorse of your kitchen, can be used for making pretty much anything, including steaks, pork, chicken, and braises.

A multi-ply frying pan with an aluminium core is recommended for the best results when cooking at high temperatures.

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.

Versatility Of Cast Iron Skillets

Hard-anodized frying pans are made of aluminum which has been treated to make it hard and durable. They're also non-stick, but unlike the first two types of non-stick pans, they can take high temperatures without getting damaged. They're heavy and they don't get scratched when used with metallic utensils.

Best for: Scrambled or fried eggs, pancakes, fish, grilled cheese, and any other food that has a high probability of sticking to a typical pan. With nonstick skillets, these foods slide easily from frying pan to plate.