You cannot use metal utensils on aluminum pans. Since aluminum is a soft metal, using metal utensils on an uncoated aluminum surface can damage its surface. You can use metal utensils, except for sharp kitchen knives, on hard-anodized aluminum pans. The anodization process adds a thick layer to the aluminum, which increases its durability and scratch resistance.

Stainless steel is a versatile material and holds heat well. Many stainless steel skillets are safe to place in the oven (make sure there aren't any plastic parts, though), which is handy when a recipe calls for searing fish or meat and then placing it in the oven to finish cooking. This saves time because you don't have to transfer the ingredients to another dish to bake or roast in the oven. This is, of course, also useful in terms of clean-up being that you don't have to dirty up another receptacle.

When to Cook With a Pan 

Similarly to cast iron, carbon steel pans need to be seasoned before use (though some, like ours, do come preseasoned). As if these pans weren’t already versatile enough, carbon steel is also safe to use on the grill as well as over an open flame.

Benefits of Big Black Cast Iron Skillets:

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.

Offering excellent heat conduction, aluminum frying pans dissipate heat quickly for efficient, even cooking. Uncoated aluminum frying pans have a stick-, rust-, and corrosion-resistant surface and should only be used to cook low-acidic foods since acidic foods, such as tomato paste, citrus, and vinegar, react with aluminum and can alter the flavor of your food. Many professional aluminum frying pans are hard-anodized or feature a non-stick coating to make them non-reactive. Aluminum pans are not compatible with induction cooktops since aluminum is not magnetic.