Another notion is that they were created during World War II when steel was short. Cast iron skillets with enamel were produced as an alternative, making them weigh less than typical pans and pots during those days.

One of the most obvious differences between skillets and frypans is its shape. But it is also a factor that often confuses people, simply because they’re both flat-bottomed rounded pans with a handle. Here’s how they differ in regards to shape.

Best for: Almost any food that needs frying, browning, or searing. Because it’s ovenproof, stainless is also a good choice for foods that you start on the stovetop and then move to the oven to finish, like thick pork chops.

The details: Nitahara says that 95 percent of the pans used in the CIA’s teaching kitchens are stainless steel because they can take a lot of punishment. “The only time we don’t use them is on egg day, when we use nonstick,” he says. He adds that the shiny surface of a stainless pan makes it easy to see whether your food is browning.

In CR’s tests of stainless steel pans, we measure heating evenness by cooking pancakes, and we gauge how evenly a pan sautés by cooking potatoes until they’re tender. We also conduct a cleaning test to see how easy it is to remove cooked-on food. You’d think that all stainless pans would be about the same to clean, but our tests show that some require a lot more scrubbing than others.

Here are two recommended stainless steel pans from CR’s tests.

Cooking meat, fish, and vegetables on a cast iron pan have a rustic beauty all its own. The sear marks added flavor to the dish and the natural smoking of the seasoned pan adds excitement to using a cast-iron skillet. This makes the skillet pan a must-have pan for each aspiring chef. They are also exceptionally long-lasting, lasting for many years.

Baking and Roasting: These skillets are versatile enough to be used for baking and roasting, making them suitable for preparing dishes such as cornbread, roasted vegetables, and even desserts like skillet cookies and cobblers.