Everything You Need To Know To Find The Best Enameled Cast Iron Frying Pan

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How Nonstick Should an Enameled Cast Iron Skillet Actually Be?

The truth is that enameled cast iron isn't *technically* nonstick, so if you treat it like a PTFE- or ceramic-coated skillet, you'll end up with a bunch of crusted-on eggs. The enamel does help the pan release the food a little more easily than uncoated cast iron, but if you don't add any fat and don't heat the pan properly, you will get stickage.

The Criteria: What to Look for in an Enameled Cast Iron Skillet

There are huge differences in price with enameled cast iron. Generally speaking, the more expensive the pan was (and if it was from a legacy brand like Staub or Le Creuset), the better it performed. This is because the craftsmanship and quality control of these brands are very meticulous (as we've found when we tested Dutch ovens). We also found that, generally, matte black enamel on the interior is preferable since it&#;s less prone to staining.

The presence or lack of a helper handle isn&#;t that big of a deal unless you are dealing with pans that weigh more than eight pounds. Any less than that, and the average home cook should be able to lift or pour from the pan one-handed without issue. That being said, if it does have a helper handle, it should be big enough to easily grasp with a thick kitchen towel in hand. The main handle should also be large enough to grab with two hands. Regarding pour spouts: The best are larger and deeper; shallower ones tend to dribble.

When it comes to weight, lighter skillets were easier to lift and carry and also tended to heat up faster (which makes sense, because less material to heat means less time to reach a consistent temperature). We also preferred skillets with gently flared which resulted in better browning and less sticking when baking cornbread.

Our Top-Rated Enameled Cast Iron Skillets

What we liked: This skillet heated up to high temps evenly across its surface, seared steaks beautifully, and perfectly cooked over-easy eggs. We liked the rounded handle, which was easy to grasp, and the curved sides and spacious surface that allowed for steam to escape and also made it easy to use a spatula in the skillet.

What we didn't like: This pan is heavier than the Staub, so it took longer to heat up. But once it did, it retained its heat beautifully across the cooking surface. We've also had some issues with foods sticking here and there in our long-term testing.

Key Specs

• Weight: 5 pounds, 6 ounces
• Diameter: 10.25 inches
• Cooking surface diameter: 8.5 inches
• Max heat: 500°F
• Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe
• Induction compatible: Yes

What we liked: When we conducted our heat absorption and retention test, this skillet reached the highest temperature the fastest and was the most consistent from center to edge. This was reflected when we cooked in it as well&#;the eggs and steak cooked evenly (and they didn&#;t stick). The smooth, curved sides whisked away steam before it had a chance to interfere with browning and made it easier to turn and remove food with a spatula.

Another great aspect of the Staub skillet is that the maximum heat rating is 900°F, about 400 degrees higher than any other pan in our lineup. While most home ovens don&#;t get that hot, you could roast vegetables in a pizza oven with this skillet with no problem. The pan is also (amazingly) dishwasher-safe, though hand washing was very easy; we hardly needed to scrub it at all due to the slick enamel coating. 

What we didn&#;t like: While the Staub skillet did well in our cornbread test, we did notice some very slight uneven cooking. Also, the helper handle is quite small; if it was a bit bigger, it would be even more useful. 

Key Specs

• Weight: 4 pounds, 15 ounces
• Diameter: 10 inches
• Cooking surface diameter: 8.25 inches
• Max heat: 900°F
• Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe (though we'd recommend hand-washing to preserve its longevity)
• Induction compatible: Yes

What we liked: The Crock-Pot brand is a household name for its eponymous slow cooker, but its cookware line is equally solid. While other enameled cast iron skillets easily cost a couple of hundred dollars, the Crock-Pot skillet will set you back $36 (at the time of writing). It produced great results during the egg and steak tests, and even the cornbread had nice, even browning on the bottom.

While the enamel isn&#;t totally nonstick (we had some issues with the cornbread), fried eggs and seared steak came off easily. We expected the white enamel interior to stain or discolor after testing, but no residue remained post-cleaning. The handles are comfortable to hold, and maneuvering the pan is just as easy with one hand as it is with two due to the pan's light weight.

What we didn&#;t like: The white enamel interior requires a bit more elbow grease when cleaning to get back to pure white&#;it's remained stained throughout long-term testing. The cornbread got a bit stuck in it when we tried to turn it out (though it did brown nicely and evenly on the bottom). The high sides had a hard right angle from the bottom, which made it difficult to use an offset spatula to help release the cornbread. This pan is also not dishwasher-safe.

Key Specs

• Weight: 6 pounds, 5 ounces
• Diameter: 10 inches
• Cooking surface diameter: 8.25 inches
• Max heat: 500°F
• Care instructions: Hand wash
• Induction compatible: Yes

For more information, please visit Enamel Coated Cast Iron Skillet.

The Competition

• Great Jones King Sear Skillet: While we liked the broad cooking surface of this skillet (it&#;s good for serving larger groups), the cornbread and eggs both stuck to the bottom of the pan. The handle was also too short to hold with two hands, but also too heavy to hold with just one. 
• KitchenAid Enameled Cast Iron Frying Pan: Large, bulky, and awkward to hold, this skillet didn&#;t do very well in any of our tests. It also had temperatures that were all over the place during our heat absorption test. 
• Tramontina Covered Skillet Enameled Cast Iron: The Tramontina skillet was deep with tall, high sides that trapped steam and prevented caramelization during searing. 
• Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Skillet: Even though the Lodge skillet fried a couple of perfect over-easy eggs, we had to disqualify it for its low heat absorption which led to a poorly seared steak.
• Our Place Cast Iron Always Pan: While we liked the accessories that came with it (the glass lid, wooden spoon, and silicone handle covers), they didn&#;t make up for overall poor cooking performance. The high sides trapped steam, interfering with browning and caramelization, and the enamel interior wasn&#;t as nonstick as other pans; the cornbread stuck to it and emerged unevenly browned.
  

FAQs

Which is better&#;cast iron or enameled cast iron?

The short answer is neither&#;and both! To be sure, both are great non-toxic cookware. Cast iron is undoubtedly more durable and would be the better choice for cooking over an open fire or for projects where you plan to use extremely high temperatures. The seasoning on a cast iron pan can eventually become completely nonstick, whereas enameled cast iron will remain unchanged over time. Enameled cast iron is also more suited for recipes high in acid (which could damage uncoated cast iron) or for situations that would benefit from a more even distribution of heat.

Is there anything you can&#;t cook in an enameled cast iron skillet?

There's not much that can't be cooked in an enameled cast iron skillet. Pan pizzas, roasted chicken, and even baking recipes all work well in enameled cast iron. Super-delicate items (like crepes, for example) would benefit from a slicker, more nonstick surface than enameled cast iron.

Can you put an enameled cast iron skillet in the oven?

You can absolutely put enameled cast iron in the oven, and some pans can tolerate up to 900°F (though most max out at 500°F). Just make sure to check the manufacturer's care instructions beforehand, which should state your pan's oven-safe temperature.

Can you use enameled cast iron on an induction burner?

All of the enameled cast iron pans we tested were compatible with induction burners, as well as gas and electric. Anything made from cast iron will work with induction.

Do you have to season enameled cast iron?

No, you don't have to season enameled cast iron. Because of their enamel coating, these pans are ready to go right out of the box.

Why We're the Experts

• Taylor Murray is a chef and recipe tester and has worked in fine dining. She's tested and written many equipment reviews for Serious Eats, including food dehydrators and vacuum sealers.
• For this review, we tested eight enameled cast iron skillets, using them to fry eggs, bake cornbread, and cook steak. We also evaluated their usability and cleanup.

If I could have only one pan, it would be an enameled cast-iron skillet. The best enameled cast-iron skillet is incredibly durable and versatile enough to work as a sauté pan, a frying pan, a braising pan, and even a baking pan. It&#;s long-lasting, ovensafe, compatible with all cooktops, and because porcelain enamel is alkaline-resistant, you can cook acidic foods in it without issue (not so for uncoated cast iron, which can lose its seasoning with too much acid).

The best enameled cast iron skillet

The enamel also eliminates nearly all of the maintenance required for raw cast iron, so it&#;s a great option for busy home cooks who want the excellent heat retention and distribution you get from cast-iron pots and pans but may not have time to care for uncoated cookware.

It won&#;t get as nonstick as very well-seasoned, uncoated cast iron; you&#;ll always need some butter and oil to get easy release. But even a budget-friendly enameled cast-iron pan will last a lot longer than pricey nonstick pans.

After testing 10 popular and highly rated enameled cast-iron pans, I&#;m pleased to report that most were pretty good. But in terms of performance and versatility, the Staub Traditional Deep Skillet stood out as the best overall.

Below, find more details on the Staub, along with recommendations for a lightweight option and a budget pick. You can also learn more about how I tested, what I looked for, and what I thought of the enameled cast-iron pans that didn&#;t make my top picks.

The best enameled cast-iron skillet: Staub Traditional Deep Skillet

If you want the look of a classic cast iron skillet with the durability and versatility of an enameled pan, Staub&#;s Traditional Deep Skillet is the best you can buy.

Everything I cooked in this pan turned out beautifully. With a generous pat of butter, not even fried eggs stuck to the lightly-textured black enamel cooking surface&#;though I did get a perfect crispy edge on the whites. This pan continued to impress when I cooked quesadillas, grilled cheese, and large cuts of meat. The straight but slightly-flared sides maximize the cooking surface area, and they&#;re tall enough that you can easily use this skillet for shallow &#;deep&#; frying and braising. This is also the only one of my top picks that didn&#;t hold onto any of the cornbread I baked in it (and yes, I buttered each one very well).

I loved this pan out of the box, though I admit that might have had something to do with the fact that the matte black version (which costs $20 less than the other colors) could be easily mistaken for meticulously-maintained raw cast iron. To add to its traditional look, it has two pour spouts, a not-too-long handle that still looks classic, and a solid helper handle that&#;s small but functional enough when you need it.

What I didn&#;t love about the Staub Traditional Deep Skillet

Other than the price, there&#;s not much I didn&#;t love about this enameled cast iron skillet. That said, it&#;s always a little annoying when something is advertised as dishwasher safe (like this pan), and then you read the manual and realize &#;hand washing is recommended.&#; The manual also recommends using non-metal utensils in this pan. I&#;m sure it&#;s to avoid scratches, but part of the point of using cast iron instead of nonstick is that you can use whatever utensils you want. Also, because the handle and pan are all cast together, the handle will get piping hot even on the stove, so you&#;ll want to use a silicone handle cover or oven mitt&#;but that&#;s an issue you&#;ll experience with nearly every cast iron skillet.

Specs

Sizes available: 6.5 in, 11 in, 12 in (varies by retailer)
Color options: Yes (varies by retailer)
Oven safe to: 500ºF
Dishwasher safe: Yes

Best budget enameled cast iron skillet: Cuisinart Chef's Classic Enameled Cast Iron Skillet

Well-made enameled cast iron is generally pretty pricey, and the quality of Cuisinart&#;s gear is all over the place, so I was repeatedly surprised by the performance of this truly affordable enameled cast iron fry pan.