It’s happened to all of us. You crack a few eggs, they burn or stick without cooking in the middle, or you have to scramble them when you want them sunny side up. It’s frustrating, to say the least, which may start your search for the best frying pan for eggs.
It’s not a signal of being a bad cook, but it could very well be a sign that your current pan isn’t suited for making eggs. These are binding agents; they’re sticky, and having a bad pan is only going to make cooking them that much harder.
We’ve compiled a list of the best frying pans for eggs — scrambled, over easy, or any way you take your eggs! We’ve laid out their benefits, their caveats, and everything in between so that you can cook better eggs every single morning. It’s the most important meal of the day—it deserves your most important pan.
Our Top Picks
Best Frying Pan for Eggs Review
Below are our top picks for the best frying pay for eggs reviews. Our reviews include only the best and we cover everything from the best frying pans for scrambling eggs to the best pan for over easy eggs.
Hexclad Hybrid Pan
Hexclad is simply the best pan for cooking eggs no matter how you look at it. The negative attributes are almost negligible, but I want to give you a full overview so you can make that distinction for yourself.
The tri-ply construction makes the exterior extremely heat resistant, meaning it’s not going to heat up that bolted-on handle. Speaking of the handle, it’s designed to be ergonomic and assist in distributing the weight of the pan/food evenly, which make handling much easier.
On the inside of the pan, you have the star of the show: the textured, nonstick finish. This isn’t teflon; instead, it’s simply the way it’s designed. Oil and grease sits under the food in the valleys between all the hexagon tiles, keeping it from sticking to the pan, but also preventing your eggs from getting saturated.
This is one of the best frying pans for eggs, especially if you make a barrier of butter or coconut oil at the bottom of the pan. However, the only type of eggs that I had a hard time with were scrambled.
You can scramble them and leave them in the pan, but don’t move them around, otherwise they’ll get stuck in those valleys. When you move the oil, you remove patches of the barrier. That makes it difficult to clean, though to be fully transparent, this pan can be difficult to clean regardless of what you make in it.
Now, is that really something so different from every other stainless steel pan on the market? Not at all. The only other negative side of this is the price, but as they say, you get what you pay for. In this case, it’s unbeatable quality.
Hexclad also includes a lifetime warranty with every pan they create, so if you want to get a bigger version of this pan if you’re used to making big batches of eggs, that’s an option. Hexclad uses absolutely no PFOAs in their construction, and is completely dishwasher safe.
As if that wasn’t enough, it’s also a bit higher than your average stainless steel pan when it comes to heat resistance. This can go in the oven up to 500°F if you need (everything aside from broiling).
Everything in your pan heats evenly as well, so if you’re stuck using the smaller burner on your electric stove, it will distribute heat and won’t leave the center raw. Be prepared for the most evenly-cooked sunny side up eggs of your entire life.
PROS
- Texture is nonstick thanks to the hexagon peaks
- Includes a lifetime warranty
- PFOA-free construction
- Dishwasher safe
- Safe up to 500°F
- Aluminum middle offers consistent heating
CONS
- Difficult to clean oil/grease out of
- Low diameter-to-dollar ratio
GreenLife Soft Grip Ceramic Pan
We’re all sick and tired of eggs sticking to our pans. It’s difficult to clean and aggravating when you don’t get as much out of the pan as you put into it. GreenLife is here to change all of that with this option for the best frying pan for eggs.
With a ceramic coating on the interior of your pan, you’ll have a completely non-stick surface. Even if you don’t use oils or butter to put under your eggs, you’re still good to go.
As one of the best pans for eggs over easy, this allows you to manipulate the eggs while in the pan without running into any problems. Available from 8” pans up to 12” pans, you can get a size for however many eggs you tend to cook at a time.
Eggs slide right out of the pan, and when it comes time to clean it, some simple scrubbing will get the job done. The thing is, when you clean this pan, you have to use the soft side of your sponge. The ceramic coating is durable, but when met with a harder force (your elbow grease and a brillo pad, for instance), it will scratch and leave imperfections in the surface.
This pan is completely dishwasher safe, you just have to be careful with the heat settings. The soft touch handle works well, but it will degrade when introduced to a lot of dry heat over and over again. This pan is simple enough to clean by hand every single time, which is the recommended cleaning option.
Last but not least, the GreenLife pan is safe up to 350°F for basic oven use, or if you left food out and wanted to gently warm it in the oven. This works beautifully if you want to melt a bit of sliced cheese on top of an omelet, by the way.
PROS
- Nonstick ceramic surface is super easy to clean
- Inexpensive regardless of diameter and color selection
- Available in over half-a-dozen colors
- Heat resistant up to 350°F
- Completely PFAE-free construction
- Aluminum base doesn’t wobble at all
CONS
- Soft grip handle doesn’t hold up over time
- Can only use wooden or nylon utensils
Tramontina Ceramic and Metallic Copper Skillet
Ceramic is the gold standard for egg pans, and Tramontina did an exceptional job at creating a nice thick coating of ceramic on the interior of these pans. The ceramic is so well-done that you don’t even need oil or butter to prevent your eggs from sticking, as long as you don’t turn the heat up too high.
As always with ceramic, you’ll want to use nylon utensils with this so you don’t scratch it. The interior lining isn’t fragile, but you’ll want to handle it with care to be on the safe side. Everything included in this pan is PFOA-free and PTFE-free, and contains no lead or cadmium. Tramontina is one of the safest cookware brands available, based solely on their dedication to keeping known harmful ingredients out of their construction.
Stability is one of the biggest things you need in a heavy pan, but unfortunately, Tramontina dropped the ball on this one. The heavy aluminum base is excellent for dispensing heat evenly across the entire cooking surface, though the handle doesn’t do a good job of handling all that weight. You can feel a bit of wobbling when you move the pan.
This pan has a 350°F heat resistance level, and is dishwasher safe. With any ceramic pans, I always recommend hand washing only, but having the option is at least nice.
Available in 9.5” pans up to 12.5” pans, you have as much versatility as you need. I’d also like to point out that Tramontina has other ceramic and metallic copper pots in this same style, as well as pizza pans, sauce pans, and more. Just if you’re interested based off of their egg pan.
It wouldn’t be the best egg pan without a stellar warranty, would it? This is completely manufactured in Italy, assembled in America, and outfitted with a lifetime warranty to give you peace of mind. Attention to quality (and detail) is present.
PROS
- Soft touch handle keeps your hands cool
- Perfect nonstick; no oil or butter required for eggs
- Heat resistant up to 350°F
- Completely dishwasher safe
- Free of PFOA, PTFE, lead, and cadmium
CONS
- Handle is wobbly at bolt-on attachment
- Easy to scratch
MyLifeUNIT Aluminum Four-Cup Egg Frying Pan
MyLifeUNIT became a sensation when it actually solved major problems that everyone encounters when cooking eggs: making multiple without allowing them to conjoin in the pan.
You want four sunny side up eggs, but without the edges touching and melding into one major super egg? Problem solved. MyLifeUNIT has four cups designed to hold large eggs, and cooks them evenly.
It’s one of the best nonstick pans for eggs because it has a marble coating on the cooking surface, which turns out to be remarkable for easy cleaning. However, it does have one problem—sharing the heat. This is partially due to the marble, but also because the four cups don’t intake heat evenly.
You might have one egg that cooks pretty quickly, but the other is still a little bit runnier than you would like. Unless you have a massive burner for this entire pan, you might have to move it around a bit to get that nice even cook on all four eggs at the same time.
That being said, you’re not going to spend a lot on this pan. It’s very attractively priced, durable as can be, and can be used for Canadian bacon as well as eggs. I will say that the handle is sub-par quality. It doesn’t wobble, but it is made out of a cheap plastic and will scratch easily.
It’s solid, it’s inexpensive, and works well if you have a big breakfast or cook eggs for multiple people in the morning. This definitely has its utility, and would work well over a campfire if you plan on camping anytime soon.
PROS
- Creates four perfect eggs at the same time
- Wildly inexpensive price point
- Marble coating is difficult to scratch
- Easy to clean each egg cups
- Works well for Canadian bacon as well as eggs
CONS
- Handle is sub-par quality
- Does not heat evenly on its own; needs large burner
Ozeri Sti Earth Frying Pan
Right away, the first thing I noticed on this option for the best frying pan for eggs is the high sides. Not something you typically need for eggs, but if you want to make a killer spinach and veggie omelet, this pan comes in handy. There’s a lot to this pan.
Right away, the first thing I noticed on this option for the best frying pan for eggs is the high sides. Not something you typically need for eggs, but if you want to make a killer omelet, this pan comes in handy. There’s a lot to this pan.
First and foremost, the stone coating handles so well that I don’t think you’ll ever need another pan. You can fry up three eggs, side-by-side, and not have one of them stick even if you don’t use oil.
It’s the best nonstick pan for eggs, but it’s also one of the best for actually cooking them the way you want it. This stoneware gets hot, so once you get temperature control down pat, you’ll be able to cook your eggs with expert precision. Stoneware can take some getting used to, but just keep in mind that preheating the pan will do wonders for your eggs.
Available in seven different color variations and three pan sizes from 8” up to 12”, you have the versatility to get exactly what you need, and exactly what you want. These attractive, APEO-free, PFOA-free pans are some of the last you’ll ever need. Ozeri also has pots, so if you enjoy these frying pans, you’ll be able to flood your kitchen with more of their cookware.
There’s zero wobble, and to me, that’s a big deal with a stoneware pan. That’s due to the triple bolt-on rivets in the handle that maintain stability, as well as the ergonomic grip that helps evenly distribute weight from the handle to the pan.
Stoneware is hard to scratch… normally. I would still recommend using the soft side of the sponge and treating this like a ceramic pan just to be safe, because the coating does appear to be easier to scratch than the promotional material suggests. That being said, a little bit of TLC will ensure you have this pan for decades to come.
PROS
- Stone coating prevents all sorts of sticking
- Triple bolt-on handle doesn’t wobble even with the heavy base
- Available from 8” up to 12” variations
- Total of seven different styles and colors
- APEO, PFOS, and PFOA-free construction
- Extremely easy to clean
CONS
- Absolutely not dishwasher safe
- Not as scratch resistant as promotional material suggests
GreenPan Mini Ceramic Nonstick Egg Pan
Last on our list of the best frying pan for eggs is this mini, personal egg pan that gets the job done. Built with a ceramic interior and an aluminum bottom, this helps to evenly distribute heat across the entire pan. After all, how could it not? It’s only 5” in diameter, and I don’t believe any one of us have a 4” burner on our stoves.
It’s one of the best nonstick pan for eggs because of the coating, but also because of the raised handle that allows you to quickly shake the pan to move your eggs around. The silicone grip on the handle is a nice touch, but be warned, if you put this in the dishwasher for every wash, the silicone will degrade fairly quickly.
GreenPan is compact, which is half the point—you shouldn’t have to clean a large frying pan for an egg or two in the morning and leave your sink with an enormous dish in it. Instead, this small pan is quicker to clean, and leaves little to no residue behind after cooking.
The pan is dishwasher safe, but like I said, the handle will suffer. This is due to the high heat of the drying cycle, and water getting stuck between the silicone grip and the metal handle. I would recommend hand washing this pan every time, and not letting the handle be submerged in water in your sink if you can avoid it.
While this is oven safe up to 350°F, it might weaken the bond of the rivets on the handle from continuous oven use. A pan this size doesn’t really need to go in the oven for any reason, but it’s still nice to have it as an option.
PROS
- Designed to cook one egg with absolute perfection
- Soft touch handle has excellent traction
- Ultra lightweight design makes it easy to maneuver on the stove
- Oven safe up to 350°F
- Extremely compact size
CONS
- Easy to scratch; only use nylon utensils
- Dishwasher safe, but will deteriorate handle quickly
Cuisinart Classic Stainless Steel Skillet
It’s one of those name brands that we all know and love, and beyond their small kitchen appliances, they’re actually fantastic at producing excellent pans. This stainless steel skillet appears simple on the outside, but it has some star-studded features that make it great for eggs.
Stainless steel is notorious when it comes to cooking eggs, but Cuisinart steps it up. You will still have to create an oil or fat barrier to prevent your eggs from sticking, but thanks to the aluminum base, this heats evenly without producing too much in one given area. Your eggs will cook evenly all the way across without burning to the bottom.
This is arguably the best pan for scrambled eggs, and I say that despite this being made of stainless steel. The edges are rounded to prevent eggs from sitting in rigid corners and getting stuck, making it easy to bring a nylon spatula right between your eggs and the edge of the pan.
In addition to that, this pan is safe over 500°F, meaning you can broil in this if you absolutely have to. This is a show of this pan’s durability, which extends to dent protection and scratch resistance as well. During testing, I referred to it as the bulletproof pan.
While there are a ton of excellent features here, it’s important to note that there’s a bit of wobble on the pan handle to the base. The base is heavy for that heat transference across all of your food/eggs, so that might be the cause. It’s mildly irritating, but the pan is built well and should last you for years.
PROS
- Over 500°F temperature resistant (broiler safe)
- Highly durable; hard to dent or scratch
- Complete stainless steel construction
- Cool touch handle doesn’t heat up
- Aluminum-encapsulated base spreads heat evenly across your food
- Dishwasher safe
CONS
- Bolted-on handle can be wobbly sometimes
- Shows spots and fingerprints extremely well
Best Frying Pan for Eggs Buying Guide and FAQ
Below are some of the most common questions about finding, purchasing, and using the best frying pan for eggs.
What is the Best Material for an Egg Pan?
Ceramic is the most-used type of egg pan. It’s naturally non-stick, easy to clean, and oil spreads exceptionally well on ceramic.
Stainless steel comes in at a close second. If you’re surprised that it isn’t considered the best material for an egg pan, I want you to know that it’s a close second.
Stainless steel needs to be oiled or greased for it to properly prevent eggs from sticking, whereas ceramic is more naturally inclined to prevent sticking. Both are great, stainless steel is just a very small tier behind ceramic.
Why Should I Avoid Teflon?
You might notice that there are zero teflon-coated pans on this list. That’s for a good reason. Teflon used to contain PFOA, which was known to cause chronic kidney disease, thyroid disorders, testicular cancer, and liver disease.
Since this discovery, teflon no longer contains PFOA, and has stopped using it in all teflon applications since 2013. That being said, newer versions of teflon are still relatively new (seven years old at the time of writing this article), and it took nearly eighty years to determine the issues with PFOA-inclusive teflon.
I just wouldn’t take my chances. Apart from potential health concerns, teflon still has an issue where it breaks away from the pan and leaves black flecks in food. Pan coatings are not meant to be consumed; it’s not safe, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we find that the PFOA-free material has its own issues when ingested.
Both PFOA-inclusive and PFOA-free teflon require extremely light cleaning, and can never be thrown in the dishwasher. Even if a teflon pan says that it is dishwasher-safe, these prolonged high temperatures in the dishwasher can still cause it to break away into your food. It’s simply not worth the hassle and probably health risk.
How do You Keep Eggs from Sticking to Frying Pans?
Olive oil, vegetable oil, and canola oil are actually really bad when it comes to keeping eggs from sticking. They’ll work on ceramic, but ceramic is already partially stick-resistant.
If you’re cooking eggs on stainless steel, you’re going to have to create a barrier between your pan and your eggs. For this, you need an emulsifier fat, which can either be butter or coconut oil (there are other options, but these are the most common).
Other than that, you can use a lower temperature to cook your eggs at. There are divots, peaks, and valleys in your pans, even if they appear to be completely smooth. You can run your hand along the pan and not really feel them, but they’re present in the imperfect metal. Egg whites will stick into these areas if you don’t create that barrier
Should I Use a Coated Egg Pan?
When looking for the best frying pan for eggs, pre-made coatings, such as ceramic, are absolutely a good idea. Yes, you should use them. No matter what type of pan you use, you should always add a coat of olive oil or butter to your pan just before cooking your eggs, no matter how non-stick they appear.
This is just good practice. Cold oil on a hot pan helps to make better eggs with minimal sticking. Eggs are a binding agent and can get stuck on most pans, so it’s important to be proactive no matter what pan you have.
Are Egg Pans Dishwasher Safe?
It depends on the materials. Most homes in America have dishwashers now, and since most of us are busy as can be, we’re using them more and more often than handwashing as a means of cleaning our dishes.
That was one reason that teflon fell out of public favor—little flecks would coat the rest of your dishes, because it wasn’t stable while being in the dishwasher. However, since we don’t use teflon (even “new” teflon) as much as we used to, we turned to ceramics, copper, and stainless steel.
These materials absolutely can go in your dishwasher. Stainless steel is made with a certain percentage of chromium (depending on the grade), which is food-safe and prevents rusting. Ceramic coatings on pans will stay intact and won’t chip, and copper can withstand the dishwasher, but it will dull the zeal of your frying pan, so those should be hand washed. We didn’t put any cast iron pots and pans on this list for a reason.
Final Thoughts on the Best Frying Pan for Eggs
Your eggs don’t have to stick. You have to start with a better pan, make sure you grease it, and your eggs will cook beautifully. It’s not always the cook, but sometimes it’s the equipment that can seriously mess up something you’re trying to make.
These egg pans are going to reshape the way you make breakfast every single day. If you’re sick of always saying “Well, I guess I’m having scrambled eggs,” and furiously scraping the spatula around the pan, these will help.
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