The Best Carbon Steel Pans
Carbon steel is what professional kitchens have cooked on for over a hundred years. It is lighter than cast iron, heats up faster, and develops a seasoning that is just as non-stick over time. A carbon steel pan that is cared for will outlast any non-stick pan made and will get better every year. These are the pans the restaurants are not replacing.
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How to Choose
Gauge matters: thicker carbon steel holds heat better and is less prone to warping. Look for 2mm to 3mm thickness. The two main styles are straight-sided saute pans and sloped-sided skillets -- the sloped sides make it easier to flip food and toss ingredients. Avoid anything with a coating. Raw carbon steel, seasoned by use, is the entire point.
De Buyer Mineral B Round 11-Inch
Made in the Vosges mountains of France. The De Buyer Mineral B is the pan found in professional kitchens from Paris to New York. The steel is 2.5mm thick, the handle riveted, the mineral beeswax coating burns off in the first use and leaves clean iron ready for seasoning. It will outlast every non-stick pan you have ever owned, combined.
The industry standard. What French chefs have cooked on for generations. Nothing else in this price range performs better.
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Matfer Bourgeat Carbon Steel Pan 11-7/8 Inch
Another French professional-grade carbon steel pan, used in French cooking schools and three-star restaurant kitchens. The Matfer is slightly thicker than the De Buyer, heats a touch slower, and holds heat more evenly. The handle is welded rather than riveted, which some cooks prefer for cleaning. Either the Matfer or the De Buyer will last a lifetime.
If the De Buyer is sold out or back-ordered, the Matfer is the equivalent. Both are correct answers.
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Lodge Carbon Steel Skillet 12-Inch
Lodge entered the carbon steel market with a skillet made in their Tennessee foundry. Thicker than most European carbon steel, with a handle geometry familiar to anyone who has used their cast iron. Pre-seasoned with vegetable oil. A legitimate American alternative to the French imports at a lower price.
For the cook who wants American-made carbon steel with the Lodge heritage behind it.
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BK Black Steel Skillet 12-Inch
Made in the Netherlands, the BK Black Steel has a black oxide coating that gives it a head start on seasoning. It is lighter than both the De Buyer and Lodge carbon steel options, heats very quickly, and works on induction. The lighter weight appeals to cooks transitioning from non-stick who find traditional carbon steel unwieldy.
The entry point into carbon steel for cooks coming from lightweight non-stick pans.
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