The Best Stainless Steel Skillets for 2026: Made In, All-Clad, Tramontina and More
By Claire Whitmore. Last updated October 2026.
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A good stainless steel skillet is the workhorse of a serious kitchen. It sears steaks and salmon to a deep crust, builds pan sauces from the browned bits left behind, goes straight into a hot oven and, unlike nonstick, lasts for decades. The best ones are fully clad, with an aluminum core sandwiched between steel layers, so they heat evenly and respond quickly when you turn the burner up or down.
This guide draws on two independent sources. Serious Eats tested 12-inch stainless skillets by browning crepes to map heat distribution, timing water to boil, searing salmon and chicken, and gauging responsiveness while sautéing. The Spruce Eats’ skillet testing adds options like Misen and Goldilocks. We haven’t tested these pans ourselves.
Quick answer: Serious Eats’ top pick is the Made In 12-Inch Stainless Steel Skillet, which performed exceptionally in all its tests. The All-Clad D3 is the durable classic, Tramontina is the value pick, and Le Creuset’s Tri-Ply is a heavier luxury alternative.
Our picks at a glance
| Skillet | Construction | Weight | Source | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Made In 12-Inch | 18/10 and 430 stainless | 3 lb | Serious Eats: best overall | Most cooks |
| All-Clad D3 12-Inch | Tri-ply 18/10 stainless | 2 lb 13 oz | Serious Eats favorite | Durability, responsiveness |
| Tramontina 12-Inch | Tri-ply, aluminum core | 3 lb | Serious Eats: best value | Budget |
| Le Creuset Tri-Ply 12-Inch | Tri-ply, aluminum core | 4 lb | Serious Eats winner | Heft, luxury |
| Misen | Stainless and aluminum, oven-safe to 500°F | — | The Spruce Eats: best overall skillet | Value clad pan |
| Goldilocks | Tri-ply, oven-safe to 550°F | — | The Spruce Eats: best budget | Low price |
What the testing revealed
Serious Eats separates two ideas that are often confused. Conductivity is how well a metal spreads heat; responsiveness is how quickly a pan heats up and cools down. Steel conducts poorly, which is why good skillets bond it to an aluminum core. Testers wanted pans responsive enough that a pan sauce wouldn’t break because the pan stayed too hot off the burner, yet with enough heat retention to sear salmon effectively.
Across crepes, salmon and chicken, Serious Eats found performance differences among the better pans were minor, so user experience (weight, handle comfort, usable surface) decided the winners. Different cooks found different pans easier to use. The heaviest pan tested, Breville’s Thermal Pro, was also the least responsive, and Serious Eats wouldn’t want to sauté in it.
The best stainless steel skillets
1. Made In 12-Inch Stainless Steel Skillet: best overall
Best for: cooks who want one excellent, do-everything skillet.
Made In’s skillet performed exceptionally in all of Serious Eats’ tests. It conducted heat well enough to produce an evenly browned crepe, heated water in a time similar to the others, and seared salmon and chicken beautifully. The rounded, ergonomic handle was comfortable. It doesn’t include a lid; Made In sells a universal one, or any 12-inch lid you own will work in a pinch.
Pros
- Excellent, even heating
- Comfortable handle
- Great searing
Cons
- No lid included
2. All-Clad D3 Stainless Steel 12-Inch Fry Pan: the durable classic
Best for: cooks who want a proven pan that will last decades.
A longtime Serious Eats favorite, the D3 is responsive and gives steaks, fish, poultry and even cauliflower slabs a beautiful golden crust. It’s durable, too: a senior editor has used hers for about five years without issue. At 2 pounds 13 ounces it’s the lightest pick. The handle’s center indent divides opinion; some don’t mind, others strongly dislike it.
Serious Eats also tried the more expensive five-ply All-Clad D5 and didn’t see enough performance difference to justify paying more, though it’s fine to buy on sale.
Pros
- Responsive
- Proven durability
- Light
Cons
- Divisive handle
3. Tramontina 12-Inch Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Skillet: best value
Best for: cooks on a budget who still want fully clad performance.
Tramontina has long been one of Serious Eats’ preferred affordable brands, and this pan lived up to it, heating evenly, responding quickly to temperature changes and cooking salmon and chicken well. Its sides slope up a little too gradually, which reduces the usable flat cooking area.
Pros
- Even heating
- Responsive
- Affordable
Cons
- Less flat cooking surface
4. Le Creuset Tri-Ply Stainless Steel 12-Inch Fry Pan: the luxury pick
Best for: cooks who like a heavy, substantial pan.
At 4 pounds, it’s the heaviest of Serious Eats’ winners. Some testers found it easy to maneuver even when flipping and tossing; others found it too weighty. Performance is excellent, matching the other winners. It’s also the priciest of the group.
Pros
- Excellent performance
- Substantial build
- Premium finish
Cons
- Heaviest
- Most expensive
5. Misen Stainless Steel Frying Pan: best overall at The Spruce Eats
Best for: cooks who want a direct-to-consumer clad pan in several sizes.
The Spruce Eats’ best overall skillet is stainless with an aluminum core, oven-safe to 500°F, induction-compatible and dishwasher-safe, and available in 8-, 10- and 12-inch sizes.
Pros
- Multiple sizes
- Induction and dishwasher safe
Cons
- Fewer independent test details than our top picks
6. Goldilocks Medium Skillet: best budget
Best for: the lowest price for tri-ply performance.
The Spruce Eats was amazed by how well this newer brand’s 10-inch tri-ply skillet performed against tried-and-true favorites; fried chicken cooked with remarkably even heat. Testers weren’t fans of the centered weight, which made it feel bulky, and it warped during a thermal-shock test, so avoid plunging it hot into cold water. Its angles are great for flipping eggs. It’s oven-safe to 550°F.
Pros
- Impressive heating
- Low price
- Good flipping angles
Cons
- Warped in thermal-shock test
- Bulky feel
Others worth considering and pans to skip
Serious Eats calls Hestan’s ProBond Professional Clad skillet an attractive, graceful, well-performing pan with flat inner rivets, though its price puts it beyond the top picks. It does not recommend the Breville Thermal Pro (heaviest, least responsive) or the Cooks Standard Multi-Ply (heavy, less even heating).
What to look for
- Full cladding: an aluminum core running up the sides, not just a disc on the base, for even heat.
- Size: 12 inches is the most versatile for searing without crowding.
- Weight: roughly 3 pounds balances heat retention and maneuverability.
- Handle: comfort matters; try the grip if you can.
- Flat cooking area: gradually sloping sides reduce usable surface.
- Oven and induction compatibility: all our picks handle both.
How to keep food from sticking
- Preheat the pan before adding fat.
- Add oil and let it shimmer before adding food.
- Pat proteins dry and let them release naturally before flipping.
- Deglaze the fond with wine or stock for a pan sauce, which also makes cleanup easy.
FAQ
What can you cook in a stainless steel skillet?
Serious Eats says they excel at searing and sautéing and are solid enough for oven roasting; their shallow depth makes them less suited to deep braises.
What is a fully clad skillet?
A pan with layers of steel and a conductive core (usually aluminum) bonded across the whole body, including the sides.
Stainless or nonstick?
Stainless for searing and pan sauces; a nonstick pan for eggs and delicate fish.
Is five-ply worth it?
Serious Eats saw little difference between All-Clad D3 and D5.
The bottom line
Buy the Made In 12-Inch for the best all-around stainless skillet, the All-Clad D3 for a proven lighter classic, or Tramontina to save money. Round out your stovetop with a carbon steel pan and a nonstick pan.
