10-Inch Nonstick Skillets
How We Tested
A medium-size nonstick skillet (about 10 inches in diameter from rim to rim) is a useful pan; we often use one to cook a couple of eggs, steaks, or fish fillets, as well as smaller portions of stir-fries, sautéed vegetables, and more. OXO, the manufacturer of our winning 8- and 12-inch nonstick skillets, makes the same pan in a 10-inch size: the OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro 10-inch Open Frypan (about $40). We wondered if we could recommend this medium-size version as well.
To find out, we used it to fry eggs, make a frittata, toast walnuts, sear steak, caramelize onions, brown butter, make stir-fry, and sauté fish. We also put the pan through a series of durability tests, scrubbing the pan after each test, banging it against a concrete ledge three times, and heating it to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and plunging it into ice water.
The pan impressed us in almost every respect, with a notably durable and slick nonstick coating; broad cooking surface; and low, gently flared sides that made it easy to maneuver the food inside. The metal handle was comfortable and secure in our palms and stayed cool so that we didn’t burn our hands. As with the smaller and larger versions of this pan, the surface scratched when we cut the frittata in it, and the base dented lightly when whacked against a concrete ledge. But these are minor complaints; you really shouldn’t use a knife in a nonstick skillet, and the concrete ledge is an extreme durability test designed to mimic years of use. Nonstick coatings are fallible even when well cared for, so the life expectancy of a nonstick pan is shorter than other pans—typically only two to three years. Like its siblings, this pan impressed us and earned a spot in our kitchen.
Methodology
We tested the OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro 10-inch Open Frypan (about $40), the medium-size version of our winning 8- and 12-inch nonstick skillets
Fry 10 eggs over easy
Make a frittata, starting on the stove and finishing in the oven; cut slices in the pan
Toast walnuts in the oven
Sear steak on the stovetop
Caramelize onions on the stovetop
Make browned butter on the stovetop
Sauté cauliflower stir-fry on the stovetop
Sauté two catfish fillets on the stovetop
Scrub the skillet by hand after each test
Bang the skillet against a concrete ledge three times
Heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit on the stovetop and then plunge into an ice bath
RATING CRITERIA
Nonstick Ability: We evaluated the nonstick surface of the pan and noted whether food stuck or was easy to remove.
Capacity: We assessed the size of the pan’s cooking surface and the height of the walls.
Ease of Use: We considered whether it was easy and comfortable to maneuver the pan on the stovetop and in the oven, lift it into the air, empty it, and clean it.
Durability: We noted whether the pan warped, dented, and/or scratched over the course of testing.
The Results
Lodge Classic Cast Iron Skillet, 12"
Our old winner arrived with the slickest preseasoned interior and only got better. Broad enough to cook two big steaks, it browned foods deeply, and its thorough seasoning ensured that our acidic pan sauce picked up no off-flavors. Though its handle is short, the pan has a helper handle that made lifting easy. It survived abuse testing without a scratch. An excellent pan, at an excellent price, that you’ll never have to replace.
Lodge Classic Cast Iron Skillet, 12"
Our old winner arrived with the slickest preseasoned interior and only got better. Broad enough to cook two big steaks, it browned foods deeply, and its thorough seasoning ensured that our acidic pan sauce picked up no off-flavors. Though its handle is short, the pan has a helper handle that made lifting easy. It survived abuse testing without a scratch. An excellent pan, at an excellent price, that you’ll never have to replace.
Lodge Classic Cast Iron Skillet, 12"
Our old winner arrived with the slickest preseasoned interior and only got better. Broad enough to cook two big steaks, it browned foods deeply, and its thorough seasoning ensured that our acidic pan sauce picked up no off-flavors. Though its handle is short, the pan has a helper handle that made lifting easy. It survived abuse testing without a scratch. An excellent pan, at an excellent price, that you’ll never have to replace.
Lodge Classic Cast Iron Skillet, 12"
Our old winner arrived with the slickest preseasoned interior and only got better. Broad enough to cook two big steaks, it browned foods deeply, and its thorough seasoning ensured that our acidic pan sauce picked up no off-flavors. Though its handle is short, the pan has a helper handle that made lifting easy. It survived abuse testing without a scratch. An excellent pan, at an excellent price, that you’ll never have to replace.
Lodge Classic Cast Iron Skillet, 12"
Our old winner arrived with the slickest preseasoned interior and only got better. Broad enough to cook two big steaks, it browned foods deeply, and its thorough seasoning ensured that our acidic pan sauce picked up no off-flavors. Though its handle is short, the pan has a helper handle that made lifting easy. It survived abuse testing without a scratch. An excellent pan, at an excellent price, that you’ll never have to replace.
Lodge Classic Cast Iron Skillet, 12"
Our old winner arrived with the slickest preseasoned interior and only got better. Broad enough to cook two big steaks, it browned foods deeply, and its thorough seasoning ensured that our acidic pan sauce picked up no off-flavors. Though its handle is short, the pan has a helper handle that made lifting easy. It survived abuse testing without a scratch. An excellent pan, at an excellent price, that you’ll never have to replace.
Lodge Classic Cast Iron Skillet, 12"
Our old winner arrived with the slickest preseasoned interior and only got better. Broad enough to cook two big steaks, it browned foods deeply, and its thorough seasoning ensured that our acidic pan sauce picked up no off-flavors. Though its handle is short, the pan has a helper handle that made lifting easy. It survived abuse testing without a scratch. An excellent pan, at an excellent price, that you’ll never have to replace.
Lodge Classic Cast Iron Skillet, 12"
Our old winner arrived with the slickest preseasoned interior and only got better. Broad enough to cook two big steaks, it browned foods deeply, and its thorough seasoning ensured that our acidic pan sauce picked up no off-flavors. Though its handle is short, the pan has a helper handle that made lifting easy. It survived abuse testing without a scratch. An excellent pan, at an excellent price, that you’ll never have to replace.