Which Le Creuset Skillet is Right for You?

A skillet is a cookware essential, every well-equipped kitchen should have at least a few varieties of these indispensable tools on hand. Also called a fry pan, it’s a shallow pan with a flat bottom and low, slanted sides that make it the best shape for everything from searing steaks to making the perfect omelet.

Le Creuset skillets and fry pans are available in a variety of materials, sizes and depths to help you master any number of recipes and kitchen tasks – from our legendary enameled cast iron to brilliant stainless steel as well as durable non-stick. All of these pans are dishwasher-safe, oven-safe and work on gas, electric and induction cooktops.  And while you could reach for any of these pans when a recipe calls for a skillet or fry pan, each one does have its advantages. Read on to learn which Le Creuset skillet is the best choice for all of your cooking needs.

Enameled Cast Iron Signature Skillet

A hard-working culinary classic, the enameled cast iron Signature Skillet is ideal for kitchen tasks like searing, pan-frying, one pan meals and even baking. Our legendary enameled cast iron heats gradually and evenly, but stays hot throughout the cooking process. Since there are no hotspots, seared meats and vegetables come out of the pan with a uniform golden-brown caramelized exterior and crust. And when pan frying, this even heat ensures a crust that is light and crispy, not oily or soggy. The colorful pans are also great for one pan meals and baking cobblers and tarts that can go straight from the oven to the table, and because of the heat retention of the material, will stay warm throughout the meal.

Specially formulated to enhance cooking performance, the black satin enamel interior of the Signature Skillet develops a natural patina over time making it virtually non-stick which means you can use less oils and fats while cooking. The enameled surface requires no seasoning, and is easier to clean and maintain than traditional cast iron pans. Although the durable skillet is dishwasher-safe, we recommend hand washing to preserve the patina.

Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Fry Pans

Crafted with a responsive aluminum core sandwiched between layers of stainless steel, Le Creuset’s tri-ply stainless steel fry pans are designed for performance. Lighter in weight than enameled cast iron, stainless steel is also more responsive to changes in heat settings and easily goes from stovetop to the oven. This makes it versatile for a wide variety of recipes – from searing pork chops and tossing sautéed vegetables to making pan sauces and perfectly cooked grains.

The triple layer design of our Stainless Steel features an aluminum core and titanium-infused exterior for excellent heat distribution and retention to ensure that foods sear and brown evenly in the pan. One thing to keep in mind with stainless steel pans is that you do need to use some kind of oil or fat while cooking to prevent the food from sticking. But these pans are exceptionally durable, non-reactive and easy to clean, making them a popular choice of both professional chefs and home cooks.

Whether you choose Le Creuset’s Signature, Classic, or Essential Stainless Steel cookware, each piece is engineered for outstanding performance and long-lasting durability.

Toughened Non-stick PRO Fry Pans

Versatile Toughened Non-stick PRO Fry Pans are a great choice for mastering everyday meals, providing easy release of delicate items like eggs and pancakes. The pans are light weight and heat quickly for tossing noodles and stir-fries, but also feature a textured interior coating that browns and sears fish and meats exceptionally well. Our non-stick collection has a durable triple-reinforced coating that cooks food to perfection, with or without the use of oil, and easily transitions from stove to oven to table.

When cooking with non-stick, we recommend using non-abrasive silicone or wood utensils to prolong the life of your non-stick cookware. But note that Toughened Non-stick PRO is safe for metal utensils, which means for normal everyday cooking you can go ahead and flip your grilled cheese with a metal spatula without fear of damaging the pan. And once you’re done cooking, clean-up is a breeze – the pans are dishwasher-safe, but they easily wipe clean with a swipe of a sponge or paper towel.

Essential Non-stick Ceramic Fry Pans

or effortless everyday cooking, Le Creuset’s Essential Non-stick Ceramic Fry Pans deliver excellent performance with easy cleanup. A heavy-gauge aluminum core produces excellent heat distribution and retention without hot spots, while the advanced ceramic coating easily releases food and quickly wipes clean. With excellent non-stick, searing and browning properties (with or without the use of oil or butter), Essential Non-stick Ceramic is perfect for searing delicate fish, making sauces, boiling liquids, turning out flawless omelets, tossing stir-fries, and more.

Note that the heavy-gauge aluminum core and ceramic coating are very good conductors of heat, so low to medium heat settings should be used for most cooking. For searing or stir-frying, a medium to medium-high heat setting may be used initially for about 2-5 minutes, but once food is added to the pan the heat should be lowered.