Best non-stick frying pans in the UK, all tried and tested

The very best non-stick frying pans can last a lifetime. While early non-stick was full of nasties and could easily be scratched when washing up, it’s now more durable and in the best cases, made entirely without PFOAs.

If you’re using your non-stick pan every day, you’ll want to make sure it looks good and feels lovely to use. If you’re flipping pancakes, you will want a lightweight pan that’s got brilliant non-stick which will work with minimal oil, but for those who plan on cooking steak or making an omelette, a heavier pan that fills well balanced on the hob will be more of a priority, like some of the all-in-one pans we have on this whittled-down list.

Our experts have tested a variety of pans for this guide, in all kinds of sizes, to make sure that you’re covered for the cooking you need to do. Our reviewers include our Kitchen Appliances Editor and our experienced freelance reviewer and home economist, who have used these pans in place of their everyday picks to see how they perform.

All in all, our top pick is the Our Place Titanium Always Pan Pro (£170 from Our Place). We also really enjoyed the Lakeland Only Pan, which is a budget buy, and were wowed by the quality of Tefal’s non-stick pan created in collaboration with Jamie Oliver too. If you want to upgrade your whole cookware cupboard, our guide to the best saucepan sets might be a good place to head to next.

The best non-stick frying pan – The quick list

Short on time? This quick list is an overview of our choice of the best non-stick frying pans around.

Best non-stick frying pan overall

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We were sold on stainless steel as the best choice for a non-stick pan until we tried this, which is the Always Pan by Our Place in Titanium. The reason for material is all down to powering up the non-stick ability of this pan, as well as eliminating the need for a non-stick coating which can cause worries about toxicity.

Instead, this pan is forged with a high-shine stainless steel exterior, an aluminium core and what the brand calls a ‘virtually indestructible’ titanium exterior. We were skeptical about these claims initally but after throwing the kitchen sink at it in testing, we have to admit that it holds up. Nothing we tried got lodged in the pan and even when we thought we’d taken it too far and would end up with immovable residue in the pan, it came straight off in the dishwasher.

Foods we’ve tried thus far include delicate fish, sticky chicken, eggs (scrambled, omelettes) and even a caramel sauce. No signs of sticking arose at any point. Plus, the ability to use metal utensils is life-changing.

Another reason to love this pan is the extremely versatile shape. This is a pricey pick with an RRP of £170, but the shape and the 1.5 inch depth means you can use it to fry, poach and stew in if you needed to. There’s no other pan we’d recommend as wholeheartedly.

Read our Our Place Titanium Always Pan Pro review for the full details.

Best affordable non-stick frying pan

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If you’re reading this guide, your principal concern will be finding a pan that food can glide around in, rather than stick to and burn. Luckily, our our expert reviewer and home economist Helen McCue found that ‘food slides effortlessly on the non-stick ceramic coating’ of this pan and that all-in-all, it’s a great choice for ‘fuss-free cooking’ everyday.

The other big highlight here is that the RRP of this pan is just £59.99, miles cheaper than the famed Always Pan by Our Place that it takes more than a pinch of inspiration from. It has a versatile shape that meant our reviewer used it, with great success, to cook a risotto, boil potatoes, fry eggs, cook delicate fish, flip pancakes and so much more.

The built-in accessories with this pan (including a steamer and a utensil) go a long way to sweeten the price-point even further and it will look so smart on your hob when it’s not in use. What’s less good with this pan is that you can’t use it at high temperatures in the oven like you can with metal-based options and it’s not dishwasher safe.

Read our Only Pan by Lakeland review for the full details.

Best non-stick frying pan an induction hob

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The hype around HexClad pans, which are recognisable thanks to the hexagonal ridged design across the surface, is real. Despite being endorsed by Gordon Ramsay and influencers the world over, we were ready to be skeptical about these pans. But after our expert reviewer and home economist Helen McCue put this non-stick pan to the test, she was left with nothing bad to say, apart from wishing that they were cheaper so that everyone could invest in one.

The list of foods that Helen tested in this pan is long, encompassing halloumi, a pecan caramel sauce, fried eggs, scrambled eggs, omelettes, steak, a butterflied chicken breast, a fillet of seabass and broccoli. Her feedback was that the cooking across all of them in this pan was even, efficient and easy to flip and move around without a hitch, proving those claims about non-stick-ness really are true.

HexClad sell the Hybrid Non Stick Pan in three different sizes, along with separate lids, with prices starting from £129. It’s a hefty price to pay for a pan, but every test we’ve thrown at this brand so far hasn’t yet proved a challenge. Outdoor cooking fans will be impressed by the performance we found in our HexClad BBQ Pan review too.

Our HexClad 7-Piece Hybrid Cookware set review has the full details.

Best non-stick casserole shape

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I know what you’re thinking – this is a guide for frying pans, isn’t it? Yes, but if you need a frying pan that can double up for baking, stewing and all other everyday meals you’re going to need a more versatile shape and design.

That’s where this Jamie Oliver collaboration with Tefal really shines. Our reviewer Annie (after using it to feed her young family) thinks its good enough to get rid of some of your old pans for, which is high praise indeed. She used it to fry eggs, halloumi, batch cook chilli con carne and cook bacon and black pudding to perfection.

The non-stick surface on this pan is fantastic and never dulled even after Annie put this pan through the dishwasher with every use.

We’re not the only ones who love this pan either – the reason we wanted to try it in the first place was thanks to the stellar all-five-star reviews on John Lewis and Amazon.

Read our Jamie Oliver Tefal Casserole Pan review for the full details.

Best multi-functional

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If you’ve not seen the Always Pan online then you’re part of a very select group. It’s been an Instagram and influencer favourite for years, and it launched in the UK a few years back. As cookware lovers, we were excited and this pan has definitely lived up to the hype for us.

First and foremost, though it’s been copied many times over now, the non-stick on this original pan is still top-tier. Fried eggs slide around the pan, and it even makes a mean scramble, which is a tough task for many frying pans. The large capacity is great for cooking for the whole family, and thanks to the removable steamer we were able to cook noodles or steam broccoli and easily lift it out from the water once cooked.

It’s not a conventional frying pan as it’s designed to replace a saute pan, steamer, skillet, saucier, and saucepan too. It also has a built-in groove to rest your spatula on, and the beechwood spatula is included in your purchase.

The range of colours is another big win, and we’re quite keen on the Sage. If you want to buy a frying pan as a gift, or simply to treat yourself, you’ll never want to take this one from the pride of place on your hob.

This pan features lower down on this list due to the fact that the RRP can be hard to justify, especially compared to more affordable alternatives like the option at #2. But it does have the added benefit of being oven safe at higher temperatures and having a bit of an edge looks-wise.

How we test non-stick frying pans

These pans were tested by a variety of Ideal Home’s expert testers. A selection were put through their paces at the home of our Kitchen Appliances Editor Molly. With them, she cooked fried eggs to test the non-stick credentials, along with pancakes, and sauce-based dishes as she used the pahn as part of her daily cooking routine. She also considered how easy these pans were to clean and how easy they were to store and stack.

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Our team of expert reviewers Helen McCue and Annie Collyer helped to review the other fantastic choices on this list. Both of these reviewers have years of experience in product testing and used the pans to cook countless recipes, alongside our set formula of eggs, meat and cheese, to see how they hold up against real, everyday use.

The best non-stick frying pan should hold up for years and years, which is why Molly has spent years testing different options for this comprehensive frying pan roundup, eliminating dozens of other options to curate this selection. She also took into account the design of the pans as an important factor, considering the weight and handle shape when using them, as well as the options in terms of colour and material.

FAQs

What type of non stick pan is best?

The right type of non-stick pan for you ultimately depends on what you’re most likely to use it for. If you want to flip pancakes, a lighter, shallower pan will be most suitable, while those looking to fry foods will need a higher edge to keep from oil spills.

Meat eaters may want a pan that’s more durable and distributes heat more evenly, for steak for example, which might mean paying a little more for the privilege.

Why do you need a non-stick pan?

If you’re wondering why you should splash out on a brand new pan, let us tell you that the benefits with your cooking will be clear to see if you do decide to invest.

Dominique Woolf, chef, author and founder of Woolf’s Kitchen, an award-winning range of hot sauces, oil and chili pastes agrees that a non-stick pan is an essential in your cooking arsenal.

‘Investing in a good quality saucepan set is one of the best decisions you can make in the kitchen.’ says Dominique. ‘Quality pans offer better heat distribution, which ensures your food cooks more evenly. A poor pan, on the other hand, will often heat too quickly and have a tendency to burn things – I speak from experience!’

In terms of which material you should choose, Dominique adds ‘A good set will last you for years, resisting warping or scratching, which can happen with cheaper alternatives. Stainless steel with a copper or aluminium core is particularly efficient for heat control.’

Especially when buying non-stick pans, Dominique advises avoiding ‘cheaper pans that can lose their coating quickly or may contain harmful chemicals. A good quality pan should work well on induction hobs if needed.’