Across the board, the Merten & Storck pan is a reliable, reasonably priced carbon-steel pan that would be an asset to any home kitchen.

Specs

Sizes: 8″, 10″ and 12″ | Weight: 1.83 lb., 2.62 lb., and 3.26 lb. | Oven-safe: Yes | Induction cooktop compatible: Yes

A carbon steel pan that features in restaurant kitchens: Matfer Bourgeat Black Carbon Steel Round Frying Pan

Since the day Zingerman’s Roadhouse first opened in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 2003, head chef Bob Bennett and his team have relied on carbon-steel skillets. In fact, they are the only sauté pan they use. Bennett prefers the Matfer Bourgeat black steel frying pans, which have sizzled in French kitchens for over 200 years.

“Carbon steel is our workhorse at the restaurant,” says Bennett. “I really love using them for fish, because it develops such a nice sear.” The searing capabilities also come in handy for the restaurant’s made-to-order mac and cheese. “We are always looking for that cheese crust and these pans just come through time after time.”

Matfer Bourgeat pans are simply designed no-nonsense tools beloved by professional chefs. They have a sturdy welded handle that may not be the prettiest, but it’s much easier to clean than a riveted pan. This is another pan you’ll have to season yourself, but if you consider how long they last, the time spent preparing the cooking surface is a mere blip in this pan’s lifespan.

Specs

Sizes: 8.6″, 9.5″, 10.25″, 11″, 11.9″, 12.6″, 14.1″, 15.75″, and 17.75″ | Weight: 2.75 lb., 3.1 lb., 3.7 lb., 4.1 lb., 4.7 lb., 5.2 lb., 6.8 lb., 8.1 lb., and 9.5 lb. | Oven-safe: Yes | Induction cooktop compatible: Yes

How we chose the best carbon steel pans

After seasoning over a dozen different pans in the oven, we judged them on three main factors: How sticky they were, how evenly they heated, and how they responded to temperature changes. To check stickiness we went with the tried and true egg frying test, wanting pans that allowed us to flip the entire egg while keeping the yolk intact. To assess how evenly they heated we browned several chicken thighs at once, checking them on the stovetop, before finishing them in the oven. Finally, to look at the pans’ response, we checked how long it took to boil a cup of room temperature water and how quickly the temperature came back down.

In addition to this testing we checked in with both our test kitchen and restaurant kitchen pros to find out what pans they use in their every day work.

How to season a carbon-steel pan

You will find online that people can get quite opinionated about the proper way to season a pan. Sure, some people insist on certain oils, a specific number of seasoning rounds, and so on, but it all comes down to this: You have to heat a thin layer of oil on the surface of the pan to create a layer of polymerization that protects the pan from corrosion and creates a nonstick cooking surface.

With a new pan, it’s a good idea to wash it with soap and water and give it a nice scrub to remove any protective factory layer of oil or beeswax that is typically added to protect it during shipping. Once that’s done, you can season the pan in the same way you’d season a cast-iron pan. Crank the oven up to 500°, coat the entire pan in a thin layer of oil (I like seasoning with Crisco), and then wipe off as much as you can with a paper towel—you only need a thin layer of oil. If you use too much, the seasoning might flake off. You’ll know you have the right amount if you can just barely see the oil’s sheen across the full surface of the pan. Place it in the oven for an hour. Turn off the oven and allow the pan to completely cool down inside. This last step is important because if you take it out early you may have a tacky feeling pan.

To maintain the seasoning, you can do a shorter version of the process on the stove top, by wiping the interior with a thin layer of oil and heating until the pan smokes, (remember, less is more with the oil). You’ll know you have it when your carbon-steel pan boasts a lustrous black patina.

Carbon steel pan sales

Updated 8/20/2024

Generally carbon steel skillets are some of the more affordable cookware you can buy, but a deal is a deal. This is where you’ll find discounts on pans our editors like, even if they don’t make our short list of top picks overall.