Best for: Almost any food that needs searing, including steak and burgers. Cast-iron pans are ovenproof, so you can use them to roast meats like beef or pork and to bake cornbread, deep-dish pizza, shepherd’s pie, and more. And they retain heat so well that they’re a good choice for deep-frying chicken, doughnuts, or other foods because they keep the oil at a constant temperature.

The details: Cast-iron frying pans are practically indestructible, and they’re handed down for generations in many families. That makes their typically low price even more attractive. And if well cared for, cast iron develops a patina that releases food almost as well as nonstick. But the pans are heavy, and you have to be patient when heating them up because they don’t come up to temperature fast. Once they do, however, they retain heat.

Our tests of coated and uncoated cast-iron pans show how versatile this cookware can be. We sear steaks, brown scallops, and bake cornbread to see how well a cast-iron pan works for home cooks. The best pans ace all these tests. We also judge how easy they are to clean. Because of the enamel coating, the coated pans are a bit easier to clean than the uncoated ones.

Here are two recommended cast-iron pans from our tests.

The sides of a French skillet are taller than those of a typical frying pan, with sides about 2 inches steep (depending on the dimensions of the skillet). While they are usually straight, some French skillets have slightly rounded or sloped sides.

A good choice, especially for heavily used cookware, is a tri-ply or five-ply combination of stainless steel and aluminum (or hard-anodized aluminum). Stainless steel provides a durable surface, providing excellent heat retention and safety. Interior layers of aluminum ensure even heat distribution. All these work together to create the ideal cooking base, whether you’re using a skillet or sauté pan.

Dutch Oven Function

Contrary to what many expect, skillets are actually great for sautéing and stir-frying. The lighter weight makes them easy to shake, and their sloped sides helps redistribute the food back to the bottom of the pan. The wide opening also allows access to the cooking surface, making it easy to stir the ingredients.

Aside from their looks, one of the distinct characteristics of copper pans is the fact that they cool rapidly once removed from the heat. Copper is strong and notoriously conductive, so it makes for long-lasting, high-performance, and incredibly responsive cookware—perfect for jam, caramel, and other delicate sauces, as well as searing and sautéing, as well.