Another thing to keep in mind when shopping for a pan is the amount of space you have available. If you have a farmhouse kitchen with ample drawer space and a pot rack, for example, you can justify picking up one (or more) of each. For more compact kitchens, however, a smaller multi-material set will allow you to do a lot with a little.

Fry pans come in a greater variety of sizes, making it easy to adjust to the food being cooked, whereas French skillets are designed to handle larger quantities of food.

    For those who prefer to cook indoors, cast iron cooking plates are a great choice.  These  cast iron cooking plates can be used on the stovetop or in the oven, making them a versatile option for a variety of cooking tasks.  Whether you're searing steaks, frying eggs, or whipping up a batch of fluffy pancakes, cast iron cooking pans provide the even heat distribution and durability that cast iron is known for.

Even big manufacturers such as Cuisinart have shifted much of their skillet production to China. One approach to finding out where a skillet came from is to look underneath.

Custom Cast Iron Griddle

They have a single, long handle, like fry pans, but also usually feature a smaller side handle to help the cook lift the added weight of more food. Saute Pans also usually come with a lid designed to hold in moisture. This makes them much more useful for slow cooking with sauces.