kkay, I didn't know that about spray and ceramic pans. Thank you!

I have a large variety of All Clad SS pots and pans i(ncluding the useless to me 8 qt non-induction pasta pentola bought years ago) but my go to for making eggs, sauteing and more are my old and new cast iron fry pans - no fancy enameled, just plain cast iron - they could not be easier to use, nothing sticks, just a bit of oil and clean up is SO easy: a wipe with a wet paper towel and rinse or quick wipe with a sudsy cloth, rinse, dry and done in a few seconds.

We have the 8" Calphalon Triply omelet pan. We bought it at Marshall's for $20 and I've seen it there and at Home Goods many times since. A-zon might have it on Black Friday. It's actually a better pan than my 10" All Clad.

That guy is burning his egg. We preheat on medium low for about five minutes, add the oil, and add the egg. No butter as it will burn in a preheated pan. The omelet slides right out. BKF is imperative.

https://www.amazon.com/Calphalon-Triply-Stainless-8-Inch-Omelette/dp/B003L11MRK?th=1

Annie, I make omelettes in both my cast iron and SS (just made one last weekend), and they do not stick. I would try both, with plenty of preheating.

@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9) can you share which GreenPan you use? I'm sad my Venice Pro line is gone and I'm trying to decide what I'll do when these eventually wear out. We use them a lot.

@plllog can you share which Le Creuset enamelled cast iron pan you use? I was looking at two different skillets and it's hard to know which one might be best for eggs.

@ pricklypearcactus, it is a Valencia Pro 9.5 inch skillet. If this line has been discontinued, that could explain my purchasing it at HG :-) It is perfect for most of my everyday needs.

Thank you @gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)! I think Valencia Pro is still available. Just Venice Pro that's discontinued. While I'm not entirely clear on the differences between the two, it seems like it might just be interior color (Venice = white, Valencia = dark gray).

Caraway.

So timely and on my mind. LC enamel is too heavy for my little wrists and one handed egg cooking.

I will try the tips for SS cooking in the video you posted @Annie Deighnaugh. Thanks!

I don't need non stick for many things, but I want a non-stick fry pan for eggs. I own and 8" Le Creuset Toughened Nonstick PRO Fry Pan that is my dedicated egg pan. I bought it in 2021 and it is as nice today as the day I bought it. Prior to buying the Le Creuset I tried a dozen different fry pans and most didn't last more than a year before the non stick didn't seem to be working or the inside was looking flaky or discolored or something. I make eggs about 4-5 times a week.

My sister is okay with buying a less expensive fry pan and just buys a new one every year and throws the old one out.

Then again, I am from a generation that drank from garden hoses, rode bikes without helmets and sat in the back of the pickup truck. We lived dangerously, yet we are still alive.

Jennifer ^^^^^LOL!!!

Yeah, Jennifer, I did all that stuff too without misadventure. :) But statistically the got hurts are significant.

Pricklypear,

It's called the multifunction pan. This one is a bit different size and shape than mine (which is old), but same basic idea. It also comes in a larger size (I have one), but the skillet is bigger and heavier, and too big for three eggs IMHO.

https://www.amazon.com/Creuset-Flame-Multifunction-Pan-L2544-222/dp/B00DOYGZI0

I have been using cast iron for over 50 years and eggs never stick--fried, scrambled, omelets.

Oh @plllog that one is very interesting! I like the size too. I am often cooking 2-3 eggs. And I like the white interior.

I've tried and owned nearly all fry pan materials in a full range of quality brands.

Besides the concerns over chemicals (many, frankly, are overblown now that the worst of them are phasing out), the ceramic and teflon variants all have problems with high heat and spray

I would not recommend enamaled cast iron as it just is too uneven, unless you presoak it in the oven. The one I had only ended up being used for serving or for things like Dutch Babies. I would choose carbon steel (DeBuyer is a good mark) or if weight is not an issue, lighter cast iron (I have vintage, but new marks are OK).

I use stainless steel for most tasks. The key is to heat the pan sufficiently (very hot) until you add the oil or butter. You want to achieve the "Leidenfrosh" effect. I use Demeyere as their finish is specially polished and lifts nicely to begin with (they have a new variant that promises even more nonstick behavior but that is one I have yet to try). Tin-lined copper actually works well but it is expensive and the lining can wear.

I remember the first non-stick frypan my mom owned. My dad had taken my sister, my brother and me to the annual farm show and there was some guy demonstrating these new Teflon coated frying pans (T-fal) and cooking eggs with no butter or oil and they slid right out of the pan. My dad had to buy one for my mom. After that we always had an "egg pan" in the house.

No nonstick for me. I have all stainless. I had to spring for a new set when I went induction -- paid the big bucks for Demeyere and haven't regretted it for a single minute after the initial sticker shock wore off (buy once cry once, right?). I also have some Le Creuset enameled cast iron Dutch Ovens but don't use them much anymore, they're too heavy and the Demeyere pots can do everything the Le Creuset does that needs doing by me. Eggs won't stick to stainless if you heat the pan, then add the butter, and then add the eggs to HOT buttered pan.

DH has two of his own nonstick pans -- one is a regular fry pan, and the other is a small square-shaped one he uses for eggs to get a square shape to fit nicely on the breakfast sandwich he makes. IDK what kind of coating that thing has on it. Since we got the Demeyere stainless, he rarely uses his nonstick fry pan, it's collecting dust in the drawer.

I go out of my way to use LeCreuset so I won’t start thinking they’re too heavy. There’s no arm exercise better than lifting a seven quart LC dutch oven full of chili 😁

Grip strength is tied to longevity. 👊

@Kswl Unless it’s the 9 quart!😉

My sisters tease me about my "gift closet" .. it is crazy the things I pull out of it. Anyhow, last night I pulled out a small square LC griddle. I will try it with eggs this weekend.

I will also give my SS a good deep clean and shine with BKF.

I do eat the pan before adding oil -- but I suspect the key is to have a designated egg pan and to maintain it as such.

Couldn’t resist!

I need to get more info on what the kid actually wants. I'm so tempted to give him a bare SS pan and a can of BKF! But I taught him, like, five years ago how to maintain bare cast iron and his good knife. I doubt eggs are sticking to unclean bits of his pan, though I do see how an unneeded scour of shiny SS could remove micro stickies. Being an athlete, I'm sure he doesn't mind a little butter or oil, and I didn't even kno if it's eggs he wants to cook. He knows how to do them in cast iron. Grr. Gone are the days when a cool game made them really happy...

Good thing I checked! I had totally misunderstood. He does not want the non-stick. So I got the Tramontina from Brazil 12" and jar of BKF. :) Thank-you, again, AnnieD for asking just when I wanted to know.

It does help to keep a designated egg pan, which is why the SS omelet pan is ideal. It's our only small frying pan though so I use it occasionally for other things. If I cook meat or saute a small amount of vegetables for a pizza in that pan, I always use BKF because the next egg is guaranteed to stick if it's not BKFed.

I was just served up a YouTube video by the algorithm by a channel that specializes in pan reviews (check out his wall of pans). I remembered this thread. He is comparing a new generation of carbon steel lined hybrid pans, with or without aluminum layers (for evenness, as carbon steel can be very uneven) and stainless steel (for ease of care). They all attempt to improve on bare stainless or seasoned carbon steel/cast iron without the teflon or ceramic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFIol4MyfOI

Sorry his channel does not support embedding. You can also see his comparison of the ceramic pans:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJNUvonVYMk

The thing about BKF is it is so strong and takes a lot of work to remove the odor. Multiple rinsings and wipe downs.

Gooster that video was very helpful. Thanks!

I've had a SS All-Clad set for a number of years. It has a brushed finish. I use BKF to clean but it's never really become non-stick. I've always thought it was the brushed finish and wished I would have purchased a SS brand with a mirror finish. I also thought heating a pan without contents could cause warping, which I think some of mine are. As you can tell, I am not the best source for info and am following this thread for my next purchase.

I've been using Cameo Stainless and Aluminum cleaner the last several years. It's made by Brillo and is available at Home Depot, Walmart and A-zon. My grocer just discontinued Cameo so I bought BKF in the cookware formula last week but I haven't used it yet. I sniffed it for ya'll and don't notice an odor. Maybe it's less scented because it's meant for cookware. We always wash with hot soapy water after using SS cleaner.

Thanks for the warning about BKF. It's already bought and recommended by many above. The athlete can manage it, I think. ;) And he doesn't have to use it, but at least he'll know that scouring is what keeps the pan slick. ;)

The best nonstick is lots of butter . . .

I've been following this thread and this popped up in the NYT today. Clear as mud!

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/27/well/live/nontoxic-cookware-pfas-safe.html?unlocked_article_code=1.w08.xy0h.YU0uhqMOlXBL&smid=url-share

I tried my SS emeril pan from years ago... just assumed it wouldn't work with eggs. But I heated the pan first, added oil and butter and heated it, but not too much and then added the egg. It wasn't completely nonstick, but it was very good. I've since washed it with BKF and I'll try it again to see how it does.

I also have a small cast iron fry pan which I've not tried with eggs, so I may give that a go too.

The video, and my cousin who likes to cook both like Misen, so I may try that one for fun.

Another alternative to BKF is Bon Ami. I think it has a slightly less strong odor. Though with both of them I do wash them with dish soap and rinse afterwards.

What about something like a Made In carbon steel fry pan. You would season it, then keep it nice. Non stick.

I recently purchased theGreat Jones small fry (for eggs) and the large fry. On sale about $55 each. Lids not included. Usual claims about ceramic and chemical free, and honestly after too much research, I settled on these as research fatigue set in.

I do really like them, very nonstick and I put them in the dishwasher. I have the same sizes in SS that I received as a shower gift literal decades ago, and they are relatively non-stick if I repeat my dear Uncle Charlie's mantra of "hot pan, cold oil" to myself as I wait long enough— with the pan on the flame—to ensure the oil shimmers immediately upon hitting the pan.

I use the Great Jones pans when I'm in a hurry and not in the mood to hand wash the SS.

They work on induction.

ETA, By cold oil, I mean room temp. Not sure what would happen if you pour cold oil in a pan that hot. Do not try that at home.

Update: I've been using my small cast iron pan. I preheat the pan, then I add oil and let that heat...but I'm careful not to let it get too hot. I have switched to grapeseed oil. I'm finding my fried eggs aren't really sticking much at all. And what does stick, a bit of a scrape with the plastic spatula and it comes right up. I'm cleaning the pan with kosher salt. So far, so good.

I need to try an omelet yet though.

Thanks for the update. Great news! Some say to heat, add the oil, let the pan cool some then bring back to temperature. I've tried it, but not enough to be sure ofthe effect.

Remember, you can clean cast iron with water. Just dry really well immediately, wipe on a very thin layer of oil, then heat the pan to make sure it's completely dry, while the oil adds a little more seasoning,

@Annie Deighnaugh, If you still are thinking about a non-stick pan, All Clad is having another factory sale. I just noticed there is a 10” with lid for $79.99. and an 8” for $49.99. Inhave bought from this factory deal previously. Some are just damaged boxes, some are flawed in another way (scratch, small ding, etc) and they are always identified as such. I bought things that said damaged box and could hardly tell the box was damaged.

If you need a link, let me know.

Thank you plllg. I am aware that water works too, but as I'm trying to build up the seasoning, I'm avoiding that and just using salt.

Thanks OP. I think if I am going to try nonstick, it'll be Misen. From what I've read, it sounds like the best option, though not inexpensive.

@OutsidePlaying - Is the factory sale online too or only in person? My friends are switching to induction and would love to know about this.

Thanks for the stainless steel video from below. I tried it and it worked like a charm! Scrambled eggs cleans up with zero problem.

I only know about the online sales, but there very well could be real factory stores somewhere in the country.

Here is the LINK

I would not spend money on coated nonstick pans from a premium brand, even discounted factory seconds. It can and will wear off eventually.

If it were cheaper I’d be tempted to try the Titanium pans that Kenji from Serious Eats is selling (or partnering with) on OurPlace. Supposedly it’s not truly nonstick, but about as close as you can get without a wearable surface. It does have a texture, like Hexclad does. I saw positive discussion on the SE subreddit, but then that sub is full of fanboys so I’d approach it with healthy caution.

"Is the factory sale online too or only in person? My friends are switching to induction and would love to know about this."

I would strongly recommend your friends go a brick-and-mortar when investing in new pots and pans. Overall design, weight, and comfort in use all go into the decision-making process, and a good set of new pans isn't cheap...by any means.

As an example, I hated the All-Clad, the pans were very uncomfortable to grip. I have and love my Demeyere Industry-5 set, but the Demeyere Atlantis-7 was MUCH too heavy for me to comfortably handle.

When we went induction I got emeril pans and really like them. I believe the misen have no coating

I would extend this to say that All-Clad has many lines--j not all equal.

That said, once I was set on a line, I wouldnt hesitate to buy from one of the factory outlets as long as they had a good return policy. I havent bought from one but I have been in an LC outlet store (no All-Clad outlets that I have seen near me) and wouldnt hesitate with LC or AC or any other brand that stands behind their products.

Annie, avocado oil is another good high-heat oil to use with cast iron.

Also, soap and hot water do not impact a seasoned cast iron pan. A proper seasoning of cast iron requires polymerization, and you can spend years building this up, or you can achieve it using a few rounds of an oven method you can find online. If you chose to build it up, you have to regularly get the oil heated above smoke point, which we rarely do in everyday cooking. And oftentimes, it can backfire with small bits of burnt food sticking to the pan (rather than true seasoning), and then attaching to the next round of cooking.

I recommend researching the oven method of seasoning cast iron. Even then, cast iron's nonstick is more dependent on the preheating and cooking technique.. But you can definitely use soap and hot water to clean a seasoned cast iron pan.

Feathers, I hear you, but in my experience, soap and hot water do diminish the coating on the cast iron -- maybe because we use dawn? And using kosher salt is abrasive to get any little bits and the paper towel I use absorbs any excess oil, so it works for me. My pan stays nice and shiny, dark and rust-free.