When grilling with a cast iron griddle plate it's important to preheat the griddle onto the grill before adding food.  This keeps the pan hot enough to create nice grill marks and caramelization.  Make sure to brush the baking sheet with a light layer of oil to prevent sticking and aid in the baking process.  Once the cast iron griddle plate is hot, place the food on a baking sheet and let it cook to perfection.

For purchasing guidance, please read our review of the best stainless steel skillets and our sauté pan round-up. But whichever pan you choose, there are a few things to keep in mind while shopping.

Professional Kitchens: In professional kitchens, black cast iron griddles and grill pans are essential tools for achieving consistent and high-quality results. They are used for searing steaks, grilling vegetables, and creating signature dishes with distinctive grill marks.

Versatility: Dutch ovens are incredibly versatile and can be used for a wide range of cooking methods, including braising, stewing, roasting, frying, and baking. They are suitable for both stovetop and Dutch ovens use, making them a popular choice for one-pot meals.

For those who'd prefer the frypan, non-stick fry pans are also a fantastic choice if you're seeking to cook healthy dishes with little to no oil. Not forgetting certain frypans that are oven-safe with non stick coating like the Cosmo Fry for baking enthusiasts out there. And all this comes at an often more affordable price than that of skillets.

When making eggs or pancakes, you’re more likely to use a frying pan than a stockpot. You can fry various foods at high temperatures using a frying pan, as its name suggests.

Because of this particular factor, the word skillet is almost always used to refer to cast iron skillets.

Stainless steel pans are non-corrosive, so they don't react with foods and leach into them. They can however stick to food if it is cooked without oil. They're good for sautéing, pan-frying, stir-frying, braising and searing meat, and oven-cooking. 

    Enameled cast iron cookware sets offer a myriad of benefits, chief among them being their ability to distribute heat evenly, ensuring consistent cooking results. Moreover, the enamel coating provides a non-stick surface, making cleanup a breeze – a feature highly coveted by busy chefs and culinary enthusiasts.

    When choosing between a square cast iron griddle and a round cast iron griddle pan, consider your cooking preferences and the types of dishes you frequently prepare.  Both options offer unique benefits that can enhance your cooking experience in different ways.  Whether you choose a square or round cast iron griddle pan, you can be sure that you are purchasing a reliable and versatile cooking tool that will serve you well for years to come.

    For oyster lovers, a cast iron oyster grill pan is a must-have.  The individual indentations hold the oysters in place, allowing them to cook with their own juices and absorb the smoky flavor from the grill.  Cast iron oyster grill pan this method of grilling oysters brings out the natural saltiness of the oysters and adds a pleasant charred flavor.

Can You Use Metal Utensils on Carbon Steel Pans?

Now that you know which size will work best for your household, it’s time to consider the material of your new frypan. There are three main options available: non-stick coating, stainless steel and hard anodised aluminium.

You can put a copper pan in the oven if you’re making a dessert like a tarte Tatin, but remember that copper can’t take the high heat of cast iron or stainless, so most manufacturers don’t recommend temperatures above 450 °F.

In our tests, we put copper skillets through the same heating evenness and sauté performance tests as stainless steel pans, which are also uncoated. We also cook foods that require controlled heat, including risotto, a gooey banana tarte Tatin, and melted white chocolate. All the copper pans perform well, Fisher says.

Here are two recommended copper pans from CR’s tests.