The Best Carbon Steel Pan (2024), Reviewed by Our Experts

This skillet has moderately sloped sides and a generous cooking space, making it easy to sear a batch of chicken thighs or a large steak without too much cramping. The stainless steel handle is easy to maneuver and stays relatively cool. It’s also one of the lightest pans we’ve tested, yet still manages to retain heat well. There is a slightly more inexpensive version with a simpler carbon steel handle, but it gets a lot hotter than the stainless, so we’d say the extra dollars are worth the additional comfort the stainless steel handle provides.

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 lbs., 2.62 lbs., and 3.26 lbs.
Oven safe: Yes
Induction cooktop compatible: Yes

The best carbon steel skillet according to the pros: Matfer Bourgeat Black Carbon Steel Round Frying Pan

Pros: Tried and true quality, easy to clean
Cons: Heavier than others (but still not that heavy)

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 saute 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 lbs., 3.1 lbs., 3.7 lbs., 4.1 lbs., 4.7 lbs., 5.2 lbs., 6.8 lbs., 8.1 lbs., and 9.5 lbs.
Oven safe: Yes
Induction cooktop compatible: Yes

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.