10 best induction pans for efficient and expert cooking

This roomy pan became our first choice for so many different reasons during the testing process that we just had to pick it as our all-round favourite. Whether it was a Saturday morning fry up with beautifully crispy bacon, nicely browned sausages and eggs that just slid off the pan, a mid-week meal of crispy-skinned chicken thighs, or a Friday night treat of perfectly cooked steaks, the Stellar did the job.

The 18/10 stainless steel construction, triple layered Teflon coating (free of potentially harmful PFOA chemicals) and thick ‘hot forged’ base delivered even heat and a premium feel beyond the price point. The silicon soft grip stay-cool handle felt good to hold and enabled safe transfer from hob to oven (the pan is safe up to 180C). At 7cm high, the pan has enough depth to make it suitable for paella or a ragu, too. The non-stick coating made the pan especially easy to clean by hand, but it can also go in the dishwasher. With a 10-year guarantee, we expect the Stellar to be our go to pan foryears to come.

If you’re looking for great value but don’t want to sacrifice on style, this 1950s inspired pan set fits the bill. With their retro ribbed design, the 16cm, 18cm and 20cm saucepans and 20cm and 28cm frying pans looked great and performed beyond their relatively low price point. The ceramic non-stick coating worked like a dream, too.

We particularly loved the 28cm frying pan which produced beautifully crispy bacon and was the perfect size and shape for a family-sized chorizo frittata that just slid out of the pan onto the plate. We used the saucepans for everything from boiling potatoes (the tempered glass lids meant we could cover the pan to bring it up to temperature quickly, while keeping an eye on things to ensure it didn’t boil over), to making a spicy tomato sauce and found that they heated quickly and evenly and were responsive to changes in temperature.

On the downside, the pans are not oven proof or dishwasher proof, although they were very easy to clean by hand. The pressed aluminium construction may not be quite as robust and durable as the other more expensive pans reviewed and the Bakelite handles, though nicely designed and comfortable to use, looked less than premium (we also found that we needed to use a cloth to safely lift the lids as the lid handles became hot after a while). However, we thoroughly enjoyed cooking with the set that met our everyday cooking needs with ease.

The non-stick coating of this smart-looking pan is so smooth and effective that it should probably come with a hazard warning, at least for the ingredients that slip and slide over its mirror-like surface. Green Pan is rightfully proud of what it calls its “thermolon infinity professional ceramic non-stick coating”, which is free from PFAS chemicals that are potentially harmful to the environment. It’s also scratch-resistant and extremely easy to clean.

At 5mm thick, the aluminium and stainless-steel constructed pan felt pleasingly weighty and robust, yet easy to handle and heated up evenly and efficiently. The 2.1l pan and glass lid are oven-safe up to 200C making the pan perfect for starting a stew on the hob and finishing off in the oven.

A pot in the shape of a giant cherry red, beefsteak tomato might not sound like the most sensible addition to your kitchen, but hear us out. Yes, it’s a head-turning piece of cookware that will look fabulous on your dinner table, but it’s practical too. The cast iron construction is not only hard-wearing and scratch-resistant, but can be heated to high temperatures which allowed us to achieve a great sear on some lamb for a curry. Once the snug fitting lid was on (we loved the stalk-shaped handle) and the heat reduced, the cocotte retained an even all-round heat and sealed in the juices and aromas to produce a fantastic end result. We got even better results finishing a stew off in the oven (the cocotte is safe to use up to 260C) and the 2.5l capacity meant we could cook for a crowd.

Although the cocotte is dishwasher safe, it does take up a lot of room, so we preferred to hand wash it, and it took little effort to get it looking pristine again. The only downside is that the cocotte is so enjoyable to use that you may only ever cook stews, casseroles and braises, but a lifetime of delicious, easy to prepare and economical dishes doesn’t sound too bad to us.

Bring some Italian style into your kitchen with this eye-catching Art Deco-ish retro casserole. Also available in red or black, we particularly liked the classy cream finish. But it’s not just about the good looks, this is a high-quality and useful piece of kitchen kit. Constructed from aluminium, the casserole feels light, but the multi-layered thickened base ensures fast and even heat distribution. The non-stick coating worked a treat and we hardly needed to add any oil when browning meat.

Heat resistant up to 250C, the casserole is perfect for its traditional use of slow-cooked stews and braises that you can start on the hob and finish in the oven (the easy-to-grip double handles make transferring the pan safe and simple). But the rounded bowl design and roomy 4.6l capacity made it ideal for stir-frying too, and we’d happily cook a risotto in it or use it to boil or blanch vegetables.

We loved the tempered glass lid so we could keep an eye on the food while it was cooking, as well as how easy the whole thing was to clean; the pan is dishwasher safe but was no chore to hand wash. We also tried the 26cm/ 7.7l version which was more pan than we needed, but it would suit a large family that needs to cook up big pots of pasta or vegetables on the regular. Although the pan is relatively expensive, it’s both covetable and practical, so well worth the investment.

If you’re looking for a high-quality pan set to cover all your everyday cooking needs, then look no further. With 16cm/1.5l, 18cm/2.3l and 20cm/3l saucepans available with glass lids; a 24cm non-stick frying pan and a 16cm/1.5l non-stick milk pan, you’re all set to boil some veg or rice, heat up a tin of beans, cook chilli, and fry sausages amongst dozens of other jobs. The pans will last the distance, too.

Made from durable and rust-resistant 18/10 stainless steel with thick encapsulated bases that ensure even heat distribution, the pans look and feel premium. Design aspects like each pan’s curved, stay-cool ergonomic handles that are easy to grip; accompanied by snug fitting vented glass lids that allowed for monitoring of the cooking process, and the rounded edge that aided the pouring of a sauce or draining liquid all added to the pleasure of cooking. Oven safe up to 240C, dishwasher safe and stackable for ease of storage, this set is an asset to any family kitchen.

The more we cooked with this versatile pan, the more we loved its thoughtful design. The curved bottom not only looked great but also meant there were no corners to navigate with a spoon or spatula when moving ingredients around the pan. Its flared rim made pouring soup into a bowl or draining water from boiled vegetables easy, and also aided evaporation, making the pan perfect for reducing sauces. Conversely, the double-walled lid was extremely efficient at trapping moisture so that the pan came to a boil quickly and both the flavours and aromas of slow-simmered dishes were kept in the food; this was aided by a series of condensation drip rings in the underside of the lid that distributed the condensation evenly.

The high-quality 18/10 stainless steel with aluminium core construction (oven-safe up to 260C) ensured fast and even heat distribution and made everything from cooking risotto to sauteing spinach and boiling up spuds a joy. We loved the rivet-less construction and couldn’t imagine the textured, stay cool handle coming lose any time soon. Although the pan is dishwasher safe, we followed the manufacturer’s recommendation and washed it carefully by hand, getting an as-new result each time with little effort.

We only had two slight criticisms. Firstly, the solid lid meant we were cooking ‘blind’ when it was in place and needed to pay close attention to ensure the pan didn’t boil over; a glass lid would have been our first choice. Secondly, we noticed that the stay-cool handles did begin to warm up after a few minutes of cooking time, although we were still able to handle them with our bare hands. However, the pan’s use and care instructions include a caution saying that ‘your cookware, handles and lid will be HOT during and after use. Always use a dry towel when lifting or removing your cookware,’ so it may be sensible to err on the side of caution. Nevertheless, we can easily see this becoming a firm kitchen favourite.

If you’re a busy home cook who always has something simmering on the stove, look no further than this high-quality pot set that has you covered for every eventuality. The 24cm/ 6l stock pot is ideal for stock making of course, but also for cooking pasta or boiling up a big batch of potatoes to be roasted for Sunday lunch. At the other extreme, the 16cm/ 1.5l saucepan was perfect for hard-boiled eggs. The three medium-sized pots, billed as two ‘stock pots’ at 16cm/ 2l and 20cm/ 3.5l, and one ‘stew pot’ coming in at 20cm/3l (no, we’re not sure what the difference is, either) came in handy for everything from soup making to heating up noodles.

The high-quality 18/10 stainless steel construction was surprisingly light and gave the pans a premium feel. The multi-layered sandwich base with an aluminium core did a great job of heating quickly and evenly and retaining the heat, meaning we used a lower heat setting. The mirror finish means it’s easy to see what’s going on inside the pan. The stay cool, soft-touch silicone handles were nice to use, felt secure and aided grip. The off-set wing-like lid handles not only looked stylish and unique, but also meant the lid could be slotted into one of the handles during cooking, thereby avoiding having to place it on the countertop.

The silicone-edged lids fitted snugly which helped things come up to boil quickly and the integrated sieve was effective, obviating the need for a colander - though the pan was a little on the slow side to drain. The pots are oven-safe up to 180C, and therefore ideal for braised dishes. They’re also dishwasher safe but were quick and easy enough to clean by hand. The only downside was that not all the pans stack inside each other, and we ended up with two separate stacks which may be an issue if cupboard space is at a premium in your kitchen.

The makers claim this stylish pan will replace ‘eight pieces of traditional cookware’. That’s a bit of a stretch as the Always Pan is basically a high-sided frying pan with lid and steamer basket insert. But it’s true that it’s versatile, handling various cooking methods demanded by a Spanish-style pork and butter bean stew with ease. The non-toxic, non-stick enamel coating is so effective that we only needed a teaspoon of oil to fry off some diced pork belly to a good sear, with the pan heating up quickly and evenly. Lowering the heat, onions, chillies and peppers sweated nicely with some paprika, without sticking. The 2.46l capacity meant we could just add in the tomatoes, stock and butter beans and let it simmer away with the well-fitting lid effectively sealing in all the aromas and juices.

It does have its limitations, however. While the aluminium construction makes the pan light (1.36kg) and easy to handle, it does mean that it’s best used over low to medium heat in order to protect the non-stick coating. Although the manufacturers say that ‘the occasional sear is totally fine’ this won’t necessarily be your go to pan for steaks and chops. It’s not oven proof either which means braised dishes will have to be cooked on the hob and you will have to hand wash your Always Pan too, as it’s not dishwasher safe, but it took very little elbow grease to get it clean.

However, we loved the matt finish, and the fact that it was available in a range of nine distinctive colours including our favourite, blue salt. The supplied wooden spatula can also be rested on the pan’s sturdy and comfortable stay-cool handle, eliminating the need for a separate spoon rest. It may be a little on the expensive side, but the Always Pan is as much a pleasure to cook with as it is to look at, and would be a welcome and useful addition to any keen cook’s collection.

If you’re looking to cut down the amount of oil and fat you cook with, this set of rugged, hard-wearing pans is the perfect solution. The unusual ball-blasted interior has a rough and uneven three-layer coating which the manufacturers claim allows fats to accumulate away from the food for a healthier result. Although running a cooking utensil over the cratered surface felt strange at first (the coating is so robust you can even use metal utensils), we soon got used to the sensation.

We only needed a tiny drop of oil to sweat some chopped onions, which cooked quickly and evenly in the heavy aluminium-based pan. The silicon-coated ergonomic handles were extremely comfortable to use and the pans felt so solidly constructed that we could imagine them outlasting their 10-year guarantee. Add in a securely fitting glass lid and the fact that the pans are both oven and dishwasher safe and you have a lot of bang for a reasonable amount of buck.