We've tested over 60 frying pans and these are the best non-stick buys

Score: 98/100

This lightweight induction pan comes from Tefal’s new So Light range. While it’s not the lightest pan on this list (pick the Tower Cerastone or Scoville frying pan if that’s a priority), it still weighs just 920g, making it easy to manoeuvre when you’re flipping pancakes and stir frying.

It also has a wide base and a sturdy design, while our experts loved the added thumb rest on the handle for extra comfort.

Testers found the non-stick excellent too – eggs were crisp on the bottom but well-cooked on top, and they effortlessly glided out of the pan when we were ready to serve, while our pancakes came out golden brown and evenly cooked.

Tefal recommends hand washing instead of putting the pan in the dishwasher, but other than that small niggle, this frying pan is hard to fault.

Score: 97/100

Le Creuset always impresses, and its non-stick stainless steel frying pan is no exception. It’s heavy, but its cooking performance more than makes up for it – testers experienced no sticking across any hob type.

The non-stick coating rinsed clean easily, so you can keep it out of the dishwasher. And while it’s expensive, it comes with a lifetime warranty – so this should be the only frying pan you ever need to buy!

Score: 97/100

Ninja’s not just the brand behind some of the best air fryers, it also impressed our testers with its cookware. This frying pan combines hard-anodised aluminium with an effective non-stick coating, making it a joy to cook with.

Our experts would have liked slightly better heat distribution; however, this niggle didn’t affect our overall experience. It aced our fried egg test, and the pan was comfortable to use and super durable.

Score: 95/100

Hexclad’s cookware features a network of stainless-steel hexagonal ridges and non-stick valleys, as well as a ceramic coating that’s free from ‘Forever Chemicals’ (a group of man-made chemicals sometimes used in pans and utensils that are hard to break down).

This pan excelled in our tests, producing a series of golden-brown pancakes that slid out with ease, leaving no residue behind. A little sticking on our fried egg test left some remnants but a simple scrape with the spatula removed them with no bother.

Overall, the pan performed well but is heavy and expensive when compared to others on the market. It is covered by a lifetime warranty though, so if you consider cost per use, it’s a good investment.

Score: 94/100

This stainless steel frying pan has a ceramic non-stick coating and a premium feel, without the hefty price tag. It pre-heated in an average of just two and a half minutes across gas, electric and ceramic hobs, and delivered perfectly cooked fried eggs, so a speedy, delicious breakfast is always on the cards.

It produced evenly cooked and golden pancakes without much sticking too. Just note that the handle warmed up while the pan was in use, so keep your oven gloves close by.

Score: 94/100

This is another excellent frying pan that made cooking and cleaning a breeze in our test kitchen. There was zero sticking when frying and we managed to achieve a set of evenly browned and well-cooked pancakes.

Flipping them was easy too thanks to the good-sized handles, which balanced the weight of the stainless-steel body well. We recommend hand washing this one to maintain the non-stick though, as the cooking surface picked up some scratches when put through a dishwasher cycle.

Score: 94/100

The titanium version of the Instagram-famous Always Pan 2.0 is made with a coating-free, non-stick surface and an aluminium core for quick, even heating. This proved effective in testing as our pancakes came out consistently browned and beautifully fluffy. Fried eggs cooked well too with no residue left in the pan.

While weighty, the lug handle helps with lifting and moving, and we liked that there’s a groove in the handle where you can slot your spatula when you’re not using it. Just note that the pan requires oiling after use to maintain the longevity of the non-stick.

Score: 93/100

If eco-credentials are important to you, then this is a frying pan you’ll want in your cupboard. It's made from recycled materials and is fully recyclable too. Plus, the non-stick coating is plant-based and free from palm oil. Prestige also plants one tree for every pan sold.

When it comes down to cooking, we weren’t disappointed either. The pan barely dropped a mark across our tests – delivering top notch pancakes. However, it wasn't that durable in the dishwasher, sustaining some nicks after a few washes – an issue solved by sticking to hand washing.

Score: 93/100

This sturdy frying pan makes a great choice if you’re shopping on a budget. The non-stick was excellent with pancake batter, producing evenly cooked pancakes that flipped easily. They were also a lovely, golden-brown colour thanks to the even heat distribution across the bottom of the pan.

It’s not suitable for induction hobs and is only oven safe up to 175C, but for a budget piece of cookware, you can’t go wrong.

Score: 92/100

This frying pan is part of our runner-up best pan set, which impressed our experts on performance and value. However, it was the frying pan that let the set down slightly (albeit only losing a few marks). There was some sticking on the fried egg and pancake tests, so the frying pan has landed lower down in this list.

Don’t get us wrong though – it’s still a worthy contender. It was quick to heat, fried an egg brilliantly, and any residue was easy to remove with a sponge. A little sticking on the pancake test and some uneven bubbling (suggesting uneven heat distribution) were our main criticisms but this certainly isn’t a dealbreaker.

Note, you can only buy the frying pan in a set of three, but for under £35, we’re not complaining.

Score: 90/100

Suitable for all hob types, this frying pan is excellent value for money. Tower claims that its multi-layer coating is five times stronger than other non-stick coatings and it certainly did a stellar job on test, needing little more than a quick rinse after use.

Pancakes took longer to brown than we’d have liked on an induction hob, but our eggs were faultless.

Score: 89/100

This practical pan has an aluminium body, a steel base and a copper stone finish to make it durable, scratch-resistant and non-stick. And this combination delivered an impressive performance when our testers started cooking. Our fried eggs were perfect and flipping pancakes was easy too.

Avoid putting it in the dishwasher as we noticed some discolouration and damage to the handle – and you’ll want to keep this beautiful pan, beautiful!

Score: 88/100

Famous for combining 10 pieces of cookware into one, this pan goes above and beyond when it comes to versatility and design. While we’re judging it on its frying prowess here, it also comes with a colander and steamer basket, if you want to broaden your cookery horizons.

Generally, the non-stick worked well, but our pancakes stuck slightly when cooking on gas and induction. A quick rinse dislodged leftover batter though, and it scored full marks across the board for its fried eggs.

Note that if you use this pan day-in-day-out, some of our testers found the non-stick changed and scratched a bit over time. But for less frequent cooks, this is one reliable pan.

Score: 85/100

The name says it all – none of the ingredients stuck in this frying pan during testing. Our fried eggs cooked nicely and easily slid out of the pan for serving, while our pancake test proved the pan distributed heat evenly – each pancake had consistent colouring and was perfectly cooked.

The handle lost it marks though. Our testers found it too firm and uncomfortable to hold, especially when the pan was full. But, given the budget price tag, this is something we can let slide.

Score: 82/100

Coming in a set of two, these frying pans feature Joseph Joseph’s unique space-saving design, which is great if you’re struggling with storage – the handles fold inwards and the pans can be stacked to maximise space in your kitchen cupboard.

The pan was particularly impressive when it came to cooking pancakes – there was no sticking or burning and any residue cleaned away easily. It was a different story with fried eggs though, which stuck to the pan and left an outline behind. Clean-up involved some extra scrubbing, but the residue did come off with some elbow grease.

Score: 82/100

Ninja’s PossiblePan features a similar design to the popular Always Pan 2.0 and includes a steamer/strainer and glass lid. Testers found it slow to get started (and to cool down afterwards), but then it delivered a fantastic fried egg with no sticking, burning or mess left behind.

It didn’t distribute heat as well as some of the other brands we tested, causing our pancakes to brown unevenly. But they were still tasty, and we were happy with how it fared in our dishwasher tests.

Score: 80/100

Scoring highly for its non-stick abilities, our testers managed to produce some fantastic fried eggs with this stylish frying pan designed in collaboration with actor and foodie, Stanley Tucci.

The aluminium body is weighty, making it tricky to flip pancakes or tip one-handed, but this did help keep it well-balanced when used on a gas hob. It performed best on gas overall – our pancakes were slightly too light in places when cooked on ceramic and induction hobs. It’s a pricey buy but it’s a real looker.

Score: 79/100

The sleek stainless-steel frying pan is available in four sizes and features a non-stick ceramic coating that performed well in our pancake test. There was no burning either, but the pan’s heat distribution was patchy, resulting in some pale patches on our pancakes.

When frying eggs, the pan worked best on a gas hob, where they cooked well and slid out of the pan without leaving much residue behind. On induction and ceramic hobs, however, we noted more sticking, but the pan was still easy to clean afterwards, with no hard scrubbing required.