Carbon steel is becoming more popular with home cooks. Here's what you need to know.
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Carbon steel cookware is still the new kid on the block for most home cooks. But our kitchen experts are big fans. Carbon steel is a durable and versatile material that delivers the best of stainless steel cookware and cast-iron cookware. It's lightweight and responsive to heat, like stainless steel, and it can develop a naturally nonstick surface with seasoning, like cast iron. It works with all cooktops, including induction; it's generally oven safe, and some can even withstand open-flame cooking, like on the grill or over a campfire.
The experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances & Innovation Lab test all kinds of cookware, including nonstick pans, ceramic cookware sets and Dutch ovens. We tested 18 carbon steel pans to find the best, cooking eggs and steak and performing a test to check the pan's ability to distribute heat. We assessed the shape and weight of each pan and noted whether it was easy to clean.
KitchenAid is best known for its iconic stand mixer, which we picked as our best overall model. We were also pleased with the craftsmanship of the brand's line of Nitro Carbon Steel. The pans do not come preseasoned, but we found the recommended oven method to be simple (many brands suggest you season on the stovetop).
This pan really stood out in our egg tests: It released fried eggs easily each time, and there was only minor residue left in the pan after scrambling. And that was with no oil, per our testing process.
It is very responsive to heat, which can allow you to get a good sear on meats. The flip side of this responsiveness is that you do need to learn how the pan works on your stovetop: Foods can burn if you don't keep a close eye on things.
The pan is somewhat heavy for its size, but the comfortable handle helped it feel balanced. We appreciate that the handle includes a cutout for hanging your pan. The bottom has a deep curve that makes this pan good for tossing and for stirring sauces. But the rounding does mean the cooking surface is a little cramped.
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Lodge is best known for its reliable cast iron pans, and this carbon steel skillet is upholding the brand's reputation for quality cookware. The skillet is a steal at less than $40, given that it performed well across our Lab tests, comes preseasoned and is suitable for all cooktops, as well as for campfire cooking.
This pan has shallower sides than others in our test, which does limit the volume the pan can hold and makes it more challenging to toss ingredients while cooking. But the long handle and sturdy design help it feel balanced for any shaking you might want do. Our tester noted that it produced a flavorful pan sauce quickly.
This pan performed well in our tests. Our pros like that it's preseasoned — just rinse off the protective glaze before you first cook — so it's ready to use right out of the gate. But it was the performance of this pan that earned it our top spot: It's lightweight, making it comfortable for most people to use, and it has gently sloped sides that provide a nice cooking area and make shaking and tossing easy.I
t browned mushrooms well in our tests, creating a flavorful pan sauce. It struggled a little with eggs at first, but it improved over the course of the test (and while we don't use oil when testing, we feel confident that adding fat to the pan will make this a good choice for eggs too).
It's suitable for outdoor cooking on the grill — or even over an open flame. One downside is that the handle does not include a loop that would allow you to hang the pan when not in use.
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✔️ Preseasoning: This is an important consideration if you're new to seasoning cookware. Preseasoned pans usually have a minor glaze to rinse off before cooking, but they're otherwise ready to go. They can feel like nonstick cookware for the first cook, and then they simply require maintenance of the seasoning (read: you will have to season a preseasoned carbon steel skillet over the course of its life). If it's not preseasoned, you'll likely need to scrub off a protective beeswax coating and then season the pan with layers of oil (see below). It's not a difficult process, but it does require time.
✔️ Weight: There are many lightweight carbon steel skillets on the market now, but our pros stress that it's still an important consideration. Some can be quite heavy, which can limit the pan's versatility. If you're shopping online and can't feel and lift the pan, check the weight in the product specifications. We like pans that are about three pounds or fewer.
✔️ Shape and cooking area: The shape of the pan will affect the cooking. A gentle slope to the sides makes it easier to shake and toss foods, and it keeps the pan open so that liquids will reduce easily. But sloped sides can eat into the flat cooking surface at the bottom of the pan. We've noted when pan on this list had a cooking surface that felt smaller, but you'll have to factor in your personal preference and the kinds of foods you cook most.
✔️ Handle: Comfort with the handle is another factor that comes down to personal preference. Our experts liked a variety of handles in our tests. Those with a divot in the handle helped with finger placement for comfort. Those with a slight arc or angle helped create balance, which can help improve control. Look for a loop built into the handle if you prefer to hang your pans for storage.
✔️ Rivets: Generally speaking, the handles of carbon steel skillets are riveted to the pan, and this creates bumps at the attachment points on the inside of the cooking area. It's less common, but flush or flatter rivets make it easier to clean the pan, as debris is less likely to get stuck. Flush rivents also make it easier to season it, as you can access the surface more evenly.
Some carbon steel pans are sold preseasoned, meaning you can cook with them right away. Others will need to be seasoned before they're ready for use.
Seasoning is the process of using oil to build up a natural patina that functions as a nonstick coating. Here's what to do:
Your goal is simple: Protect your lovingly applied seasoning and prevent rust.
Carbon steel pans are great for searing foods like steak, pork chops and chicken thighs, because they're good at high-heat cooking. But you'll want to start the pan over medium-low or medium heat and then gradually crank it up, because it helps distribute the heat evenly and prevent warping.
Carbon steel is also a good choice for more delicate foods like eggs, pancakes and even fish, thanks to its smooth surface and ability to become more seasoned and naturally nonstick over time.
Because most carbon steel pans are oven safe, they're also good for searing and then roasting foods (like pork or beef tenderloin), roasting potatoes and other veggies, and baking cornbread or biscuits.
Like cast iron, carbon steel isn't the best choice for simmering acidic sauces like marinara, because it might strip away some of the natural seasoning.
Sarah Gregory Wharton, deputy editor of testing and research, helped craft the methodology for testing carbon steel pans and led the testing for this story. She has been using carbon steel pans at home — seared scallops are a fave — for years now.
She is a graduate of the International Culinary Center (now the Institute of Culinary Education) and has been cooking professionally since 2017. She has written about nonstick cookware and the best saucepans for the Good Housekeeping Institute.
Sarah (she/her) is a deputy editor in the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she tests products and covers the best picks across kitchen, tech, health and food. She has been cooking professionally since 2017 and has tested kitchen appliances and gear for Family Circle as well as developed recipes and food content for Simply Recipes, Martha Stewart Omnimedia, Oxo and Food52. She holds a certificate in professional culinary arts from the International Culinary Center (now the Institute of Culinary Education).
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