Equipment Reviews: The Best Ceramic Nonstick Skillet 

It's amazing how well this lady explains. Please give her a raise!

Lisa’s my favorite reviewer on the internet! Her speech, cadence, and tone command your attention without being aggressive or cheesy. She reminds me of my favorite teacher in school that taught effectively and was never boring ever. The script and research is also top notch! ATK needs to give Lisa more reviews and a huge bonus!

This single video consolidates weeks of frustrated, on-and-off searching for a decent pan. My most sincere thanks.

Lisa’s reviews are always the best. Just the facts and empirical findings.

Lisa is top notch: to the point easily professional and missed when I do not see her testing. Thank you Lisa and ATK

You're the Abby Scuito of kitchens.

What!! Why No footage of whacking them on concrete? So disappointed

This women is beyond good at her job. Cooking really isn't my thing, but she is so thorough and sensible, so I subscribed.

I can't begin to describe how much I love your reviews and testing methodology. Thank you!

Very well done presentation: voice modulation, body movement, camera eye contact, etc.. Easy to listen to, believable, and objective. Thanks.

Lisa, I have obtained many of my kitchen items based on your reviews! All are excellent! Love ya!!

Yes! I totally agree with the above analysis but with one huge exception... I've been using my (first) ceramic pan I bought at Fred Meyers (28 USD) and it has been great. It has been about six months now with heavy use. I too, noticed that food heats up quicker. and have to use a lower heat setting. It is a stainless steel 12" that is clad on the bottom and is coated with the dark blue color ceramic coating with the little sparkelies in it and have had no sticking problems. So far the best non-stick I've ever had. 1) holds heat great 2) food does not stick 3) heats evenly 4) easy to clean 5) works like it did the first day. I don't know about the other brands tested in this video, but mine has performed like a champ and was actually dreading buying another pan that "doesn't work". I am gentle with it when cooking and cleaning. I have never let it get really hot and I think that may be the key. Sorry, there is no name on it but it has the three thru-rivits and is somewhat heavier than I expected but that is not a problem for me. Great evaluation.

These equipment reviews are indeed my favorite!

I bought an 8” Kyocera pan based on the ATK review for my dad. He absolutely loves the pan!

Another excellent, in-depth, informative review, Lisa! Thank you so much for delivering this valuable service.

You always do such a complete and professional presentation giving the info needed but not going on forever. Great job.

The higher heat and shorter cook times mirror my experience using carbon steel pans instead of teflon nonstick. It's also true, albeit to a lesser extent, of stainless steel, so really it's the teflon pans that are the oddballs, although they're the oddballs that most people are used to. It's easy enough to adjust cooking technique based on the type of pan you're using, and in fact teflon pans will give you the worst browning of all types; I *love* my carbon steel pans when I'm caramelizing onions or trying to get a good sear on. I bought a full set of anodized-aluminum-on-the-outside/nonstick-ceramic-on-the-inside pans nine years ago, and at first they were great. Gradually, though, one by one, they all changed from non-stick to stick; I gave up using them within about 2-1/2 years, and the workhorse pans gave out within a year. Nowadays I keep one teflon skillet around, but mostly use either carbon steel or stainless, depending on acidity.

Just want to say that it has been great watching Lisa doing these segments. She is so informative. Also, she has really developed her presentation style greatly since she first started! Thank you, Lisa, and keep up the good work! 🙋🏻‍♀️

Lisa is the best of the best of the best. Essentially, a perfect reviewer. Unbiased, practical real-world testing and clear recommendations. That's it. Over and out. I've used her recommendations for 10 years at home and even in my restaurant.

Lisa, I love your reviews. Your explanations are always easy to follow and understand. Thank you for this. Always wondered why a ceramic pan lost it’s ‘non-stick’ properties so quickly. I will be checking for the updates you mentioned!

could you guys look into testing and reviewing some korean non stick pans that are made from marble etc? Theres a lot of interesting stuff in it that would be really cool to see

Love this video! I got the GreenPan after watching not only this review but several others. Its great for cooking and heating up delicate items like eggs, tofu and pancakes which have a tendency to stick if Stainless is not preheated and oiled properly. My mom was having issues with this so I got her the Greenpan and I have found that she is cooking more than she ever has before. The GreenPan is super easy to clean and requires very little to no oil for most things. One thing that I cannot stress enough is do not cook above medium to medium high heat on the stove. If you do burn/carbonize something on the surface you can easily clean with a little water and a melamine sponge aka magic eraser aka Mr. Clean white sponge. It will take off any little bits right off that pan and give you a nice slick surface. Also while GreenPan advertises you can use metal utensils... please don't follow that advice and stick with silicone or nylon/soft-tip utensils if you want your pan to actually last for the long term. I think GreenPan knows they have a great surface so they want people to really go at it with metal utensils so they can sell more pans sooner. :)

I always buy Lisa's recommended best buy and never let me down. Thank you!

love these videos, they are extremely informative and helpful to us home cooks! more people should know the pros and cons of each type of pan. there's no ultimate winner and it always depends on your own usage.

Thank you so much, I've tried to be safe when cooking and I've been hesitant to buy nonstick. This is the testing I needed.

I have had my Green Pan for about 5 years and never had a problem. I also use cast iron and stainless steel. I am very carefully with my equipment. Loved this review!

i bought my kitchen aid mixer based on your review, i have it now for over 5 years, im very happy, thank you.

I watched this *after* buying new cookware and was kicking myself for not finding this test/review before shopping, but then the set I bought turned out to be #1 in this test. Yay!

The turner / spatula they're using is Matfer Bourgeat Exoglass Pelton if anyone's curious.

I don't like worrying about stuff like this so I like the cast iron but I'm always looking to see if technology like this is getting better. Another great review.

Lisa keeps it fun & interesting, i like her best, u want to stay and hear what she's telling/teaching u, keeps the info flowing quick yet not too quick, easy to understand. Thanx again Lisa & ATK

I've been using an 8" and 10" Lima Greenpan for years. One for 3.5 years and the other for 2.5 years. I love them! Follow the instructions. Always use some oil/fat but not olive oil and don't use a spray. Don't overheat them when cooking. If you overheat them then food will stick as demonstrated in the video. It's surprising how much lower you need to set your burners. You can still brown food just like other pans but you need to use a lower heat setting. Be good to your Greenpans and they'll be good to you. They are so much better than cast iron which I had been using for over 20 years.

Got a greenpan a year ago and it's still working fine. Love them!

Great review as always 😊. I have a Greenpan 8 inch. skillet for eight years now and it still performs like it´s brand new.

This was so helpful as I was researching this myself and just ended up confused! Thank you!

Excellent review! Always appreciated the reviews Lisa!

Thank you, very helpful information! Well done!

I'm totally *sticking around* for this.

I can't tell you how much I love these "gadget" videos from you guys! MOAR!

Great review! Oil-conditioned or seasoned carbon steel works really well, that’s what I use.

I have a Faberware ceramic coated pan and it worked perfectly for a good while. However, at some time, it started to stick like crazy. I looked on RU-vid and I got some hints about sticking ceramic pans. What worked was to firmly scrub the pan with a sponge and baking soda. It seems there was a build up of a film which was super sticky. The baking soda scrub restored the non-stick or the baking soda scrubbing polished the surface smooth again. After the scrubbing, I noticed water beading and running off like before when washing it. Not sure it would work for a PTFE coated pan that starts sticking (the reason I gave up on PTFE coated pans) but if you have one that sticks, it's worth a try.

America's Test Kitchen consistently delivers well presented, researched & very useful information. I'm a big fan, and I'm slowly teaching myself to eat better and improve my cooking skills, so thanks a lot !

Fun Fact: GreenPan actually manufactures Oxo pans.

Very well explained & Informative ! Thank You America's Test Kitchen for Well done reviews !

I have an 8" Green Pan ceramic that i use exclusively for eggs and it is superb. I love the weight of it too. Picked it up for about $40 on sale and i can't say enough good things about it.

Great review as always. So through yet to the point. Its great to hear to what lengths you go to to make sure you are truly performing a process test. Kudos to Lisa McManus

I really like this review. Every time I cook sole, I have to buy new shoes! Thanks Lisa!

I love Lisa, she's always spot on!

I have a blue diamond skillet I bought at Walmart. Works great and cleans up super easy.

I've had two Green Pans for many years and they perform like the day I got them ( perfectly ). I threw out all my other pans ( except the cast iron ) , and I have not run into any situation where I wasn't covered by these two options. I have purchased ( as gifts ) Green Pans for many family members and all but one was thrilled with them.... not sure what happened with the one nay-sayer, think they might have heated the pan empty too high on the eye. People always think I'm nuts about these Green Pans, but I use them, rinse them , wipe them out with a towel and store them; best non-stick out there for my money, bar none.

After watching the video I decided to purchase the Kyocera ceramic pan with the higher sides, and I love it. Thanks for taking the time to evaluate the pans for your audience.

great review that analyzed all the pain points and differentiators. I was torn between caraway vs Greenspan, but when she saw Greenspan was boiler safe that sold me since I learned that caraway instructions advises not to use high heat (boiling temps) to preserve the integrity of the performance.

Love this channel...no lame soundtrack, no distracting graphics, no BS...just the FACTS! 👍

Excellent overview, excellent presentation! A roommate just bought one of your Green Pan skillets a few weeks ago, and I have to say it’s a stunner: I’ve spent much of my life in the kitchen, so I’m intimately familiar with the shortcomings of the Teflon-era coatings - in short, they have *all* been unsatisfactory over the long haul (even my top-of-the-line Calphalon @ twice the price). Cast iron is great, but the care it requires can limit it’s everyday usefulness in ordinary cooking chores. Adding this ceramic pan to the kitchen has been transformative. Never had a pan so predictable, so dependable. Everything releases easily; burgers cook *perfectly*, release perfectly, clean-up is almost magical; even the scrambled-egg mixture that occasionally forms a thin ‘crust’ on the sides wipes or rinses out with little to no time or effort once the pan cools. Easier to take care of, safer to depend on for results, a real pleasure to cook in, performs extremely well at lower temps. A serious pleasure to use. Been a long, long time since I had a favorite skillet - but I have one now.

I received two ceramic pans for Christmas and I hope they do at least fair. Thank you very much for your review. Y'all always do an excellent job.

Brilliant review presented extremely well, thank you!

I have a couple of Green pans, I’ve been using them for over a year and they are great. I cook a lot and I’m hard on my pans. They do hold up.

I got a Greenpan recently. Holding up well so far! I'm impressed. Perfect for making handmade tortillas when the pan may rest a bit on high heat without any food in it.

This is excellent information well presented. When I decide which 10" fry pan to purchase, it will definitely be an informed purchase. Thank you, Lisa, for the thoroughness of your analysis.

Fantastic info, I am now ordering one of the OXO pans. We tried a ceramic pan which initially worked well for potstickers, but after a year or two are now sticking significantly more than cast iron (which does well, but not nearly as well as Teflon).

Love my Green Pan! I've had it for around a year and a half, still just as nonstick as ever. I do baby it, though lol

I converted to Green Pan last year and haven’t been able to go back. I have an old electric coil stove that’s very inconsistent with temperature and the ceramic suddenly made me feel like I was getting a true idea of the heat and could make temp adjustments on the fly. They did start to stick but a soak in hot water and a little dish soap makes it feel almost brand new again.

I am so glad she did a video on this I was wondering about everything she explained Thank You Lisa

Clearly presented and very informative. Thank you!

Thank you for testing these ceramic skillets. However I wonder about the skillets that are made of ceramic (all ceramic..not ceramic coated). Any thoughts on those,?

I hated my ceramic pan and tossed it after a few weeks. I'll keep my old pans, and my cast iron and my KitchenAid inductions.

Another fantastic review from McManus at ATK!! Great work again. Wow!

I noticed my aunt cleaning a ceramic nonstick pan with some stuck-on sauce. I tried it myself and it seems to work better than soaking in hot soapy water: fill the pan about half-full (by depth) and add a handful (I use about a quarter cup) of baking soda, heat the pan to a rolling boil and remove from heat, allow the pan to cool. Rinse the pan and wipe it out, and it will be good as new, even with maple-sausage fond.

I can’t cook to save my life, but I love these equipment reviews.

All in all, I still prefer my cast iron pans. As long as I keep them well seasoned; they do a better job of doing everything than any nonstick pan that I have ever tried. Plus; they never wear out!

I have 3 well seasoned black cast iron pans and all do well with non stick. easy to clean and foods come out wonderful. It's hard to improve on a product that's been around for over 100 years !

Wow. Incredible video. Thank you so much.

I just threw away a ceramic skillet after a disaster with some caramelized onions. Replaced with a commercial/food service grade Vollrath Wear-ever.. they are cheap on Amazon and the CeramiGuard II nonstick coating is amazing. Definitely not as nice as my All-Clad stainless stuff, but nonstick doesn’t last and I don’t feel guilty about throwing them away every 5 years if necessary. I’ve had the 12” (Z4012) model for many years without any problems or complaints and decided to replace the old ceramic skillet with the 10” version (Z4010) for $46.

I thought Lisa was wrong when she stated at 6:27 that the ceramic coatings are conductors. I always thought ALL ceramics were ALWAYS were insulators. After talking to an inorganic chemist friend there are ceramics that conduct as well or better than metals. Good job Lisa!

This channel is the the most scientific nerd channel I needed and I've looked for!! I love it! 💖

Best explanation and evaluation of ceramic pans I’ve seen.

I've been using a ceramic pan I got at Aldi's for 3 years. Nothing sticks to it and it cleans up very easy.

I subbed months ago because of this segment and Lisa.

Thank you all for the great work the the test kitchen does for us (me). I love watching and learning ;)

Great info that reinforces my experience. I love my Green pans! I got an initial one on sale, then gave away all my Calphalon pans I had accumulated since the eighties! I always rub a drop or two of rice bran oil in the pot to start and they are slippery. If you buy from them online, then you will get 30% or more sales regularly. Oh, yeah, I kept the glass lids from my previous pans since they fit perfect!

I have the roughly $40 GreenPan and it’s been great. It’s easily over three years old without noticeable signs of wear. I don’t cook eggs dry as in the test so that moot to me as an indicator. Clean up has never been an issue. These folks are pros and I’m not. We have different expectations.

Here is my 2-cents on frying pans.. The one in the video with the high sides would,probably be worse at browning anything (because the high sides hold moisture to steam the food). The highest sides might be good for something (I don’t know maybe cooking with more liquid so it doesn’t slide out of the pan). Years ago I noticed all my non-stick pans became “stick” pans fairly quickly (even tho I was gentle with them). I’ve went on a kick to avoid non-stick coatings and plastic as much as possible.. I was cooking with cast iron for a decade.. NOW (fortunately) I love my SS.. My eggs don’t stick, but I use butter (I believe the health problems of trans fats have turned everyone against natural fats like butter). And I like the way butter tastes with my eggs.. I love my demeyere pans (not cheap tho), and I have confirmed the demeyere SS is more non-stick than regular SS (although I do use butter, and I will put a small spot of pecan oil or olive oil down before browning meat, but I’ve never wished I had a nonstick pan now.. The searing pan in this line is my favorite, its aluminum is thicker than any all-clad.. The sides of the seren pan are noticeably lower than other frying pans, supposedly some moisture can escape for browning (I have not tested it for browning, but I love the low sides for omelettes). I’ve never had to scrub.. The worst burnt on I did was fish skin that stuck; so I added a splash of water and some dish soap while,the pan was hot.. 30 min later it slid out with a paper towel. These pans do develop a haze (stain?), so once in a while I’ll put in a splash of vinegar into the dry pan, and use a non-scratch kitchen sponge.. it doesn’t need to be scrubbed hard like one would imagine, and it ends up looking shiny and new.

Thanks!!l Love these reviews by Lisa!!

The only non stick pan I use is a 6" pan from Kirtland, it's my egg pan. The other two frying pans I rely on are triple clad with no coating. Learning how to cook with standard pans is a curve but not an impossible one. Slow and low is the key. Deglazing at the end of cooking is the key to all that flavor and easy clean up. It works for me.

I moved back in Sept of last year. Since all my 'good' pans were on a moving truck for about three weeks, I went to Target and bought a cheap set of grey Ceramic pans for around $110-$120. I've had a few Ceramic pans in the past and they were terrible, so I expected these pans to maybe make it the three weeks. Boy was I wrong. These pans have really surprised me. I have used them daily since Sept and I treat them like crap (dishwasher to clean) and they are holding up amazing. Not sure if I would ever 'recommend' a ceramic, but the grey ones at Target have easily been worth the $$$ paid. Oh...and a thank you to ATK for recommending the OXO brand for non-stick. Immediately went out and bought a couple of those at least a year ago and they are still going strong. Great vid.

This answers sooooo many of my pan questions.

You and your team killed it, very informative,....... Thanks for sharing.

After a ceramic pan develops microcracks, can I heat it in my kiln to remelt the ceramic coating? I've refired many a mug to get the stains off and shine it up. Since Al melts at 1221 F, I'm thinking 900 F would be a great starting point.

You should try the "ELO pure ivory" from Germany. The best ceramic skillet I've ever used before I completely changed to carbon steel.

Excellent analysis. Provided me with much needed answers.

Thank you for this, yours was one of the first reviews I looked at since my spouse loves non stick cookware, which I have some mistrust of. Your advice to not get these too hot seems key to longevity along with careful handling. I have seen many lesser pans come & go.

I would LOVE to see them do their testing on the 'as seen on tv' or the 'fad' pans like granite rock and copper cheff.. to see what the best of THAT bunch is! Great job Lisa.

I got an Always pan cause I’m a broke millennial living in a very expensive apartment. It works well for the food I get from the food pantry.

Thank you. I'll be checking this out right away

Wow 👏 thanks for your tremendous work. Very helpful

These are the reviews I like. Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I just want the straight facts with no banter.

Don’t really have an interest in these pans but I like Lisa’s reviews so much.

She’s excellent. I love how she explains things. 👍

Thank you for this explanation. You have truly helped me!

I've owned the Greenpan they used for 5 years. It is still non-stick, the company states you can renew the properties by using a magic eraser to remove carbon buildup on the pan. On top of that it can be seasoned like a cast iron when the ceramic stops working completely. I have yet to season the pan.