The Highest-Rated Stainless Steel Pan On Consumer Reports Isn't Caraway Or Le Creuset

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Lots of different cooking materials have their advantages and uses, but if chefs are going to pick one essential pan it would probably be stainless steel. In any pan you are usually looking for a few different key characteristics. You want one that is lighter and easy to handle, but is durable enough to last for years without replacement. It should also heat evenly so your food anywhere in the pan is exposed to the same amount of heat, and it should be responsive to temperature changes. Stainless steel does all this, with the only real downside being that stainless steel is usually not non-stick. So when you are buying a stainless steel pan it is probably going to be one of the centerpieces of your kitchen, and needs to have all those ideal qualities in spades. And if you are looking for one brand to do that, Consumer Reports recommends Oxo.

Yes Oxo, the brand you probably know better for making affordable kitchen tools like peelers and measuring cups. Well it has also expanded its lineup to cookware over the years, and it turns out Oxo's pots and pans are just as impressive in performance as it's spatulas and pizza cutters. According to Consumer Reports ranking of top stainless steel pans, Oxo's Mira series pan outscores every other pan on the market, including far more expensive premium brands like La Creuset and All-Clad. CR's second ranked pan was from Caraway, which performed at basically the same level as the Oxo pan, but cost 50% more.

Looking at the Oxo Mira's performance in tests, it's not hard to see why Consumer Reports put it at the top. The publication looks at five primary factors in its evaluations for stainless steel pans: cooking evenness, handle sturdiness and temperature, food release, and ease of cleaning. The Oxo pan was considered top notch in every category, only failing to be ideal for ease of cleaning, which it was still considered good for. Unsurprisingly for Oxo, which got its big start based on its trademarked "Good Grips," handles, the pans handle was both very sturdy and did not heat up much, making it easy to use without needing a potholder. Fried eggs cooking in oil slid right off the surface, which is impressively non-stick stainless steel, and food also came off perfectly evenly browned.

The Oxo pans are also dishwasher safe, have a lifetime warranty, and like many stainless steel pans are safe for use in the oven, in Oxo's case up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit, so it can take a beating and still last a long time without worry. The only point where it was a bit behind the competition was weight. The frying pan is a half-pound heavier than Le Creuset or All-Clad, and almost a full pound heavier than Caraway. That's far from a dealbreaker, but the ease of use that comes with that light weight may be worth the extra money for you. Beyond that there isn't any reason not to consider Oxo a top choice when looking for a stainless steel pan, and it's a good reminder that the biggest names in cookware aren't always the best, even with the high price tag.