Best Oven Safe Skillet Reviews in 2022 [Top 7 Picks]

Are you looking to show off your new oven dish recipe? You need the best oven safe skillet before you can even get started.

Skillets are a must-have tool in the kitchen that much everyone knows. But putting just about any skillet in the oven is not a very wise idea.

Skillets, like all other cookware, have a limit to their heat absorption capacity. And since the temperature inside an oven can get quite extreme, if your pan is not capable of handling it, it will start warping. Nobody wants that to happen to their favorite cookware.

Not all skillets are suitable for an oven. Since it can get extremely hot in the oven, your pans must be capable of handling extreme temperatures.

If you use a normal kitchen, there is a good chance that it will get warped by the time you are done cooking.

Top 7 Best Oven Safe Skillet in 2021

That is why choosing a oven safe skillet is of paramount importance for any functional kitchen. But where do you find one?

Well, that is where we come in. To make things easy on you, here are our recommendations for some of the best skillets you can buy if you plan on putting them in the oven.

1. Cast Iron Skillet 2-Piece Set by Cuisinel

Let us kick things off with one of the best value bundles you can get when you are looking for an ovenproof frying pan.

The 2-piece skillet set by Cuisinel is the perfect choice for people who are building their kitchen from the ground up. Since you get two different skillets, you will be saving a lot of money in the long run.

With your purchase, you get a 10-inch and a 12-inch pan at a very low price. In addition, you get two heat-resistant holders that will protect your hand when you are taking it out of the oven.

These frypans can also be used on induction cooktops and grills without any issues.

The skillets feature a strong cast-iron construction that is both durable and delivers an excellent cooking 3experience whether you are baking or grilling.

It comes pre-seasoned, ensuring it will outlast all of your other cookware as long as you take care of it from time to time.

The units are not dishwasher-friendly, which should be obvious as they are made of cast-iron.

You need to wash them by hand using warm water, and a bit of natural oil will restore the pans to their factory standards. Overall, this bundle is a great choice for any amateur or professional chef.

Highlighted Features:

• It comes as a pack of two.
• Durable cast iron construction.
• Pre-seasoned for greater reliability.
• Excellent heat distribution.

2. Granite Stone 14” Nonstick Oven Safe Pan

Next up, we will be looking at a Nonstick skillet by the brand Granite Stone. Although most nonstick pots and pans are not safe to use in the oven, because of the design and construction of this unit, you can use them in any microwave or stovetop without any issue.

This pan is perfect for a large family because of its 14-inch size. The nonstick surface is coated with mineral-infused granite coating to ensure the highest efficiency in food release. In addition, it also has excellent heat dissipation and retention, which helps you cook faster.

Since it is a nonstick pan, you will have an easy time cleaning it. You can either put it in the dishwasher or clean it by hand.

It can tolerate oven temperatures of up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition to ovens, you can also use them on any sort of cooktop except electric induction cooktops.

The pan is completely PFOA-free which means you do not need to worry about any toxins getting mixed in your food while cooking.

Its coating not only allows for food release but also makes it extremely durable. With proper utensils, you do not have to worry about the nonstick coating wearing off anytime soon.

Highlighted Features:

• 14-inch size that give you big cooking space.
• Oven safe up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Durable mineral-infused granite coating.
• Easy to clean.

3. NutriChef 12" Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Ovenproof Frying Pan

If you want to go with a well-known name in the cookware industry, go with NutriChef. Their 12-inch cast-iron skillet is the perfect cooking companion whether you are a beginner or a professional. It delivers excellent cooking performance regardless of the dish you are preparing.

In the oven, it can withstand a temperature of up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Because of its cast iron construction, it shows excellent heat retention and dissipation quality.

It is also compatible with induction cooktops in addition to any other type of heating method available.

Despite being a cast-iron skillet, it features a nonstick coating that ensures quick and easy release of food.

So you do not have to add butter oil or cooking spray to slide out your food. In addition, the seasoning of the cookware protects it against any form of rust for a long time.

The unit features a side drip spout that lets you drain out any excess grease or oil from your food. It includes a tempered glass lid that goes on the skillet tightly.

The lid comes with a heat-resistant handle, and since it is transparent, you can monitor your cooking progress effortlessly.

Highlighted Features:

• Cast iron construction with nonstick coating.
• Durable construction.
• Includes a detachable silicone handle.
• It comes with a tempered glass lid.

4. SKY LIGHT Frying Pan 9.5 Inch

For our next product, we will be looking at a high-quality, stylish frying pan by the brand Sky Light.

If you are cooking for yourself, going with a larger skillet is not always necessary. This 9.5-inch skillet should cover all of your needs at an affordable price without any issues.

The skillet comes with a granite construction which means it is nonstick cookware. So you will have no issues with food release. In addition, it features a stainless-steel handle with further enhances its durability.

However, you do not get any heat-resistant covers for the handle so remember to use mitts when taking it out of the oven.

The bottom of the cookware is made using a 3-layer composite. As a result, you will be using it in any type of cooktop, including induction.

It is completely oven-safe up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit, and after cooking, you can even toss it in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.

Overall, this is an excellent frying pan that can add to any kitchen. However, because of its smaller size, you might not be able to cook for a large group of people.

Still, it offers an excellent value for the money, and if you do not have to entertain guests all the time, it is a great purchase.

Highlighted Features:

• Sturdy build quality.
• Features riveted stainless steel handles.
• 3-layer composite bottom.
• Oven and dishwasher friendly.

5. Granite Stone Nonstick 14” Frying Pan with Lid

It seems like we are looking at another excellent option by the brand Granite Stone. If their last product was any indication, you should never underestimate this brand when it comes to high-quality cookware.

This frying pan is one of their premium offerings for people who do not want to compromise on their kitchen tools.

This supersized 14-inch skillet is big enough to cook a hearty meal for an entire family. If you are planning to have friends over or want to cook for your family, this is a must-have unit for you. Its nonstick surface offers efficient and easy food release.

Thanks to the granite mineral coating on the cooking surface, it also can handle a high temperature of up to 550 degrees.

So, if you want to put it in the oven, it will not complain. You can also clean it using the dishwasher, saving you a lot of hassle from cleaning it manually.

It is a durable skillet with a nice tight-fitted lid included with your purchase. The lid comes with a stainless-steel handle and is transparent so that you can monitor your cooking progress.

You also get stainless steel handles with the unit that is long-lasting and will not bend or break anytime soon.

Highlighted Features:

• Excellent build quality.
• Large 14-inch size.
• Perfect for a large family.
• It comes with a good quality lid.

6. HITECLIFE Frying Pan 8-inch, Nonstick Skillet

Coming up next is another single-person skillet by the brand Hiteclife. With small skillets, the most important element might be its durability.

And despite the absurdly low price of the unit, it is surprisingly well-made. Unless you smash it on the floor repeatedly, it will last you for quite a long while.

This skillet only has around 8-inch capacity. So, if you want to cook large meals, it might not be the best choice.

However, for one or two persons, an 8-inch skillet is not a bad choice at all. In fact, because of the smaller size, you will be able to store it easily, even if you have a cramped kitchen space.

The body of the skillet is made using cast iron with a nonstick coating. As a result, you can easily put it in the oven and also the food will not stick when you want to take it out.

In addition, the outer layer of the unit comes with a coating of heat-resistant paint which enhances the insulation of the skillet.

The handle of the unit comes with two rivets and features stainless steel construction. Even at high temperatures, the handle stays cool to the touch.

As long as the oven temperature stays under 450 degrees Fahrenheit, this is an excellent choice for just about anyone.

Highlighted Features:

• Cast iron construction with nonstick coating
• PFOA or PFOS free
• Ergonomic, stainless steel handle
• Suitable for one or two persons

7. EOE Non-Stick Stainless-Steel Pan 5-Ply Bonded Honeycomb Skillet

To finish things up with style, we will be looking at the premium-quality, professional-grade skillet by the brand EOE.

If you see this skillet in any kitchen, just assume that the cook knows what he is doing. As far as the best ovenproof skillets go, this is one of the finest.

The unit features a honeycomb-style cooking surface. This unique design enhances the heat retention and spreading to ensure the heat is distributed evenly across the cooking surface. It also looks quite different and stylish when you hang it up on the kitchen rack.

It features stainless steel construction with 5-ply bonding and a nonstick surface. The base of the unit is completely warp resistant, and it can withstand extreme temperatures without breaking a sweat. Safe to say, using it in the oven or even a broiler is not an issue at all.

This is one of the most durable stainless-steel skillets on the market. The handle comes with double rivets, which means it will not break anytime soon.

Sadly, you do not get any lids with your purchase, which means you will have to invest in a good-quality one yourself if you want it.

Highlighted Features:

• Excellent build quality.
• Premium honeycomb cooking surface.
• 5-ply bonded stainless steel construction.
• Easy to clean in the dishwasher.

Things to Consider When Buying the Best Oven Safe Skillet

There are certainly some great options for you in our list of reviews, when you are planning to buy an oven fry pan. But not all of them might be suitable for your specific requirement.

To make the right choice, you need to understand some key features that dictate the quality of the tool.

In the following section of the article, we will list these aspects to help you better understand what to look for when investing in an oven-safe skillet.

Construction Material

The material with which the skilled is made plays a critical part in your consideration. A skillet can be made from cast iron, stainless steel, or even copper.

Each type of material has its own set of advantages and issues. That is why you need to know about the different types of materials and what to expect from them.

Cast Iron

Cast iron pans are an excellent choice if you are planning to use your skillet in the oven frequently. Since this type of skillets is made of metal, it can handle extreme temperatures without any complaints.

In addition, if you are going with an enamel oven safe cast iron skillet, it will have excellent protection against rust.

The issue with this material is that it requires careful maintenance. You cannot use it in the dishwasher, and soap is never an option when cleaning it.

Besides, this material is also heavier than stainless steel or copper, so handling it might be a bit of a hassle for some people.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel might be the most popular choice as a material for cookware these days. It has excellent heat tolerance, and a stainless-steel skillet is perfectly safe for any type of oven.

Besides, you can also put it in the dishwasher for easy cleaning since you do not have to worry about rust.

Some stainless-steel skillets come with an aluminum core which can further enhance their heat retention efficiency.

The major issue with this material is that it comes with no seasoning. So, food can easily get stuck to the pan after you are done cooking.

Aluminum

If you have ever made popcorn in the oven, then you should already know the efficiency of aluminum foil in capturing and dissipating heat.

So, it makes sense that an aluminum skillet is perfectly safe to use in the oven. However, since it is a good conductor of heat, you might need to cook longer to prepare your food.

In fact, some stainless-steel pans come with an aluminum core to improve their heat retention; aluminum pans work just as well.

The downside to this material is that since it is reactive if you cook acidic foods in it, there might be an unpleasant metallic taste in your food.

Copper

Copper used to be the only material choice for pots and pans once upon a time. As far as all-metal pans go, it was definitely a great option.

However, these days, it has largely fallen out of favor. Similar to aluminum, copper skillets can leave an unpleasant taste if you are cooking acidic foods.

Furthermore, copper skillets are also a lot more expensive than any other type of material.

It is also quite difficult to clean and cannot be used in the dishwasher. Because of all these reasons, it is rare to find copper skillets in any kitchen these days.

Nonstick

Despite the popular belief, certain nonstick pans can be used in the oven without any issues. However, most of them are not, so make sure you check the unit before you get it.

You will find a few excellent oven-friendly nonstick pans on our list, which should not cause any issues.

The best part about nonstick pans is that the food does not stick to the skillet. These are also quite affordable.

However, you cannot clean nonstick skillets in the dishwasher. You should also avoid using metal utensils as you can easily scratch the cooking surface and ruin the lining.

Heat Resistant Coating

Since you will be using the skillet in an oven, you need to check the quality of the heat-resistant coating.

Typically, any cast iron pan is perfectly safe to use in the oven because of its high heat tolerance. The same goes for copper or aluminum pans.

However, for nonstick units, you should see if it comes with a ceramic coating. With ceramic coating, a nonstick pan can withstand up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit temperature.

Too much heat resistant can be an issue too. With higher heat resistance, you will have to apply more heat and cook for longer.

Handles

The handle of the skillet is another important element to consider when buying it. After all, this is where you will hold it.

You want to make sure that the handle is comfortable and can save you from the high heat when you take it out of the oven.

Without heat-resistant coating, your handles will heat up when you put them inside the oven.

Unless it has proper insulation, it will not be able to protect your hands when you take it out. Some skillets come with removable handles that can really come in handy if your oven has limited space on the inside.

Size

A kitchen skillet comes in many different sizes. You can get a small 10-inch skillet if you are mostly cooking for yourself and another person.

A 12-inch skillet works perfectly for a family of four. While for more people, you would want to get at least a 14-inch skillet.

Furthermore, some units come in packs where you get two different size skillets for the price of one.

This type of bundle can offer excellent value if you need to cook for extra people. Besides, having extra cookware in the kitchen is never really a bad thing.

Heat Resistant Lids

One last thing you need to check is the lid that comes with your cookware. Since you are going for an oven-friendly skillet, the lid needs to be good enough to trap heat inside it.

Unless the lid is tight-fitted, the food will lose a lot of heat which means you will need to cook longer at a higher temperature.

This can cause your food to burn since you will not have as much precision and control when cooking it.

Getting a heat-resistant lid for your skillet is just as important as the skillet itself. The last thing you want is to get a skillet that fails to trap heat because of a poorly designed lid.

How to Know If Your Skillet is Oven Safe?

Our list of reviews should really help out someone who is planning to buy a new skillet for their kitchen.

But what do you do if you already have a skillet and not sure if it is oven-safe? Before you bite the bullet and put it in anyways, you should try to figure out if it is safe to use it in the oven.

Trying to see if your skillet is oven safe is not easy, however. Unless you are an expert on different aspects of a skillet, you might mess up. But there are certain things that can make things a bit clearer for you to understand.

In the following section of the article, we will give you a few quick tips to understand whether you should or should not use your pan in the oven.

Contact The Manufacturer

The first and the most obvious step you should take is to contact the manufacturer. If you bought a skillet without thinking if it is compatible or safe to use in the oven, you should contact the manufacturer before you try it out. In most cases, a simple phone call or email is enough to clear things up.

However, it is not always possible to get in touch with customer care, especially if you bought off-brand cookware.

This is why we always recommend going with a branded manufacturer. Even if it might be a bit pricier, the after-market service is almost always better.

Check The Material

If you cannot get in touch with the manufacturer, you should try and identify the material of the skillet.

Most skillets, when you buy it, come with a handy instruction manual with the dos and don’ts.

Even if the manual does not say if it is oven safe, the construction material will surely be listed there.

As a rule of thumb, aluminum, cast iron, or stainless-steel skillets are safe to use in the oven.

But nonstick skillets are usually not safe unless designed specifically to work in a microwave. We have already discussed extensively which material is suitable for oven use.

Check The Lid

If you cannot identify the material of the skillet, there is still hope. Some skillets come with their own tight-fitted lid, and it can help you understand whether you can use them in the oven. However, understanding whether it is oven-proof simply from the lid is quite hard.

The lids of the pans that go in the oven are capable of tolerating high levels of temperatures.

If your skillet came with a heat-resistant lid with a tempered glass construction, it is a safe bet that you can put it in the oven. Another way to tell is if the lid has a heat-resistant handle to open it.

Check The Handles

Yes, we know the lid might not be the most obvious way to tell if the pan is oven safe. Checking the handles, however, is a much easier way to identify them.

An oven-proof pan will obviously come with an oven-proof handle. And checking whether the handle is heat-resistant is quite easy.

Firstly, check the material of the handle. If it comes with rubber grips, this means the manufacturers knew you are going to put it in the oven and want to protect your hands when you take it out.

Stainless steel handles are also heat-resistant and can be used in the oven. However, handles made of plastic or wood are not suitable for oven use.

Are The Handles Detachable

Another neat trick to know if the skillet is oven safe is to see if the handle comes off.

This is a unique way some manufacturers design their skillets to ensure better accommodation in a small microwave oven. 

IF the handle is detachable, in most cases, this is an indication that the skillet is oven safe.

However, do not solely rely on this method to determine the capabilities of a skillet. Just because the handle comes off does not mean it is oven safe.

Some nonstick Teflon skillets also come with detachable handles. This one is more of a last resort checking option if the other methods do not work out for you.

Check The Coating

Finally, you should check the coating of the cookware. If you are using cast-iron cookware, usually they do not have any coating.

And since cast iron skillets are safe to use in the oven, you do not have to worry about it anyways. However, for nonstick or stainless-steel skillets, the coating is always present.

Nonstick cookware either feature Teflon or Enamel coating. If your skillet comes with Teflon coating, you should never put it in the oven.

Teflon releases chemicals when heated, and it can be quite harmful to your health. Enamel-coated skillets are completely safe to use in the oven and do not release any harmful chemicals.

Also read:

• Skillet vs Griddle
• Oil for cast iron skillet seasoning
• 6 Good quality Oven mitts for cast iron
• Cast iron skillet hot plate

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I clean a cast iron skillet?

Cast iron skillets, in most cases, are not dishwasher friendly. That is why you need to clean them by hand. Thankfully, even though it is a bit time-consuming, the steps are pretty simple.

All you need to do is run the pan under hot water and use a brush or scrubber to wash it thoroughly until it is clean.

2. What is the difference between pre-seasoned and normal cast iron skillets?

Pre-seasoned skillets come with a layer of oil, whereas unseasoned skillets do not have the layering. These days, most cast-iron skillets come with seasoning when you buy them.

3. Do I need a large ovenproof skillet?

It depends on how many people you are cooking for. If you are cooking for just two persons, a normal 10-inch skillet is enough. However, for a group of people, a large skillet is the better choice.

Final Thoughts

After buying an oven safe fry pan, you open up the door to a lot of easy cooking recipes. For any dedicated cook, this is a must-have kitchen tool.

Even if you have a few different skillets in your kitchen, you should have at least one oven safe pan.

Make sure to get your skillets right, or else you will experience a warped kitchen tool before you even finish cooking.

We hope our article on the best oven safe skillet could help you figure out the perfect new investment for your kitchen.