Article By: Suraiya Fardous
- December 9, 2023 , Last updated on : December 10, 2023
Using the proper frying pan for cooking fish can make a world of difference in taste and texture. Fish can easily stick to the pan you are cooking it on. As a result, the best frying pan for fish will not only cook the fish nicely but will also be easier to clean after you are done cooking. Besides fish, you can also use these pans to sear, fry, or cook various vegetables and meat.
Best frying pan for fish | Buying guide
When frying fish in a pan, you need to be able to fry it evenly. Besides your skill, the material and heat-conduction of your pan play an important part in this as well. Keep these things in mind when selecting the best frying pan for fish to buy.
Compatibility
First and foremost, the frying pan you have in mind needs to be compatible with the stove or cooker that you own. For example, if you have an induction cooker in your home, you need to get a frying pan that works on induction cookers.
Material
The material of the frying pan determines two important things: heat conduction and durability. However, the material that is best for you will depend on your budget because frying pans for fish that are made from better materials costs more as well. For example, frying pans with a quality ceramic non-stick coating will cost more.
Size
The size of the frying pan you have in mind will depend on your personal requirements. For example, if you are getting a pan for cooking for yourself only, you can get away with a small frying pan. Alternatively, if you want to deep fry a fish, you can go for a deep frying pan that can completely submerge the fish in oil.
Other Features
Other handy features you can look for include handles, oven compatibility, versatility, etc. For example, frying pans with a heat-resistant polymer handle will let you handle the pan even when you are cooking on it. Additionally, you can get a dishwasher-safe pan to make cleanup easier.
There are a lot of pans for cooking fish available on the market. However, not everyone has the time and money to test all the fish frying pans on the market to find the best one for themselves. Fortunately, it is our job, so we have the necessary resources to bring you the best frying pans for fish, which are ranked based on personal experience and user reviews.
List of the best frying pans for fish
OXO Frying Pan
CAROTE Skillet
T-fal Fry Pan
All-Clad E1002S63
SENSARTE Frying Pan
T-fal E93808 fry pan
CAROTE Deep Frying Pan
Gotham Steel 3 Piece Set
Rachael Ray 87631-T
Matfer Bourgeat
Lodge Skillet
SENSARTE Deep Frying Pan
OXO Frying Pan
Material: Hard Anodized Nonstick Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Compatibility:: Gas, electric coil, and oven
The OXO Frying Pan is the best pan for cooking fish because of its outstanding features. The best of which is its 3-layered German-engineered nonstick coating. Besides ensuring it stops the fish and other ingredients from sticking to the pan, the coating also lets you cook using much less oil.
The OXO Frying Pan can be used in an oven and can withstand a maximum temperature of 220°C. Additionally, your oven will be clean since it has rolled edges to prevent drips and spillovers when you are cooking. Furthermore, it is dishwasher safe, so cleaning the pan after use is easy.
Pros:
3-layered nonstick coating
Cooks perfectly with less oil
Stops spills and drips
Dishwasher safe
Cons:
Not for induction cookers
The biggest drawback of the OXO Frying Pan is that it is incompatible with induction cookers. However, if you have stovetops in your home, this basically has no drawbacks for you. Additionally, its heat conduction, combined with its features, makes it the best frying pan for fish.
The CAROTE Skillet is the best pan to fry fish because of its versatility. You can put it on any type of stovetop you want. Additionally, it has a highly conductive magnetic stainless steel base that makes it perfect for induction cookers. Furthermore, the superior construction material also ensures heat is evenly distributed when you are cooking.
The CAROTE Skillet makes your entire cooking experience healthier and safer. This is because it can cook, fry, or sear your fish with less oil. As a result, you can reduce unnecessary oil and fat intake. Additionally, less oil means less smoke when you are cooking and easy cleaning up after you are done cooking.
Pros:
Even heat distribution
Reduces smoke release
Works on all cooktops
Easy to clean
Cons:
Granite build is brittle and cannot handle impacts
If you have a flimsy hand, it is best to avoid any cookware made from granite since the material is brittle by nature. Other than that, the CAROTE Skillet’s features, in combination with its versatility, make it the best frying pan for fish on the market.
Compatibility: Smooth Surface Induction, Gas Stove
If you have trouble with preheating and finding the right time to throw in the ingredients, the T-fal Fry Pan is the one for you. It comes with a patented Thermo spot technology that turns the indicator red, which shows the pan is heated, and you can start putting in the ingredients. Additionally, it retains heat perfectly, so you can cook at the exact temperature required for the fish.
The T-fal Fry Pan can be considered a one-time investment thanks to its superior durability. One of the biggest problems of nonstick frying pans for fish is that the nonstick coating can be scratched off. However, the T-fal Fry Pan is scratch and corrosion-resistant, so you will never have to replace it.
Pros:
Retains heat perfectly
Superior patented Thermo spot technology
Very durable
Corrosion and scratch-resistant
Cons:
The handle could be better
The only drawback of the T-fal Fry Pan is that the handle on it is glued to the pan and can come off if handled too roughly. Other than that, its patented Thermo Spot technology, combined with its durability, makes it the best frying pan for fish.
The All-Clad E1002S63 are the best pans for searing fish. They come in packs of two, one 12”, 10”, and another 8”,10” frying pan.If you hate mistakenly burning your fish because of inconsistent heat absorption of the pans, then these pans will be your savior. They have a heavy gauge aluminum and a stainless steel base that delivers constant heat.
Even though All-Clad cookware is very expensive, they are worth every penny. When it comes to premium stainless steel pans, All-Clad takes the top spot. So, if you want to get a premium frying pan to cook fish, then this is the first choice that we are going to suggest for you.
Pros:
Base delivers even heat
Compatible with all stovetops
Sturdy handle
Cons:
The nonstick surface can be scratched easily
Our only issue with the All-Clad fish pans is that the non-stick surface on them can be easily damaged if you clean them with anything rough. However, since they can easily be cleaned with soap and water without the need for rubbing them, this will not be an issue. As a result, they are some of the best frying pans for fish.
The SENSARTE Frying Pan is the best frying pan for people who want the absolute best nonstick coating. Besides that, it has a comfortable woodgrain-designed handle that does not get hot even when you are cooking something in the pan. Additionally, it is very easy to clean and store after you are done cooking.
Aluminum itself does not allow pans to be usable on induction cookers. That is why they included the stainless steel disc under this pan. It not only makes the pan usable on an induction cooker but also makes it more durable. Overall, we loved the build of this frying pan.
Pros:
Superior Swiss nonstick coating
Comfortable woodgrain handle
Easy to clean
Cons:
No option for a glass lid
While most competitors include an option for a glass lid for some extra bucks, the SENSARTE Frying Pan does not have that option. However, if you prefer the features that the frying pan provides, you can get a lid later on. Additionally, its superior Swiss nonstick coating makes it the best frying pan for fish.
If you want a frying pan with the Thermo Spot technology and a stainless steel base, the T-fal E93808 is the one for you. The Thermo Spot technology is native to the pans from T-fal. Besides those, it also has a durable, non-stick coating that will last you a long time. Additionally, it has a reliable thick induction base that distributes heat evenly, so you do not overcook your fish mistakenly.
We loved the non-stick coating on this pan. Not only does it last a long time, but it also makes it very easy to clean the pan. Additionally, it minimizes the amount of cooking oil or butter that you need to fry the fish. Overall, we loved its performance with various types of fish.
Pros:
Durable and long-lasting nonstick coating
Has the Thermo spot tech
Reliable thick induction base
Cons:
The handle could be sturdier
While T-fal makes some of the best pans on the market, they are still lacking in the ‘Handle’ department. The T-fal E93808 also has a fickle handle that can come off if handled roughly. Other than that, its superior nonstick coating makes it the best frying pan for fish on the market that you can buy.
The CAROTE Deep Frying Pan is SGS-approved since it is completely free from PFOS and PFOA, which are harmful materials. Additionally, it has a bigger induction base for even and constant heat distribution. This, combined with its capacity of 6.5 Quarts, makes it the best pan for deep frying fish. Besides that, you can also use the pan to sear and cook fish as well.
This is one of the best-selling pans for deep frying fish and with good reason. While testing the pan, we noticed how easy it was to fully dip the fish in oil and deep fry it. Even with CAROTE’s non-existent marketing efforts, the pan sells really well, which says more than enough about the quality of the pan.
Pros:
Free from PFOA
Enlargened induction base
Perfect for various types of dishes
Cons:
Cannot be used in ovens or dishwashers
The only drawback of the CAROTE Deep Frying Pan is that you cannot use it for cooking fish in ovens. Furthermore, you cannot clean it in a dishwasher. However, if you do not have plans to use it in an oven or clean it in a dishwasher, it is one of the best frying pans for fish.
Just as the name suggests, there are three pans in the Gotham Steel 3-piece set. They are the best pans to cook fish in an oven because they can handle a higher temperature than most competitors. Additionally, they are good for your health since the materials used in production are free from PFOA, PFOS, lead & cadmium.
This pan can be easily cleaned in a dishwasher or with soap and water. Since copper has natural non-stick properties, they do not need a separate non-stick coating on this pan. As a result, you can use it in a dishwasher without worrying about damaging its non-stick properties.
Pros:
Three pans in a lucrative deal
Free from PFOA, PFOS, lead & cadmium
Effortless cleanup
Cons:
Nonstick ceramic copper coating can be scratched
It is suggested that you do not use the pans in the Gotham Steel 3 Piece Set with any metal utensils because you can mistakenly scratch off the nonstick copper coating. Other than that, their features, combined with the lucrative deal, make them the best frying pans for fish.
The Rachael Ray 87631-T is perfect for people looking for a large fish frying pan. It has a diameter of 14 inches, so you can effortlessly cook for the whole family on it. Additionally, it heats up quickly and spreads out the heat evenly on the pan, so no part of your meal will be overcooked or undercooked.
To get a consistent result, it is important to get a frying pan that can distribute the heat evenly. Thanks to the excellent build quality of this pan, you can fry your fish evenly with this. Additionally, the pan has a very large surface area, so you can use it to fry those big fish that are harder to cook evenly.
Pros:
Heats up quickly and evenly
Large surface area
Long-lasting nonstick coating
Cons:
Food may spill because of low edges
The Rachael Ray 87631-T has small bezels on the side. As a result, if you are a beginner cook, food may spill over the sides when cooking. Other than that, the Rachael Ray 87631-T is the best frying pan for fish to feed the whole family.
The Matfer Bourgeat is perfect for retaining the vitamins and nutrients in your food thanks to its superior temperature control. Additionally, it is a versatile frying pan, so you can use it for cooking fish on all types of stovetops and ovens. Lastly, it has a welded handlebar that is very durable and can handle everything that you throw at it.
Considering you have seasoned this pan correctly, it can produce some of the best results with fish out of all the pans on this list. However, we have ranked it later because it has a higher skill cap. This means that you need more experience to cook better with this pan.
Pros:
Top-notch temperature control
Versatile frying pan
Durable welded handlebar
Cons:
Looks could be better
While the Matfer Bourgeat is one of the best frying pans for fish, it comes at the bottom of our list because of its lackluster design. You can see the wielding where the pan is connected to the handlebar. However, if looks are something that does not matter to you, the Matfer Bourgeat is the best pan you can get.
The Lodge Skillet is one of the best frying pans for more experienced cooks looking for something to cook their fish. It has unparalleled heat attention and can cook your fish evenly without any issues. Additionally, it can withstand heat up to 500 Fahrenheit.
Your meals will be tastier the more you use the skillet to cook fish. If you did not already know, you need to season skillets to get the best results out of it. This is why it produces better results when you use it more often. So, if you usually cook a lot of fish on a daily basis, get this skillet.
Pros:
Unparalleled heat retention
Seasoning improves with more use
Does not wrap easily
Cons:
Requires high maintenance
The Lodge Skillet is another great pan for cooking fish. However, it comes later on our list because it requires a lot of maintenance, so it is best for professional or experienced home cooks. As a result, if you have been cooking for a long time, it is the best fish frying pan you can buy.
Material:Cast Aluminum, Magnetic conductive StainlessSteel
Compatibility: Gas, electric, induction
The SENSARTE Deep Frying Pan is large and has depth, so it can be used to shallow fry, saute, stirfry, boil, and deep fry. It has handy pouring spouts on the side that you can use to drain water from your meal. Additionally, it has a comfortable woodgrain handle that does not heat up easily when you are cooking.
While non-stick surfaces are not really required in deep frying pans, they still provide a coating on this one. This makes it a very versatile pan. You can cook various dishes with fish in this pan. The non-stick coating will ensure you can clean it easily afterward as well.
Pros:
Can cook a wide variety of meals
Functional pouring spout
Comfortable woodgrain handle
Cons:
Could be more durable
The cast aluminum used to make the SENSARTE Deep Frying Pan is what makes it so brittle. As a result, you have to place it on stoves or countertops carefully, or else it might crack. However, if you can handle it carefully, you can use it for cooking all types of meals consisting of fish easily.
Since there are a lot of pans on the market, the best frying pan for fish will be the one that fits your specific needs. For example, if you want to deep fry your fish, go for the CAROTE Deep Frying Pan or SENSARTE Deep Frying Pan according to your budget. Alternatively, if you want the best nonstick pan, go for the SENSARTE Frying Pan. If you liked our top picks, check out our choices of the best stone frying pans and pans for cooking bacon.
