It’s no secret that the entire Camille Styles team is addicted to home cooking. Don’t get me wrong, we love going out to restaurants (now that we can!) but nothing feels better than a home-cooked meal that you’ve personally put time, love, and energy into making. We view cooking as an artistic expression, a labor of love, an exploratory moment where time stands still—okay, so I’m getting a little carried away but you get the gist. We just really love testing new recipes, mixing unexpected ingredients, and playing with food, especially when we get to share our culinary experiments with friends and family. That means we’re always on the hunt for the best pots and pans to make the experience even better.
So who do we turn to for expert kitchen product recommendations? Chefs and foodies, of course. They’re the connoisseurs of taste, our sensory scientists if you will, who love to dive down the culinary rabbit hole like us. Read on to learn about the best pots and pans top foodies and chefs always use and recommend. Did your favorite make the cut?
The Best Pans:
“Beautiful functional pans and dinnerware from a POC-owned company.” — Lani Halliday, owner, Brutus Bakeshop
“The minimalist in me just loves Our Place. I have been using the Always Pan a little more often with the baby because of the steamer baskets—it’s way too easy not to. I also love Caraway and I have a set of Alclad stainless from my wedding too but the most important part is removing endocrine-disrupting chemicals.” — Kelly LeVeque, celebrity nutritionist and best-selling author
Stargazer 10.5-Inch Cast Iron Skillet
“I love these pre-seasoned cast iron pans for roast meat and vegetables. They’re oven safe and are perfect for dishes that start on the stove and finish in the oven.” — Seamus Mullen, chef, and author
Hestan Nanobond™ Stainless-Steel Skillet Fry Pan, 11″
“The Hestan pans are beautifully crafted and have a polished surface that’s as close to non-stick as you can get in a steel pan. Love these!” — Seamus Mullen, chef, and author
“My grandmother taught me to cook using cast iron pans when I was a kid and I still remember all of the benefits. You can cook anything from the perfect sunny-side-up egg to a gorgeous steak and even a stir fry. Cart iron can withstand the hugest of heats and even transfers to the oven to continue cooking when needed. They’re virtually nonstick and totally affordable to boot. My 15” cast iron pan never leaves my stovetop because of its three-meal a day rotation.” — Catherine McCord, author and founder of Weelicious and One Potato
“It’s an affordable classic, and every kitchen should have a cast-iron skillet.” — Alison Wu, founder Wu Haus, and Ami Ami
Staub ® 11″ Matte Black Traditional Skillet
“I could not recommend this skillet more. I use it for everything, baking my favorite morning dutch baby, one-skillet dinners, and skillet desserts like strawberry cobbler. It can go from the stove to the oven, and then right to the table. It really does it all and the clean-up is so easy. I just simply rinse with warm water and wipe out the skillet after use. I have a total of four of the same skillets and use them every day! The best part is they will last me a lifetime.” — Tieghan Gerard, founder, Half Baked Harvest
Staub Enameled Cast Iron Grill Pan & Press
“I love searing burgers and chicken cutlets on the grill pan, then finishing the cooking in the oven. You get all the grill-charred deliciousness all year round and in the rain!” — Alison Cayne, founder, Haven’s Kitchen
Staub Cast Iron Enameled Frying Pan, 10-inch
“This is the ultimate pan for sautéing veggies—they get perfectly browned and caramelized around the edges. I love how the enameled cast iron is easy to clean with just regular dish soap and water—no special treatment required.” — Jeanine Donofrio, creator, Love & Lemons, author, Love & Lemons Every Day
“There’s a reason people rave about cast-iron skillets—they get ultra-hot and cook evenly. I also love how versatile they are—you can cook so many things in a cast-iron pan from breakfast to dinner.” — Athena Calderone, designer, author, and entertaining expert
Field Company Cast Iron Skillet
“This small-batch, extremely high quality cast iron skillet is a workhorse that is also stunning to display (hang it from a hook above the stove!). I use it daily, for everything from tofu and eggs to sautéed vegetables for the last three years, and have never had to re-season! It only gets better with time.” — Sarah Copeland, author, Every Day Is Saturday and Instant Family Meals
“My search for a nonstick pan that is truly safe and actually works has been ongoing for years… but it’s finally ended, thanks to Material’s one-of-a-kind version made of stainless steel wrapped around a copper core. The company engaged in rigorous testing to ensure that its lead-free and fume-free coating lasts up to 37x longer than ceramic. Did I mention that it can go in the dishwasher, and the beautiful “Dune” colorway is a perfect match for the neutral tones in my kitchen? This is the pan I reach for every time I fire up the stove.” — Camille Styles, editor-in-chief, Camille Styles
Made In Stainless Clad 3.5 qt Saute Pan
“This stainless steel beauty is one of my go-to’s—I’ve had for years and it’s still rocking! It provides the same functionality as a 12′ frying pan would, but the tall sides make it great for braising and sauce-based dishes. — Alex Snodgrass, creator/founder, The Defined Dish
Ballarini Parma 12′ Nonstick Skillet
“I’ve had this non-stick skillet for at least four years, and it’s still working like a dang charm, which is hard to come by in the non-stick world. Most of the other “non-stick” skillets I’ve tried lose their non-stick capabilities within four to six months… but the Ballarini makes cooking easy, breezy—and the clean-up too!” — Alex Snodgrass, creator/founder, The Defined Dish
The Best Pots:
“A woman-owned business based in NYC, these pans bring beautiful color to my cooktop and wear beautifully.” — Lani Halliday, owner, Brutus Bakeshop
“I love a multi-use pot that’s so gorgeous it can sit on your stove for all time, and be put to work at a moment’s notice. I cook soup, pasta, roast chicken, stews, and even breakfast bakes in this beauty.” — Sarah Copeland, author, Every Day Is Saturday and Instant Family Meals
“I love the versatility of the dutch oven—you can roast a Brasato (beef cooked in red wine and beef broth) and use it as a pot, too. I love the saucepan to make the perfect pasta! The fry pan is the perfect companion when I make breakfast for my son—he loves my sourdough pancakes with a cheese crust. Since the pan is nonstick, the cheese crust releases from the pan easily.” — Daniele Uditi, chef, Pizzana
STAUB Cast Iron Oval Cocotte, 7-Quart
“Once you use this cast-iron Dutch oven, you’ll never want to use another one again. Staub is my mainstay and just gets it right for any braise, soup, or stock.” — Athena Calderone, designer, author, and entertaining expert
Staub Enameled Cast Iron Essential French Oven, 3 3/4-Qt.
“Similar to a Dutch oven, I love this pot for soups, stews, and every kind of one-pot meal. The curved sides make it especially easy to stir without any bits getting stuck into the corners.” — Jeanine Donofrio, creator of Love & Lemons, author of Love & Lemons Every Day
“Le Creuset makes pots you will own forever. Since they’re ceramic they can withstand high temperatures and have a non-stick surface. I make soups, stews, and slow braises in mine on any stovetop from gas, electric, or induction and into the oven too. One of the greatest gifts you will give the future chef in your life.” — Catherine McCord, author and founder of Weelicious and One Potato
Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Braiser, 5 qt.
“I use this for pretty much everything from sauteing to making sauces to cooking risotto. It’s my go-to kitchen pot that works well on the stove and in the oven.” — Alison Wu, founder Wu Haus, and Ami Ami
Bonus Recommendations:
“I use sheet pans literally every meal—I use them to cook, sure, but also for prep and as trays. I love that the Great Jones sheets come in fun colors and the quality is amazing—mine get pretty beat up, but the colors are still vivid and they hold up!” — Alison Cayne, founder, Haven’s Kitchen
“The Made In wok works great for quick cooking because it really retains its heat. I use it for cooking meat and veggies, and it allows the spices to stay right on the meat!” — Stephanie Izard, chef/partner Girl & The Goat, Little Goat Diner, Duck Duck Goat, Cabra, Sugargoat, and Girl & The Goat L.A.
Did your favorite make the list? If not, share it with us below!
