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Frying pans come in all different shapes and sizes, and if you’re looking to cook up a large amount of food, bigger is better. However you might be looking at what you have and think, I don’t have anything that’s going to help me? Is there anything bigger than this? The answer is yes!
Frying pans, at an industrial size, can get to be around 20 inches wide. However, these are impractical and are often not used for at-home use. The largest pan that is best for at-home use, is 12, 14, and 16 inches across.
There are different types of frying pans though, that cook differently and are meant for different foods. So it’s important that you don’t use one pan for everything you cook.
Frying Pan Sizes
Frying pans may differ in sizes between brands and sets, but typically, frying pans come in the 12-inch size.
However, there are other bigger sizes that come in some sets or seperately. If you have a larger family or love to cook often, you may find that you need a bigger pan. There are some pans that are sold that come in 14 inches and even 16 inches.
You should also know that pans are measured straight across, and not based on circumference.
To help you find a pan the size that you need, we’ve compiled this helpful list of pans and their sizes.
| Brand | Size | Price |
| Le Crueset | 11 3/4 in | $205.99 |
| All-Clad | 12in | $395.0 |
| Cuisinart | 14in | $80.00 |
| Faberware | 14in | $50.00 |
| Analon | 14in | $63.99 |
| Sedona | 13in | $59.99 |
| Caraway | 16in | $95 |
This is a chart of the most popular or well-known cookware companies along with their biggest offered pan. Whilst within this article we won’t be investigating each pan in this graph, it’s helpful to be able to see the different types of price points for each pan, and for each company.
Some pans are going to run more expensive than others because of the material that they’re made out of, and just because of the brand name. There are a multitude of factors into what type of frying pan you’re looking for, and which one to go with, this is simply a list of the most popularly known.
Buying Guide to the Best Large Frying Pans
A large pan obviously means a large amount of food can be cooked in it at once without overcrowding the pan. It also means greater heat retention, as there is more material available to hold heat. So you might be wondering, which is the best one for me?
Eight Inch Pan
8-inch pans are on the smaller side of the “large pan” adventure, but there are some benefits to having an 8-inch pan. A smaller pan means more evenly distributed heat and the ability to reach high temperatures.
They can be used to cook eggs, chicken breasts, and sautéing. 8-inch pants are going to be the smallest “large” pans you can find and tend to be a medium size pan in comparison to others. however, they are still large enough to cook large foods, just not multiple Foods at once.
You can buy a number of 8-inch pans on amazon, or at any cook-ware store!
Here is one on Amazon
for $24.99 by Cuisinart
Ten Inch Pan
10-inch pans are a standard for frying pans on the large side. For some brands, this is one of the biggest you can get.
A medium pan means a middle ground where more can fit in the pan without overcrowding it and still being able to spread heat out. These are middle ground pans, the in-between. these are large pans but aren’t going to be the largest that you can purchase. t
They’re great if you don’t have enough storage space within your kitchen but still need a larger pan in order to have versatile cooking. They can be used for large meals or smaller ones
Ten-inch pans are super common. Frequently, 10-inch pans, the types of pans that are the largest in a group or a set. however, you can also buy them separately and they come in a multitude of materials depending on what you’re looking for.
You can buy one on Amazon, here! For $40
Twelve Inch Pan
A large pan obviously means a large amount of food can be cooked in it at once without overcrowding the pan. It also means greater heat retention, as there is more material available to hold heat. You can easily make one-pan meals for 3-4 people in a 12-inch pan.
These pans are ideal if you’re looking for ones that are going to be large and still hold heat retention. They have just enough space along with circumference that is still going to be able to heat up quickly and have everything cooks around the same time.
You can buy one here for $50
14 to 16 Inch Pans
These are probably the largest pans you’re going to get. If you’re looking to be able to cook as much as possible at once, these pans are the way to go.
One of the struggles, however, that comes with this large of pans is heat dispersion. The pans are so big, it can take a while for them to heat up. and on top of that, oftentimes the center of the panda going to be the hottest areas as stove tops are not always best equipped to handle pans this size.
These panss are going to be best for industrial kitchens or hardcore chefs.
They also tend to run on the pricier side so if you aren’t going to use it regularly it isn’t worth it in the long run to purchase one.
These can be harder to get a hold of but you can still buy one here on Amazon!
Best Large Frying Pan Material:
If you’re going to be purchasing a large frying pan it’s important that you buy one that has the correct material you’re going for. The material is what’s going to help your cooking experience! Pans come in plenty of different materials.
If you want a searing, frying, and roasting pan, you’re gonna want to look at a cast-iron skillet.
If you’re looking for more of a braising pan, an enameled cast-iron skillet is better. Enameled cast iron offers many of the same benefits of classic cast iron, but without the hassle of seasoning. These pans are heavy and thick, making them take longer to heat up than other pans.
Stainless steel is a classic pan material, and for good reason. Stainless steel pans are good for searing, sautéing, braising, and making sauces. These can be a little bit deeper than some of the other pans. It also is harder to damage than pans like cast iron.
So, whatever size is going to fit your need best to make sure that you’re looking out for things like material, and price, when it comes to buying a large frying pan.