Buy by what you cook most. Nonstick suits eggs and delicate food at low to medium heat. Stainless steel suits searing, pan sauces and hot ovens. Cast iron holds heat and works over almost any heat source, but it is heavy and needs a hand-wash, dry and oil routine. The comparison below uses one current pan of each type and the makers’ own instructions.

Side by side

All-Clad HA1 Expert 10" (nonstick) All-Clad D3 10" (stainless) Lodge 10.25" skillet (cast iron)
Surface PTFE nonstick, hard-anodized aluminum Stainless steel, aluminum core Cast iron seasoned with vegetable oil
Oven Up to 500°F; avoid broiler Oven and broiler up to 600°F Oven, grill or campfire
Induction Yes Yes Yes
Dishwasher Safe, but hand washing recommended Hand wash only No; hand wash
Heat advice Low to medium; high only to boil Low to moderate preheat; high only to boil Start at medium-low

The Lodge 10.25-inch skillet weighs 5.66 pounds and the 12-inch weighs 7.69 pounds, according to Lodge. All-Clad’s spec sheets list a weight figure without a unit, so they’re left out here.

Nonstick: easiest release, most rules about heat

All-Clad describes the HA1 Expert surface as “long-lasting PTFE nonstick” on hard-anodized aluminum with a stainless-steel base. Its care instructions are the strictest of the three: “Cook over low and medium heat. Never use high heat unless boiling liquids. Do not overheat empty cookware.” It recommends “plastic, nylon, silicone, or wooden utensils” because “metal utensils may scratch the nonstick surface,” and says nonstick cooking spray is not recommended.

The pans are oven safe to 500°F, but All-Clad says to avoid the broiler. They are dishwasher safe, though All-Clad recommends washing by hand.

On safety: FDA explains that the PFAS used in nonstick coatings are polymerized and “applied to the surface of the cookware at very high temperatures,” and that “studies show negligible amounts of PFAS in this coating can migrate to food.” All-Clad’s product page also carries the disclosure “This product contains PTFE for its nonstick properties.”

Stainless steel: searing and hot ovens, with a learning curve

All-Clad’s D3 is tri-ply: an aluminum core with a stainless steel cooking surface. It is “oven & broiler safe up to 600°F” and induction compatible. The 10-inch fry pan page says “Handwash Only.”

Stainless doesn’t release food the way nonstick does. All-Clad’s guidance is to preheat on low to moderate heat, add oil, and wait: on stainless, food “will be ready to turn when it no longer sticks to the pan.” It also suggests deglazing the browned bits for a sauce.

Two care notes from All-Clad: add salt after liquid boils or food starts cooking to avoid small white pits, and “never place a hot pan under cold water, as it could cause warping.” For stuck-on food it suggests baking soda and water brought to a boil, and for tough marks a nonabrasive cleanser such as Bar Keepers Friend.

Cast iron: heat retention and any heat source

Lodge says its skillets come seasoned with vegetable oil and are “compatible with any stovetop (including induction), oven, grill, or campfire.” It says cast iron “retains heat like no other cookware,” and that a common mistake is “cooking at a too-high temperature”; it recommends starting at medium-low. Lodge also describes its cast iron as made without PFAS.

The care routine is “wash, dry, oil.” Lodge says dish soap is fine, but no soaking (“a recipe for rust”) and no dishwasher, which “will remove the seasoning and likely cause rust.” Seasoning builds as you cook with oil or fat, and Lodge explains how to re-season in a 450 to 500°F oven if needed.

How to choose

  1. Eggs, pancakes and fish most days: nonstick, kept at low to medium heat with non-metal utensils.
  2. Searing meat, pan sauces, oven finishing or the broiler: stainless steel, which All-Clad rates for the oven and broiler up to 600°F (Lodge doesn’t publish an oven limit for its skillet).
  3. Searing, roasting, baking or cooking on a grill or campfire: cast iron, if the weight is manageable and you’ll dry and oil it after washing. Lodge says cooking with oil or fat, such as frying bacon or searing a steak, builds up the seasoning.
  4. Cooking both delicate and high-heat food: the heat limits above point to two pans, a nonstick for low-to-medium-heat food and a stainless or cast iron pan for searing and the oven.

Check the exact pan’s instructions before buying, since oven limits and dishwasher advice vary by line, even within one brand.

Pans compared

FAQ

Is nonstick cookware safe?

FDA says PFAS used for nonstick coatings are polymerized and bound to the pan at very high temperatures, and that studies show negligible amounts of PFAS in this coating can migrate to food. All-Clad discloses that its HA1 Expert pans contain PTFE and tells owners to cook over low and medium heat and not to overheat empty cookware.

Can cast iron go in the dishwasher?

No. Lodge says its cast iron should be washed by hand, and that a dishwasher will remove the seasoning and likely cause rust. Lodge does say dish soap is fine.

Which pan can go under the broiler?

All-Clad rates its D3 stainless pans as oven and broiler safe up to 600°F. It says to avoid using its HA1 Expert nonstick pans under the broiler; they are oven safe up to 500°F.

Sources