Whenever I’m in the market for a new skillet, I think of Goldilocks and the Three Bears: One skillet seems too small. Another one is too big. And so it goes until I finally find the one that’s just right for me.
It’s important to choose wisely and do your due diligence because, as I’m sure you know, good cookware doesn’t come cheap. I know this because as someone who cooks and writes about food for a living, I’ve bought and used my fair share of skillets and done a good bit of research on the topic.
In talking to family, friends, and followers on the subject of cookware, I’ve noticed that many home cooks aren’t really sure about the best skillet size to buy for their needs. Which brings us to why I wrote this story.
Read on, and I’ll share my thoughts about the three most common skillet sizes — 8, 10, and 12 inches — and help you decide whether or not they have a place in your kitchen.
Choosing the Right Skillet Size
Skillets between 10 and 12 inches provide enough cooking surface for most home cooking needs, on the stovetop or in the oven.
Eight-inch skillets, on the other hand, are fine for small meals such as a single egg or breakfast for one, but even then, they lack room for maneuvering.
As a general rule, choose a 10-inch skillet if you’re cooking for yourself or for two, and a 12-inch skillet if you cook for a family of three or more. But even so, many cooks skip the 10-inch skillet and use a 12-inch one for most of their cooking, regardless of how many people live in their household.
Here’s a comparison of the three sizes:
- 8-inch skillet: Ideal for small, single-person meals like an egg cooked sunny-side-up or a couple of breakfast sausages.
- 10-inch skillet: A good all-around size for most cooking tasks, especially for households of two. This skillet size usually fits 2-3 eggs, a 14-ounce (400-gram) can of tomatoes, and one medium-sized salmon fillet.
- 12-inch skillet: The most versatile size, offering ample space for larger meals or families of three or more. Ideal for thick-cut steak, large fish fillets, and baking cornbread.
How to Choose
To start, consider the meals you prepare for your family and yourself the most often. If, for example, you regularly cook large cuts like T-bone or New York Strip steak, a 12-inch skillet may very well be your best choice. The same is true if you cook big batches of food, like burgers for the entire family or a whole package of sausages.
The other thing to consider when choosing a pan size is the number of people in your household. An 8-inch pan will be too small for two, just like the cooking surface of a 10-inch pan won’t suffice for a family of three or more. While you could always cook the food in batches, this means that some family members will always have to wait for their food while others eat, preventing everyone from enjoying a meal together.
Last but not least, measure your stovetop’s burners — or cooking zones if you own a cooktop — before buying the pan. Use a tape measure and check the diameter of the most appropriate burner. Choose a pan that matches your cooktop’s existing heating zones unless you have a variable cooking zone.
What About 14-Inch Skillets?
If you cook for a large family and have a range with big burners or a cooktop with a variable cooking zone, a 14-inch skillet is an option. But for everyday cooking, especially for most home cooks, a skillet this big can pose some challenges.
With a 14-inch skillet, the sheer size makes it harder for a standard stovetop burner to heat the entire surface evenly. So you’ll likely end up with a very hot spot directly over the burner, and then cooler areas towards the edges. This can be an issue because your food won’t cook as evenly.
That’s why I keep saying that for everyday cooking, most home cooks are better off with a 10- or 12-inch skillet. Of course, while this is generally true, there are exceptions, and your situation may just be one of them.