The Best Skillet For Pancakes In 2024 – Reviews & Buying Guide

You can’t beat starting the day with a round of freshly-made pancakes, but if you don’t use the right pan you risk ending up with a scrambled, scrappy mess on your breakfast plate.

What’s the best skillet for pancakes, then?

Based on my extensive research, the Le Creuset Skillet comes out on top here.

For a start, you get all the heating benefits of cast iron cookware! More than that though, the enamel layering protects against damage and also helps aid non-stick cooking performance.

Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Crepe Pan with...
  • Enameled cast iron delivers superior heat distribution and retention
  • Ready to use, requires no seasoning
  • Easy-to-clean and durable enamel resists dulling, staining, chipping and cracking
  • Black satin interior enamel develops a patina over time to enhance cooking performance
  • Ergonomically angled handle is designed for a comfortable grip away from direct heat and easy lifting

In the rest of this guide you’ll find more detail on the Le Creuset, as well as my reviews of two other popular options.

First though, I’ve started with a basic buying guide that will help you narrow down the right choice for your kitchen!

(Want to learn more about cookware? Take a look through my archive for more guides and reviews.)

A stack of pancakes sitting on a plate, with icing sugar being sprinkled on top

What To Look For In A Pancake Skillet

If all you need is a quick recommendation, go for the Le Creuset above. It’s a perfect all-round pan and will produce many perfect pancakes!

Before I move onto the actual reviews, here’s a quick guide on what I look for in a perfect pancake skillet. 

This has informed how I’ve shortlisted the skillets for this guide, and I think you’ll find it useful if you want to continue with your own research.

A Non Stick Cooking Surface

A dedicated pancake skillet needs a proper non-stick pan to be effective. You’re working with a wet mixture after all, which seems almost designed to stick to the pan and make a mess!

It’s not impossible to salvage a stuck pancake! The end result is likely to be a little scrappy though, and by the time you’ve managed to work it off the surface with your spatula!

Teflon’s become a controversial subject in recent years, but there are many different types of non-stick coatings out there. 

In this buying guide I’ve focused on pancake skillets that take a chemical-free approach to non-stick cooking.

A Flat & Even Cooking Surface

Your pancake skillet needs to be as flat as…well, a pancake! This is the key to getting an evenly cooked pancake onto the plate. 

If you’ve ever tried making a pancake with one of your old, warped pans you’ll know what I’m talking about here.

For the best results, you should look for a skillet that’s made of a thick material, with a thick bottom too.

That’ll ensure it can withstand the occasional knock in the kitchen, and not lose its effectiveness over time.

The Shape & Size Of Your Pancake Skillet

If you’re just making the odd pancake for one here and there, a small pan is fine. A larger pan can be useful if you want to make more than one at a time though. 10 inches or above is the right size to aim for.

With that said, some of the pancake skillets I’ve reviewed here are available in different sizes. Start by working out which of these pans is best for you, then look at the size options for your own household.

If you know you’re going to be cooking for many people at the same time, you might even consider a pancake skillet that has individual compartments. 

These aren’t as versatile as other skillets by design, but you do get very even, very consistent results.

Curved Sides Are Better Than Straight

If you can’t flip your pancake effortlessly, you’ll struggle to get the best results.

This is why I recommend buying a pancake skillet that has curved sides, rather than straight. 

You’ll find it much easier to angle a spatula in there to flip the pancake with this shape.

Alternatively, if you don’t want to handle the pancake with a utensil too much, a curved side makes it easier to slide the pancake towards the edge ,and then toss it with a flick of the wrist!

Pancake Skillet Reviews

In the next section I’m going to take a much closer look at both my top choice, as well as a couple of alternatives that are suited to different kitchen situations!

I’ll explain their key features, and provide some thoughts on how they perform against the requirements I’ve gone through in the last section.

BEST OVERALL: Le Creuset Durable Cast Iron Crepe Pan

Le Creuset makes some of the best-performing and most durable cookware on the market. Its signature cast iron crepe pan provides the sort of heat distribution performance the material is famous for, with the added protection of an enamel layer.

Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Crepe Pan with...
  • Enameled cast iron delivers superior heat distribution and retention
  • Ready to use, requires no seasoning
  • Easy-to-clean and durable enamel resists dulling, staining, chipping and cracking
  • Black satin interior enamel develops a patina over time to enhance cooking performance
  • Ergonomically angled handle is designed for a comfortable grip away from direct heat and easy lifting

(Heads up! If you click on a product link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. I never recommend a product I wouldn’t use in my own kitchen, and this helps keep the site running. Thank you.)

Materials & Non Stick

Most cast iron cookware requires regular seasoning to ensure a non-stick surface. For experienced cooks that’s not a problem, but this can be a little off-putting for newcomers!

Helpfully, the Le Creuset cast iron pancake skillet includes an enamel layer which not only releases food from the cooking surface cleanly, but also acts as a protective layer against staining and damage.

This means the pan will last and look better for longer, while providing an excellent non-stick cooking surface as well.

Technically this layering also makes the Le Creuset dishwasher-safe, but I’d still be tempted to wash it by hand.

Size & Shape

The Le Creuset is available in a single 10.75 inch size, which is just about the right size for making smaller pancakes or larger crepes.

As for the shape of the pan? The sides are curved, making it easy to slide the pancake over for flipping, or for angling a spatula in.

Who’s It For?

If you want a high-performance pancake skillet that will last for years, the Le Creuset is an obvious choice. It’s comfortable to hold too, and easy to clean if you’re happy to run it through the dishwasher! 

BEST FOR BATCHES: Nordic Ware Silver Dollar Pancake Pan

Nordic Ware makes the best of the “compartment” pancake skillets I’ve researched for this guide.

Although you lose control over the pancake size, you do gain very uniform results, and everyone gets their pancakes served warm at the same time – including the cook’s!

Sale
Nordic Ware Silver 01940 Scandinavian Dollar...
  • Makes Seven 3-inch Silver Dollar Pancakes at one time
  • Can be used with any pancake recipe
  • Made of heavy warp-resistant cast aluminum that ensures even heating
  • Hand washing recommended with mild detergent
  • Made in the USA with handle from China

Materials & Non Stick

This particular pancake skillet is made from aluminum. That’s a great cookware material for even heating, but it’s not the strongest overall.

To help with this, Nordic Ware has strengthened this cast aluminum to prevent the pan from warping. You get the same performance of bare aluminum, in other words, but with a little more durability baked-in.

Size & Shape

The Nordic Ware skillet is designed to make up to seven, three-inch pancakes at a time. That means they’ll be pretty small individually, but for batch cooking it’s very appealing.

There are also some fun options for the kids too! Different versions of this pancake skillet come with different designs that are embossed into the pancake.

Have a browse through the options after you’ve clicked the link above.

Who’s It For?

If you want to make lots of smaller pancakes at once – and in one skillet – then this is a very cost-effective option. I wouldn’t expect this pan to last as long as the others (which is fair at this price), but it’ll get the job done really well.

BEST BUDGET: Cuisinart French Classic Crepe Pan

If the Le Creuset is tempting but beyond the reach of your wallet, definitely consider the Cuisinart French Classic Crepe Pan as an excellent alternative. It’s from a trusted brand, and gets this one simple job done really well.

Sale
Cuisinart French Classic Tri-Ply Stainless...
  • 10-Inch non-stick crepe pan
  • Tri-ply stainless steel
  • Stay-cool stainless handles
  • Net weight: 2.6-pound
  • Lifetime warranty

Materials & Non Stick

The Cuisinart pan is made from tri-ply stainless steel. That gives you the heat benefits of an aluminum core, with the durability of stainless steel wrapped all the way around it.

Stainless steel also provides a handy, “natural” non stick surface to work with too. Just make sure you heat the oil to the correct temperature before adding your pancake mix to the skillet.

Size & Shape

The Cuisinart pancake pan is 10 inches in size, so a little smaller than the Le Creuset. It’s otherwise very similar in design though, with sloping sides that make turning your pancakes easy.

Note that the Cuisinart skillet has quite a sharply angled handle. Not so great for flipping, and you’ll want a bit of stovetop room to work with here!

Who’s It For?

If you want a dedicated pancake skillet, but you feel the Le Creuset might be budget overkill, this is a good budget alternative.

It’s very similar similar in design, although you’ll need to heat the pan and oil up properly to get similar non stick performance.

Wrapping Up

The Le Creuset pancake skillet offers the best performance, convenience and durability of all three options I shortlisted for this guide.

If cost is a concern, I think you’ll still be impressed with the relative performance of the Cuisinart pan. Just don’t expect it to be quite as hard-wearing as the Le Creuset in the long run.

Cooking lots of little pancakes for a hungry household? The Nordic Ware skillet is a very cost-effective way of getting everyone fed quickly and simply. Have a look through all the designs that are available before settling on a pan.

Happy cooking!