This is the most underrated piece of Le Creuset's cookware collection - serious chefs, listen up

Le Creuset is rightly celebrated for its cast iron: those heirloom casseroles that feel as much like interior décor as cookware. However, its frying pans deserve just as much attention. Naturally non-stick, beautifully weighted and finished with a welded stainless steel handle, this is a pan that sits at the intersection of serious performance and elegant design.

I’ve long been vocal about my admiration for Le Creuset cookware. Beyond the colourful enamel, the brand has quietly been producing some of the most impressive stainless steel pans on the market, balanced, responsive and built to last. This frying pan feels like a natural next step in that lineage.

I’ve tested it properly: pancakes (both crêpe-style and American), onions, everyday sautéing, and higher-heat cooking. Here’s everything you need to know.

Le Creuset Frying Pan review

Who would the Le Creuset Frying Pan suit?

This pan will suit home cooks who genuinely care about how food cooks, not just how quickly dinner gets on the table. It’s ideal if you’re upgrading from lightweight or short-lived non-stick pans and want something that feels more considered, more reliable, and far longer-lasting.

The Le Creuset Frying Pan will particularly appeal to those who appreciate beautiful design but refuse to compromise on performance: the kind of cook who notices even browning, responsive heat and thoughtful construction details.

Most of all, it’s for anyone who wants a frying pan that will still feel reassuringly excellent in ten years’ time, rather than something that needs replacing every couple of seasons.

Unboxing the Le Creuset Frying Pan

Le Creuset’s frying pan comes in several sizes; I tested the 24cm version, which feels like the sweet spot for most households. It’s large enough for four small pancakes or a generous portion of onions, yet still manageable for everyday cooking.

The packaging is unmistakably Le Creuset: bold, colourful and reassuringly premium. There is a small amount of soft plastic used to protect the surface during transit. While I would always like to see fully recyclable alternatives, this is relatively restrained compared to many competitors.

One practical note: there are stickers on both the cooking surface and the base of the pan, and they must be removed before use. A little boiling water helps loosen the adhesive cleanly: a small faff, but worth doing carefully to protect the finish.

What is the Le Creuset Frying Pan like to use?

From the first lift, the quality is obvious. The pan has a pleasing, confidence-giving weight: substantial without being cumbersome. The stainless steel handle feels solid and beautifully finished. It’s welded rather than riveted, which means there are no screws on the interior to trap food or grease. This is a detail I always look for in top-tier pans.

The handle itself is gently curved and comfortable to grip, even when manoeuvring the pan one-handed. Importantly, it stays cool on the hob for longer than many competitors, which speaks to thoughtful heat management.

My first test for any frying pan is pancakes. They reveal everything: how evenly heat travels across the base, how responsive the pan is, and whether the non-stick coating is genuinely effective.

I started with a small knob of butter. While this pan is naturally non-stick, a little fat always gives better flavour and texture. The butter melted almost instantly and spread evenly, with no cold patches, which immediately suggested excellent heat distribution.

Once I poured in the batter, it flowed smoothly to the edges, and I could see a gentle, even colour change across the surface, a clear sign that the pan was properly preheated. After about a minute, the pancake released effortlessly: no sticking, no tearing.

Flipping highlighted the pan’s weight: you can feel it, but it’s balanced rather than unwieldy. The result was a beautifully cooked crêpe: lightly crisp at the edges, soft and tender through the centre, with even golden speckling rather than harsh hot spots.

American pancakes performed just as well: good rise, even browning, and no scorching underneath before the centres had cooked through.

Onions are my second benchmark. They tell you how controlled and consistent a pan really is. I comfortably fitted one and a half large onions into the base. The moment they hit the pan, there was an immediate, confident sizzle. They softened and turned translucent in textbook time, without catching or browning unevenly. I didn’t need to constantly stir or adjust the heat, the pan did the work for me. This is the kind of reliability that makes cooking feel calmer and more intuitive.

While this isn’t a wok, a good frying pan should still handle a quick stir-fry with confidence. I heated the pan properly, added oil, then vegetables in stages. The pan responded quickly to temperature changes, maintaining enough heat to sear rather than steam. Vegetables stayed vibrant, with a light char where I wanted it, and nothing stuck to the surface, even with minimal oil.

The sloped sides make tossing easy, and the welded handle again proves its worth here, allowing smooth, confident movement without food catching around rivets. For smaller stir-fries or speedy midweek dinners, it performs beautifully.

Cleaning the Le Creuset Frying Pan

Cleaning is refreshingly simple. Thanks to the welded handle and smooth interior, there are no awkward corners for food to cling to. Most of the time, a quick wipe with warm soapy water is all that’s needed.

Le Creuset recommends hand washing to preserve the non-stick surface, and I’d agree, especially at this price point. Avoid abrasive sponges, and you’ll keep the surface looking pristine. Occasional deeper cleaning with warm water and a gentle cleaner brings it back to new.

How does the Le Creuset Frying Pan compare?

The Our Place Always Pan is undeniably stylish and designed for multifunctional cooking, but the Le Creuset frying pan is the more serious cooking tool.

Where the Always Pan prioritises versatility and aesthetics, Le Creuset focuses on heat control, durability and classic performance. The Le Creuset pan feels more robust, handles higher heat more confidently, and will likely last far longer with consistent use. The welded handle alone gives it a practical edge for anyone who cooks regularly.

If you want one pan to replace several and love a soft, pastel look, the Always Pan has its place. If you care about precise cooking, even browning and long-term quality, Le Creuset is the clear winner.

Should you buy the Le Creuset Frying Pan?

If you value excellent heat distribution, reliable non-stick performance and thoughtful construction details, this is a superb frying pan. It’s not the cheapest option, but it earns its price through performance and longevity.