The best induction pans to buy in 2024, reviewed by our food team

We took to our professional test kitchen to test the best induction pans of 2024, with saucepans, frying pans and sets for every budget

Compilation of the best induction pans being used during testing by the team at woman and home
(Image credit: Future)

It's a well-known fact that your induction hob is only as good as the cookware you use on it, so the best induction hobs are an essential part of getting the most out of your kitchen. 

Traditional electric hobs will heat a cooking surface which in turn heats your pans, but induction pans use a more modern technology to heat cookware directly, and will only heat the part of your pans that touch the hob, meaning no energy is wasted. So, with your cookware doing all the hard work, investing in the best induction pan can make the difference in the sear you achieve on your salmon skin, or the speed at which you're able to boil your pasta water. 

Our test kitchen just so happens to be fitted with a series of induction hobs, and we also use the best portable induction hobs when we're short on space, so we put the best induction pans to the test on a daily basis, meaning these recommendations have stood the test of time (and some seriously rigorous reviewing) to make it into our complete roundup. With durable and scratch-resistant coating, some even feature in our guide to the best non-stick frying pans, too. 

The best induction pans we tested in 2024

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Our top 3

The best induction pan sets

Millie Fender testing a ProCook saucepan set

(Image credit: Future)

In an induction pan set, every piece needs to offer a different function in your kitchen. We considered how storage-friendly each option was, and while it's not always everyone's preference, we've included non-stick options to make cleaning quick and easy. 

The best induction frying pans

Best induction pans black frying pan on an induction hob with eggs ready to fry

(Image credit: Future)

An induction frying pan's number one job is to heat evenly. Ideally, it should be able to come to very high heats quite fast, which will allow you to sear steaks and sizzle bacon without waiting for your pan to come to heat. 

All of our top picks have quite high sides, making them immensely versatile for cooking dishes such as risotto, as well as frying off chicken breast. And if it can go straight from the hob to the oven, that's even better. 

The best induction saucepans

stainless steel saucepans on an induction hob

(Image credit: Future)

The workhorse of the kitchen, your saucepan should be able to heat evenly, with a handle that remains cool even while your pasta or sauce bubbles away. Because induction hobs only heat the metal that comes into direct contact with it, this should be a lot easier than using a saucepan on a gas stove, and you also have more flexibility with the size of the pan you'd like to use. 

These pans need to be responsive to fast temperature changes, because an induction hob is a lot more effective at heating liquids fast than a traditional hob. In our testing, we tried them out at a number of heats. 

How we tested the best induction pans

To determine the best induction pans, cooking expert, food writer, and food stylist Jessica Ransom, rated the different types of pans on several factors: 

  • Overall look and feel
  • Suitability for purpose and performance
  • Quality
  • Value-for-money
  • Guarantee

Jessica ran several experiments on the best pans for induction hobs, including making caramel to test staining and claims of non-stick, as well as comparing how fast the induction pans changed temperature. 

Many pancakes were eaten during the testing process, as cooking them enabled us to test for heat spots, and once again to challenge claims of any non-stick induction pans. And finally, the best pans should be easy to clean, so we also put the induction pans and pots through many dishwasher cycles to see how they would fare. All of the pans included in our edit have been tested and approved as the best for 2024.

How to choose the best induction pan for you

Before buying your new induction cookware, it’s important to clarify three things –your budget, the main purpose for buying the equipment, and your storage: 

  • Budget and type: The best induction pans vary vastly in price. Often, this is because you can buy induction pans as sets or as individual pans. Consider which type you need. For example, if you’re moving into a new home, you may need a pan set to cover the basics if you want value for money. If not, you may just need a single frying pan, as an upgrade to your current one. Generally, spending more on your induction pans will likely increase the guarantee. Pricier pans tend to be of higher quality (not always, but generally speaking). 
  • What you'll be cooking: Non-stick frying and griddle pans are good for when you want to minimize the need for additional fat. However, according to several chefs we spoke with, when cooking sauces, pots without non-stick technology are preferable as you get a better de-glaze and caramelization. Richard Bramble, a chef who runs a fine dining private catering, Bramble Dining, also told us that induction pans are worth buying if you cook in big batches. He said, "If you’re cooking in a higher volume like a big pasta dish, induction, in general, is better because it gets back up to temperature so quickly that it helps retain the heat."
  • Your storage: We've listed the best individual induction pans and sets below, but the one you choose to buy will depend on how much space you have for them. If you're clearing out your existing pans to make way for a new load induction pans, one of the sets may be best for you. But, some might only have space for a new induction wok. Bear this in mind when browsing.

Woman using controls on an induction hob

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FAQs

What pans work on inductions hobs and why?

If you're new to induction pans and hobs, you might be wondering, how do induction cookers work? For the best induction pans to work on an induction hob, they must have a flat magnetic base. Pans that are appropriate will have a coil shown on the box and a magnet will stick to the base of the pan (if the magnet does not stick strongly to the bottom of the pan it will be less effective when heating).

This means that all kinds of pans can work with induction hobs—such as non-stick pans, stainless steel pans, and cast iron pans—as long as they have one of these two things. If they are not induction-specific pans, many pans will also explicitly state whether or not they work with induction hobs on the product description. 

You can also test pans before purchase. During a chat with Jessica at The Langham's cookery school Sauce, Michelin star chef Michel Roux Jr suggested carrying a strong magnet with you when you go to purchase your induction pans so that you can see for yourself how well the pan connects. 

It is important to note that the heating process in induction hob cooking takes place in the base of the pan, and therefore if the pan is not compatible it will not work and the hob will remain cold.

Is it important to look for induction pans that are PFOA-free?

In each product we have reviewed above, we have noted whether or not the product is PFOA-free. Various items—including clothing, carpets, takeout boxes and cookware, as well as the air we breathe and the water we drink—contains PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid—also known colloquially as C8).

This can cause concern, because they stay in the environment and the body for long periods of time, and some studies (though it hasn't been conclusively proven) have suggested a link between PFOA exposure and cancer. As such, pans that are free from PFOA are generally preferred for customers.

But, while a PFOA-free pan is preferable, it's worth noting that non-stick cookware that is not PFOA-free is still one of the smallest exposures of PFOA that can be found in the household. And, just because an item is PFOA-free does not mean that it is completely safe and harm-free, as often manufacturers swap them out for other chemicals.

It's also good to know that when even the very best induction pans become scratched or overheated, the potential dosage of PFOAs consumed may increase. This is why many manufacturers recommend changing pans when damage occurs.

gray kitchen with induction hob with pan and drawer below with a selection of the best induction pans

(Image credit: Future)

Do you need to buy more expensive induction pans for a better result?

Do you need to spend more on an induction pan for a better experience then? Opting for a more premium purchase can sometimes pay off. In my opinion, you get a much better deal with a more expensive pan.

 Yes, they cost more initially but consider it a worthwhile investment because you won’t have to replace them every five minutes. This is because induction hobs are really powerful and as a result pans made from cheaper materials tend to warp and buckle, which means in the long run you can end up buying even more pans.

Peter Sidwell, chef and cooking expert at Cook Serve Enjoy, agreed, saying, "Well-built pans can last for years if you look after them. Going for cheap pans puts you at risk of shoddy cooking, owing to materials that quickly warp (so you stop getting that good energy distribution) and the non-stick coating coming off within a handful of uses."

"However", Matsunaga continued, "if you don’t cook that often you can get by using cheaper induction pans, which are quite solid—but you will still need to replace them every couple of years depending on usage."

Once you've bought your pans, be sure to read up on our clever pan storage ideas so that you can keep them organized and in the best condition.


If your kitchen is not yet equipped with this nifty cooking technology, check out our guide on how to pick an induction stove. Meanwhile, if your induction hob looks like it's seen better days, it may just need a thorough cleaning. If that's the case, learn how to clean a stovetop effectively so you can restore it to perfection.

Jessica Ransom

Jessica is a Senior Food Writer at Future and is an enthusiastic, self-taught cook who adores eating out and sharing great food and drink with friends and family. She has completed the Level 1 Associate course at the Academy of Cheese and is continually building on her knowledge of beers, wines and spirits. Jessica writes food and drink related news stories and features, curates product pages, tests and reviews equipment and also develops recipes which she styles on food shoots.

With contributions from