The 14-inch skillet is a niche size that not many people would have use for. But those who do need the larger size, a 14″ can be hard to come by.
We found some good options for various materials to help you find the right 14″ frying pan for you. Note that there are a few that are even larger!
Nonstick
Tramontina Professional Fusion Fry Pan
There’s a lot of things to like about this Tramontina nonstick pan. It’s made in the USA, boasts a rivetless handle, and is well-balanced. It’s also easy to clean and holds up well over time.
Tramontina uses heavy-grade aluminum construction and the handle is cast stainless to keep it cool. The pan can be used on gas, electric, and ceramic cooktops (not induction) and is oven safe to 400 degrees. While you can clean it in the dishwasher, hand washing is best — and should be extra easy thanks to those missing interior rivets.
The Tramontina Professional Fusion Fry Pan runs about $50, which is a fair price for a good quality nonstick. If you want to go even cheaper, check out the Professional Aluminum Restaurant Fry Pan, which is about $10 less.
Click below to shop for the Professional Fusion pan.
Scanpan Classic 14-1/4 Inch Fry Pan
Scanpan is one of those brands that when people love it, they loooooove it, but when they don’t, well, they super do NOT. We’re recommending this one because it’s a great size at 14 1/4 inches and is overall highly rated. Like the Tramontina, Scanpan doesn’t have inner rivets, so it’s extra easy to clean.
Scanpan products require some precision in care and use, which is why some customers have issues with it. If you choose this brand, be sure to familiarize yourself with the care requirements to ensure your pan lasts for years to come.
This large pan carries a lifetime warranty and is made in Denmark. It is oven safe to 500 degrees and is dishwasher safe, though again we always recommend hand washing. Scanpan’s nonstick coating, called STRATANIUM, is a unique nonstick/titanium blend.
You’ll pay over $100 for this pan (and if you want a lid, you’ll have to get that separately), but it’s a fine choice if you’re in the market for a premium 14-inch nonstick skillet.
Other Nonstick Options
If our top picks aren’t cutting it, here are a few others in the 14″ size, though we haven’t done full reviews on these.
Cuisinart Chef’s Classic 14″ Nonstick
Rachael Ray Hard Anodized 14″ Nonstick
Circulon Radiance 14″ Nonstick
Stainless
All-Clad Tri-Ply Stainless 14-Inch Fry Pan
Of course, no “best skillet” article would be complete without an All-Clad, right? Though this is a spendy piece, All-Clad cookware is famed for being top-quality and long-lasting. The 14-inch stainless in the Tri-Ply looks gorgeous and functions well. It is rather heavy — which is always the case for large, multi-ply cookware pieces — and the handle is a bit narrow given the size of the pan.
The handle is also a deal breaker for many cooks, as it is the u-shape All-Clad uses on all their pieces. If you naturally hold it in a way that works, or if you find a sleeve for it, it’s great. Otherwise it may painfully dig into your hand.
This All-Clad pan is made in the USA and is oven/broiler safe to 600 degrees. The handle and the high price tag are its main drawbacks, but it’s still a highly recommended stainless pan.
Cuisinart Chef’s Classic 14-Inch Fry Pan
If it’s a wallet-friendly stainless steel pan you’re after, the Cuisinart Chef’s Classic is a good option. It features an encapsulated aluminum base (rather than full cladding of aluminum and stainless all the way up) that heats quickly. The pan is lighter due to this design.
Stainless pans that are not fully clad run the risk of scorching and over-heating, so be careful with this one if your stovetop is touchy (particularly if you have a gas stove). It is oven safe to 550 degrees and has a stay cool handle (on the stovetop) and a helper handle.
While this isn’t going to be a top-quality pan, for just over $20 it’s a solid piece of cookware that should do the job for many cooks. It’s also lovely, with a mirror-finish stainless exterior, that cleans up well.
Cast Iron
Lodge 15″ Cast Iron Skillet
14-inch isn’t a common size for cast iron, so we picked this 15″ from Lodge instead. It’s a beast of a thing, but does a fantastic job for large-batch cooking. Lodge is the go-to name in raw, made in the USA cast iron, so of course this is our pick!
What’s a 14″ Pan Good For?
This is the best size for large families or cooking big batches. It’s also a good option for cooks who want plenty of room when searing multiple pieces of meat or making omelets that feed a crowd.
If you regularly cook, say, four or more chicken breasts, you’ll find that a 14″ pan leaves enough room around the meat to get really good browning. It might seem like overkill to have a pan so large, but really it’s the perfect size for families.
If you’re reducing sauces in a larger pan, you’ll also find that having more surface space helps them reduce even faster.
Also Consider…
But do you absolutely need a 14-inch frying pan? Maybe not.
Saute pans can double as frying pans, so if you do a lot of braising or pan sauces, you may not need to get a separate skillet. Saute pans are also sometimes preferable because of the steeper sides — you have more surface space when you lose the skillet’s slope. See our full comparison of saute pans and frying pans here.
Saute pans can be found labeled as either 14-inch or 7-quarts, and might be a better alternative to a large skillet.
We recommend: Winco 7-Quart Saute Pan
Before You Buy
Finally, we wanted to remind you of a few considerations if this will be your first large capacity skillet.
- Storage can be tricky: The size differences between cookware can be shockingly major in some cases. A 14-inch frying pan doesn’t store very easily and is often too heavy to hang. Be sure you have the real estate for the pan before you commit.
- Cleaning can be tricky, too: Many pans are going to be dishwasher safe; many aren’t actually going to fit in your dishwasher. They are also quite bulky when hand-washing, too, so overall expect that cleaning will take some time to get accustomed to.
- Burner size matters: If your stovetop doesn’t have the right size burners, you’re not going to have great success cooking in the 14-inch pan. Be sure to check out dimensions of pan and stovetop.
- More size = more muscle: Larger pans simply weigh more. This is going to be particularly noticeable with premium pans, which will have more layers, thicker layers, or more durable rivets and handles. Those things are fantastic for cooking, but less so for handling.