https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 03 Apr 2026 20:45:58 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/most-useful-sized-skillet#post-1776623 Wed, 23 Jul 2014 15:16:17 +0000 avivoca 1776623@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: Have you looked at getting a frying pan from places like HomeGoods? They had some All-Clad pans there for $90 (still wayyyy more than I wanted to spend), but I got a nice stainless steel Calphalon pan for $30. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/most-useful-sized-skillet#post-1776583 Wed, 23 Jul 2014 15:11:04 +0000 Freckles 1776583@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: dutch ovens are different because of the enamel coating, which cast iron skillets don't have. i once made tomato sauce in a cast iron and my skillet looked awful afterwards. <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/will-cooking-acidic-foods-damage-my-cast-iron-skillet-good-questions-187282" rel="nofollow">http://www.thekitchn.com/will-cooking-acidic-foods-damage-my-cast-iron-skillet-good-questions-187282</a> </p> <p>I only dislike really large saute pans because of poor heat distribution (depending on your stove top), so i find 11-12" a happy medium. Do you have a nonstick pan? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/most-useful-sized-skillet#post-1776351 Wed, 23 Jul 2014 14:20:02 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1776351@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: when you say sauces do you mean like pan sauces or gravies? I have two Dutch ovens that I use for soups and bechamel, etc., and a ten inch stainless sauté pan but want something bigger for frying, like say potstickers or burgers. But I could see myself wanting it for gravy or a pan sauce.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/most-useful-sized-skillet#post-1776331 Wed, 23 Jul 2014 14:14:53 +0000 Freckles 1776331@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would rather go for a heavier stainless steel skillet rather than a cast iron because like what @swurlygurl said you can't really make sauces in them without it tasting off. If you want a cast iron one, i'd go with a 10".</p> <p>I personally think 13" is too big and would go for 11" or 12" at the very maximum.</p> <p>If you want to use up your WS g/c, i'd try one of their all clad products. <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/all-clad-d5-stainless-steel-french-skillet/" rel="nofollow">http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/all-clad-d5-stainless-steel-french-skillet/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/most-useful-sized-skillet#post-1776268 Wed, 23 Jul 2014 13:56:39 +0000 Alivoo01 1776268@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think 12" would be good! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/most-useful-sized-skillet#post-1776224 Wed, 23 Jul 2014 13:43:44 +0000 swurlygurl 1776224@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: I find that if I clean the pan as soon as I'm done, the smaller things aren't a huge deal. And then I make sure to lightly coat the pan in oil and turn on the stove for a little to sear it in.<br /> The lengthy simmering of acidic sauces is the problem :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/most-useful-sized-skillet#post-1776215 Wed, 23 Jul 2014 13:41:49 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1776215@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@swurlygurl: hmm excellent point. But I guess if I used my Dutch oven for tomato based stuff I could just use this for frying only? Would a few chopped tomatoes or a spritz of lemon be an issue? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/most-useful-sized-skillet#post-1776207 Wed, 23 Jul 2014 13:39:04 +0000 swurlygurl 1776207@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a 12" or so cast iron skillet that we use most of the time. My only problem with the cast iron skillets is that I can't use acidic stuff in them (tomato sauces, marinades with orange, lemon, lime, etc) or else it takes my seasoning right off.<br /> I also have a similar sized All-Clad that I use equally. I couldn't live without either of them, but if I HAD to choose, I would choose the cast iron.<br /> Oh, and while it IS heavy, it's not TOO heavy. It lives on our stove top unless people are coming over. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/most-useful-sized-skillet#post-1776204 Wed, 23 Jul 2014 13:37:43 +0000 edelweiss 1776204@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>12 or 13-inch would be the most useful </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/most-useful-sized-skillet#post-1776203 Wed, 23 Jul 2014 13:37:22 +0000 sunny 1776203@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: FWIW I thought the WS brand cookware seemed really great. I was having a tough time deciding between getting that or the All Clad. What ultimately convinced me was getting 60%+ off on the All Clad which made it much cheaper than WS. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/most-useful-sized-skillet#post-1776192 Wed, 23 Jul 2014 13:35:00 +0000 loveisstrange 1776192@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have these and I really like them. They were definitely worth $50. Theyre going strong 3 years later, even with me learning to cook and burning tons of shit in them. lol. Really easy to clean too.</p> <p><a href="http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/calphalon-reg-contemporary-nonstick-10-inch-and-12-inch-omelet-pan-set/1014506683" rel="nofollow">http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/calphalon-reg-contemporary-nonstick-10-inch-and-12-inch-omelet-pan-set/1014506683</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/most-useful-sized-skillet#post-1776162 Wed, 23 Jul 2014 13:27:58 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1776162@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sunny: I feel you. I have two dutch ovens: a lodge enamel coated and a le creuset enamel coated and I love them but they have to sit on the stove otherwise I won't use them! </p> <p>I have a W-S gift card that I was planning to use for this. I or rid of a lot of stuff because I am moving and was planning to use it to replace all of that stuff (most was teflon coated) so maybe I will suck it up and just use the gift card on a stainless frypan! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/most-useful-sized-skillet#post-1776131 Wed, 23 Jul 2014 13:21:27 +0000 sunny 1776131@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LOL! I had to look up what TWSS stood for.</p> <p>We have a Lodge and love it though I use my stainless steel one more often because it is lighter. I think we have the 12" Lodge and we have an All-Clad stainless (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/All-Clad-Stainless-Dishwasher-Weeknight-Cookware/dp/B00BLA4Z4K" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/All-Clad-Stainless-Dishwasher-Weeknight-Cookware/dp/B00BLA4Z4K</a>). I just find that the Lodge is a bit of a pain to clean and I do find it really heavy.</p> <p>Even though I got a really amazing deal on All-Clad a few months ago, the Lodge was still way cheaper. I think it was ~$20 at Walmart. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/most-useful-sized-skillet#post-1776083 Wed, 23 Jul 2014 13:09:43 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1776083@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I want to buy a skillet. I'm pretty poor right now so leaning toward a lodge. Honesty I would love a stainless frying pan but not looking to drop 150 right now. </p> <p>I'm wondering, for an everyday skillet what is the best size? Right now I have a small sauté pan but it isn't big enough for the following:</p> <p>Stir frying<br /> Making more than two grilled cheese Sandwiches<br /> Making more than two or three burgers<br /> Making a large batch of potstickers at once </p> <p>If I do stuff like that I get out my electric skillet, which I would like to replace with the lodge.</p> <p>Is 13 inch big enough? Is 13 inch too heavy</p> <p>Ignore the TWSS undertones in that last statement.... </p>