Carbon Steel vs. Stainless Steel Pan: How The Pans Compare

Carbon, iron, silicone, copper core, and other metal alloys make up carbon steel cookware. This composition can occasionally lead to a metallic flavor leaching into the omelets, stir-fries, and crepes you cook in them—but you can avoid that problem by choosing high-end or higher-quality pans. Despite the presence of iron in carbon steel pans, they’re much less heavy than cast-iron cookware.

Made predominantly of steel and chromium, stainless steel cookware tarnishes very little over time. Chefs use this type of cookware for braising, frying, and more. Stainless steel pans can be slightly heavy, although they’re still much lighter than cast-iron pans. Acidic foods cook well on their non-reactive cooking surfaces.

Carbon and stainless steel pans both come with unique strengths and weaknesses. Consider these seven areas in which you can weigh the upsides and downsides of each type of cookware:

1. 1. Corrosion resistance: Carbon steel pans—particularly blue carbon steel pans—are corrosion-resistant, but stainless steel earned its name for a reason. The former will likely develop rust, while the latter will fend off these signs of age.
2. 2. Dishwasher safety: Carbon steel woks and pans call for handwashing, as they can warp in dishwashers. Stainless steel pans, on the other hand, are dishwasher-safe.
3. 3. Heat conductivity: Stainless steel pans have poor heat conductivity unless supplemented with a metallic alloy like copper, which can help boost their heat retention abilities. Heat distribution, however, is no problem for stainless steel pans. Carbon steel frying pans are much better heat conductors—their cooking surfaces can remain hot even when you take them off the heat source.
4. 4. Stickiness: While neither carbon nor stainless steel pans are completely nonstick cookware, carbon steel pans do a much better job of repelling sticky food. Apply a nonstick coating to either type for the best results.
5. 5. Temperature tolerance: Both materials can withstand high temperatures—but food in a carbon steel skillet can take in more heat overall. A stainless steel pan can falter once the bottom of the pan comes into contact with an exceptionally high heat source.
6. 6. Versatility: Both pan types are versatile. While carbon steel skillets may be better suited to stir-frying and stainless steel pans to sautéing, both are adaptable and can work well for many different types of recipes and cooking approaches. They’re also both oven-safe and function well on induction cooktops.
7. 7. Weight: While neither type of pan is as heavy as a cast-iron skillet, carbon steel pans are generally harder to pick up than their stainless steel counterparts.

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