When I moved around often in my twenties, I didn’t own much. As a result, home-cooking-wise, I was typically living off the minimalist duo of a jumbo, oven-safe, cast-iron skillet (think, a 15-inch Lodge skillet) and what I called the single-serving frying pan, which was most often a 5- to 8-inch wide frying pan with some kind of mystery nonstick coating. While this might sound spartan, those two pieces of cookware allowed me to make almost anything my heart desired — for one, anyway. These days, I find myself cooking for more mouths more frequently, but the handiness of that tiny frying pan has remained essential for quick, single-serving meals and side-quest dishes, from pan-searing a strip steak to whipping up a stir-fry with my leftovers.
Now, as someone who has sizzled their way through many pans over many years, I try to check a few specific boxes when looking for a great frying pan. Durability is important, so hardy materials such as stainless steel and cast iron are top of mind. I’m not against nonstick pans, but I have become increasingly creeped out by synthetic “forever” chemicals — otherwise known as PFAS — that coated the nonstick pans of yore. Instead, I’m opting for nonstick frying pans with more transparency about what exactly goes into their glossy coatings. (I’m also more aware of potentially harmful microplastics in utensils, and now exclusively use medical-grade silicone cooking utensils and glass storage containers.).
Below, I have rounded up a few options of small, single-serving frying pans for every budget and material preference, from almost-palm-sized nonstick frying pans to miniature pan-and-lid bundles.
