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From Caraway’s nonstick (and non-toxic) bundles to a hobbit-sized cast-iron frying pan, these little pans do big things
What better way to frame a lone fried egg than with a hobbit-sized skillet? Why schlep out a monster pan when you’re cooking an oatmeal skillet cookie, or a quick shakshuka for one that requires a mere seven-ish inches of circumference for optimal poaching? Sometimes, less is more, and it’s something that the best small frying pans can do so very well.
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.
For beginner cooks, this nonstick frying pan and lid set
… Or, opt for Caraway’s nonstick pan without the lid
If you’re not looking to spend quite as much on a bundle, you can also opt to buy the above frying pan at under $100 in any number of its color options, including marigold, sage, and a dusty rose pink.
Stainless steel is a workhorse
A palm-sized frying pan
An aesthetically-pleasing Japanese frying pan
Caraway doesn’t just do ceramic cookware
Smithey’s rustic pan is a pot rack flex
Happy frying.
