I recommend either All-Clad or Scanpan non-stick cookware. :)

After decades of being afraid to cook in stainless steel because of sticking, I went back to it because I was tired of throwing nonstick pans away after a few years. I never knew I was doing it all wrong until I watched a YouTube video. I wasn't preheating the pan long enough, wasn't letting the oil get hot enough, and I was trying to turn the meat before the surface browned. Meat releases naturally from stainless when it's ready to be turned.

Now I have an All-Clad skillet for browning chops, chicken, crab cakes, burgers, and steaks. Nonstick pans won't put a nice even brown crust on meat like stainless steel will. It cleans up easily with Barkeeper's Friend. We still remark on how well it cleans up, and that pan is several years old.

I have a Calphalon Triply stainless omelet pan that I only use for eggs, and DH makes an omelet every day without sticking. I've found that if I cook meat in the egg pan, the eggs will stick the next time. However, if I clean it afterwards with Barkeeper's Friend, the eggs won't stick. That pan is washed daily by hand.

You can buy the Triply Calphalon pans inexpensively at Marshall's in the omelet and the 10". I have even seen All-Clad pans there for about half price. Calphalon is a good heavy pan, though not as heavy as All-Clad. We love our little omelet pan. It's at least five years old and going strong.

We used the ceramic-coated pans before we switched to stainless. I think it was the Cuisinart Green Gourmet. It was the nicest nonstick I ever used, but it eventually scratches and food starts sticking after about three years.

Has anyone tried the copper pans? I see them advertised on TV a lot lately where they burn stuff on it & it slides right off. But I think they’re new?

May, I’ve never cooked in stainless before. I’ll look at some YouTube videos. Thanks for the suggestion because I really don’t know how to use them.

My quick and easy don't-even-think-about-sticking skillets are Scanpan and Circulon. Years old though, there could be something just as good on the market today....

I put great weight on the reviews of Cooks Illustrated. They test extensively and rate objectively. They recommends just two -

Oxo first place ($40), T-Fal second place ($32). The nonstick coating wears off and they suggest that nonstick skillets be considered almost disposable and needing to be replaced as often as annually if used several times a week. In an earlier article, they recommended using one just for eggs and one for any other foods, because the "other things" were rougher on the finish and caused it to wear off faster.

I tried good ones and cheap ones. I'm completely in love with my Ikea 365 non stick.

I've had them about 3 years, put them in the dishwasher and regularly burn food onto them. There's no discoloration or reduction of performance.

I love skillets. I have cast-iron, stainless steel, ceramic, one old-style non-stick, and The Rock non-stick. I love the 2 ceramic ones, they're Zwilling-Henckel. The Rock one is great too, it's a large 14" but it's not induction compatible.

We were at the annual tent sale that the restaurant supply store has, and there was a demonstration of the Gastrolux brand which they sell. The demonstrator had it over a high gas flame and really heated it hot. He poured milk in it and it burned to the bottom. A plastic spatula just lifted it off in one piece. It can be put in a 500° oven and is truly non-stick, but it's very very spendy.

Darn the luck. This post isn’t going as I hoped. I’m more confused now than before I’ve started.

Which is GOOD. I realize I didn’t know much about skillets after all. I’ve always used a “one size fits all” kind of theory.

Really the only “special” pan I have for “special” things is my iron skillet for fried chicken & bacon. But the iron skillet made my eggs taste awful.

I suppose I could experiment more with my iron skillet then. I’m scared of the stainless steel one now. Maybe a nice Teflon one for eggs.

I use my pressure cooker most of the time for my meats, soups, veggies. I couldn’t live without it.

I appreciate everyone’s input so far. This is very helpful. I thought a skillet was a skillet. But not in 2017.

"...a skillet was a skillet"....WHATTTTT!!!!??

:) Kidding aside, you need a cast iron and a non stick for eggs, etc. That's all.

I love my Scanpan. It was expensive at $99 but I use it every single day for 3 years now and it's still perfect.

good suggestion from pennydesign, I agree. Steel pans (as used in restaurants) have similar functionality to cast iron but are smooth and similarly do develop a nonstick-ness. But not like a specifically designed non-stick pan.

JeCrigler, I was given a copper pan. I've used it a little and it works really well. It's a sauté with high sides and a glass cover, and it can go in the oven. The only real problem I have with it this far is that it's square. I much prefer a round pan. But it works for everything we have tried so far.

I didn't read the responses but All Clad is my fav. but they are far from cheap. I wouldn't have them if my mom wouldn't have given them to me.

Do you have a World Market near you? If so, go there and buy yourself a couple of non-stick skillets. They are called "Professional Aluminum Skillets" and come in 3 sizes; 8, 10, and 12 ". They range in price from $12.99 to $24.99 (they used to be cheaper - inflation!). I have the 8 and 10 inch ones and I adore them. In the 51 years since I left home and have been cooking, I've tried a LOT of different skillets and these are the best, regardless of price. I also like the fact that they are so cheap that if they begin to look nasty in 3-4 years, you can just pitch them and get new ones. I don't want a $100 skillet that I will feel duty-bound to use until I fall into my grave!

I find the 8" one is SO useful for me as I live alone. It's the perfect size for an omelet. I use the larger one in the summer when I'm with my DD and her family (4 more people) on vacation for a month. Yes, I DID buy them for the rental house we rent every summer! They didn't have a decent skillet in the house, and I'm already hauling quite enough stuff - don't want to have to take my skillets, too.

My father purchased one of the copper fry pans and hates it. It's probably going to Good Will soon. I feel sorry for the next owner.

I only have cast iron and stainless in my kitchen. I also still use my old Corningware. I have a tiny Corning skillet that is just the right size for a 2 egg omelette. Got rid of all the non stick years ago.

We love the copper skillets. We have 7 of them plus the air fryer and power cooker. They can be bought other places than at the site.

I have a 8" Scanpan CTX Omelette Pan that I have had for over 5 years, which I use almost every day, and it is still capable of cooking a fried egg without any oil without the egg sticking.

More recently back in April I bought a new 12" GreenLife Healthy Ceramic Pan since the one I had previously wasn't working well. The new pan worked great for about 1 month, since then is has worked progressively less well. Nearly everything sticks to it, it is nigh impossible to clean and a few substantial scratches have appeared. The only thing I can say in favor of it is that is was cheap, so I won't feel too bad when I throw it out less than 6 months after buying it.

another All-Clad fan... have SS and 2 of their non-stick. they are workhorses and wouldn't buy anything else. i have their pots also. also have LC pots.

expensive? yes, but u buy once and done,. here's a site where u can get 2nds and twice a year they have a huge sale. ALL-CLAD i bought all my pots and pans there, great prices and great sales. i live near there so i buy in person but of course they ship. get on their email list and then u will know when the sale is. i think its in the Fall and Spring.

The Rock by Srarfrit! Love it, have three sizes. Do not use spray!! For eggs I use about 1/2 teaspoon of butter. Nothing else sticks and cleanup is a breeze. Read about how it's made. I've ordered online and sometimes have found it at Walmart of all places. I've given them to daughters and a sister and all of them love using them. There's no coating to wear off.

Analon Advanced is a nice pan for eggs, pancakes, crepes. If butter turns brown, then its too hot. These non stick coatings are best below 500 degrees according to the chemist/ engineer I spoke to. And NEVER use a no stick pan with any deterioration inside. Throw it out.

The ceramic coated iron pans are wonderful for browning.

You said no cast iron so there are some good ceramic coated pans in other metals.

The good pans cost more but it's worth it when you consider the cost of food. My analon pan easily gives back all the eggs I scramble in it so nothing is wasted. A good pan will last a long time.

I love the non-stick pans from Berndes. I also cook with All Clad stainless steel and LeCreuset/Staub enameled cast iron. All depends on what I'm cooking.

I use stainless or cast iron. You couldn't give me a non stick skillet.