Hands down: Cast Iron. You won't regret it.

I am loving my Gotham frying pans.

I have this one (9.5"). Amazing. Ten year guarantee, can use metal utensils, nonstick. Bought one for my DD, she loves it too. And no, I don't work for Zyliss.

Zyliss frypan

I have an old cast iron skillet I love. But I never use it for eggs, etc. as they do stick, despite how well seasoned the pan might be. For that (and scrambling) and for a quick saute of something, I use non-stick. And I replace them every few months when the finish eventually starts to deteriorate. I pay no attention to brand but look for the size I want and what appears to be a decent finish and get them at TJMaxx or Marshalls or Home Goods. Never spend more than $20, if that (Calphalon 12" non-stick is $19.99), so replacing them as often as necessary is NBD. The trick wth non-stick is to never use too high a heat.

Bacon I cook in the oven. Always :-) Unless diced bacon or pancetta is called for in a recipe I am making.

If you're a member of Costco, they carry a set of 3 Tramontina n/s pans for around $20. I've had them for a few years and they get frequent use. Have held up well. I have a few Cuisinart MultiClad ones that I've had for over 10 years and they're still working like new!

If you're not, check Tuesday Morning/TJMaxx/HomeGoods/Marshalls. Any brand will do, just don't spend a lot of $$$.

Copper Chef all the way! I am gradually replacing all my pots and pans with copper. Eggs slide right out w/o any added oil.

I'm a fan of this line of ceramic cookware: https://www.greenpan.us/. They provide good even heat, clean super easily, and have held up very well. You can get them for less on Amazon, etc.

Instead of spending a little, but having to do it over and over again, it can pay to spend more and only do it once.

Thanks for the advice so far! I have been spending no more than $50 per skillet, but the annoyance of constant replacement is getting to me.

By the way, I cook with electric. And am by no means a fancy cook. I just need a good skillet for occasional use.

I also have a ceramic skillet, got it at BigLots, hard to believe, and I love it!!

https://www.target.com/p/cerapan-marble-hill-10pc-set/-/A-53451241

I have this set. CeraPan. Excellent skillet. I fry eggs in it all the time and it never sticks. It has held up very well. You can get just the skillet. I have seen them at a few places. I ordered mine online.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Marble-Hill-Aluminum-Fry-Pan-11-Gray-Healthy-ceramic-non-stick-coating-Manufactured-without-PFOA-and-PTFE-By-CeraPan/407193733

Skillet.

For the last several iterations (seemingly once a year), Cooks Illustrated's testing has found the Oxo model (~$40, sold by Amazon among others) to be the best for performance and durability. Second place is a distant second. Prior articles have noted that even the best ones have limited lifetimes and need replacement periodically. I think our first Oxos (bought from CI recommendation, the 12 inch and a smaller one) lasted a few years and we're on set #2. They're used maybe once or twice a week so with more regular usage, maybe a year or so would be what to expect.

We are careful with it (though not obsessively so) and use only silicone utensils.

I like high-end cookware, but I stopped buying expensive brands for non-stick skillets a long time ago. No matter what brand, they have to be replaced. So now I get the ones at Sam's Club that are in the restaurant supply section, they are inexpensive and very good quality and I don't get so mad when they wear out and have to be replaced.

definitely following....I need to start replacing pans. I've always bought sets but I think I want to take the advice of picking up the pieces you need and use.

Another vote for Tramontina . Best, long-lasting non-stick skillet I've ever used.

Another vote for greenpan, they are awesome! Been using mine several times a week for just bout a year now, still in perfect condition.

ETA - I bought my 10 inch skillet at Homegoods for $30 I believe

I second Raven's endorsement (and those Cajuns they know cooking and cookware) of the Cerapan. I have just the covered skillet, it is wonderful, nothing sticks, I use it as my breakfast pan because the eggs don't stick.

I have Curtis Stone skillets now. a few years back I burned up my cheap W non stick larger skillet. couldn't decide what to buy next to replace it. then one day watching HSN I saw Curtis attempt to burn up one of his skillets on air. Then he took it off of the stove and wiped it clean with a rag and it was not damaged. He kept on cooking in it. I ordered a set of 2 they had on sale that day, 2 about 10-12' for around 40.00 or so including a glass lid. Even the Tfal at W were 20.00 or more each and I knew I didn't want T Fal. At first I thought they might be to heavy for me (like cast iron is), but they weren't. I've been using them for about 2yrs and love them. about 6 months ago he had a set on sale - 1 large one and 1 small one. the small one (maybe 8") has a handle on each side and both had lids. I liked the small one for doing just a grilled cheese or sautéing some onions and mushrooms etc. I ordered that set too. I love the small one and use it often. I don't need 3 larger skillets so I'm giving the new large one and lid to my son. they are all usable on induction which was also a feature I liked because I've been considering getting 1 induction hob to use and wanted skillets that would work on it also.

the specials aren't showing on the website now. But he was just on last week so they're probably sold out of the singles and sets of 2. They usually have those on when he is there. He also has bakeware that is non stick - I bought that about a year ago when it first came out and was on sale. I love it too. It is all so easy to use and clean! the non stick and easy clean up is major for me. and you can use regular utensils in them. check out the video of him cooking in the skillets on the website.

It's the #1 rated brand on HSN.

Curtis Stone cookware

Many years ago when Julia Childs was alive she made a statement about nonstick, buy cheap and toss out when they start to stick. I thrift shop and when I see a nonstick of the right size, weight and perfection of interior finish at a good cheap price I buy it and donate my old pan. I never pay more than $5 and they have to be in perfect shape. I replace every year or two. Ours is used for eggs, typically once a week Sunday breakfast. Otherwise I cook primarily with All-Clad. When I die someone can inherit that and keep on cooking. I wouldn't dream of buying All-Clad nonstick or paying real money for nonstick.

We just finished buying a set as well of some pieces of Heritage The Rock cookware. The pans are amazing! Non stick but you can use metal utensils with it. I gave one to my daughter and her family loves it.

Every few years or so, I pick some up at Costco. I find as long as high heat and sharp utensils are avoided the pans last.

I agree with the use it then pitch. If you buy nonstick the coating wears off. The "green pans" have a glass coating and eventually that will also crack.

Check out the ones I mentioned. It’s not the same non stick that we are used to. But it is nonstick. Just doesn’t have that smooth black surface. Heritage the Rock.

https://www.amazon.ca/Heritage-Rock-Non-Stick-Frypan-30cm/

I’m with Elmer in that I too trust Cook’s Illistrated ratings on many products. I have a couple of non-stick All-clad pans I bought on sale that I have had for several years, but I use them very little, mostly for an egg.

It bears repeating, they last much longer if you do not use cooking spray and only use over low or medium heat for things like eggs or a light sauté.

I have avoided non-stick for years because of concerns about safety, but when the ceramic coated non-stick came out, I tried that. They didn't last well, at all. Finally, I decided that I was nearly in my 70's, so it probably doesn't matter much if I use non-stick. I bought a set from Costco and they were awful. When I took them back to return them, I followed in another woman returning the same set. The clerk said they'd gotten lots of them back.

I finally bought two really nice, high end All Clad frying pans - a small one mostly for eggs and a larger one for ??? I don't fry food much except for eggs once in a while. I LOVE these skillets. Nothing sticks to them, they are nice and hefty, so things don't burn, they go in the DW and come out perfectly unscathed. No marks at all on them after a couple of years of use. I think this is the set I have:
All clad

Love my cast iron skillet.

I bought a non-stick frying pan at Home Goods in October for DH. It was $9.95. So far he's been good about using just plastic utensils and I wipe it out with soap and dish cloth. He loves it. When he ruins it after a couple of years, I'll just toss and get another one. He just uses this one for bacon and eggs.

What many consider a big advantage of non-stick pans is the ability to cook with little or no oil or similar (like butter), something many people prefer to do. Maybe the cast iron devotees can chime in but I think even when using one with a thick patina, some oil is needed.

I agree about cooking spray, it's not a good thing to use with non-stick.

A spritz of pure olive oil or pat of butter has never harmed our Calphalon Elite clad skillets. And the Elite is dishwasher safe. It's also made in USA.

We never use aerosol cooking sprays. The propellant may build up over time and cause sticking and deterioration of coating.

The same for gas grill grids. The aerosols eventually build up and cause sticking.

Edited to add: We use cast iron too, but the OP isn't interested in cast iron.

I'm sorry but why would you buy a non stick frying pan then "toss it" when it's bad when you can buy a good cast iron, season it well (my eggs never stick) and hand that pan down to your children rather than fill up a landfill? Buy something that will last for generations in a kitchen. Not generations in a landfill.

Debby, I agree, and have and use several cast iron skillets, but the OP said she has trouble lifting cast iron so leave it. Many have hand or wrist problems and have difficulty lifting and handling a heavy skillet.

I’m the OP. Thanks for the wonderful discussion and recommendations!

I understand the love of cast iron, but I just can’t do it. After carpal tunnel surgery in both wrists and encroaching arthritis in my thumbs, I just am not able to handle heavy things. Especially HOT ones that I might fumble and drop.

Debbie, the reason it goes bad is because DH doesn't follow the rules. Therefore, I do not invest too much money in "his" pans.

i have 2 All-Clad NS pans and they have be awesome... going on over 5 years and we r a fam of 5 and they have held up great!! just showing some signs of wear but should last a few more years!

bought both at Home Goods...

Since this is an old thread and anyone interested in purchasing a skillet has probably already done so I will make two comments.

When you purchase a pan run your hand over the inside center. If it is raised even slightly do not purchase.

Although Tramontina is apparently highly rated and my husband and his daughter purchased me a whole set I find that it heats unevenly and the larger pans are raised in the center. Hard to evenly brown things in a pan using a small amount of oil if the things on the outside are sitting in oil/liquid from whatever you are browning and the center is dry.

The centers rise from warping due to sudden changes in temperature such as putting a hot pan in cold water.

That, too, Elizabeth. That's how a perfectly flat pan can be warped by the user. But Maifleur gave a great tip for when you are about to purchase new pans. DS gave me a non-stick griddle which has had a domed bottom since it was brand new. Apparently this can be an artifact from the stamping process when the pans are manufactured.

Of course, ci_lantro, that bears repeating.