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Two golden crepes in a blue pancake pan, laid out on a tea towel

10 best pancake pans to buy in 2026

Published: February 13, 2026 at 3:47 PM

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Whether you're preparing for pancake day or brunch, discover our top picks for making everything from the perfect crêpes to fluffy American pancakes.

Readying yourself for Pancake Day 2026 (Tuesday 17 February)? Though whisper-thin crêpes or soft American-style pancakes can be made in any decent non-stick frying pan, investing in a purpose-made pancake pan can make cooking and flipping the pancakes easier.

Pancake pans offer impressive versatility, making them ideal for searing, browning, light frying and preparing other batter-based foods like blinis or Scotch pancakes – not just traditional pancakes. They're not all induction-compatible, so it's worth keeping an eye out for that if you have an induction hob.

We put a range of pancake pans through their paces in the Good Food Test Kitchen, and if you're looking for a quick recommendation, the Dexam Supreme non-stick pancake pan and the Ninja Foodi Zerostick frying pan are my number-one star-buy picks.

If you're after something specific, though, read on to discover more of our tried-and-tested favourites. Plus, check out our guide to the best tools for Pancake Day to find whisks, moulds, spatulas and more.

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Best pancake pans at a glance

5/5 stars:

Best of the rest:

Jump to:

How we tested pancake pans

I used our foolproof easy pancake recipe to test all the pans, plus our fluffy American pancake recipe – I then scored them against the following criteria on our testing matrix:

Handle comfort: Pancake-making sessions can last a while, so I looked for a handle that was comfortable, didn’t get too hot and could be easily gripped – rubber or plastic handles work well. I also liked handles that had a notch for hanging.

Heat distribution: I expect pancake pans to heat up quickly and evenly. If the finished pancake had darker spots or cooked quicker in certain parts of the pan, we marked the product down.

Non-stick: Arguably the most important criteria for pancake pans. I looked for a surface that allowed us to easily tease the pancake up to be turned or flipped. I also discounted any pans that omitted an unpleasant chemical smell, even after being washed several times.

Ease of flipping: I judged the pans on how easy the pancakes were to flip – both the handle comfort and shape and size of the lip are important here. A shallow, well-angled lip is ideal.

Finished effect of the pancake: Golden, evenly cooked, nicely round pancakes were what I was after – any burnt spots were taken into account.

Ease of cleaning: I judged how well the pans could be cleaned with hot soapy water and a sponge.

Best pancake pans to buy in 2026

Dexam Supreme non-stick pancake/pizza griddle pan

Available from Amazon (£58.99), Robert Dyas (£66.99), Harts of Stur (£72)

Dexam Supreme non-stick pancake and pizza griddle pan

Best versatile pancake pan

Pros:

Cons:

Star rating: 5/5

I was very intrigued on unwrapping the Dexam pan from its sturdy, recyclable display box – as it boasts that it's not only great for pancakes, but also for pizza, scones, frying eggs and other goodies.

It's a 34cm in diameter, so will easily handle all the above, and I loved the sturdiness of the pan and how stable it felt on the hob. It also has a smooth stainless-steel base, which can be used on induction. And despite all this sturdiness, the Dexam pan weighs just under 2kg.

The pan is ready to go straight from the box with a quick wash, and I found heating it very speedy. Though Dexam doesn't say that the two handles on the pan stay cool, I noticed they didn't get hot even after a long period on the stove. However, if the pan goes under the grill or into the oven, you should of course use oven gloves as the handles get extremely hot.

Both styles of pancakes cooked rapidly and evenly, and though the design meant I couldn't toss the pancakes, they flipped back and forth impressively easily with just a flick of a spatula. Cleaning the pan was effortless; even though it was dishwasher-safe, it was unnecessary when making pancakes.

I was so impressed with this pan. It may not be the cheapest of the tests, but I felt that what it delivered in performance, its lifetime guarantee and the quality certainly supports the price tag.

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Ninja Foodi Zerostick frying pan

Available from Very (£45), Robert Dyas (£44.99)

black Ninja pan with silver handle

Best frying pan for pancakes

Pros:

Cons:

Star rating: 5/5

Not only is the Ninja Foodi Zerostick frying pan an excellent piece of kit for everyday frying tasks, but it excelled in our pancake test.

It's equipped with a tough non-stick coating and long, thin handle ideal for deft pancake flips. This frying pan heats up quickly, and most importantly, evenly. It produced the smoothest and most even finish on my pancakes of all the frying pans tested.

Available in three different sizes: 20cm, 24cm and 28cm, I found all to be lightweight and easy to carry around. The frying pan also remained balanced on the hob. This ultra-versatile pan is suitable for all hob types, is dishwasher safe and is oven safe up to 260C. Read our full Ninja Foodi Zerostick frying pan review.

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HexClad 30cm griddle pan

Available from Amazon (£125.10), HexClad (£139)

HexClad 30cm griddle pan

Best investment pancake pan

Pros:

Cons:

Star rating: 4.5/5

The HexClad commercial-grade griddle pan is super-looking with an intriguing laser-etched hexagonal patterned surface of stainless-steel ridges and, in the valleys, a serious non-stick surface. This combination brings a robust feel to the pan and will withstand metal utensils, the dishwasher and the oven, making this a very versatile pan, not just for pancakes.

I found the 30cm diameter of the pan helpful as I could cook three American-style pancakes simultaneously, and my regular pancakes were huge. The first three pancakes stuck relentlessly, and I realised I had not seasoned the pan; once I did, I had no more problems with sticking.

I found the regular pancakes tricky as the batter continuously spread to the edges, leaving the centre thin; even swishing the batter around again only helped a little. The American pancakes, however, were superb; they cooked quickly and evenly, rose beautifully and slid effortlessly from the pan.

Despite the problem with the regular pancakes, the HexClad pan has many attributes that make it a delightful pan to use. The pan is high-quality and versatile; it has a generous stay-cool handle and excellent conductivity, making the raising and lowering of the temperature quick and precise.

Its stunning good looks and lifetime guarantee make this a lovely pan to have in the kitchen. Read more about HexClad in our guide: Is HexClad worth it?

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Our Place Griddle Pan

Available from Our Place (from £55), Amazon (£89)

Our Place Griddle Pan

Best griddle-style pancake pan

Pros

Cons

Star rating: 4.5/5

Prepare to be impressed by the Our Place Griddle Pan. It is a large and lovely looking pan in a variety of fabulous colours. It is not your regular pancake pan but a griddle, large enough to cover two burners and cook the whole breakfast.

I was surprised when I discovered it is not induction-friendly but is suitable for ovens up to 230C, doubling up as a generous baking or roasting tin. However, the larger pan is 53cm wide, including the handles, so it will not fit into a standard oven, but if you have a range oven with a gas or electric hob, this will suit you perfectly.

The pan has astonishing non-slip which, in the test, made exceptional American-style pancakes. I could cook eight pancakes in one go, perfect for families and parties.

Because the thinner batter spread unevenly without boundaries, all my regular pancakes were random shapes but still cooked evenly and tasted delicious. If you have the room, this is undoubtedly a griddle to love.

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ProCook Professional 26cm Granite Crêpe Pan

Available from ProCook (£35)

ProCook Professional 26cm Granite Crêpe Pan

Best non-stick pancake pan

Pros

Cons

Star rating: 4.5/5

Unpacking this sturdy pancake pan from ProCook, it was hard to believe it was one of the cheapest pans on the test, as it looks and feels more expensive.

Made of forged aluminium, it delivers fast and even heat with no hot spots. The five-star ceramic non-stick surface was so good I spent some time chasing the American pancakes around the pan. But our favourite was the long, ergonomically shaped cool-touch handle, which made lifting and flipping easy and safe with this pan.

These great features resulted in the best cooking results: the pancakes cooked evenly, with excellent colour, in seconds and flipped easily through the air.

The American pancakes were light, fluffy and beautifully coloured. I had one tiny gripe, the base of the pan is ever so slightly convex, which meant the butter and oil poured into the centre quickly ran away to the edge – otherwise, it is a terrific pan at a great price.

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MasterClass ceramic non-stick crêpe pan

Available from Amazon (£12.60), Harts of Stur (£16.96)

MasterClass Ceramic Non-Stick Crêpe Pan 24cm high res with highly recommended badge

Best budget pancake pan

Pros:

Cons:

Star rating: 4.5/5

If you’re put off buying a pancake pan because you think you will only use it a couple of times a year, this budget-friendly pan should assuage your guilt. It’s suitable for all hob types including induction, goes in the oven up to 150C (which I would say is quite restrictive for most cooking) and is chemical free.

With an aluminium body and iron base, this pan is light with a shallow lip and a very effective non-stick surface. It also comes with a 15-year guarantee.

Despite its below-average price tag, this scored highly on all the things you want in a pancake pan. Most importantly, it’s simple to use – my crêpe came away cleanly from the sides and flipped very easily. All of my pancakes were evenly cooked and none of them stuck.

Washing up afterwards was very quick, apart from a few scraps of pancake that got caught around the steel rivets inside. If I was being very pernickety, the handle wasn’t as comfortable to hold as some of the others.

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Stellar Rocktanium frying pan

Available from Stellar (£35), Harts of Stur (£44.95)

grey-black pan with silver handle and with gold badge

Best value frying pan

Pros:

Cons:

Star rating: 4.5/5

If you're not looking to break the bank, the Rocktanium frying pan from Stellar is a brilliant option. It's has all the makings of a pan brilliantly engineered for pancakes: an effective non-stick surface, lightweight body and long comfortable handle.

This pan took around 2 minutes, 30 seconds to heat up, giving you enough time to whip up a delicious pancake batter. I was impressed with the results on my pancake tests and enjoyed light, fluffy and evenly risen morsels. The Rocktanium pan is a fantastic all-rounder, too.

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Kuhn Rikon New Life frying pan

Available from Kuhn Rikon (£84.95), Amazon (£84.95)

Black frying pan with gold badge

Best frying pan for eco credentials

Pros:

Cons:

Star rating: 4.5/5

Sporting impressive eco credentials, the Kuhn Rikon New Life frying pan is made from recycled aluminium cans from Europe. This versatile pan is suitable for every hob type, is oven safe and dishwasher safe, too.

The handle is a little stubby, but comfortable nonetheless. The walls of the pan are gently curved, making the New Life pan a great choice for pancake-flipping masters!

This pan is quick to heat up, but I found my pancakes a little patchy, aesthetically. However, I couldn't fault them when it came to flavour and texture. A fantastic option for pancakes, and more.

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Le Creuset cast-iron small crêpe pan

Available from Le Creuset (from £145)

Le Creuset Cast Iron Small Crepe Pan

Best cast-iron pancake pan

Pros

Cons

Star rating: 4/5

The small Le Creuset cast iron crêpe pan is a classic-looking pan from the renowned French brand and comes in two lovely colours, a cerise red or satin black. A wooden spatula and crêpe spreader are included, which I struggled to use successfully – hopefully, practice will make it perfect.

At 27cm, the Le Creuset makes an excellent-sized crêpe. I followed the instructions for using the pan closely, but my first four pancakes stuck to the pan.

Eventually, the non-stick kicked in with use, though Le Creuset stated that the pan did not need to be seasoned. I had no problems with the American style which, thanks to the outstanding conductivity of cast iron, was cooked quickly and evenly, and was fluffy and light.

This pan will not suit everyone: it is heavy, and the handle is short and gets hot during use. But with use, it will become a workhorse for those who can lift it and serve them well for many years.

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Nordic Ware smiley face pancake pan

Available from Amazon (£56.95)

Nordic Ware smiley face pancake pan

Best pancake pan for fun designs

Pros:

Cons:

This pan is excellent quality and makes delicious American-style pancakes that will make you smile; there are seven cute, cheeky, funny faces on the pan to choose from and keep the whole family happy.

Unfortunately, the pan is made from cast aluminium, so isn't suitable for induction hobs. It has a robust non-stick surface, so all that is needed for the pancake is the lightest brush of oil or butter; I found that a brush worked better for this job as it got nicely into the crevices of the faces.

I needed to cook several pancakes to get the amount of batter right – a good tablespoon; I finally settled at medium for the cooking heat as any hotter the little faces burned. Three minutes on each side gave a lovely, fluffy pancake with good colour. The pan is only suitable for making this pancake style, so it is quite pricey, but it will provide hours of fun.

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Other pancake pans tried and tested

Why buy a specialist pancake pan?

A good, multipurpose non-stick frying pan will generally do the job when it comes to pancake making, however the non-stick element is really important.

The pancake pans that passed our test all have great non-stick credentials, but also have a flat, shallow design with a small lip to help flip the pancake.

The heat of the pan is very important when making pancakes – pancake pans are often thinner than regular frying pans so they conduct heat quickly and efficiently.

In a similar vein, handles are likely to get very hot during a batch cooking session, so rubberised or plastic handles are common to protect your hand. A tapered handle will also feel more comfortable in the hand.

A pancake pan can also double up as a general use fryer. They’re particularly good if you like to cook with minimal oil – some of them barely need any at all. Recipes like omelettes are ideal for pancake pans as the shallow sides will help them slide out easily onto the plate.

Blueberry pancakes

What to look for in a pancake pan

Usage: Consider how you’ll be using this pan. If you just want to use it to make crêpes and pancakes, you can go for a smaller size (around the 24cm mark). However, if you want this to double up as a fryer, go for a larger diameter.

Material: If you’ll be using this pan frequently, opting for a material like reinforced cast metal should ensure longevity.

Coating: The coating is also of paramount importance. Among our sample were a number of heavy duty, cast iron, skillet-style pans that had no non-stick coating. While this 'natural' finish has its benefits in some ways, it’s a no-no when it comes to pancake making – we found ours just stuck to the bottom and had to be scraped off.

Hob types: Most of the pans we tested were suitable for all hob types, including induction, but a select few had to be tested on gas. Do check before buying to ensure the pan is suitable for your cooker.

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