Not Caraway, Not Le Creuset: Meet The Highest-Rated Stainless Steel Pan Per Consumer Reports

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If you're shopping for a stainless steel frying pan, you're probably familiar with the big names, like All-Clad, Cuisinart, and Le Creuset. Some of you already know you can get the Le Creuset look and quality for less with underrated kitchenware like Caraway. However, Consumer Reports says that one of the best stainless steel frying pans is actually from an unexpected brand: OXO.

That's remarkable, since OXO isn't traditionally associated with high-performance cookware but instead with ergonomic kitchen tools. However, OXO made a big move into premium cookware, particularly with the Mira series. According to Consumer Reports, the OXO Stainless Steel Mira Series offers one of the best stainless steel frying pans for your money. The publication's team put the Mira pan through its paces in the Consumer Reports lab, scoring it based on cooking evenness, food release, handle temperature, and sturdiness. 

The OXO Stainless Steel Mira Series frying pan retails for $90. It's compatible with both gas and electric stoves, plus, it's safe to use on induction stoves, which isn't true of all stainless steel pans. OXO notes that it's made of two stainless steel layers for even heating and oven-safe for up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit. Mira was developed with home chefs in mind and has a heat-radiant core for even cooking. The finish is stain-resistant, which means the Mira stainless steel frying pan won't get discolored when used in high temperatures. In keeping with the company's kitchen tool roots, the handles are ergonomic and lightweight. 

Consumer Reports gave the Mira frying pan a high overall score, rating it above similar Caraway, Le Creuset, Sur La Table, and All-Clad pans. In lab testing, the pan earned excellent results for cooking evenness, handle temperature, and handle sturdiness.  Although the material is prized by professionals, stainless steel can be intimidating for home cooks because food tends to stick when the pan isn't heated the right way. But Mira was also a high performer in the food-release category. 

The Consumer Reports team specifically found that the pan heated evenly across its cooking surface and did an excellent job releasing eggs during testing. Consumer Reports measures food-release performance by cooking four consecutive eggs without adding additional oil after an initial seasoning. It also tests how easy cleanup is, noting how much work it takes to scrub away any cooked-on food left on the pan.

Amazon reviewers appear to agree with Consumer Reports, as the pan has a 4.4 rating, with customers calling it a "workhorse" and "high-end without sticker shock." However, one reviewer did comment that the rim seemed to be wearing away after washing the pan in the dishwasher, despite it being advertised as dishwasher-safe. Overall, these ratings are a good reminder that luxury brands or recognizable names do not guarantee top performance. Caraway and Le Creuset have well-deserved reputations for cooking excellence. However, when various brands are put through their paces in a lab, there can be surprising results. You may not have to pay top dollar to get peak performance when you're looking to buy stainless steel cookware.