A Square Frying Pan is not something you see everyday. Most skillets you find at the stores are round and there is a good reason that. Most of our home range are round, as such round skillets suits the heating element better. However, there are advantage to having a square skillet. One of such is the extra cooking space. With the extra four corner, you will increase you cooking surface area by at least 25%. The problem is that there are quite a few different one on the market. This article will list some of the Best Square Frying Pan on the market. We will go over why some are better than other.

Best Square Frying Pan List

Below, you will find a list of some the Best Square Frying Pan on the market. You should choose one that best suits your need.

Lodge Square 12.5 Grill Pan (Best Overall)

Lodge 12 inch Square pan is the Best Square Frying Pan on the market. Its heavy duty cast iron construction means that it will pretty much last forever. The skillet will develop a nonstick coating overtime and will only get better with use. Its generous size also means that you can cook a breakfast for 3 or more. If you need, you can always push food to the side if you need more room.

All Clad Anodized Nonstick (Best Nonstick Choice)

If you are looking for a Non Stick version, then look no further than All Clad. Their coating is hard anodized so it will last longer than your average nonstick coating. The aluminum construction will ensure that the pan heats up quick and cook evenly. While its smaller than the lodge model, the 11 inch surface is still plenty for most people.

Anolon Advanced Hard Anodized Nonstick Saute Square Fry (Best Tall Square Pan)

If you want a square frying pan with tall sidewall, the consider anolon square saute pan. This pan comes with a lid so that its perfect for braising and stewing. You can use it both as a sauce pot and a frying pan. This is one of the few pan that actually uses teflon. Teflon is a lot more durable than ceramic nonstick cookware.

T-Fal Square Pan (Best Buy)

T-Fal is the best buy if you want a square pan with a lid. Its made of ceramic so its easy to clean and relatively easy to cook in. However, Ceramic wont last as long as the teflon coated pan. So use your best judgement when deciding what to buy. In the center, you will see a heat spot to indicate when the pan is hot enough to cook.

What are Square Frying Pan Used For?

In the states, square frying pans are just a different skillet. You can store a bit more food than round skillets. Some square frying pan will have relatively tall sidewall perfect for braising food or frying four toast.

In Japan, a square frying pan is used for making Tamagoyaki. Tamagoyaki is a rectangular egg dish that requires a square pan. As you roll the egg, you will press and form it until you get a nice squared off shape. Japanese Chef will usually pick a copper or cast iron Tamagoyaki Pan to cook this dish.

Different Design in a square pan

There are two main design for a square frying pan. Both will affect how cooking is done and both serve different purpose. The biggest difference that you will notice is the height of the sidewall. Lower sidewall are perfect for cooking and frying thing. A lot of people enjoy using these pans for breakfast. It makes flipping and cooking pancakes a breeze. Eggs and bacon can also be cooked at the side.

Taller Square Frying Pan are perfect for braising. They will hold more liquid and keep more of the fat in. This will help prevent splatter in your kitchen. The downside is that the sidewall can get in the way when you use a spatula to flip the food.

Different Materials Available

You will find two different type of material for square frying pan, Cast Iron and Non Stick. Cast Iron are fantastic for getting hot and staying hot. They are pretty much indestructible and perfect for high heat application like steaks or salmon. With time, they develop a nonstick coating.

Teflon is the easiest to use. Great if you plan on cooking a lot of eggs and bacon. Because of how slick the surface is, its also one of the easiest to clean. The downside to this is that it has a limited shelf life. Once the Teflon Coating goes, so does the pan.

Lids for Square Frying Pan

The biggest issue with Square Frying Pan is that there are not a lot of lid options available. If you intend on getting a lid, you pretty much have to get the same one from the manufacturer. If the lid is a necessity, you might want to get one with a set. T-Fal and Anolon makes a good choice for a nonstick alternative. For a cast iron choice, Lodge has a option, but they only have a Grill Pan that is compatible.

Thoughts

While it might seem weird to have a square frying pan, they offer some advantages. The biggest one is the extra cooking space. You have more room to cook for a bigger family. The square frying pan with tall sidewall lets you use it as a braising and stew pot as well. Its more versatile but just a little more difficult to flip and turn food. Whichever one you choose, a square pan is a nice change of pace.

Want a Japanese Square Pan, check out our article on the Best Tamagoyaki Pan.