This Carbon Nonstick Pan Has Rave Reviews and After Cooking with It Every Day for a Month, I Totally Get Why

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Omelette in Misen skillet.

Credit: Julie Laing

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I’ve been reading about carbon steel skillets for years but never invested in one. My tiny kitchen already holds a full range of cast-iron skillets I inherited from my grandmother, nonstick skillets that are part of my stackable cookware set, and a cheap one-off frying pan that I toss into a plastic tote for sailing and camping trips. Every time I thought about shelling out for a carbon steel model, I always had to ask myself, “Do I really need another skillet?”

The answer turns out to be yes — yes I do. After spending several weeks testing the best nonstick skillets recommended by the Kitchn editors, I found a skillet (my top pick) that gives carbon steel a nonstick finish that’s designed to last. So I’m permanently making space for the Misen carbon nonstick 10-inch frying pan in my kitchen.

Related: Baked Brie in Puff PastryA Quick Look at the Misen Carbon Nonstick 10″ Frying Pan

Slick nonstick surface without a coating or chemicals

Weights less than standard carbon steel or cast iron

Resists damage from metal utensils and rust from soaking

What Is the Misen Carbon Nonstick 10″ Frying Pan?

Misen released its carbon nonstick skillets in summer 2025 as an alternative — and some might say improvement — to its existing carbon steel pan lineup. The company’s classic carbon steel cookware is essentially a sleeker, lighter take on cast iron, capable of delivering perfect seared scallops and quickly searing stir-fried vegetables. But like cast iron, standard carbon steel needs seasoning. Acidic ingredients can strip off that built-up protection, increasing its maintenance. The material can rust if left soaking in a sink.

To counter those downsides, Misen’s carbon nonstick pans have been nitrided, a process that hardens the surface in an ultrahot, nitrogen-rich environment. The pans retain the lightness and durability of carbon steel, but nitriding makes the surface naturally nonstick, without the chemicals or coatings (like Teflon) traditionally used for nonstick pans.

Carbon Nonstick Frying Pan

Misen

$119

Buy Now

What’s So Great About the Misen Carbon Nonstick 10″ Frying Pan?

Misen’s 10-inch carbon nonstick frying pan is staying in my kitchen because its slick surface releases food better than even my well-used nonstick skillets. I’ve gotten several good years out of their hard-anodized surfaces, but that coating is wearing away — something Misen promises will never happen with its coating-free carbon steel. The empty Misen pan also weighs almost 3 pounds less than my similar-diameter Lodge cast-iron skillet.

With its outer layers of carbon steel and an aluminum core, the Misen pan heats quickly and evenly on gas, electric, and induction cooktops. My other nonstick skillets are only oven-safe to 400°F, but Misen says its carbon nonstick can handle up to 1,100°F, well past my gas oven’s limits. The pan’s surface is so tough that metal utensils don’t scratch it, a big bonus because my husband typically picks up the nearest tool to flip his grilled cheese.

Misen also offers this pan in 8- and 12-inch diameters, with a glass, silicone-rimmed lid sold separately. Additional accessories available on the company’s website include a stainless steel spoon set, individual tools like a fish spatula, and cut-to-fit silicone pan protectors.

Pizza cooking in oven.

Credit: Julie Laing

How We Tested the Misen Carbon Nonstick 10″ Frying Pan

Beyond several weeks of everyday use, I put this Misen pan through the following head-to-head tests with nine other nonstick skillets:

The skin-on salmon test. I preheated the pan for a minute and then added high-heat oil and let it warm until shimmering. I then followed these steps to sear a 6-ounce, skin-on sockeye salmon fillet over medium-low heat, until the skin was crackling crisp and the flesh was well cooked.

The fried egg test. I skipped the oil when I fried an egg in this skillet to truly test its nonstick capability. I cooked the egg for 2 minutes, flipped it, and left it briefly until cooked over easy. I checked how cleanly the egg released from the pan on the first flip and when transferred to a plate.

The durability test. To mimic extended use, I scraped inside the skillet 10 times with a metal fish spatula. I inspected the nonstick surface for scratches or other marks.

The cleaning test. I washed the pan by hand after each test and noted whether it was easy to clean, food sloughed off it, and greasiness and odors were gone.

Caramelized onions in Misen skillet.

Credit: Julie Laing

How It Performed

My first tests in the Misen carbon nonstick pan were impressive. An over-easy egg slid out so cleanly that the skillet seemed unused, and the quick-heating surface evenly crisped the skin of well-cooked salmon. Intentional metal-on-metal scraping had no effect on its silky finish. Misen actually recommends using a metal fish spatula to release food effortlessly, and I found that this one did a better job of picking up fried eggs than the nylon spatula I typically use in my nonstick cookware.

Beyond formal tests, the pan excelled at daily cooking tasks. It created stir-fry tofu that released without ripping off its golden surface. Sautéed peppers developed a slight char, onions turned golden and caramelized, and mushrooms softened into a rich meatiness. When the remains of the acidic glaze I used on tofu cooled in the pan, it left light splotches. But as I hand-washed the pan and rubbed in a little oil, the color evened out again.

Even though this skillet can handle ultrahigh heat, I rarely cranked it up. Over medium heat, it seared an ahi tuna steak with visibly cooked edges and a rare, juicy center. On medium-low, savory pancakes bubbled gently with minimal oil and flipped without splatters or tears. A scratch-made cauliflower pizza crust baked up golden and firm. I made sure to grab the stainless steel handle with a potholder when pulling it from the oven, but on a gas stovetop, its hollowed design stayed cool to the touch.

You’ll get the best from this skillet if you treat it right: Preheat it briefly, cook with fat but not residue-heavy aerosol cooking sprays, and occasionally heat the clean pan and rub it down with oil. With such care, my skillet’s surface started to develop the patina of a well-loved pan in a few weeks but stayed nonstick.

Misen says to hand-wash this skillet and avoid abrasive cleaners, but it isn’t as particular as rust-prone cast iron. I’ve only needed a soft cloth and perhaps a dab of dish soap. Just to see the effect, after cooking a mushroom sauce, I let the skillet sit overnight and then attacked it with a pan scraper, soaked it, and scrubbed it with salt-and-oil paste. The surface didn’t seem as shiny after I gave the pan such a deep cleaning, but following Misen’s conditioning steps brought back its original sheen.

What’s so great

No coating, chemicals, or rusting

Weights less than 2.5 pounds

Safe for metal utensils and ultrahigh heat

Compatible with gas, electric, and induction stovetops

Good to know

Nonstick benefits from occasional oiling

Darkens and develops patina with use

Who Is the Misen Carbon Nonstick 10″ Frying Pan For?

Occasional cooks and kitchen devotees will both enjoy using this pan. It’s comfortably lightweight and has an almost silky surface that performed well out of the box. With minimal care, its nonstick power has stayed strong. It is an investment: I could replace both of my Analon SmartStack frying pans whose coating is wearing out for about the same price. But the need to buy more coated nonstick pans would crop up again, flipping the lifetime cost. I’m sold on the idea of a lightweight, minimal-care pan that will last as long as my grandmother’s cast-iron skillets.

Where Can I Buy the Misen Carbon Nonstick 10″ Frying Pan?

Misen products are only available online. The website offers its full product line, and the company has been slowly expanding its offerings on Amazon. Misen offers a 60-day money-back guarantee and lifetime warranty against defects on carbon nonstick pans bought directly from these sources, but third-party sellers may not provide the same warranty.

Are There Any Misen Carbon Nonstick 10″ Frying Pan Sales Right Now?

Both Misen’s website and Amazon are currently selling the carbon nonstick frying pans at full price, but that can change on short notice. I’ve been on the company’s email list since I bought my first Misen chef’s knife in 2021, and discount codes for 20% off on various products appear regularly, along with occasional deeper sales.

Is the Misen Carbon Nonstick 10″ Frying Pan Worth It?

This nonstick carbon steel pan is eco-friendly, chemical-free, and nontoxic.

It’s lightweight yet well balanced and sits flat on a gas stove grate.

Use this skillet on the stovetop, in the oven, and over gas, electric, or induction heat.

It received top marks in initial testing and has continued to perform fabulously with basic care.

You pay more up front for this carbon steel skillet than many nonstick options, but it should last a lifetime. Watch for sales to grab it at the best price.