6 inch frying pan on countertop

Why You Need a Small Frying Pan In Your Lineup

Though she be but little, she is fierce.

By Team Made InSep 6, 2023
Share This Article

Medium and large frying pans have rightfully earned their place in our cookware repository. Whether cooking a weeknight pasta recipe or searing a ribeye, any pan 10โ€ or larger is up for the task.

So where do frying pans on the smaller end fit into the equation? Typically 8โ€ or smaller, these pans are typically used for single servingsโ€”so if youโ€™re not cooking for one, youโ€™ve likely skipped over adding a small pan to your cookware collection. Hereโ€™s why you should reconsider that.

What Is Considered a โ€œSmallโ€ Frying Pan?

Though thereโ€™s no official designation of what is considered a small frying pan, this category typically encompasses any pan measuring in at 8โ€ or smaller. Keep in mind that frying pans are usually measured from rim to rim, meaning that the actual cooking surface area will be smaller than the total pan sizeโ€”i.e. our 6โ€ Stainless Clad Frying Pan has a cooking surface diameter of 4.7โ€.

Small Frying Pan Uses

6 inch frying pan on countertop

If youโ€™re on the fence about adding a small frying pan to your roster, here are some of our favorite uses to demonstrate just how essential they can be.

Single Servings

The most prevalent use for a 6โ€ or 8โ€ frying pan is a single serving, be it a single fried egg, pancake, omelette, or frittata. The small cooking surface area means your pan heats up faster (especially when made with high-quality materials like Stainless Clad) and your ingredient cooks quicker.

This is also a great size for a quick sautรฉ of small vegetables, like mushrooms or a handful of spinach, instead of dirtying a larger pan.

Toasting Spices and Nuts

Whether spices for at-home five-spice powder or pine nuts for pesto, a small frying pan is ideal for toastingโ€”much for the same reasons itโ€™s perfect for single servings. A small surface area prevents burning or hot spots, and it wonโ€™t take up too much space on your stovetop if youโ€™re working with multiple moving parts of a dish.

Finishing Sauces

Garlic butter, browned butter, or garlic confit are vital parts of some recipes or an excellent finishing addition to a dish. If prepping a small amount, a 6โ€ or 8โ€ pan can come in handy when warming up a small amount of liquidโ€”that is, if you donโ€™t have a Butter Warmer available.

Do You Need a Small Frying Pan?

6 inch non stick frying pan

If youโ€™re on the fence about adding a small frying pan to your lineup, consider how often you single servings or small amounts of food (like toasted nuts or spices). If youโ€™ve long been using a larger pan for a small task, then it may be time to add a 6โ€ or 8โ€ pan to your culinary roster.

Ultimately, a small frying pan has many more benefits than it does drawbacks, and is more than worth the space it takes up in your cabinet or on the stove. If you reach for it once a week or once per month, youโ€™ll be glad to have it on hand.

Ready to Shop?

  • Sorry, no variants match your search.

While thereโ€™s a place in our hearts (and cookware cabinets) for large frying pans, thereโ€™s certainly a time, place, and recipe for small frying pans, too. Thatโ€™s why weโ€™re so excited about the most recent addition 6โ€ to our line of Award-Winning Frying Pans in both Non Stick and Stainless Clad, perfect for anything from searing to slow simmers.