The 8 Best Crêpe Pans for Pancake Day & Beyond

The Best Crêpe Pans for Pancake Day & Beyond

If you’re here, it means you’ve already realised that frying pans simply don’t cut it when making pancakes. In frying pans, pancakes require awkward spatula manoeuvring (with high risk of pancake-breakage), and the steam generated by higher sides means less browning and less space for the batter to spread out. But the larger surface area and short sides of a crêpe pan eliminate that fuss, and are useful for a lot more than crêpes. Think chapatis, tortillas, injera, and other pancakes and flatbreads from around the world. You could also use it like a plancha for searing vegetables, meat and more.

Since pancakes are best cooked at consistent, medium heat, cast iron—or its siblings, carbon steel and spun iron—and non-stick crêpe pans are ideally suited to the task. As for which is the best pan for crêpes, it comes down to personal preference.

Best for Durability: Cast Iron, Carbon Steel, or Spun Iron

Cast iron pans’ claim to fame is their ability to retain high levels of heat very well, ensuring your food crisps beautifully. Ditto for carbon steel and spun iron, which are materially similar. This is especially important for pancakes, as the best pancakes have a golden-brown hue. Best of all, over time, a cast iron, carbon steel or spun iron pan lasts a lifetime, becoming gradually more stick-resistant. Omelettes, seafood and pancakes will slide off your pan with no hesitation. But there’s a catch: They require some extra care and maintenance than regular pans, as we don't recommend using washing-up liquid to clean them. Just hot water, and for stuck-on bits, salt or bicarbonate of soda.

How quickly your pan becomes easy-release depends on how frequently you use it and how well you take care of it. To kickstart this process, you should season your pan before first use, even if it comes to you pre-seasoned—read all about how to do that here. Worry not, it’s easy! Once you do that initial seasoning, your new pan is pancake-ready, but do make sure the bottom of the pan is hot and well-oiled before adding any batter. This will become less necessary over time, but for the first five to ten uses, do not skimp on the oil when using a cast iron, carbon steel or spun iron pan.

To season a pan, like the Lodge crêpe pan pictured above, all you have to do is rub it with a layer of vegetable oil and heat it over a medium-high heat until the oil looks absorbed into the pan; you could also rub the oil all around the pan and place it in the oven, upside down, and bake at 175°C for 1 hour, with a tray below it to catch excess oil.

If you want the heat-retaining quality of cast iron without the extra maintenance, look for an enamelled cast iron crêpe pan. They won’t become stick-resistant over time, the way a regular cast iron, carbon steel, or spun iron pan would, but like the others, they’ll brown beautifully and last a lifetime.

Best for Ease: Non-Stick

Non-stick pans are super-simple to clean (always by hand), but unlike the pans above, they have limited lifespans of just a few years. You can extend that lifespan for up to a decade with proper care, but it’s not a lifetime investment. Your pancakes can crisp up well as long as the pan is hot, but make sure not to go above medium heat as that could damage the coating.

For many, including lots of BK team members, the ease of using a non-stick crêpe pan is 1000% worth the limited life span. If you’re not confident about your pancake skills, then a non-stick pan is the way to go, as there is no chance your batter will stick to the pan and make a mess, especially if you try to be theatrical and flip pancakes. And unlike a cast iron crêpe pan, a non-stick crepe pan heats up much faster.

The Elite: Copper

Copper is the golden child of cookware, with its ability to heat up or cool down almost instantaneously, as well as spread heat evenly across the pan. This is great for most foods, including pancakes, but since copper is a premium material, it comes with a premium price point. However, if you’re familiar with ‘the copper difference’ or you want to invest in a copper pan to witness it yourself, a copper crêpe pan is a good starting point.

Staub Enamelled Cast Iron Crêpe Pan

Staub is a household name in France and around the world for their black enamelled cookware, which has all the benefits of cast iron—namely the ability to absorb and retain intense heat, resulting in gorgeously browned food—but there is no special clean-up required. The enamelled finish on this 28cm crêpe pan prevents the pan from rusting and the slightly textured matt interior makes it more stick-resistant than more commonly seen white enamelled pans. This truly French crêpe pan, which comes with a wooden crêpe spreader and spatula, encourages crisp, lacy edges and rich amber colours, and the wooden handle stays cool so you can flip without fear. £89.00; shop here.

Pros

No seasoning needed
Stay-cool wooden handle
Comes with a beech wood crêpe spreader and spatula
Works on all hobs including induction and AGA
Made in France

Cons

Not oven-compatible
Won’t build stick-resistance over time

Lodge Cast Iron Crêpe Pan

Also called a round griddle, this 26cm crêpe pan boasts a heavy-duty construction made from a single mould, meaning that the handle and pan are not two parts fixed together but one unit. This means remarkable durability, with the potential to last many lifetimes—not too shabby for a pan that costs less than £50. £40.00; shop here.

Pros

Made from one mould (ultra-durable)
Made in the USA
Surface becomes stick-resistant over time
Good value
Suitable for all hobs including induction and AGA
Oven compatible
Pre-seasoned (so you can get straight to cooking)

Cons

Handle gets very hot
Shorter handle makes it more difficult to manoeuvre

De Buyer Mineral B Carbon Steel Crêpe Pan

De Buyer’s Mineral B range is the cookware equivalent of a cult classic film. Beloved by chefs, this French crêpe pan is heavy-duty but easy to manoeuvre, thanks to a long curved handle that stays relatively cool as the pan sears beautifully. It is thinner than a cast iron pan, and more heat-responsive as a result. Unlike Lodge pans, it does not come pre-seasoned, so it is mandatory to season it prior to use. This extra step has one great advantage: You can see the pan build its layer of seasoning (‘patina’) in real time, as the pan’s surface will change from grey to black as the patina improves over time. From £27; shop here.

Pros

Good value
Made in France
Surface becomes stick-resistant over time, and you can assess this by the way the colour changes
Stay-cool handle that’s easy to manoeuvre
Suitable for all hobs including induction and AGA

Cons

Must be seasoned prior to first use
Oven safe for up to 10 minutes at 200°C; a longer time or higher temperature may cause the handle to discolour

Left: Staub Crêpe Pan; Right: De Buyer Mineral B Crêpe Pan

Netherton Foundry Spun Iron Crêpe Pan

Less bulky than cast iron, the 26cm Netherton Foundry crêpe pan has the advantage of being more responsive to heat. Unlike the De Buyer Mineral B, it comes pre-seasoned, so you can get straight to cooking (though we still recommend kick-starting the process with these instructions here). This pan has been made in Shropshire using traditional British ironmongery processes. £68.00; shop here.

Pros

Made in England
Stay-cool handle
Oven-compatible
Pre-seasoned
Easy to lift and manoeuvre

Cons

Wooden handle cover must be removed with screwdriver to be oven-compatible

De Buyer Choc Resto Induction Non-Stick Crepe Pan

Made from extra-thick aluminium, this 26cm non-stick crepe pan from De Buyer has a magnetic stainless steel base that makes it ideal for induction hobs. Five layers of non-stick coating enable you to turn crepes out easily and make the pan simple to clean. £46.00; shop here.

Pros

Extra-thick base ideally suited to induction hobs
Extremely easy to clean
Little to no oil needed
Made in France
Stay-cool handle

Cons

Only oven-safe for limited time (up to 10 minutes and 280°C)
No metal utensils
Limited durability (read how to extend the lifespan of a non-stick pan here)

Mauviel M’Stone Non-Stick Crêpe Pan

Lightweight yet sturdy and finished with three layers of PFOA-free Eclipse Plus non-stick coating, this beautifully designed pan from Mauviel is oven safe up to 250°C and compatible with all hobs including induction and AGA. It’s an excellent option if you already have other pans in the popular M’Stone range. £85; shop here.

Pros

Suitable for all hobs and the oven
Extremely easy to clean
Little to no oil needed
Made in France
Stay-cool handle

Cons

No metal utensils
Limited durability

Left: De Buyer Choc Non-Stick Crêpe Pan; Right: Kuhn Rikon Induction Crêpe Pan

Kuhn Rikon Easy Induction Crêpe Pan

With three layers of PFOA-free non-stick coating reinforced with titanium particles for strength, this reliable crêpe pan can be used on all hobs thanks to a 5mm-thick base. It is also oven safe, with an extra-low rim for easy flipping. £45; shop here.

Pros

Suitable for all hobs and the oven
Extremely easy to clean
Little to no oil needed
Stay-cool handle

Cons

No metal utensils
Limited durability

Mauviel M’150S Copper Crêpe Pan

When it comes to heat responsiveness, there’s really no match for copper. With this crêpe pan, which has an inner lining of stainless steel, you can expect even browning. It is not non-stick, so be generous with oil or butter and be careful to only flip over the pancake once it is fully cooked on the underside. £249; shop here. Also available with a brass handle, here.

Pros