Home & Kitchen · Head-to-head
Made In Seasoned Carbon Steel Frying Pan vs De Buyer Mineral B PRO Carbon Steel Fry Pan
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Carbon Steel Frying Pans: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Made In is the easiest carbon steel pan to live with, pairing a hollow stay-cool handle with balanced weight and useful factory seasoning. The De Buyer Mineral B PRO is the connoisseur's pick and the better long-term tool, provided you accept a demanding first few weeks.
Made In Seasoned Carbon Steel Frying Pan
Buy itThe most beginner-friendly carbon steel pan, with a hollow stay-cool handle and balanced heft.
- Comes usefully pre-seasoned, so it performs reasonably well on day one
- Hollow Stay Cool handle design keeps the grip cooler on the stovetop than solid all-steel handles
- Well-balanced weight: substantial enough to sear, light enough to maneuver one-handed
- Costs noticeably more than utilitarian restaurant-supply pans
- Rivets, if present on the cooking surface, can trap a little oil and food
De Buyer Mineral B PRO Carbon Steel Fry Pan
Buy itA French, buy-it-for-life pan that rewards patience with a near-nonstick surface and a long service life.
- Strong build quality and heat retention that reviewers rate highly
- Ships with an organic beeswax finish rather than a synthetic coating, and takes seasoning beautifully over time
- Built to last, with owners reporting they pass it down
- Steep early learning curve: it can feel frustrating and sticky for the first few weeks
- Heavy in the larger sizes, which can strain the wrist during long flips
Side by side
The 7 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Made In Seasoned Carbon Steel Frying Pan Our pick | De Buyer Mineral B PRO Carbon Steel Fry Pan | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | First-time carbon steel buyers who want a forgiving, do-everything pan without the learning curve. | Committed cooks willing to invest weeks of seasoning for a pan that becomes better than nonstick. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $$$ · premium |
| Weight & handling | Balanced, easy one-handed use | Solid; heavy in large sizes |
| Out-of-box readiness | Usefully pre-seasoned | Beeswax finish, needs seasoning |
| Handle design | Hollow Stay Cool handle | Comfortable curved handle |
| Build & durability | Excellent | Excellent |
| Cooktop compatibility | Induction-compatible | Induction-compatible |
| Learning curve | Gentle | Moderate |
| Safety / compliance record | No known issue | No known issue |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Made In Seasoned Carbon Steel Frying Pan if
first-time carbon steel buyers who want a forgiving, do-everything pan without the learning curve.
Know before buying: costs noticeably more than utilitarian restaurant-supply pans.
Pick the De Buyer Mineral B PRO Carbon Steel Fry Pan if
committed cooks willing to invest weeks of seasoning for a pan that becomes better than nonstick.
Know before buying: steep early learning curve: it can feel frustrating and sticky for the first few weeks.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Made In Seasoned Carbon Steel Frying Pan - The most beginner-friendly carbon steel pan, with a hollow stay-cool handle and balanced heft. Choose the De Buyer Mineral B PRO Carbon Steel Fry Pan instead if committed cooks willing to invest weeks of seasoning for a pan that becomes better than nonstick.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Carbon Steel Frying Pans: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).