The pros are using all kinds of fancy kitchen equipment and special cooking tools when they’re on the job. But what do they really need when it comes to cooking at home? Other than a sharp chef’s knife, a few versatile fry pans will put most food on the table. Keep reading to find out which pans the pros are deeming essential and why.

ENAMELED CAST IRON SKILLET

Cast iron maintains heat better than almost any other material. Once it gets hot, it stays hot, so it’s perfect for searing pork chops or crisping up hashbrowns. You can even throw it in the oven to finish a steak (450ºF max). The black matte porcelain interior comes pre-seasoned, meaning you don’t have to worry about repeated seasoning (we do recommend seasoning the exposed edges before use). It also means you can bake cinnamon rolls or even fry your eggs in it without worry about a lengthy clean-up.  Chefs love this pan because it’s a true workhorse—it lasts forever and can handle a lot of use.

TRI-PLY CLAD SAUTÉ PAN

Although cast iron maintains heat like a champ, it doesn’t always conduct heat evenly. That’s where Tri-Ply Clad comes in. The aluminum core sandwiched between two extremely durable layers of 18/10 stainless steel distributes heat quickly and evenly without hot spots. This construction conducts heat from the sides of the pan (not just the bottom), heating food from every angle.

Wondering how the pros are doing all those fancy and fiery flips? This pan is much lighter than cast iron and has sloped side walls, so you can easily flip and maneuver to sauté veggies or finish a pasta dish. Tri-Ply Clad is your everyday pan that can also handle a lot of repeated use.

NONSTICK FRY PAN

Slowly cooking scrambled eggs to pillowy perfection is hard to do in most sauté pans without a sticky mess. That’s where nonstick comes in; you may not use this pan at every meal as it won’t conduct and sustain the heat you need to brown a steak or get an ideal sear, but it’s essential for those trickier, delicate foods like eggs and skinless fish.

Our fan favorite fry pan’s aluminum construction is light and conducts heat evenly, and it has side walls and a comfortable handle for flipping your cheesy omelets on Saturday morning. You’ll love this for pancakes and crepes too, which brown flawlessly and release all too easily.

These three fry pans can make or break your meal prep. Be smart, think like the pros, and set yourself up for success at home.