Tramontina: It came to a photo finish for the best budget skillet between Calphalon and this Tramontina pan. The Calphalon beat Tramontina’s capable 10-inch heat sink, which costs less than $50, with less heat distribution in the tests I ran.

Material (Update: Out of Stock): Material’s $125 10-inch sauté pan is a good option if you’re looking for a sturdier (read, heavier) pan with a lid. it technically a sauté pan and not a pot because it has straight sides, and it does well across the board.

From the Buyer: This legacy French producer makes an excellent 11-inch cooktop, but it might be better suited for a professional kitchen. It is heavier than most and costs $225. All of this makes it hard to recommend to the casual home cook.

Demeyer: This Belgian-made seven-ply skillet is the heaviest of all the pans I’ve tried, even though it’s only 9 inches wide. The 4-pound frying pan heats evenly and reheats food well, but the weight coupled with a bloated $270 price tag means it’s not a good choice for most people.

360 Cooking utensils: This five-ply American-made skillet is built like any other, but at $200, other pans will give you better value for your money.

House in Tuxton: I don’t have much bad to say about this budget-friendly pan, but it is harder to clean than others. The Tuxton home three-ply pan can be had for under $50 and will definitely get the job done.

All-Clad Graphite Core: This All-Clad skillet has a light graphite core, so it can be a good choice for someone who struggles to use a standard frying pan. That said, it’s not cheap — $200 for a 10-inch — and it distributes more unevenly than its aluminum-core counterparts.