EATER x Heritage Steel Frying Pan Review

An Honest Review of the Heritage Steel EATER Series 10.5″ Stainless Skillet

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It’s no secret that I am a stainless steel cookware girly. From the sleek look, the versatile cooking methods, and the fact that I can toss it in the dishwasher, what more could a girl ask for? Well, I have been introduced to Heritage Steel cookware for a review, and let me tell you … I’m in love. 

Although Heritage Steel sent their 10.5” EATER series skillet to me for review, all opinions here are my honest thoughts.

The Heritage Steel 10.5” Stainless Steel Skillet: Features

Heritage Steel offers two cookware collections: the Titanium Series and the new Eater Series (Eater is a decades-old top source for all things food and dining.) Both collections offer cookware in any size your heart could desire, from skillets to saucepans of all sizes – and even woks

Material: The EATER Series is made with brushed 304 (18/10) stainless steel, while the Titanium Series has a mirror-polished 316Ti stainless steel. This type of stainless steel is known for its durability and resistance to corrosion and rust​​​​. The skillets are fully non-toxic. 

All Heritage Steel pans are free from any chemical coatings like PFAS (PTFE, Teflon, PFOA, PFOS), lead, or cadmium​​. They don’t even offer non-stick pans, which I greatly respect.

Construction: The 5-ply construction, intended to enhance the pan’s heat distribution and retention capabilities, creates a truly even cooking surface​​​​. The EATER Series is made with an angular design while the Titanium Series has a rounded design. 

Handle: I love the ergonomic stay-cool handle. It feels great in my hand and will keep me from getting burnt (like I have on my cast iron skillet)​. Skillets have a variety of handle styles, depending on materials, branding, and other factors. The Heritage Steel handle is one of the most well-designed options I’ve used​.

Versatility: The pan is induction-ready, meaning it can be used on induction cooktops, in addition to other heat sources (like gas and electric stoves). The fully clad design means that the high-quality material extends throughout the pan, not just at the base, which contributes to better cooking performance​​.

Maintenance and Warranty: The skillet is noted for its ease of cleaning and is maintenance-free when it comes to initial use – needing no seasoning.

Additionally, it comes with a lifetime warranty, underscoring Heritage Steel’s confidence in their durability and quality​​.

Heritage Steel Review Information

Heritage Steel 10.5″ Fry Pan: The Specifications

Materials: The EATER Series is made from 5-ply fully clad brushed 304 (18/10) stainless steel.

Body Thickness2.8 mm
Total Diameter10.5 in
Flat Surface Diameter7 in
Dimensions18.5 In X 10.5 In X 2.75 In
Weight2.2 lbs.
Temperature Tolerance:800° F
Stovetop Compatibility:All types of stovetops

Heritage Steel EATER Series: Unboxing and First Thoughts

I opened my front door to a bright red EATER x Heritage Steel branded box. I grabbed it quickly, avoiding our doorbell camera (it was not hair wash day IYKYK), and excitedly opened it to reveal a beautiful stainless steel skillet, wrapped in a protective bag and kept in place with a couple of cardboard spacers. 

I appreciate the minimal plastic involved in the packaging – and that the skillet arrived in pristine condition. The skillet handle has a cardboard cuff titled “New To Stainless?” with a QR code that takes you to an informative page walking you through the basics of cooking with stainless steel. 

Heritage Steel x EATER box packaging.

So, not only are they sending me a phenomenal skillet (more on that later) but also giving me couldn’t-be-easier access to information I might need to use it best. *chefs kiss*

The skillet itself. Ugh, I am IN LOVE. Listen to me, come closer. This skillet has literally changed my life. Fried and scrambled eggs slide off without a hint of sticking, chicken breasts sear to perfection, and I’ve had zero instances of sticking or grease buildup.

The skillet is surprisingly light for being all-clad, which I love. I’m a short girl which equates to short arms, making handling heavy pots and pans challenging at times. The ergonomic handle adds to the maneuverability of this skillet, I have zero concerns or complaints (a rare occurrence – someone make a note) about the build and style. 

The packaging also included a guide card with starting out tips, cooking and cleaning tips, and warranty registration info (with a QR code!) 

Key takeaways here are to give the pan a quick hand wash with dish soap before using and that because the HS cookware distributes heat so efficiently, you likely won’t need to set your stove higher than ‘medium’. 

I quickly tossed the box into the corner of the garage where they magically disappear my husband breaks them down and grabbed a dish sponge to get this pan prepped and ready to cook.

Heritage Steel 10.5" Fry Pan from above.

How To Cook On A Heritage Steel Stainless Skillet

First, let me say if you are used to cooking on nonstick skillets, your world will be rocked when you switch to stainless steel. I honestly believe every kitchen needs a stainless steel skillet in their short list of essential pots and pans. However, cooking on stainless is a bit different than nonstick – but it’s not complicated at all! 

  1.  Preheat the pan over medium or medium-low heat. Remember, not high! Cooking with your stainless steel too hot can cause a rainbow effect on your cookware.
  2. There is not one perfect amount of time to wait for your pan to be heated, each pan and stove will work a little differently. Use the water drop test to see when your pan is preheated to the perfect temperature. 
  3. Don’t go overboard with your oil or butter. Using just enough to cover the bottom of your pan is the perfect amount. You just want to create an even barrier between the pan surface and whatever you’re cooking. 
  4. Next, add your ingredients, and cook following your recipe. 
  5. When you’ve finished cooking, let the skillet cool down before washing it. Extreme temperature fluctuations are bad for any cookware but can cause thermal shock for stainless steel pans

What Is Cooking With A Heritage Steel Frying Pan Like?

I’ve cooked with skillets and sauté pans of many materials, each with its own unique features. Stainless steel has always been a favorite option for me personally, but this was my first time cooking with a Heritage Steel stainless steel skillet. 

I’ve been cooking with it for a few weeks to give it a thorough run with eggs of all styles, searing salmon and chicken breasts, and sautéing veggies. I’ve used it on my gas stove, my brother’s electric stove, and even in my oven

It handled it all without issue. 

This skillet feels great in my hands thanks to the ergonomic handle and how well-balanced it is. It’s light enough to do the professional-feeling skillet toss move and weighty enough to withstand rougher handling and higher temps without dents or warping. 

Heritage Steel 10.5" Frying Pan bottom.

Heritage Steel EATER Skillet Fried Eggs Test

Frying an egg is a great test of many aspects from heat distribution to nonstickiness levels – some of the top traits people look for in their cookware. 

Eggs are notoriously sticky for three reasons: they’re liquid, they’re cold, and they are high in protein. Without getting into the science of it all, just know they are a triple threat for a high possibility of sticking to your pan. 

Perfect for testing out new skillets.

I set the skillet on my gas stove and turned my burner to medium-low to let the pan warm up. 

Then, I used the water drop test to confirm the pan was preheated to the perfect temperature. Once I had that little ball of water rolling around, I lowered the heat and sprayed the skillet with avocado oil.

Next, I cracked an egg, dropping it in the skillet, and watched as it went from cloudy to white, monitoring the yolk for that perfect gel-like over-medium texture. I let it sizzle for a few minutes after lowering the heat a bit. I’m a big fan of over-medium eggs (known as dippy-toast-eggs until I was a preteen) so I want to give the yolk enough time to firm up somewhat.

The egg cooked quick enough that I didn’t get bored watching it, but not so quick that I was worried about the yolk being too runny.

At this point, I swirled the pan a bit to see how badly the egg was sticking, and to my surprise, it floated around the pan like a professional skater on a December ice rink. 

Feeling much too confident for my own good, I decided to skip the spatula and go for the in-pan flip. And to everyone’s delight (the imaginary audience that lives in my mind rent-free) it went flawlessly! The egg slid right off the pan, flipped in the air, AND landed back in the skillet with the yolk intact. 

After a quick firm-up on the ‘other’ side, I slid the fried egg from skillet to plate without an ounce of resistance. I’ve seen nonstick pans stick more than this baby. I could almost hear the animated angels singing in the golden light of success. Fried Egg Score: 10/10

Heritage Steel EATER Skillet Seared Chicken Test

Next was the sear test. Some types of pans (I’m looking at you, nonstick options) are incredibly difficult to sear. Stainless steel is not one of these types of pans. 

I did the preheat and water drop test again. Then a spray with avocado oil. Then I asked my husband to plop a raw (seasoned) chicken breast in the skillet. (I can’t handle touching raw chicken, I will not be surviving the zombie apocalypse – or any other kind.)

As it sizzled in the pan, I kept my patience. The key to a good sear is to let the meat cook without being disturbed too much to let it develop that beautiful golden crust. 

After about 5-7 minutes, I could see a golden brown forming on the edges and used a silicone spatula to flip the chicken. Zero resistance. Zero!

Once the golden brown edges were making themselves known, I checked the internal temperature of the thickest part of the middle of the chicken. Chicken must reach a safe 165°F. 

Then I removed the chicken from the pan to let it rest for a few minutes before the taste test. 

The pan was once again nearly clean with some browned oil around the rivets that easily wiped off with soap and water. 

Even though I used a skinless chicken breast the exterior was seared to a golden crisp perfection and the interior was tender and juicy. Sear score: 10/10

*I don’t have a seared chicken image for you yet because it now gets dark at like 4:30 PM – which is the worst.

Heritage Steel Skillet on a gas stove.

How to Clean a Heritage Steel EATER 10.5” Fry Pan

You can easily hand wash these skillets due to the absolute lack of anything sticking to them but I have also tossed mine into the dishwasher without any issue. Simply because hand-washing dishes is a top-tier ick for me.

Confession time: I have a spray bottle of one squirt of dish soap + water to the top that I use as a multipurpose spray (highly recommended if you use a natural dish soap) and one day after making eggs I simply gave the pan a few sprays over the sink and a rinse and called it good. 

It was pristine – I’m a total germaphobe, but I’m telling you it was squeaky-clean clean. 

Heritage Steel EATER Skillet Pros:

Every piece of cookware will have pros and cons, however, Heritage Steel stainless steel is a favorite of mine for many reasons, including:

  • Heritage Steel uses no chemical coatings of any kind, their cookware is made without PFAS, PFOA, PTFE (Teflon), ceramic silanes, lead, cadmium, or any other new options cookware is made with. In fact, Heritage Steel doesn’t even offer nonstick options. 
  • Heritage Steel is known for its commitment to quality. Many of their products come with a lifetime warranty – something rare in today’s abundance of planned obsolescence products.
  • Their cookware is made by hand by a family-owned company in Clarksville, TN.
  • Safe for all stovetops, including induction and oven safe up to 800 degrees.
  • The rims are flared for easy pouring, making those one-pan dinners even easier.
  • The brushed finish is not only gorgeous, but it also doesn’t show water spots or fingerprints like some of my mirrored-finish stainless cookware.
  • Heritage Steel cookware is less expensive than competitors like All-Clad and Demeyere while being of similar quality (in my opinion).
  • Lightweight: This may be a con depending on personal preferences. Heritage Steel skillets tend to be lighter than similar competitor pans. I personally find this to be a pro as I can more easily pan-flip and shake ingredients. Cooks who prefer heavier cookware may not like the lighter feel. 
Heritage Steel 10.5" Skillet Review of the brushed finish.

Heritage Steel EATER Skillet Cons:

This is honestly my new favorite go-to skillet, but I do want to note a few minor downsides.

  • Grease can collect around the rivets, so if you’re a hand-wash kind of girl, pay more attention to them. In the dishwasher, they clean up 100%.
  • Not specific to Heritage Steel specifically but stainless steel products may take a learning curve for those not used to working with it. 
Heritage Steel Skillet rivets detail.

How Does The Heritage Steel EATER Skillet Rate Online?

Let me save you the time of scouring reviews and hedging the accidental 1-stars against the helpful content. The EATER partnership is brand new so the reviews are still coming in, but they are vastly 5/5 stars.

The 10.5” skillet is currently available on Amazon and the Heritage Steel website with nearly 400 reviews and an impressive 5/5 rating.

RetailerRatingReviews
Heritage Steel5/5385
Amazon5/511

Most reviews on multiple sites are overwhelmingly positive. People love the overall quality, that the pans are made in the US, and ease of cleaning. Home cooks and professional chefs alike are singing the praises of this skillet as a go-to everyday option.

How could it be any better than it is? I’m not sure it’s possible to find a better fry pan. It’s excellent in every way. I find myself grabbing for it before grabbing my well-seasoned and beloved carbon steel pan.” – Joel F

The negatives I read came mostly from people who felt that clean-up was difficult. I bet they aren’t using the water drop test based on the many positive reviews (and my personal experience) of very easy cleanup.

FAQs

Where Are Heritage Steel Pans Made?

Heritage Steel cookware is proudly made in Clarksville TN. The company emphasizes American craftsmanship and sources as much of their materials as possible domestically.

How Long Has Heritage Steel Been In Business?

The Heritage Steel name has been around since 2013, but the heart of the business started about 40 years ago as New Era Cookware in 1983 (that’s older than me!). The EATER collaboration is new for 2023,

What is Heritage Steel’s Lifetime Warranty?

Any product with defects in material or workmanship is fully covered by the Heritage Steel Lifetime warranty – and they can help you replace any items that you may damage along the way. You need to register your cookware within 30 days to be eligible for the warranty.

What Is The Heritage Steel Return Policy?

Heritage Steel offers a 30-day return policy for unused cookware in its original packaging with a receipt or proof of purchase.

Where Can I Buy Heritage Steel Cookware?

On Amazon, at the Heritage Steel website, and at independent gourmet kitchenware shops.

Is Heritage Steel Cookware Safe and Non-toxic?

Yes, Heritage Steel cookware is non-toxic. Stainless steel is a non-reactive material, meaning it doesn’t leach harmful chemicals into your food, even when cooking acidic or alkaline ingredients.

Is Heritage Steel Cookware Dishwasher-safe?

Absolutely, while hand washing is recommended. Their products are dishwasher safe.  I wouldn’t be singing its praises otherwise 🙂

Can Heritage Pans Go In The Oven?

Absolutely, they are oven-safe to 800 degrees!

Heritage Steel Skillet in a gas oven.

Is Heritage Steel Induction Compatible?

Yep, all Heritage Steel cookware is safe to use on all cooktops, including induction.

Final Thoughts: Is Heritage Steel Cookware Worth Buying?

Now that we’ve covered the facts and my personal experience with Heritage Steel, it’s time for you to decide if it’s right for you.

You should buy Heritage Steel cookware if:

  • You want American-made cookware produced by expert craftsmen.
  • You prefer a classic and no-frills design.
  • You like the idea of having stainless steel cookware strengthened with titanium.
  • You want cookware with superior heat retention, which is ideal for searing meat.
  • You want cookware with a high oven-safe temperature.

You should not buy Heritage Steel cookware if:

  • You are allergic to nickel or other metals.
  • You’re looking for colorful cookware options.
  • You need glass lids.
  • You hate riveted pans. 

Final Thoughts

Heritage Steel cookware is designed intentionally with a dedication to high quality. Their pans, if well cared for, could be passed down for generations. Unless you love a glass lid or have a personal vendetta against rivets, this is THE stainless steel brand I would recommend. 

What sets these pans apart is their exceptional quality and affordable price point, making them the perfect option for home cooks looking to cook like pros. For anyone looking for high-quality non-toxic cookware, Heritage Steel is my top choice. 

Hit that add to cart button at Amazon or the Heritage Steel website.

About Author

Tia Goodnight

Hey! I'm Tia, and I started this site to bring you the best information on all things kitchen so you can enjoy and elevate your everyday life.

I love trying new techniques and tools, living for the thrill of pulling off a new skill. On weekends you'll find me at the local farmer's markets or hosting friends and family for an evening of yard or card games and delicious food.

If you're looking for honest, real-world advice on all things kitchen and cooking, you're in the right place!