Am i better off with a stainless steel frying pan or a non-stick ?
Non-stick works well for me for most things, but when I want a good sear on meat or seafood, the teflon can make it tough (scallops, for instance – I can’t ever get them golden brown like they’re supposed to be with my nonstick pans). And a good cast-iron pan can be great to have around, too. Be sure to replace non-stick pans every few years, though – I’ve heard that the teflon can degrade and become poisonous after awhile. And, speaking of which, be careful with non-stick pans if you own pet birds – a teflon pan left dry and empty on a hot burner can give off fumes that are extremely toxic to birds…probably not relevant to you, but you never know.
It depends on your plans for cooking with it. If you are wanting to cook things like scrambled eggs and other foods that you never want to stick to a pan, get a nonstick. (Or my personal favorite, a cast iron pan. They are inexpensive and will last you a lifetime. Nonstick needs to be replaced every few years) If you want to sear a piece of meat and get some yummy browned bits that you can then add wine or broth to, and make a sauce, then a stainless steel pan is better for that purpose. It will allow the meat to stick somewhat, giving you that browned crust.
