For the choice between a pan with or without a non-stick coating, induction makes little difference. If you're unsure, first check which frying pan suits your cooking style. Pay attention to the base for induction: it must be magnetic and flat, and match the size of your cooking zone. You can find the base diameter on the product page. If you buy the pan before your induction cooktop is installed, you can still use it on gas in the meantime.

Which frying pan fits your cooking zone?

The size in the name of a frying pan refers to the rim; only the bottom rests on your cooking zone, and that is smaller. For the pans above, where the product page mentions the bottom, this usually differs by 5 to 9.5 cm. The SCANPAN Frying Pan Classic Induction ø 28 cm has a bottom of 22 cm. For some other 28 cm pans, it is 19.6 cm: the same size in the name, 2.4 cm difference at the bottom.

These are the bottom sizes per size in the name, according to the product pages that mention them:

Size in the name	Size of the bottom (according to the product page)
ø 20 cm	13,5 to 14,8 cm
ø 24 cm	16,3 to 18,2 cm
ø 26 cm	18 to 19 cm
ø 28 cm	19,6 to 22 cm
ø 32 cm	22,5 to 23,5 cm

First, choose the size for your household and test it on induction at the zone where you cook the most. A zone of 21 cm roughly corresponds to the bottom of a 28 cm pan (19,6 to 22 cm). For an 18 cm zone, the bottom of a 24 or 26 cm pan (16,3 to 19 cm) is closer. Many complaints from reviews about induction pans relate to a bottom that is too small: only the center gets hot enough, or the plate does not recognize a small pan.

If you often cook on two zones at the same time, choose the size that fits for each zone. If you want to buy those two pans together, check the frying pan sets. The frying pans of 20 cm, frying pans of 24 cm, and frying pans of 28 cm are grouped by size. The diameter filter for the pans above works with the size in the name, so with the rim.

What helps against a warped bottom on induction: a better pan or a lower setting?

Part of it is determined at the time of purchase, the rest while cooking. The bottom of the pan itself matters most: with a weighted or thick bottom, it takes longer for it to warp. Such a bottom is not a luxury, as even those who heat slowly may see a pan warp. Apart from that: with a pan that only works on induction thanks to a plate under the bottom, the heat mainly stays at the bottom and the sides receive little heat.

A higher price alone is not enough: even with an expensive pan, the setting of your plate also determines how long the bottom stays flat. Those coming from gas often set the plate to setting 9 out of habit. Induction usually goes too fast at that setting, so your food burns faster.

Your egg or steak should only go in when you have let the pan heat up to about 60 percent and then set the plate to 40 percent.

What does induction mean for the material you choose?

You notice something different with each material on induction:

Stainless steel can be adjusted well: if your steak gets too dark, you quickly notice a lower setting in the pan. You don't miss a gas flame with stainless steel frying pans, as they don't need to be seasoned.
A pan with a non-stick coating, usually made of aluminum, is light and requires the least work; if you don't set it to the highest setting, you also preserve the coating. For the pans above, this coating is usually ceramic; if you only want to see that, check the frying pans with a ceramic non-stick coating.
Sheet steel works on induction and gets very hot. Such a pan also does not distribute heat evenly, so expect a few hotter spots.
Cast iron heats very gradually; once at temperature, such a pan stays hot for a long time. Unseasoned cast iron frying pans need to be seasoned just like sheet steel.

If you only cook on induction and want to fry without a coating and without seasoning, then stainless steel is suitable. Pre-seasoned cast iron can also work, such as the Beka Frying Pan Stark ø 24 cm. If you still want sheet steel, weigh the work before buying one, and check how to season a sheet steel pan.