There are many types of metals from which frypans are made, many stores will tell you a certain fry pan is "the best" there is but it's just like outfits- no one suit is suitable for all possible occasions.

Many times the thumb rules are right-

1. A frypan should have a thick base- to distribute heat evenly and cool down slower, yet still comfortable to hold (and not only when empty).

2. A frying pan should have walls that are high enough to prevent oil or sauce spilling over yet low and sloping so food can be easily extracted.

3. A frypan should have a comfortable handle. It should be solid enough to support the pan but not too heavy to hold and it should act to reduce the amount of heat to which the holding hand is exposed

But what about cast iron skillets? For what they do they are the best there is and in my opinion no new material or invention can replace the effect cast iron skillets has on food. It is not meant for fried food but for a deep, strong heat effect for which the cast iron is the best possible material.

Yet the cast iron skillets to not oblige to the rules- it does have a thick base, it is usually thick throughout (it is one of a small selection of frypans where the bottom and the walls are a single piece) but no one would call a cast iron skillet comfortable to hold.

The walls in the cast iron skillet are in several cases not important- in most cases there is no sauce and in other cases- when cooking slow cooking rice dishes the walls should be exceptionally high and the wall angle steep.

The handle in the cast iron skillet only supports the fried pan as it is a cast frying pan- probably most other handles would fall (there are cast iron frying pans with a wooden or stainless steel handle- those are usually screwed on with extremely big screws) the cast iron handles are not comfortable- but worst- they are almost as hot as the fry pan they are part of. The fact the handles can withstand the heat is best in cases when you want to put the entire pan under a grill or in to an oven but this just makes the point.