Compare Carbon Steel Pans
de Buyer Mineral B 12.5" Fry Pan scores higher on safety - here's why.
The most important dimensions, side by side.
The cooking surface is bare carbon steel — iron and carbon only, with no synthetic coatings of any kind. This is the material definition of PFAS-free cookware.
STRATA explicitly states 'No PTFE or PFOA' in the product listing — a direct, clear commitment to chemical-free cooking backed by the nature of bare carbon steel.
STRATA doesn't restrict acidic foods, which aligns with the industry norm. A well-seasoned bare carbon steel pan handles moderate acidity well, though frequent acidic cooking can slow seasoning development.
Not published by the manufacturer. The 3-ply aluminum-core construction makes the pan notably lighter than solid carbon steel, but the total thickness has not been disclosed.
The pan ships unseasoned, so you need to season it before first use. STRATA includes a seasoning guide, and the bare carbon steel surface seasons reliably — plan for a few initial cooks to build the non-stick layer.
The cast stainless handle stays cooler than a carbon steel handle on the stovetop — a real comfort advantage. It's riveted rather than welded, so keep the rivet area dry to avoid rust at the joint.
Rated to 600°F — the highest confirmed oven temperature in this category. This covers every home oven and broiler scenario, including high-temp protein finishing.
Confirmed induction-compatible — the stainless exterior of the 3-ply construction is magnetic and works on all cooktop types.
At $119 for the 10.5", STRATA is priced at the same level as de Buyer Mineral B Pro — premium for a carbon steel pan, but justified by the patented 3-ply construction, stay-cool handle, and 600°F oven rating.
Everything you need to make the call - who each one is for, and who should skip it.
Go for it if you...
You want the largest cooking surface (12.5") with 3mm professional gauge in this carbon steel set
You cook large proteins or batch meals where surface area matters more than handle oven-ceiling
You want verified PFAS-free bare carbon steel with professional French construction
You want the lightest PFAS-free carbon steel pan in this category — at 2.4 lbs, the STRATA is significantly lighter than solid carbon steel of comparable size.
You use an induction or electric cooktop where even heat distribution matters — the aluminum core eliminates the hot spots common in thinner solid carbon steel.
You need a confirmed 600°F oven rating for high-temperature finishing — the highest stated ceiling in this comparison.
You are comfortable seasoning a bare carbon steel pan from scratch and want to build seasoning your own way without a factory coating to remove.
You want bare carbon steel without the beeswax removal step that comes with de Buyer Mineral B and similar French pans.
The main thing to know
No oven-safe temperature rating published — the stainless-steel-riveted handle implies limited oven use, but the exact ceiling is unconfirmed. Budget time for beeswax full-pan removal before first seasoning.
Gauge thickness is not disclosed — the 3-ply aluminum-core construction means less searing mass than solid carbon steel alternatives. Ships unseasoned, requiring 10–30 cooks to develop full non-stick performance.
Skip this if you...
Oven finishing at high temperature is important — the Element (400°F confirmed) or Blue (500°F) are safer choices if you regularly finish proteins in the oven
You are new to carbon steel — the beeswax setup and larger mass make this a better choice for experienced users
You want the most usability-optimized de Buyer — the Blue at $70 has the welded handle and 500°F oven rating for $40 less
You want a disclosed gauge specification — STRATA does not publish this, which reflects the opacity tradeoff of the 3-ply design.
You prioritize maximum searing mass and heat retention over weight reduction — solid 2.5–3mm carbon steel alternatives (de Buyer, Matfer) offer more thermal reserve.
You want a pan that arrives ready to cook immediately — the STRATA ships unseasoned and requires initial seasoning before first use.
Neither of these quite what you're looking for?
I've reviewed all Carbon Steel Pans options at every price pointEvery Carbon Steel Pans in our database is scored using R3's deterministic scoring system - the same inputs always produce the same score. For this comparison, we evaluated de Buyer and STRATA across 3 independent criteria: Safety (83%), Efficacy (6%), Usability (11%). No sponsored rankings. No paid placements.
Straight answers - no sponsored content, no filler.
I'd start with de Buyer de Buyer Mineral B 12.5" Fry Pan - it scored 9.3/10 overall in our scoring system. Safety is our top-weighted scoring pillar, followed by efficacy, and usability. Check which pillar matters most to your family and compare those specific scores.
R3 uses a deterministic scoring system - the same inputs always produce the same score. We evaluate each Carbon Steel Pans across Safety, Efficacy, Usability using independently verified data. No sponsored rankings. No paid placements. Every score is fully reproducible.
Not necessarily. The overall score reflects our weighted rubric, but your priorities may differ. If you care most about safety, compare the safety scores directly. If budget drives your decision, the prices tell a clearer story. The "right" pick is the one that matches what matters most to your family.
Not the right match? Explore these alternatives in the same category.
