Compare Stainless Steel Pans
Heritage Steel Eater Series 12-inch Frying Pan scores higher on safety - here's why.
The most important dimensions, side by side.
Great Jones doesn't publish their steel grade anywhere. The brand mentions 'trace amounts of nickel,' which is consistent with 18/8 or 18/10, but without a grade designation, buyers with nickel sensitivity have no way to verify their risk. This is the single biggest concern with this pan.
Heritage Steel explicitly labels their pan as '304 stainless steel (also known as 18/10)' — the clearest grade disclosure of any pan in this comparison. You know exactly what you're cooking with from day one.
The Deep Cut uses a 3-ply build — workable for everyday cooking but below the 5-ply tier that safety-focused reviewers recommend. At $125 you can find 5-ply alternatives (Heritage Steel, for example).
Heritage Steel's 5-ply fully-clad construction is the recommended benchmark — five bonded layers running the full height of the pan, not just the base. Heats evenly from edge to edge.
The aluminum core is fully encased in stainless steel up the sides — so heat distribution is even across the full cooking surface, not just the bottom. A good construction choice at this price point.
Five layers extending throughout the entire body — Heritage Steel is explicit that their cladding doesn't stop at the base. One of the strongest construction disclosures in the category.
500°F oven safety covers the full range of most home cooking. For stovetop-to-oven workflows — finishing a sear, roasting proteins — this is sufficient. The 3-qt sauté format is especially good for braising and oven-finishing sauces.
800°F is the highest oven-safe rating available in stainless cookware — equal to Made In and far above most competitors. The all-stainless handle makes this possible. You'll never hit a residential oven ceiling with this pan.
Great Jones lists a 4 lb total weight (pan + lid combined) but doesn't break out the pan-only weight. Without the pan-only figure we can't confirm ergonomics — the actual pan could be anywhere from 2.5 to 3.5 lbs.
2.9 lbs for the 12-inch is exactly in America's Test Kitchen's sweet spot (2.8–3.0 lbs) — substantial enough to feel premium, light enough for effortless daily use and one-handed cooking. Best weight-to-construction ratio in the category.
$125 is accessible for stainless cookware, but Heritage Steel ($150) delivers 5-ply construction and full grade transparency for just $25 more — making Great Jones a harder recommendation until they disclose their steel grade.
At $150 with lid, Heritage Steel offers 5-ply construction, 800°F oven rating, optimal weight, and explicit grade disclosure — the strongest value proposition in this comparison when weighed against specs.
Everything you need to make the call - who each one is for, and who should skip it.
Go for it if you...
You've already used Great Jones cookware and had no sensitivity issues with their stainless
Design and aesthetics are a priority and you're drawn to the Great Jones aesthetic specifically
You primarily need a straight-sided sauté pan for braising and sauce reduction — the Deep Cut excels at this
You want the highest-scored stainless steel pan in this category with the best oven rating
You frequently use the stovetop-to-oven workflow and benefit from 800°F headroom
You want USA-made cookware with the most transparent steel grade disclosure in the category
Weight efficiency matters — 2.9 lbs for a 12-inch 5-ply pan is the best ratio here
You want a pan with lid included at the $150 price point
The main thing to know
Great Jones doesn't publish their steel grade anywhere on the product. Until they do, buyers who need to track their dietary nickel intake — or anyone with metal sensitivities — cannot make a fully informed decision. Every other pan in this comparison publishes this information.
Heritage Steel uses nickel-containing stainless steel — the same as most premium cookware. If you have a diagnosed metal sensitivity and have been told to avoid nickel, this pan isn't for you. New pans release more nickel until they're broken in over the first several cooking sessions.
Skip this if you...
Nickel sensitivity is a concern — you cannot verify the grade without disclosure
You want 5-ply construction — Great Jones uses 3-ply at a price where 5-ply exists
You need a traditional fry pan — the Deep Cut is a sauté pan with straight sides
Material transparency matters to you — every other pan in this comparison publishes their steel grade
You have a diagnosed metal sensitivity that requires nickel-free cookware — look for pans made from nickel-free grade stainless
You prefer a brand with wider retail availability — Heritage Steel is primarily direct-to-consumer
Neither of these quite what you're looking for?
I've reviewed all Stainless Steel Pans options at every price pointEvery Stainless 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 Great Jones and Heritage Steel across 3 independent criteria: Safety (54%), Efficacy (44%), Usability (2%). No sponsored rankings. No paid placements.
Straight answers - no sponsored content, no filler.
I'd start with Heritage Steel Heritage Steel Eater Series 12-inch Frying Pan - it scored 8.9/10 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 Stainless 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.
