Crofton Fry Pan + Crofton Fry Pan Set
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you’re looking for information about Caraway dupe pans at Aldi, view our posts here and here.
Most people know that Aldi’s Special Buys (or ALDI Finds, as they’re called in the U.S.) are limited run items. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. Most people also know that most Special Buys only run certain times of the year, and once they’re gone, it may be another full year before they appear again.
One notable exception to that trend is skillets. Aldi seems to rotate skillets in and out of the Special Buy lineup more than just about any other product. That’s not to say that those skillets are identical. Far from it; the skillets tend to vary in style and design, with different interior coatings, different dimensions, and sometimes other key features. That’s to say that what’s true of one Aldi skillet set may not be true of others.
I was especially conscious of this. When I set out to review these, I was looking to replace an Aldi skillet I bought in 2013, under the now-gone Kitchen Living brand, that was one of the best skillets I’ve ever had this side of Calphalon. Because of how different the Aldi skillets can be from one another, I knew what I experienced in the past wouldn’t be able to tell me what worked in the future.
Nevertheless, I was overdue to replace a few of my aging skillets, which is what sent me to Aldi. This post deals with two sets, both of them with pretty plain names: the Crofton Fry Pan and the Crofton Fry Pan Set. Both products retailed for $10.99 each, which prices them on par with big box budget brands. They also each come with a 2-year warranty.
The Fry Pan Set consists of an 8″ and 10″ skillet, while the Fry Pan is a 12″ skillet, so between the two products you can get a trio of skillets good enough for most small-to-medium-sized kitchen work. While there are a couple of flourishes, these skillets are about as straightforward as they get. The bodies of the skillets are all aluminum, which are designed to evenly distribute heat. The bottom of each skillet features the textured radial design common to skillets, with a little visual flourish in the form of a decal design along the sides. (In the year we bought them, the skillets came in red and black; thinking of my wife, I bought the red.) The handle has a comfort grip.
The most important part of the skillet, of course, is the cooking surface, and the Crofton offers no surprises here. The packaging boasts that it’s made of “Xylan Plus,” which is the brand name used by the Whitford Company for polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). A more familiar name associated with PTFE is Teflon, originally developed by DuPont (and now managed by spinoff company Chemours). There are a lot of conflicting opinions online as to which formulation of PTFE is best, but suffice to say that, in the short term at least, Xylan Plus should do what Teflon does. We have no idea how it will hold up long-term.
Our first use of the skillets had zero problems, which is what we would expect. The 8″, 10″, and 12″ all heated up quickly, cooked evenly, and slipped food off easily. Cleanup was simple, and the handle stayed cool and was comfortable. It’s also worth noting that all three of the skillets were balanced, staying upright on the stove even when empty, something not always true of other budget skillets I’ve used. Time will tell on durability, but as budget models these seem to work fine.
The Verdict:
While there’s nothing particularly special about these skillets, if you’re looking for a set of inexpensive, functional skillets, this Crofton set fits the bill. The 2-year warranty is a nice perk, too. Be aware, though, that because Crofton offers a variety of different skillets, performance among different Crofton models may vary.
Is there any way to respray the Teflon on my Crofton electric skillet?
Just buy a new one!!!
PTFE is no good for your health
Weird question. I bought a Crofton non-stick wok last week. After removing the packaging, I learned it’s a little – well – wonky. It’s not round, but it isn’t dinted. It’s like it was manufactured that way. Do you know if this was intentional? Or should I assume it’s a manufacturer error and return it? (I know this article is about the pans, but thought you might now about the wok anyway.) Thanks!
Unfortunately, we haven’t tried out the wok, so we don’t know.
My fry pan is not coated it is just plain aluminum. Bought it at Aldis and love the size of the pan but everything sticks. Is there something I can do to correct this?
I purchased a new frying pan from aldi’s one of the copper coated ones and it’s the worst frying pan i’ve ever bought it stuck after 3rd use and now it sticks so bad I had to throw it away
Dont know how well the wok will work, not well at all if I cant seem to get rid of the glue in the center where a small decal was glued in the very canter of the cooking surface. Tried hot water but no luck. Not very anti-stick so far. Any suggestions??
I bought a heavy duty crofton fry pan and it is the best skillet I’ve ever owned. I bought it from Aldi’s, which surprised me because I didn’t expect such a high quality skillet for such a reasonable price.
I bought the Crofton fry pan non stick, an unusual finish, looks like Green enamel with a wooden handle, the problem is it looked great, but functionally it is shocking, it is definitely NOT non stick.
I have 2 Aldi non stick pans, both Arcosteel and do exactly as described, they are non stick. AS THE CROFTON have a 2 year warranty how do I return for a replacement or refund.
You’ll want to check your manual and/or the warranty paperwork that came with the pan to see how to contact the warranty provider.
Im looking to buy more of the crofton 12″ frying pan. Its the best fry pan i ever owned, i can not find it ANYWHERE to get more
Teflon and PTFE is poison. Watch the film Dark Waters. Buy ceramic.
I recently purchased the two skillet set (with faux wood handles) and am amazed at their non stick properties. I find myself using these pans more than not cast iron because they function the same but the Crofton are much lighter. Question: can you put them in the oven??? Can’t find any guidance on that.
You probably bought these? https://www.aldireviewer.com/aldi-introduces-crofton-saute-pan-and-fry-pans-with-wooden-handles/
I don’t think they’re oven safe, but the only way to know would be to check for any directions on the packaging they came in.
Yes, that’s what I have. I didn’t keep the packaging but don’t recall seeing anything about the pans being oven safe No worries. Still a great pan.
Are the Crofton 8″/10″ fry pans dish washer safe?
I don’t know about that, but I personally always hand wash cookware because it lasts longer that way.