Amazon's best-selling pan is just $17 in the sale – I put it to the test to help you decide whether to 'add to cart'

With the Amazon Prime Day dates officially announced yesterday, I have received a few questions about a frying pan brand that is often drastically discounted in the sales: Sensarte cookware.

It’s not a household name, but it’s hard to miss on Amazon – often ranking among the best-selling pans, flaunting non-stick pan surfaces, and boasting jaw-droppingly low price points. So, it’s no surprise many of you are asking: 'Is Sensarte cookware good?'

As a cookware expert and trained chef, I've tested all the top brands, like HexClad, Le Creuset, and Made In – even budget-friendly options from Walmart and Aldi. So, I got straight to work and ordered a Sensarte pan on next-day delivery. It cost just $17 and arrived within 14 hours, with a few surprises in tow. Here’s my full Sensarte cookware review – and whether I think it’s worth buying during the Amazon Prime Day sales (especially since it’s already discounted).

Sensarte 8-inch Non-Stick Frying Pan Skillet | Was $23.90, now $17.09 at Amazon

The Sensarte pan I tested is 29% off in the sales, and there are more discounts on ceramic options and multi-piece sets on the Amazon storefront.

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What is Sensarte cookware?

Sensarte is a cookware brand that is very popular on Amazon, with budget-friendly pricing and non-stick credentials that appeal to busy home cooks.

I chose the Sensarte 8-inch Non-Stick Frying Pan Skillet with Swiss Granite Coating from Amazon.com for this review, which promises a slippery, non-stick surface for easy cooking and quick cleanup. I paid just $17 for a single pan, but you can get an entire 13-piece Sensarte Cookware Set for $65 in the sale.

Before I started testing, I tried to dig a little deeper into the company, its origins and manufacturing process via its official website, but there wasn’t anything meaningful to be found – just the slogan, 'Every Meal is an Art of Living.'

Sensarte Cookware Specifications

Is Sensarte cookware good?

My pan arrived in a plain cardboard box with minimal branding, and I was immediately met with a surprise: a screwdriver was included to attach the handle myself. That’s a first for me – but I was actually quite pleased with my free tool!

Design

Once assembled, the handle felt surprisingly secure and comfortable to hold. I think it's made of silicone with a smooth woodgrain-style finish. However, once I placed the pan on my stove, it became clear that the handle was overweighted; I had to keep my hand on it to prevent my pan from tipping over and falling off my gas stove rack.

Despite the overweighted handle, the pan is lightweight and easy to pick up. Personally, I prefer a weightier quality to my pans – and most chefs do. While the lightness might appeal to some, it's worth noting that heavier pans tend to retain heat more evenly, offer better control, and are less prone to warping.

The interior 'granite' coating was equally unimpressive. Though many Amazon reviewers call it 'premium', I’d be inclined to disagree. Compared to the smooth interiors of non-stick brands like Caraway or Our Place, or even the glossy finish on a HexClad pan, the Sensarte coating felt a little rough and clearly on the budget end.

Cooking performance

To test performance, I always start with a simple task that can quickly turn messy and frustrating without a good pan: a fried egg. My first criticism is the pan was too flimsy for me to crack an egg on the side, without the pan falling off my stove.

Second, the oil I used pooled on the surface. I have experienced this before with the Our Place Always Pan; I tend to prefer stainless steel or enamel cast iron cookware surfaces, which easily create a full layer of glossy oil that is ideal to fry on.

However, I was pretty pleased with the end result; the egg had a very crispy base (just slightly more golden on one side, where the white was thinner) with a set yolk, and no burnt bits left in the pan. It was effortless to flip for an over-easy finish, and the rounded edges of the pan helped to transfer to my plate.

I found that Sensarte cookware also heated up very quickly (around 15 seconds), and the handle started to get quite warm when I turned up the heat. This was a little uncomfortable, especially since I needed to grip the pan tightly to keep it in place (if you missed it above, the pan was very unbalanced due to the heavy handle and lightweight base.)

When I looked at the instruction booklet, the Sensarte brand advises wearing cotton gloves when handling the pan at high heat, which feels a little extreme.

Like all non-stick frying pans, long-term durability is the true test. Many perform beautifully at first, but degrade quickly. I’ll be updating this review with longer-term results after more use over time with stickier ingredients, like halloumi, delicate fish, and tofu.

Cleaning & maintenance

My Sensarte pan was dishwasher-safe, but like most other cookware brands, it is recommended you hand-wash instead. It was a cinch, taking around 10 seconds to wipe clean with soapy water and a soft sponge. Seriously effortless.

Like most of the best non-stick cookware brands, rough sponges and metal utensils are a no-go. Sensarte cookware needs to be handled gently to maintain its coating, so it is best to use wooden or silicone utensils when you're cooking.

Also, you should ideally store Sensarte cookware using a divider to prevent scratches, like these soft pan separators from All-Clad, available to buy at Amazon. Some full Sensarte cookware sets I've seen do include these dividers, but if you’re buying an individual pan, you’ll need to purchase them separately.

What do customer reviews say?

At the time of writing, the Sensarte cookware I reviewed has a whopping 16,332 ratings on Amazon.com – I told you it was a best-seller! The pan averages 4.6 stars. I always read the highest and lowest scoring reviews to get a full picture – and I look for customers who have used their cookware for a while to get an accurate insight.

One glowing review stood out at the top: 'I’ve had this set for several months and can honestly say this is the best set of pots and pans I’ve ever owned... I’ve used every piece multiple times a week. Nothing has ever gotten stuck, and they’re super easy to clean.”

On the flip side, critical reviews tend to complain about Sensarte cookware's durability, with issues of discoloration and coating degradation over time.

'I have been using this pan for the last three months and have only used it a few times, always being careful not to use any sharp objects that could damage the coating. Despite that, today I noticed the coating is starting to come off. Very disappointed with the quality of this product. I expected it to last much longer, especially with such careful use. Would not recommend.'

There are some quite alarming pictures of peeling coating included in the reviews. I advise discarding your pan immediately if it starts chipping or flaking off, as this is not healthy to ingest in your food.

Is Sensarte cookware safe?

This is where it gets confusing: not all Sensarte cookware is made from the same material. A quick scroll through their range shows that some items are labelled as 'ceramic' and 'PFAS-free' – which is a promising sign if you're looking for the best non-toxic cookware that avoids forever chemicals – but other options are labelled as 'PFOA-free', which sounds similar but means something quite different. I tripped up here myself, so let's break it down.

First, let's look at the ceramic pans. I researched ILAG, the Swiss company that manufactures Sensarte’s coatings, and found that their ceramic uses a sol-gel coating. This is a popular alternative to traditional Teflon, known for being tough, scratch-resistant, and free from PFAS, otherwise known as forever chemicals. I have written a guide to 'What does non-toxic cookware really mean?' if you want to know more about these acronyms.

However, the Sensarte pan I tested was labelled as 'PFOA-free,' which actually doesn’t mean much at all. PFOA has already been banned in cookware sold in the USA, so its absence is expected. When a pan only claims to be PFOA-free, I take it as a sign it contains PTFE, otherwise known as Teflon – which is the very material that many consumers are trying to avoid.

That lack of clear labelling is something shoppers should be aware of, especially if seeking truly non-toxic cookware. That said, Teflon should technically be fine if used correctly – don’t overheat the pan above the recommended temperature and avoid scratching the coating. If you see any signs of flaking or chipping in the lining, you need to discard it immediately (I have also written a guide on how to replace flaking plastic kitchen tools, here).

How does it compare?

If you spend around $20-30 more, you could get a Ninja Neverstick Pan, which is surprisingly effective. It also uses Teflon materials and looks/ feels pretty cheap, but in 8 months of our testing, the coating hasn't caused any sticking or flaking off. It's well constructed and backed by a 10-year limited warranty; you just have to clean and use it carefully.

Personally, I prefer to avoid Teflon in my home. If you want the very best non-toxic, non-stick pan in the world, you won't get better than HexClad. It retails for around $100 more than Sensarte cookware, but I personally think it's always worth spending more on a quality pan that lasts. HexClad pans are much sturdier, you can get a professional-level sear, they are equally easy to clean, and the brand has recently transitioned to using PFAS-free coatings making it non-toxic, too. Again, I've been using the brand for several months and I haven't struggled with sticking or coating decline (you can read all the details in my HexClad review).

If you are on a very tight budget, I hear you, and there are plenty of better options than Sensarte Cookware in my opinion. Have a look at Lodge Cast Iron, also available on Amazon for under $20, which will last for decades and happens to be non-toxic. One caveat: it is very heavy.

I also recommend the Ina Garten-approved Tramontina range, which is made from sturdy, non-toxic stainless steel – the favourite material among restaurant chefs for its durability and unfussy maintenance (you won't need to be so cautious about harsh utensils, etc). Tramontina retails around $60 per pan on Amazon, but tends to be discounted frequently, too.

Should you buy Sensarte cookware?

If you're looking for an ultra-budget pan that performs well out of the box, Sensarte delivers. For $17, I got a lightweight, fast-heating pan that made a great fried egg and was easy to clean. The flipping was smooth, and the price really is cheap as chips. I even got a free screwdriver.

However, I also found Sensarte cookware very unbalanced, flimsy, and the durability is up for debate. You’ll need to treat it with great care, avoiding overheating and scratching, and you'll probably replace it more frequently than higher-end non-stick options.

If you're shopping ahead of Amazon Prime Day and need a cheap pan in a hurry (mine arrived within 14 hours, which is seriously impressive), it’s a decent deal. I would recommend choosing one of Sensarte's ceramic options that is labelled as PFAS-free though, so you can cook with less caution.

Of course, if you're looking for an heirloom-quality piece or you want full transparency about the manufacturing process and materials used, you'll want to invest elsewhere.