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A tamagoyaki pan enables you to easily make delicious Japanese omelets for your bento lunch, as a side dish, or for breakfast. It might be confusing for you to choose one, though, since they come in various materials and have different features that can affect how your eggs come out.
Our editors searched Japanese e-commerce sites like Amazon, Rakuten, and Yahoo! Shopping and gathered the 17 best-selling Japanese tamagoyaki pans and put them all to test.
We tested each product for the following:
We then ranked the 10 best tamagoyaki pans based on our tests. We also put together a buying guide to help you choose the best tamagoyaki pan for you.
mybest US' editing team consists of experienced members who have backgrounds in writing, editing, translation, and more. We are dedicated to researching what makes a product or service the best to users in the US in order to create top-quality articles. From skincare, to kitchen appliances, and to DIY supplies, our mission is to find the best ones for you.
Although Tamagoyaki can be directly translated as "fried egg," it's a rolled Japanese-style omelet, often seasoned with soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and dashi stock. They can be sweet or savory, depending on the chef. Tamagoyaki is a staple in Japanese cuisine but is often featured in bento boxes and is even enjoyed as sushi.
These omelets are rolled or folded in a square or rectangular pan primarily to make sure the egg is evenly cooked as well as for aesthetic purposes. Moreover, the square or rectangular pans make it easy for line cooks to quickly cook even-sized tamagoyaki at busy eateries, as well as for busy parents to whip up breakfast or pack lunches for their children.
Without a tamagoyaki pan, it would be pretty difficult, if not downright impossible to make an authentic and traditional Japanese-style tamagoyaki omelet!
Here we will introduce four points to consider when choosing a tamagoyaki pan. You should look into the material, size, and features, and see if it has a lid.
The three main materials available are aluminum, iron, and copper, with each material offering different pros and cons.
In addition to being far lighter than copper and iron, Aluminum is also a material with high rust resistance, so it's easy to maintain.
Aluminum pans are also relatively affordable. However, they're often coated with a non-stick material, and this eventually wears off, requiring you to replace your pan every two to three years. To prevent your coating from wearing off early, don't use a metal spatula or cook on high heat.
Iron pans can hold heat and deliver it to the food for thorough cooking. In our test to see how the tamagoyaki turned out, many of our testers commented positively that iron pans imparted a toasted flavor and golden brown color.
However, you do have to season cast iron to stop food from sticking to the pan. This is done by oiling the surface before use, but this can be a time-consuming procedure for some people.
Although they require extra care, iron pans get better and more nonstick with each use. For advice on seasoning them, check out our tips at the end of this article.
Copper has fantastic thermal conductivity, meaning copper pans can distribute heat evenly, leading to fluffy tamagoyaki. When comparing the results through our taste tests, most testers mentioned the tamagoyaki cooked on these pans had a fluffy and soft texture.
However, if you are not used to using copper pans, you can easily burn your tamagoyaki. Make sure to keep an eye on your food as you cook and move the pan often.
Moreover, be warned that copper pans won't work on induction stovetops. Finally, copper pans also require seasoning, and most copper pans require you to hammer in the wooden handle before using it for the first time.
The right size pan for making a tamagoyaki using one large egg is about 3.5 inches wide. If you wish to make tamagoyaki using three to four large eggs or for two to three servings, choose a pan five to six inches wide.
Also, if you get a pan that is about 1.5 inches deep, you can use it as a regular small pan to cook other foods without them spilling.
Here we will introduce three features which should be considered to help you choose which pan to buy.
If you're not used to cooking tamagoyaki, we advise you to choose a pan with angled sides, since it'll make it easier for you to slide a spatula or cooking chopsticks in and roll the eggs. Also, when compared to pans with straight sides, it is easier to clean the corners.
Since these pans are for single-hand use, a lighter pan is better for reducing fatigue.
In the test where our testers tried out the tamagoyaki pans, anything under 1.3 pounds (600 grams) was described as feeling effortless to use. For a lightweight product, use this as a benchmark.
When we conducted tests on ease of maintenance, we noticed it gets dirty and is difficult to clean when the bolt which connects the handle and pan is on the inside.
If you care about kitchen hygiene and want to put less effort and time into washing dishes, choose one with the bolts outside the pan.
If you wish to cook food other than tamagoyaki in the pan, you can choose to buy onoe with a lid included. With a lid, you can make a larger variety of food such as Spanish omelets, fried eggs, or potstickers.
This product features a seamless construction. Its strength is its long-lasting nonstick marble coating. There is no need to worry about food sticking onto the pan at all. Also, it is easy to wash up.
Some testers said of the cooked tamagoyaki, "Each layer is delicately heated and has a mild taste" as well as mentioned that "The balance between softness and chewiness is remarkable."
The pan's light weight will never tire your wrists out. The angle on the sides makes it easier for you to slide a spatula in and flip the eggs. It is the best pan to make fluffy and tasty tamagoyaki, even if you're a beginner.
The durable coating on this pan from Thermos Japan promises strength against wear and tear as well as resistance to burning. It weighs under a pound, so it's a breeze to shake it around while cooking, and the handle rivets are on the exterior. The smooth, seamless interior is easy to wash as a result.
After adding some oil in the beginning, we found we didn't need any more, because its nonstick coating worked so well. However, the heating was a bit uneven, leading to an omelet that wasn't cooked consistently in places.
Still, we were able to make tamagoyaki that had a soft outer layer, with a slightly runny inside.
Iris Ohyama's Diamond coated Pan D-Plus IH Egg Pan features a removable handle (sold separately). The boxy stainless steel bottom enables heat to spread evenly.
In our test, we found that the egg was a bit more flimsy-looking than in comparison to tamagoyaki we made using other products. However, both visually and texture-wise, the tamagoyaki was incredibly fluffy, resulting in a decent score.
The pan itself is relatively deep, making it usable for cooking other quick side dishes, and not just tamagoyaki.
This tamagoyaki pan with a removable handle allows it to be stored in tight spaces, making it perfect for those who don't have a lot of kitchen space to spare.
Doushisha's Evercook Lightweight Tamagoyaki Pan for Gas Stoves is designed to have high durability and a long-lasting anti-stick coating.
The tapered handle fit well in our testers' hands, earning it high praise. The smooth interior of the pan also made it incredibly easy to flip our tamagoyaki, increasing your chances of successfully making tamagoyaki, even if you're a novice.
Unfortunately, since the bolts that connect the handle to the pan were on the inside, we found our egg tended to gather and get stuck around that area. This pan also lost points for how uneven its heat distribution was.
Teleken's Flavor Stone Egg Pan has a total of six layers of coating on the inside, making it incredibly difficult to burn your food, as well as has a thick bottom to allow for even heat distribution.
Our tamagoyaki came out thick and bouncy, making this pan better for those who want to eat a hearty and filling tamagoyaki, rather than a light and fluffy one.
Thanks to its six-layered coating, this pan was incredibly non-stick, requiring only a minimal amount of cooking oil. While we weren't too fond of the bolts that were located on the inside of the pan, making it slightly more difficult to clean, we feel that this tamagoyaki pan will allow beginners to make beautiful tamagoyaki without any fuss.
Meyer Japan's Maxim SS Egg Pan is made entirely of stainless steel, a material that has excellent heat retention.
When looking through our thermographic camera, we found that the inside of the pan was evenly heated, which resulted in a fluffy and bouncy texture.
However, this pan wasn't without drawbacks: for instance, it's slightly on the heavier side, weighing 1.5 pounds. It also has bolts on the inside of the pan, meaning that your egg can creep into the gap between the pan and the bolts. However, if you want bouncy and tasty tamagoyaki, this is a great product to consider.
Kyocera's Cerafort Frying Pan Tamagoyaki features a coating made from a blend of ceramics and diamond particles, which helps with thermal conductivity to prevent your food from burning.
The resulting tamagoyaki wasn't super fluffy, but had a bit more of a moist texture and was closer to what could be considered a textbook tamagoyaki.
With excellent non-stick capabilities as well as angled sides, we were able to flip our egg without the use of a spatula. Moreover, we were thrilled with how light this pan was, weighing barely over 15 ounces. This product is a great place to start for beginners purchasing their first tamagoyaki pan.
Form Lady's ambai Tamagoyaki Kaku is a steel tamagoyaki pan that uses a wood handle made from teak, known for its water-resistant properties.
This pan created a tamagoyaki that cooked our egg all the way through to the center, making it a dense omelet, rather than a light and fluffy one.
This pan has undergone a process where the interior of the pan is intentionally made bumpy, making it easy to flip eggs as if it were a coated aluminum pan. This product si great for those who want a steel pan that doesn't stick.
Nakamura Douki's Copper Tamagoyaki Pan 13 Length is lined with pure tin, which helps season the pan the more you use it.
Our testers were thrilled with the finish of the tamagoyaki, commenting that "the outside is fluffy, but the inside is filling and delicious." When viewed through our thermographic camera, it was obvious that the pan was heated evenly.
When first using this pan, we found that our eggs tended to stick even after seasoning, so we recommend adding more oil for every two to three rolls of your tamagoyaki. This product is perfect for those who want to make delicious tamagoyaki, even though the pan might take a little more prep than others.
Marushin Douki's Kansai-Style Copper Tamagoyaki Pan has an interior that's lined with a tin plating done manually by craftsmen.
The tamagoyaki had a strong sweetness and an even cook, earning high praise from our testers.
The pan has no angled sides, making it difficult to insert a spatula. Additionally, since the pan has an incredibly high heat conductivity, it's easy to burn your eggs until you get used to it. This tamagoyaki pan is best for expert chefs and home cooks, rather than beginners.
Our editors searched Japanese e-commerce sites like Amazon, Rakuten, and Yahoo! Shopping for the best Japanese tamagoyaki pans and put them all to the test!
We tested each product for the following:
Firstly, we performed a test on how the tamagoyaki turned out. We cooked tamagoyaki exactly the same way using each pan and had five Japanese testers try the omelets out. High scores were given to pans that produced tamagoyaki with a better texture and flavor.
Nextly, we tested usability.
We evaluated each pan based on whether or not it has an angled side allowing a spatula to be easily slid in, the overall weight of the pan, or if the handle gets too hot when using.
Next, we performed a test of the pan's resistance to sticking. We graded products highly if our testers thought the egg didn't easily get stuck to the pan after applying oil.
We conducted our test after seasoning according to the manufacturer's instructions for the products made of iron or copper.
Finally, we checked how easy it would be to care for each pan. We looked for pans with a smooth interior, with no bolts where food could collect and get stuck. We also considered frequent seasoning requirements as a negative.
Once you find your perfect tamagoyaki pan, you'll want to make sure it lasts. Here are some tips on how to maintain and care for one.
Iron and copper need to be seasoned before first use, as both of these materials have a tendency to burn food when there's no layer of oil on them.
First, wash the pan with a sponge and dishwashing liquid and then dry it thoroughly. After that, fill the pan halfway with oil and heat it up on low heat for four to five minutes. Look for the surface of the oil to shimmer to know you've reached the right temperature.
Remove from heat and allow to cool. The cooled oil can be transferred into an oil pot for later use. Rub the remaining oil into the pan's surface with paper towels.
After each use, when the pan has cooled down, wipe any food scraps off and wash it with cold or hot water. Dish soap can remove the layer of oil, so you should only use it on the outside of the pan. After washing, put it back on the stove and heat to remove any water. Apply a bit of oil to coat the interior of the pan before putting it away.
Remove any burnt-on foods using the following method. Bring water to a boil in the pan, wipe it with a sponge, and dry it. Then re-season with the method described above. If you won't be using your tamagoyaki pan for a while, coat it with oil, cover it with paper towels, and store it in dry place away from humidity to avoid rust.
Then you might need a few more supplies. Check out these articles to see which products we recommend.
The descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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