Electric frypans do the daily-dinner work in thousands of Australian kitchens, especially where the stovetop is small, elderly or shared. Sunbeam has owned electric frypans for decades, and the review counts below show that hasn't changed.
1. Best Frypan: Sunbeam Banquet Diamond Force FPM4000DF
The Banquet is the classic big rectangular frypan with the current Diamond Force non-stick, and 404 owners average 4.6 stars. It roasts, shallow-fries and does the one-pan spag bol, the temperature probe holds a set heat properly, and the pan goes into the sink once the probe's out.
At around $80 it's the default family unit. The lid is the usual heavy glass, and the recurring review note is to treat the non-stick gently for it to last, which is non-stick everywhere.
What We Like:
- Holds set temperature
- Sink-washable pan
- Around $80
What We Don't Like:
- Heavy glass lid
2. Best Wok: Sunbeam Professional 7.5L Diamond Force
The 7.5-litre Sunbeam wok replaces the old WW7500D we recommended, and its owners rate it 4.8 across 87 reviews. The bowl is deep enough for a family stir-fry without flicking rice across the bench, and the element runs hot enough to keep vegetables crisp rather than stewed.
Electric woks never hit burner-flame heat; owners work around it by cooking in batches.
What We Like:
- Deep 7.5L bowl
- Genuinely hot element
- Probe detaches for washing
What We Don't Like:
- Batch-cooking for big stir-fries
3. Best Premium: Breville Thermal Pro Stainless
Breville's Thermal Pro swaps non-stick for a stainless cooking surface that sears properly and can't be ruined by a metal spatula, with 347 owners averaging 4.4. At around $200 it's the electric frypan for people who cook like it's a stovetop.
Stainless demands the preheat-and-oil technique, and the one-star tail of its reviews is entirely people discovering that.
What We Like:
- Real searing surface
- Metal-utensil safe
- Deep-dish shape
What We Don't Like:
- Stainless takes technique
4. Best Compact: Sunbeam Skillet 25cm Diamond Force
The 25cm skillet is the one-person, caravan and bench-corner unit, rated 4.8 by 297 owners at around $70. It does eggs, a steak, a stir-fry for one, and packs away in a drawer.
The size is the limit: it's not feeding four, and the shallow walls splatter more than the Banquet's.
What We Like:
- Caravan-friendly size
- Drawer-storable
- Same probe system
What We Don't Like:
- Cooks for one or two
How to pick an electric frypan or wok
The temperature probe is the actual appliance. Everything else is a pan. A probe that holds 180°C without swinging is what separates the fans-of from the returners, and the Sunbeam probe system's thousands of reviews are the evidence it works.
Washable pans beat wipe-only. Check the probe detaches and the pan submerges; everything above allows it. The sealed-element units of years past are why older cooks distrust electric frypans.
Watts matter at the wok. Stir-fry wants 2,200W or better to recover heat between batches. Frypans doing slow work care much less.
RELATED: The Best Frying Pans and The Best Induction Cookware
FAQs
Can an electric frypan replace a stovetop?
For one or two people, owners say yes routinely: it fries, roasts, stews and bakes flat things. What it can't do is run two pots at once, which is where the second appliance or the stove earns its place.
Why does my electric frypan cook unevenly?
Cheap pans heat in a ring above the element. The diamond and thermal bases above spread heat wider; preheating for a few minutes before food goes in closes most of the remaining gap.
