It also needs to be seasoned before being used, and rusts if not dried thoroughly after it is washed. An enamel coating eliminates the seasoning and rusting problem. But enameled skillets don't brown food as well. With a conductivity rating of 53, aluminum is the second-best metal for skillets. As with cast iron, it is reactive to acidic foods, so aluminum skillets are usually lined with stainless steel.
Bridge recommends stainless steel with a satin finish, for easier maintenance.
Anodized aluminum skillets are made with an electrochemical process that makes the surface nonreactive and stick resistant, which is less effective than nonstick. I've used an anodized saut pan extensively, and it doesn't release foods cooked in it as well as a nonstick skillet does, nor is it as easy to clean. Silverstone is the most widely used nonstick surface applied to a variety of skillets. James Peterson, author of Essentials of Cooking, says the acid test of any nonstick skillet is if it cooks fish without sticking. Instead of a coating, Sitram's Cybernox is made from a stick-resistant, stainless steel alloy.