How to Properly Heat a Pan

Leidenfrost effect is how you test if your stainless steel skillet is at the right temperature for cooking. If you are into cooking, I must insist you check this out - ▶ this video

Carbon steel pans are seasoned and generally will be stored with a light coat of oil. You'll add oil while cooking, as well. My carbon steel pans don't stick – an egg will happily glide on the surface. Stainless steel pans are not seasoned, but can still be relatively non-stick as long as they are heated properly prior to use. Heating them closes the pores in the pan's surface, making the surface smoother. Add oil after the pan is properly heated. This youtube video explains the process: ▶ this video

This is called the "Leidenfrost effect." The other possible health downside to doing this in a stainless steel pan, as referenced elsewhere in these comments, is the overheating of certain cooking oils beyond their smokepoint and into temperatures that turn them potentially bad for your health. See also: link ▶ this video

This is how I cook them. It's pretty common knowledge for professional cooks[1], they just don't realize what it's called. [1] ▶ this video