Before using your bacon press, ensure that your cooking surface, whether it be a skillet, griddle, or grill, is preheated to the desired temperature. Proper preheating helps to achieve an even cook and crispiness.
The best way to tell whether a skillet or a Saute Pan is right for your recipe is to determine how much access you need to your food with a spatula while it cooks, the temperature, and the speed you plan to cook at, and how much liquid your recipe contains. Slow-cooking recipes that contain lots of liquid broths or sauces will benefit from the depth and large, flat cooking surface of a Saute Pan.