Maybe I have the fire too high? I only use stainless steel pans. I don't own a non-stick, even for eggs. And I've been thinking since I started the thread

that it's basically the only thing I fry. I broil or bake everything else in my oven. (Fish gets sealed in a parchment paper envelope which cuts down on the smell.) So, maybe it's more the smell of too-hot oil sizzling that I smell?