I don't like non-stick.It's not as versatile as good 3-ply stainless steel and it doesn't last anywhere near as long. That said, I do like egg dishes and in the summer I like dishes w/ a lighter mouth-feel (not as much oil). So I set out for the best non-stick pan.
I got a 12-inch pan because I've had 10 inch and 8 inch pans in the past and they get crowded very easily. Secondly, I wanted a pan w/ a riveted handle and a decent high temp oven performance. Also, I believe the true mark of a nonstick pan is the 'flip' performance-- so, NO HELPER HANDLE IS THE WAY TO GO! That's just my opinion. I eventually narrowed by search to 3 brands: Caphalon, All Clad, and Analon.Caphalon because they had some interesting non-stick options, All Clad because it's just the best, and Analon because I currently use their stainless set and for the last 2 years I've been very happy.
So All Clad was knocked out of contention quickly for the simple reason that ALL NON-STICK PANS DEGRADE over time. And from what I've read, their best non-stick pan will loose it's luster in about 2 years. That's not to say that I think the pan would be completely crap after 2 years-- just that i think the degradation curve would start to accelerate into the replacement zone. So why pay $130-190 for a pan over two years when you could use 2 average non-stick pans at the same price over two years and have more 'quality' non-stick time to boot?
With All Clad out of the way I turned my attention to Caphalon. I still didn't want a 'cheap' pan though... just not ridiculously over-priced one (although I would love to replace my analon ss set w/ an all-clad one in about 5 more years-- saving those pennies...).Caphalon has 'professional', 'commercial', 'contemporary', and 'one' series pans. Professional pan reviews peg it as a loser. 'One' series pans are just a bad idea all around... why would anyone want a pan that's permanently sorta-non-stick-but-not-really? 'Contemporary' pissed me off (yes I was actually offended) with it's strange 'bulge flare' near the rim-- you really have to see it to understand what I'm talking about. So I considered the commercial series.
Anolon was my last consideration. I looked at their titanium series in the past, but ultimately went with the SS set (glad I did). I was very concerned about the silicon handles. Mainly because it's a limiter to broiling temps, but I gotta say I've been pleasantly surprised. They do add a very good handling feel to the cookware and the silicon hasn't discoloured or peeled or scraped off anywhere.I totally expected the silicon to wear out and it hasn't.Also, their metal ply is just as even and weighted as the all clad stuff.Same thickness, very similar shape, and from the durability I've experienced I'd be surprised if all-clad is really all that much better... but from the looks of it I would have to comment on that about 7 years into ownership. So I was definitely going to consider Anolon.
Went to the store, felt the surface of the commercial caphalon and it was ROUGH. I know it's commercial and they say you can use metal utensils, but something is just counter-intuitive about a 'rough' non-stick surface. It was priced at $50. Then I checked the Anolon Advanced pan. Nice and smooth. Also it had the same handle as my Anolon SS set and the capholon had one of those slightly loose, thick silicon handle... uhhh... condoms.Also the packaging on the commercial pan is sparse-- consisting of a strip of cardboard w/ logo and writing and the sides of the pan exposed to the elements. When they ship them they're stacked on top of each other and the Anodized aluminum bottom from one pan constantly rubs the top rim of the pan below.I couldn't find a single pan out of the 8 on the racks, that didn't have scuffing around the rim from distributor shipping.Needless to say the Caphalon Commercial pan was OUT and the individually completely boxed, wrapped in plastic, suspended in a cardboard brace Anolon Advance pan won the day.
I was very curios about this Dupont Autograph 2 thing. Aparently the Non-stick is on the inside of the pan and seamlessly wraps over the edge and all the way down the outside until the very bottom of the pan where the Anodized Aluminum bottom makes contact w/ the burner. I don't know if it actually does anything functional, but it's VERY easy to clean. I guess maybe it keeps food from 'catching' around the rim when stirring vigorously or 'flipping' veggies in a sauté. So far the non-stick surface is PERFECT.About 20 seconds of soap, sponge, and hot water is all that is need to clean inside and out (thank you to the wrap-around nonstick surface). It has a very good weight so the heat distribution is great even around the sides.I've become accustomed to 'flipping' with my stainless pans so when I first tried it with this pan I accidentally sky-rocketed the veggies into the ventilation hood.As with temperature and handling with all new pans, it's good to keep in mind 'baby-steps'.
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Anolon Advanced 12 Inch Open French SkilletProduct Description: Hard anodized aluminum is one of the best heat conductors around when it comes to cookware. It also heats evenly, so food cooks at a steady pace, wherever it's location in the pot or pan. Dupont Autograph 2 has been restaurant tested by professional chefs and has been found to surpass standard non-stick coatings both in performance and durability. This cookware is coated inside and out with Autograph 2 which makes cooking without added fat very easy, and which also makes cleaning up a snap. The handle is comfortable and securely riveted and the glass lid allows you to monitor cooking without loss of flavor, heat, or nutrients. This is a fabulous pan for cooking pancakes, eggs, chicken breasts and a host of other foods.
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Anolon 'Advanced' is the much higher quality, and, for some quirky reason, is priced $15 less than the Calphalon!I pan-grilled some filet mignon steaks (am savoring them now) and was impressed at the signature 'sear marks'.Cleanup is a breeze and reviewers should note that the Anolon 'Advanced' line has not been plagued with the shedding of the non-stick coating (as both the 'Commercial' and 'Simply Calphalon' lines have been).
