HexClad Cookware Review: Unjustifiably Expensive

The archetypal time I utilized the HexClad Hybrid Deep Saute Pan, I burned myself connected the “Stay Cool” grip (more connected that later). I seasoned the cookware with lipid per the manufacturer's recommendations, I cooked immoderate eggs, and they turned retired mostly OK—but they stuck to the cookware that’s marketed arsenic “nonstick.” This led maine down the way of insignificant inconveniences that culminated successful 1 conclusion: HexClad cookware is like, fine, I guess. But the hybrid exertion combining stainless alloy and nonstick cookware isn’t each that impactful but successful the atrocious ways, and you should conscionable get a bully stainless cookware and a bully nonstick cookware instead.

First Impressions

When I’m investigating gear, I person a regularisation for myself: Go successful with caller eyes. That means, arsenic overmuch arsenic possible, I debar different opinions from people—professional reviewers, friends, my pets, et cetera. I was already skeptical of HexClad owed to the selling astir it, and my acquisition cooking connected it solidified my hunch. You cognize erstwhile you’re buying connected Amazon and you take to acquisition acquisition wrapper and the items get wrong a weirdly tacky cloth bag? That’s what the HexClad pans are wrapped successful (inside their boxes) upon arrival. It’s minor, but it rubbed maine the incorrect way. It reminded maine of staying astatine a truly bully hotel, lone to observe that the sheets person a thread number of 7 and the toilet insubstantial is transparent. And past I started cooking connected them. Cookware coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), oregon Teflon, is mostly thought to beryllium safe, but if it’s damaged oregon heated past 500 degrees Fahrenheit, it tin beryllium harmful to your health. I tried to scrape the aboveground of the cookware with a fork, and it didn't flake oregon scratch. That's a bully thing! But connected the flip side, owed to the hexagonal signifier connected the pan's interior surface, I don't cognize that I would spot tiny scratches oregon chips arsenic easy arsenic I would connected a afloat nonstick-coated pan. You cognize what benignant of cookware doesn’t person these problems? Carbon alloy and formed iron. You cognize what doesn’t outgo $179? Our favourite nonstick pan.

The $179 12-inch Hybrid Fry Pan is fine. It heated evenly and quickly, conscionable a tad slower than my All-Clad comparison. The aforesaid is existent for the $179 3.3-quart Hybrid Deep Saute Pan. But erstwhile these prices are comparable to All-Clad, which I (and galore chefs) see to beryllium the standard, they'd amended enactment conscionable arsenic well, and successful my acquisition that conscionable wasn’t the case. During my period of testing, I cooked stovetop pasta, eggs, and steak doubly successful each pan.