Side by Side Comparison of: Cuisinart vs T-fal

I love this little pan. It's practical and attractive and useful. I make a warm beverage every morning for my breakfast and this pan was purchased primarily for that purpose. It is attractive and it pours nicely. I use it for other small jobs, too. My only negative (and this would depend on your stove) is that the pan bottom is quite a bit smaller than any of my burners, so I feel like I'm wasting some of the heat that isn't getting directed into the pan.I read the reviews before I bought it, and I was hesitant about the handle tipping thing, but that has not been an issue in my kitchen. Even when empty, it seems stable and balanced to me.

We are still using this item and we bought it a while back. It is our workhorse in the kitchen. We primarily use it with another metal basket for steaming broccoli, but it can be used for pasta, soups and much more. You can turn the lid to allow it to vent and keep the temperature from climbing too fast and prevent boil overs. You can keep the lid set to prevent venting and bring items up to temperature much quicker saving electricity and energy on an electric stovetop. It cleans easily and fits in our cupboard easily as well. It has been a great addition to our kitchen!

I love the pan as I love all of my Cuisinart set. This pan is not quite as thick as my set, but it is still a good pan. A few heavy-thickness pans are better many thin ones. You can do so much more with them. The only problem is that I can't use the lid when I'm boiling water. Two times now it has gotten stuck fast due to the vacuum created while cooking. Somewhere I read that might happen, so I was prepared. I tried many tips to get it loose that I found on the Internet and even called Cuisinart. The hard part is the more you move the lid, the tighter the suction gets. Finally my son was able to pry it off without damaging the top. After going through this twice, I only use it as an open sauce pan now and choose another if I want a lid. Yes, it got a couple black spots, but they don't affect the performance and I don't need showroom perfect pans. The bigger issue for me is that they clean the easiest of ANY pan I've ever owned by simply following the directions (just add water after cooking and let it set a bit.) The food comes right off, and I've never had to use anything but a soft scrubby on them. Don't use HIGH heat, just medium-high at the most per the directions. They heat very quickly. I've burnt them BADLY (not on high heat, just by letting them go too long) and they still clean like a dream. It's as simple as adding baking soda and water, then boiling about 10 min. or so til the water has gone down. Then use your soft scrubby on the empty pan. The burnt-on thick black food flakes off and cleans up like a champ. And if you forget to add water and the food dries on, just add the water, put the lid on, and leave it for a few hours. When you come back, they clean up easy peasy. I'd buy this pan again if I needed to.

I recently purchased this set from a local department store, and when I got home I was curious to see what the reviews were on Amazon. I was a little worried when I read the negative comments about the cookware burning and food sticking and even trouble just boiling water.However, when I opened the box and actually read the short pamphlet about how to care for this product I saw that the FIRST thing it mentions is to NEVER cook or boil anything at HIGH HEAT. You are only supposed to go from low to medium. This because the way this cookware is designed, it heats up very fast and very hot with only the minimal heat settings. So, medium on a stove would be the equivalent of high heat.It makes sense that some people may have simply overlooked this, and started boiling water, cook steak etc, on high heat and then been confused as to why things were burning.

I hesitated to purchase this pasta pot because I thought it was too big, but decided to give it a try based on its great reviews and amazing price. It's not as big as I expected a 12 quart pot to be, even with the insert and lid. I have plenty of clearance between my GE range and Panasonic microwave (see customer product images). I'm used to using a 7.4 qt T-Fal pot to cook pasta in which works fine for 1 pound of spaghetti and more of any smaller pasta. The Cuisinart looks like it can handle quite a bit more, but the pasta drain insert isn't that much larger. With the insert in place, the effective cooking volume is closer to 9 quarts.The material is thin steel, but that's fine for cooking pasta and making stock. The bottom is aluminum clad in steel. While I'm trying to replace all my old cookware with All-Clad, this is one piece I couldn't see spending $300 or more for the All-Clad. I'd say this is comparable to the $100-150 pasta pots that All-Clad offers, but less expensive because of the brand.

To preface, I cook asian meals everyday and stir-fry at least two dishes a day. I've been through 3 woks the past 3 years. Carbon steel which rusted if you soaked it or didnt dry it immediately. I could not season it well at all with a flat top electric range. Tossed that out and decided to go with non-stick. Non-stick worked well until stuff stuck or burned to it. Then it was goodbye. Bought a second of the same kind trying to be more careful but the same thing happened. I decided to go with stainless steel because no matter how much it sticks, you can always get it out with Bar Keepers Friend, soaking or as a last resort; steel wool.Read all the reviews before getting it and noticed a lot say it does not heat up well enough, it sticks, it doesn't clean well, the lid is too heavy and the wok is too light, and to only use it on medium low heat to avoid burned or stuck food. I tried it on medium low heat and it had so little heat that I could touch the sides of the pan and it wast even warm to the touch. Stir-fry meals came out soggy. I finally decided to use it on high heat, which is how stir-fry is supposed to be cooked at and everything worked great. Nothing stuck.Keep in mind, with stir-fry, you are supposed to be cooking at blazing hot temperatures in very little time. Often a dish is cooked less than 5 minutes. From my experience with this wok/stir-fry pan, those that mention burnt food are not cooking stir-fry at the speed it should be done and are not stirring as often as they should. A stir-fry should never be left alone and always tossed around until it is done cooking.Whatever leftover food stains on the wok can be worked out with some soaking and Bar Keepers Friend. BKF also removes the rainbow stains and hard water stains. I do not use the lid. It is way too heavy and you don't need it with stir-fry. As for the wok being too light, that's generally how it should be as the method used during stir-fry is to lift the wok up with one hand and dish/scrape the food onto a place with the other. If it was too heavy, you wouldn't be able to do this.In summary, when using this wok:1. Use it on high heat2. Add oil, wait for it to heat up3. Add food. Usually it goes onions/garlic/ginger first, then meat/vegetables, then sauces5. Babysit the dish with constant tossing. If you must simmer, lower the heat. If you want a thicker sauce, add corn starch and water mixture. Babysit, babysit, babysit.6. Dish out onto plate7. Soak wok in water, immerse fully8. If there's still food stains, use Bar Keepers FriendI'm happy with this purchase. It is definitely a good investment as are most stainless steel cookware.

This is a great frying pan. Yes, it is slightly raised in the middle to allow the oil and grease to flow to the edge, but I'm not sure that's a bad thing as some have suggested. Very solid. Comfortable handle. Not too heavy. Attractive and easy to clean. Food doesn't stick but a little. The red glowing button doesn't seem to work with gas ranges, however. This is a much better pan than the green pan I purchased a few months earlier. Fantastic buy for the money. I highly recommend!

After a year, this is still my go-to pan. I love my stainless set and they have their advantages at times, but a good non-stick is still necessary. Time generally has its way with cheaper non-stick pans (even cheap T-fal ones) after the first few months of use, and in about a year or two, it's in the trash. My T-fal "pro" still looks and works like the day I got it. No degradation of the surface at all.You could probably do better. I just doubt it's possible for less than $25.

Have it for several months now and it still looks and feels like new. Every so often I season (as it is recommended by the literature included) and the eggs slide over. I use it several times a week and although the bottom has discolored, the top and nonstick is in perfect shape. My wife placed it once in the washing machine and I noticed that the aluminum top had a haze. I just polished with a cloth and some dish soap. I prefer to hand wash it but that is a personal preference. I do get annoyed with the very high middle and when food slides to the side, but the temperature is the same and it comes out perfect every time. Great product

This pan really works great. We have had other pans that are so so, but this one really delivers. Nothing has ever stuck to it not matter how burned it was. We use this pan every day at least once if not two to three times. It is so versatile and since it is 12 inches it can hold enough food for the four of us. Clean up is super fast and the pan also heats up fast so it makes getting the cooking job done a lot faster too. We researched tons of pans before picking this one and we have been the happiest we ever have been with this type of pan. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to make the cook time faster and non stick for real.

Excellent skillet. I highly recommend this item. We purchased it after seeing it reviewed by Cook's Illustrated and once again, they came through. The pan is heavy weight enough to heat very evenly (I've used it on both gas and electric cooktops with excellent results) but not so heavy its a burden. The teflon coating seems very scratch resistant. The handle is very solid with no wiggle. I've taken the skillet from the stove top to the oven with no problem- the silicone handle can take the heat. I also routinely run this through the dishwasher with no problems. I've given this as a gift to two friends and they both rave about it. I was so pleased with this I also purchased the 10" model. I use this affordable skillet far more often than my pricey All-Clad skillet.

I first saw this T-Fal fry/sauté pan reviewed on America’s Test Kitchen where it was selected as the best of its kind. I purchased the 12.5” model and I am very impressed with its quality, versatility and performance. It heats uniformly throughout the entire cooking surface, which is important when preparing food like an egg omelet. I’m not sure about the red dot so I simply use common sense when using the pan. The good news is, like with all cooking utensils, the more you use it, the better you learn its attributes. This T-Fal has a consistent quality and there are no surprises. That’s good enough for me.

This is a great stainless steel pan at this price point. It's not super high end, one piece construction, but it works well for it's intended purposes. We use it for everyday cooking and love it. The pan is a thin sheet of stainless steel with an extra aluminum bonded core at the bottom.Pros:- Very light weight- Deep pan with nice dome lid, great for cooking skillet meals- Nice and large size- Heats quickly- Food doesn't stick if you heat the pan with oil first, though very dry foods will stick unless you loosen it up with some water/chicken stock- Bottom heats evenly- Looks fantastic- Dishwasher and oven safe- All metal constructionCons:- Not 1 piece construction- Thin stainless steel on the sides means the sides sometimes heat up faster than the bottom if you're not careful or you have a really powerful stove- Short handles sometimes get hot on the stovetop

The pan came and was exactly what we wanted, a deep dish 9 x 13 pan approx 3 inches deep, not the dimensions given in the description but was what we expected. I was slightly disappointed when after the first use there was spots on the rivets where the finish was worn off. I waited for a couple of months and used the pan a few more times before leaving this review so I could see if the rivets would rust. I am happy to report that so far there is no rust and the only spots where the finish has come off is on the rivets.The pan does have minor staining and some scratches where we cut the lasagna but the pan is holding up well and there is no rust, which is good. You can see in the pictures I provided the rivets, stains and some scratches. Still a great pan.

4 stars because it's a good wok and I like it, but don't love it. There are some gripes I have about it. First off, it's non-stick because it's stainless steel, so look elsewhere if you want a wok that won't stick. I didn't expect my food not to stick, I knowingly bought stainless steel because I thought the clean up would be much easier than a carbon steel wok. What I didn't expect was that every time I cook and it gets to a certain temperature, some of the sides will start turning black and brown before any food even makes it into the wok. It's bothersome, because sometimes the black and brown residue will mix in with my stir fry and it also makes heaps of smoke. I noticed it happens less when I cook on low-medium low heat, but a lot of stir fry recipes require high heat.I use a gas range so maybe it will work better for those who use an electric range since it won't burn the sides. Scrubbing the burnt sides can end up being very tiring when it comes to clean up.As for what I cook, I mainly cook Asian cuisine (stir fry chicken, fried rice, etc), and use soy sauce and cooking wine all the time with no problem. I noticed the product description states it is 18/10 stainless steel, but I'm not really sure how true that is. I have a set of Tramontina 18/10 stainless steel fry pans and I've never had the problem where the sides get so burnt up even on high heat. The sides of the wok also feel much thinner compared to my Tramontina pans.Secondly, a lot of people have mentioned the glass lid spontaneously explodes which has scared me so much that I limit my use of the glass lid as much as I can. I've used it on two occasions and both occasions the lid was fine, but I'm quite afraid of it exploding at any given minute or time my food is cooking. Until Cuisinart takes the issue seriously or releases a statement that they fixed the lid issue, I won't be using the lid unless I really need to.Third, the wok itself isn't the lightest when there's food inside. It might be easier for those of you who are stronger, but I can only lift it with one hand if I'm cooking something like stir fry chicken. If there's two cups of fried rice inside, I will need to use two hands since rice can get quite heavy. The 14 inch wok can easily fit 1 lb of chicken, it could even go for 2 lbs or more without any problem. I usually stir fry 1 lb of chicken for 2 people and the wok does a good job. Overall, the wok does what it's supposed to do. It will cook your food and it will stay clean time after time. It has a nice helper handle on the side, which helps with picking up the wok and the pan handle itself is a nice length and sturdy. The condition of my wok is around the same as when I purchased it, with the exception of brownness near the pan handle (doesn't affect it in any way that I know of) so I assume the quality is solid and the wok will last a long time. It's just the burning side problem is not great and the shattering glass problem is concerning to me.

This Cuisinart roasting pan is, frankly, good for what it is. I haven't used it too much yet, but it's put up with a few rounds through the oven roasting poultry and stuffing, along with the washing that came after, and it's still looking good.The metal of the pan is thinner than what you might think from the picture, but that's not a big deal honestly. There have been some reports of warping in these reviews, but mine has been holding up. Most of the reviews seem to have pre-heated pans and then put frozen birds into them, which is a strict no-no. Pre-heat your oven, put the food into a non-pre-heated pan, and throw it into the oven, and it should be perfectly fine.Overall, I'm quite happy with this purchase; the disposable roasting pans at the grocery store were $5 a pop, and I never trust a turkey in just one - so for $30 or so dollars, I'm really happy to have a basic roasting pan that'll keep serving me long after the holiday leftovers have been doled out.(And for those who may be wondering, I was able to make turkey drippings gravy in this pan on the stovetop post-roasting with zero problems. For the price, it really is a great roaster.)

I'm a cook by necessity, so bear that in mind with this review.I was interested in stir-fry cooking and initially bought a Cantonese carbon steel wok from a local mall to use with the electric stove in my apartment. Although it's fast to heat up and cool down, I found it would severely drop in temperature when meat was added to sear, often just letting it boil in its own juice. I picked up this pan because I have the other pans in this make and model and have really liked them. This pan is no exception. Here's what I've found so far:This pan is flat bottomed, and the flat bottom is wider in diameter than my carbon steel wok. It sits on my largest burner and allows more contact with the burner, keeping heat retention easier and more efficient. With the carbon steel wok, I often had to keep the burner on a much higher setting to counter act the rapid heat loss. I can keep this a a medium to medium-high setting with better results. Should I still get some excessive moisture (usually when searing ground turkey), I soak it up with the dip of a paper towel.The long handle and helper handle are awesome compared to the Cantonese style, and make cooking and transferring food simpler. Since this wok doesn't cool off as fast as a thinner carbon steel wok, I rely on the handles to quickly extract the food before it over cooks. A trade off, but hardly the end of the world.You could argue that a normal twelve inch skillet could be used instead of this wok, and I'd generally agree with you. However, last night I used it to stir fry a large bunch of leafy Bok Choy. The larger bowl shape of this pan accommodated the large leafy vegetables until they cooked down. I could easily stir the Bok Choy without it spilling out, a tricky task with a normal skillet. The shape also allows the spattering cooking oil to stay contained in the pan better as opposed to covering your range top. You can move some food away from the hotter flat bottom and it will hang out on the sides without getting overcooked.One thing that galled me about cooking with stainless steel was the 'Hot Pan/Wok, Cold Oil' technique. I discovered that if I placed the meat that I wanted to sear into the oil RIGHT AFTER I PUT IT INTO THE HOT WOK I didn't get any sticking. If I waited for the oil to begin to smoke, it would be too late and any protein would adhere. I've stir fried with chicken breasts and ground turkey like this with no issues.Clean up is fine using deglazing techniques, water soaking, and if need be, Bar Keeper's Friend and a stainless steel scouring pad. You can even toss it in the dishwasher if that interests you, but I've found the other cleaning methods faster and more effective than that.I don't use the lid except when storing to keep the dust out, but I'm happy it's there.I hope this helps you. I did a lot of reading before buying a wok, and based off of my experiences with this one, I really believe that on a standard electric coil stove, a traditional, thinner carbon steel wok may NOT be the best choice. But remember: I'm no purist. I just like to use what works!

I was a bit nervous about giving up my nonstick pans, and as soon as I ordered this I read a lot of blogs about how to cook w/ stainless steel. So far it's worked well for me. Something I'm confused about is that much of the advice I read says to preheat the pan, but the instructions say not to heat the pan up w/ nothing in it. Indeed, it makes a sound like it's buckling when it gets hot (It doesn't look like it's buckling though). This is at medium heat or slightly lower, and I have a gas stove. I've been using that sound as my cue that it's preheated and I the fat to the pan at that point, food shortly after. So far I've used this pan to carmelize onions, sear turkey cutlets, scramble eggs, and make fried rice, and there's been a little sticking but nothing a short soak doesn't take care of. I didn't have $$$$ for a more expensive pan and figured it was better to have a cheaper pan to learn on anyway in case I ruined it. I've been happy with my choice.Updates:I have since made pancakes and quesadillas in this pan and it has definite hot spots, those things did not cook evenly. (Maybe that is normal for this type of cookware, I don't know.)I also wanted to add that I make eggs in the pan all the time -from a dozen scrambled to a single fried - and never have any sticking as long as I follow the routine: start from a clean pan, preheat, cooking spray, then add the eggs. Much better than my nonstick pans ever were.Because this pan is so huge, I've been using it for chili and taco filling I would previously have done in my dutch oven.I've also noticed that the buckling sound I mentioned in my previous review doesn't happen anymore, and the pan is still in perfect shape. Still happy with my purchase!

This is the second T-FAL nonstick pan that we own, the old one finally stopping being non stick after 3+ year of heavy use. Pan is still great. Nothing really sticks, it's durable and does the job. Yes it does have a slight bump in the middle which causes oil to pool around the edges, but it really doesn't effect cooking at all. Based on another recommendation I had bought one of those copper pans you see on TV - DON'T Do it. They don't work. I followed the directions (low heat, no oil) and still had eggs sticking to the bottom. My only gripe with this pan is I wish it would have a slightly higher heat tolerance in the oven, but otherwise this is my go-to day in and day out.

Very good pan, slick and slippery as it should be. I have noticed a slight warping. The bottom is no longer perfectly flat, food tends to head for the edges now after only a few months. Replacement for an ancient pan whose Teflon was peeling away. Large enough for a family sized stir fry. If not for warping, would rate it a five. This is a good and heavyweight pan. Great for the price.

Update.... pan still working great .......As far as the pan itself it works good. I like how big it is and how far up the sides come. It hasn't warped since I've been using it so everything still lays flat. I cooked some fried chicken in it the other day so I had it on for a while and the only thing that bothered me was to handle got harder than I would have thought it would just sitting on the stove top but other than that it held the heat evenly it never worked the pan that you can cook great as I said the only issue I have with it is Hell hot to handle got and it's supposed to be rated for the oven up to 350 degrees which I'm going to try but it got really hot just on the stovetop cooking fried chicken for 30 minutes. Other than that as I said it's cooked evenly it's large enough to cook fried chicken in and the pan never warped or bent.

All non-stick pans are great when they are new, so we'll have to see. Don't really use the heat indicator ring on the surface.The manual says you can use metal tools on the cooking surface but I would not recommend it. While in my sink, something must've rubbed against my new pan near the handle rivets inside the pan and easily removed the coating there. Not a big deal, but shows this non-stick coating might now be as bulletproof as indicated. Also, whatever scratched it off could not have applied much pressure as I don't load up my sink much less haphazardly on top of my new pan. Ordered a carbon steel one in case as I don't feel the surface will last much long than my many other pans.

This is an honest review from a professional chef who has used this product in their home kitchen almost every day for an entire year. I was not paid to write this review nor did I receive any compensation for my efforts.Initial Observations:I bought this pan for home use on January 2, 2015. I never use small frying pans, so the 12.5'' was an easy choice. I was initially intrigued that the bottom of the pan was convex and doubted whether the pan would distribute oil/butter evenly for browning/frying. The sides of the pan appeared to be slanted high enough to sautee without the use of a turner/spatula (i.e. using the wrist to move food in the pan). The handle felt comfortable in my hand and the riveting appeared to be sturdy. The overall weight and balance of the pan did not feel awkward.Use and Abuse:Despite my hesitation about the convex bottom, the pan browns more evenly than any pan I've ever used. The pan's ability to cook eggs is superior to any pan I've ever used. When multitasking, I can sautee without using utensils. The pan withstands high heat, does not warp and is easy to clean. I do not allow the pan to cool fully before washing it directly under water. I do not use ANY metal utensils in this pan. Minor scratches have accrued. After 1 year, the surface is slightly less non-stick. Use with metal utensils is NOT recommended under any circumstances. It has yet to be determined whether the coating is being removed during cooking or during non-abrasive washings. I sincerely hope it's the latter.The rivets are not flush with the pan. Food debris collects around the rivets if not cleaned properly. The handle construction has shown no sign of wear. The rivets are fastened securely to the pan. The pan's ability to heat and cool quickly is excellent.T-Fal Claims that:1. The unique T-fal Thermo-Spot heat indicator shows when the pan is perfectly preheated for cooking. [TRUE]2. Prometal Pro nonstick interior is exceptionally durable and scratch resistant. [FALSE]3. Safe for use with metal utensil. [FALSE]4. Stainless steel disc for even heat distribution. [TRUE]5. Anti-warp protection. [TRUE]6. Dishwasher Safe. {TRUE]7. Oven safe to 400 degrees F. [TRUE]8. Safe for all cooking methods including induction. [TRUE]In my professional opinion, using a metal turner/spatula is not recommended. The two most important claims that T-Fal promotes (i.e. that the surface is durable/scratch resistant and is safe to use with metal utensils) are false. Although I enjoy using this pan at the house, I do not consider this product "professional" quality. An alternative coating would eliminate this issue altogether and would not significantly increase production costs: https://www.google.com/patents./US20100276432.In short, I highly recommend this product for home use only. My 4 star review is extremely generous considering the fact that advanced material science and nano-technology is not being used to create a superior consumer product.

I bought this 12-inch pan after having seen a review on 'America's test kitchen' where they basically tested different sets of saute/omelette pans ranging from cheap to very expensive brands and they picked this one based on its performance. So far, it's performing as well as expected and It's so easy to clean. The red circle in the center of the pan tells you it's heated and ready for cooking. Overall satisfied.However, what I did not expect was how easily the pan would lose its shape. I always wait until my pans have cooled to room temperature before washing them to avoid warping them. I was surprised that after just 3 months of use, this pan is no longer flat and circular. I expected the pan to be more durable than it has proven to be. The pan is still usable, but I have purchased Sugiyama Metal Wide Frypan for almost the same price. This wide pan has enough space to cook and lighter than T-fal one. T-fal is one of Japanese reliable brand, but some of their pan might be defective(?) as other reviewers mentioned.

Unfortunately for me, this aspect was never clearly spelled out in the product description. One would assume Stainless Steel would work as I have many other SS pots and pans that work great. This one no, the bottom must be mostly aluminum even though it's stated that it's encased in SS (and I have other pans with aluminum cores that work just fine). Other than that, the pot is ok. I would have prefered heavier gauge steel to make the pot feel a little more substantial, but the shape and size are nice. It was slightly bigger than I expected but that wasn't an issue.

I didn't see the reviews about the glass lid shattering until after I purchased this item. I own another Cuisinart pot that has a glass lid and I love that pot and have had no issues with the lid on it so it didn't occur to me to be concerned about the glass lid on this frying pan. However, the second I took this lid out of the package I knew something wasn't right. The glass does not feel the same as my other Cuisinart glass lid. It does not sound the same or look the same either. The 'good' glass lid has "Cuisinart" imprinted onto the glass in white lettering. This lid has no lettering and the word Cuisinart is only imprinted on the handle. On my 'good' lid, the handle does not have the branding imprinted. Both items are supposedly from the same stainless steel Cuisinart line of products. I'm left to conclude that the glass lid on this particular pan is simply bunk. It's also rather large and bulky. I have zero confidence in utilizing it. The pan itself is fine & a quick heater. I have the same skillet in the 9" size (had for years) and it's still a perfect performer. For the price, these pans stay looking (and working) excellent for years. Easy to clean too. Cloudiness to the finish on the inside of the pan can be taken care of with Bon Ami or BarKeepers Friend. I tend to reach for these pans more frequently than I do my AllClad simply because they are lighter and more pleasant to work with from that perspective.

If you are looking for a pan and cover that will go in the oven, then you have selected the correct pan. If you are looking for a pan with an easy to clean lid, then keep looking. Cuisinart has made a peculiar lid. The glass inserts into the metal edging making cleaning a chore. My advice is to soak immediately after the lid cools to remove any juices or food that has splashed into the edging during cooking. The pan itself gets 4 stars. I have never had this problem with the lid to my electric Cuisinart pan.

This 10 quart pot is perfect for cooking my sauce San Marzano tomatoes with my home made meatballs & garden fresh basil. Once I get the to a low boil I just leave the temperature setting on low. See the enclosed picture

I wouldn't use it every day, but it's quite nice for browning meats.I tend to find pretty much anything other than non-stick pans kind of suck for sticky foods, and this pan was no exception. Potatoes stick, bacon sticks, scrambled eggs stick. It all soaks off again, sure, but there's a limited number of foods that are enough better cooked on a non-Teflon coating that it's worth the clean-up. Meats are kind of it, in my book.That said, I like the shape and weight of the pan. It's quite attractive and easy to work with, pretty much a frying pan shape without the long handle. The pan is shallow enough that I can grab a pot holder and pick it up by the side to give me decent control when I need to pour or scrape something out of the pan.

Pros: the size and shape are great for cooking a standard 2-3lb chopped up chicken or a curry. The domed lid is tight fitting and created a good steam, which makes it self-basting in a wayCons: the biggest one is that this is not 18/10 stainless steel (nowhere on the pot does it say this) as was falsely advertised, and it's really obvious. Every single time I use this pan it becomes discolored and darkens more, and I end up having to scrub hard to get it clean. It doesn't clean well in dishwasher, and it will probably never return to the steel color it was when it arrived. The metal is extremely thin, which makes this bad for cooking on a low heat for a long time. It also heats unevenly, probably due to the thin metal.Overall: if this pan weren't so cheap, there's no way I'd keep it. It's not going to last over the long haul, for sure. It doesn't compare to All-Clad, Calphalon, etc - not remotely in the same league. It's looks good and is a useful shape/size, but is bad quality. If it were better quality, then it would probably be my favorite pan, but the quality is so bad that I would compare it to buying something from H&M - it looks good, but is only meant to last one or two seasons. This is a good pan for college students or maybe for camping?

The pan works great as a non-stick pan, but it is bowed, so the oil sits around the edge, so it doesn't work for a lot of frying. I use this pan on an induction stove and it gets nowhere as hot as my All Clads on the same stove. I use high on the range with this pan. If I did that with my All Clad, I would burn the pan in about 5 minutes. It is a useful pan for the money, but not a replacement to good cookware.

Not as good as other T-fal pans. This does work on induction, but not very well. On a 9-point temperature control, medium-high (the highest ever recommended for nonstick pans) is 6, but this pan requires 7.5, and even at that setting it takes much longer to heat than any other pan I have. Other reviews have noted that the center is slightly raised, and mine also has this problem, with any liquid pooling around the periphery, leaving the center dry/unoiled. The nonstick surface performs well, and for this price I won't bother to return it, but I am disappointed and will not buy it again. T-fal's regular nonstick skillet, which I've used on a conventional electric stove, and their regular stainless steel skillet, which works on induction, are some of the best buys on the market.

The only reason why I gave this pan a 3 instead of a 5 is that like noted in other reviews, the center is slightly raised so the pan isn't flat. Maybe this is on purpose to let grease slide to edges, but when you're cooking with oil or butter, you want it to cover the whole bottom of the pan and not go to the sides. The non-stick works great and is easy to clean.

After having the pan for about 18 months, here's what I can say:For a long time, it was a sheer joy to use - the non-stick worked amazingly, heated evenly. The center dot would change colors when it was heated up.And then, about a year in, the non-stick wore off. Now, it's a hassle to clean. The center dot doesn't seem to work any more. I don't know how this lifespan compares to other non-stick pans, but, needless to say, I'm a little disappointed. As far as I know, we were treating it well within its usage limits.It's also worth noting that the center is slightly raised, which has made it a little harder to make eggs - they always run to the sides of the pan, which are much cooler. I hear it's better for meats, though, because it causes the grease to run off to the sides.

First, my review is an average of the 3 pan sizes (details follow); I was limited to one review as they are sold on the same page. My 8" & 10.25" (about a year old) are 5 star pans: slick, durable, and easy to clean. They seem to be relatively flat, as omelets cook evenly and cover the whole pan. So I recently bought the 12.5" (1 star rating) and returned it after one use because my pancake batter ran away from the center before it could start to cook (though the pan was pre-heated), and the pancakes were thicker near the pan edge where the batter pooled the most. Several reviewers say T-fal raises the center on purpose to prevent warping; if so, it's not noticeable on my smaller pans but was significant on the 12.5".

I want to give this 4-5 stars. It's a reasonable non-stick pan, with respectable weight. But the very first time I cooked on it I noticed that the bottom isn't flat. It's slightly rounded, with the highest point in the middle. When I dropped my first fried egg into the pan and watched it skid away to the outside edge (on a stove that I've been cooking on for ages) I knew this would be a pain in the butt.Truth be told, I imagined using this pan for all sorts of things, and among them were fried eggs and crepes. But there's no way I can make crepes in this, and I have to break my eggs into it around the edge. It's good for cooking other stuff though so it has earned occasional usage and 3 stars. It's also possible that my pan was a fluke, although it didn't look damaged in any way. But in case this is just how the pans are made, I figured I'd give a fair warning.

So, I'm a chef. I bought this product with high hopes. Cuisinart is a great brand, and has been for years. The pots and pans themselves are great. The stainless steel is of very decent quality. However... the rivets that they used to attach the handles onto the cookware are made of cheap crap. The first time I made a soup in the stock pot I had to store the pot in the fridge for a couple of days. Common practice for a chef. Common practice for anyone who cooks on the regular. The rivets were literally pitted and eaten through by the food! They deteriorated in a matter of 3 days. Over time the rest of cookware has mirrored the same behavior. I'm actually afraid to cook out of these pots and pans for fear of getting heavy metals in my food. I don't understand why you would make a good pan, but attach the handles with cheap product that break down from simple food and washing over time. Please explain this Cuisinart.

The pan arrived in beautiful condition. The handles are very pretty and looks sturdy. However, the bottom warped after the second time when I was roasting meat. So the base was very unstable.I exchanged the pan for a new one. The new one warped again on the second usage about 15 minutes into roasting chicken legs (450 F). I will see if I can hammer it back in.I ordered it when it was on sale at $24. For the current price of $49, this is definite not worth it.

Received this pan as a gift off my list. While the pan is nice, I received a defective glass lid that shattered the first time I used it, while cooking with it. No warranty, they wanted me to buy a new lid for $50. Unless you want the potential for shards of glass in your food Don't buy this pot.

I like the pan, but my glass lid exploded on first use from the heat. Not sure what happened, pressure must have built up underneath but I heard a really loud POP and the entire lid looked like a giant spiderweb. That sucks because this was exactly what I was looking for, but that was an epic fail as I really wanted a glass lid with this pan. Good pan though.

It is now several months since first review. The only pan that gave a problem from the other three was this 719-14 2 qt. I used it the first time to boil green beans and put salt in water for a few minutes. When done the pan had stains. Some would say the salt pitted it, but I used it for a few minutes and have the other ones that did not do this. So I use it for odds and ends and to fry things but it does stick for frying. Perhaps it was defective. The other Cuisinart 719-18 one quart and the saucier work fine. Amazon did credit my account so they were very fair as usual.Thin metal, IT IS NOT 18/10 stainless steel as written on site, the box nor the actual pot has 18/10 etched on it therefore it IS NOT. CAVEAT EMPTOR!!!

I wanted a pure stainless steel pan, and that's the impression I got when checking the product on Amazon. This product, however, is not pure stainless steel. It has an "aluminum encapsulated bottom" as is noted in the literature accompanied with the product. I really did not want any aluminum or copper in the product. This is because aluminum can be neurotoxic given certain conditions. (-2 stars)The quality of Cuisinart customer service is very variable. Some agents are helpful, but others just copy-paste what I already know from the website. Some even provide incorrect information. (-1 star)Oh and the pan's base turned brown the first time I used it.

Thought this would be a winner, but after two uses, you can easily see that when you put oil in the pan, it drifts to the perimeter of the pan leaving the entire center uncoated. Also, the center, oddly, cooks slower. It's an uneven cooking platform. PS, I have a gas grill. It otherwise is very nonstick and easy to clean, but if the pan is not flat and not cooking evenly, it's defeats the entire purpose of the pan. Disappointing.

First time using this pan and it has an overall a good nonstick surface but it isn't entirely flat. This causes things like eggs to instantly spread to the outside of the pan making it so your food is all right against the edge. Very disappointing.

The only flaw I've found, although it's an annoying one, is that the base is slightly domed, meaning that things will tend to slide to the outer edge. This is a problem if you're doing something like frying an egg.It's hard to understand why they would have made it like this since it must have been deliberate, and I can't imagine any reason this would be beneficial, and there are plenty of reasons it isn't.

Seemed okay at 1st, but after less than one dozen uses, I see that the red "Indicator" and surrounding silver coating pattern has been coming off in the food. I pray to God it isn't a health issue! I am using a bamboo spatula only and wipe the pan clean after use with a paper towel while hot. NEVER scrubbed, NEVER used any detergents, just hot water and a soft paper towel. Am disappointed as it has so many "Super" reviews.

I purchased based on the majority of good reviews and the recommendation from ATK, really surprised about the latter. The only complaint they had after torturing this pan way beyond whatever I'd do were loose rivets. I figured I could avoid pounding the pan on a counter or heating to 500 degrees and plunging into a bucket of ice water! I have to assume T-fal is a victim of its own success, great publicity increased its market share so quickly that the pan tested in early 2013 has only a passing similarity to the product being manufactured today. I can affirm the two times I used it nothing stuck to it...hence the two stars.The thicker bottom plate expands at a greater rate then the thin shoulder and sides when heated resulting in a dome forming across the center of the pan. Made no difference how slowly the pan is heated in my two attempts at reaching medium temperature. Once the pan cooled it returned to its former flat surface. Note: I'm using a glass top electric range which may or may not influence these results.

Had this for just under two years now and it's warped so that it no longer will sit flat on the burner.I bought this because it was the highest rated pan I could find on Amazon, but was pretty disappointed from the outset due to the hump in the middle. I assume it's to try to prevent warping, but the hump causes all your oil or butter to run from the center to the very edges of the pan, which was a constant annoyance for me. It would be one thing if it actually did prevent the pan from warping, but less than two years in of not very frequent use, and the pan is already ruined. Maybe all cheap-ish non-stick pans are disposable like this with very limited lifespans -- I don't have much experience with frying pans before this, so I don't really know. But it seems to me that the bottom line is that we might be better off buying an even cheaper pan if they all do this eventually.I now have a stainless steel All Clad saute pan which I'll use for most things, but I still need a new non-stick pan for things like eggs.Also I never got any utility out of the weird marker in the middle. It's supposed to indicate the temperature of the pan, but didn't seem to change much to me.

I bought this along with a few other pieces. The first piece I bought was the 5.5 quart saucier and the first time I used it I put salted water in to boil and the bottom developed little dark/black spots on the bottom. I thought ok I'll just exchange it. Then I thought I'd better test this one and did the same thing salted water on to boil. It developed the same little black spots. Needless to say I am returning the rest and will replace them with another brand entirely.

Writing this review before I contact Cuisinart to invoke the "lifetime warrantee".Since I am still alive I may have a case. The pot is a year old and there is rust all around the interior rivets holding the handles. How a manufacturer van make a pot and handles out of stainless steel and use a rivet with a lesser grade of SS is I am sure not a design flaw but a part substitution.The pot is not stained outside and is never put in a dishwasher. It looks like water entrapment between the rivets and the pot is causing the rust. Hope I am successful in getting a replacement, this thing was expensive for a pot.

Worst wok/pan ever. Burned the very first use. Very disappointed. See photo.

Nice pan, but it's only 2" high--not 4" as in the description. Very disappointing

I cooked some veggies today. After it was done, I turned the heat OFF, took some on my plate and put the lid on to keep the rest of the food warm. Then after about 15 minutes, I heard the loud BOOM! I freaked out, ran to the kitchen, and saw the glass lid shattered! It's supposed to be oven safe and this frying pan was on the stove without the heat! If you are buying this product, don't use the lid! I am returning it and making a complaint to the Cuisinart before someone get hurt!

I commented on another review that wrote that the glass top shattered, but I feel the need to write another so that this can product can have a lower star review and to encourage people NOT to buy this product.I bought this product in October 2011. Today while simmering on medium heat, the glass lid shattered like a gunshot and thousands of shards went everywhere in the kitchen. It went in the food, and into the other room. This is absolutely unacceptable. If I had been closer, it would have hit me in the face. This is a big safety issue that has seriously made me consider not buying any Cuisinart products as this should have been tested. Please don't buy this product- I think that's why it is so cheap. I will call Cuisinart tomorrow, but I do not want a replacement. It was really scary and I spent hours cleaning the shards out of everything.

I ordered a set of these pans because they came highly rated on a cooking show I watch that tests cooking implements. I did not use them for a year after I purchased them because my other non-stick pans were still working well. When I finally used them I noticed that the bottom was not flat. This makes cooking difficult because all the juice and fat will run to the outside edges. I don't like to use a lot of oil so it made frying egg rolls and bacon impossible unless I wanted to fill the pan up with oil. Their customer service said"Please note that cookware is generally designed with a slightly raised center to allow for the expansion of the metals during the heating or cooking process."This is simply not true and to prove it I set out some of my pans and added a bit of water. From the picture you can see the T-fal pans are the only ones that have a raised middle and the water pools to the edge. All the other pans the water was evenly distributed and not pooling to the outside edge.I cook all the time and anyone that knows me calls me a hard core foodie. I take my cooking seriously and I cannot recommend T-fal non-stick pans. If you want a good quality non-stick pan spend $10 more and get the one in the right side of the pan. Search for "stone earth pan" and get the value for you money.

I purchased this pan to replace a workhorce non-stick T-Fal I've had for the last 2 years. I bought this specific one because it was an America's Test Kitchen recommendation. However, this pan turned out to be one of the most disappointing purchases I've ever made. I'm going to try to return it. I have used it 4 times and always washed by hand.1) The pan is NOT level. Oil and liquidy items pool around the edges as the center is slightly raised.2) The handle rivets are already coming loose.3) For some reason this pan takes *forever* to heat up. I use 2 other heavy-duty Calphalon non-stick pans as well as All Clad pans so I used to thicker-bottomed cookware. However, I do not own another pan that takes as long to heat.Either this one was a dud or the Chinese manufacturing facility (and T-Fal's QA department) doesn't know what the hell they're doing.

I bougth this for Christmas and am VERY disappointed in this pan. After just 4 months of use, it is already losing its nonstick coating in several places. We have followed all directions about cleaning and re-seasoning the pan after a few uses. Yet it still is wearing very quickly. There is nothing "professional" about a pan that wears through its nonstick coating in less than 6 months!T-fal pans I have owned in the past have lasted years and years - 10+ years. This one is wearing much differently and won't even last 6 months. See pics, the coating is wearing in a circular pattern around the "thermo-spot" indicator and also beginning to wear on the right side of the pan in this picture.

Note: this review is for the 12-inch pan.I have both stainless steel cookware and cast iron, but both require a little bit of care so I decided to have one non-stick pan around for various things when I'm busy. I like the idea of an ultra non-stick surface and dishwasher safe. When I received the cookware, I fired it up my stove and cooked an egg. The non-stick properties of the pan are incredible! And if reviews are to be believed, the coating is very durable. Quite a bargain at under $30 - that is if the metal of the pan was decent quality.I saw the one star reviews talking about the pan not being flat, but with a 4.5/5 star rating I figured "How bad could it be?" Bad. Very bad. The worst part is that when the pan is cold, it is 100% flat. When it heats up, the center bows up very high making it unusable for anything abut stir-fry. And even then, on a cermic top electric stove, you're really going to have to crank the heat thanks to the uneven and low performance heating caused by the raised middle. With heated oil, I shake the pan to evenly distribute it, then two seconds later, it's pooled in a 1-inch thick ring around the edge.I'm glad I bought it from Amazon, the return was as easy as can be and didn't cost me a thing (as it should be with defective products). I didn't realize that nearly all the 1-star reviews are from the 12-inch. So I highly recommend getting the 8 or 10 inch. I'm amazed T-fal hasn't fixed the defect in the 12-inch version and I probably won't be purchasing another T-fal product as reviews of this defect go back at least four years! Amazon really shouldn't group the reviews for products like this, or at least give the user a way to separate the reviews by different sizes - I'll bet the 12-inch would not be 4.5/5 stars.

Surface started flaking after less than 2 months; T-Fal customer service is making me pay the shipping to review the defect. Prior to that, it was a great pan, so I'm not sure if I got a defective one, but it's alarming that the pan is already flaking around the head spot and around the non-stick coating marks. I called customer service and was told I needed to return the pan so they could determine if it was a factory defect. When I asked about shipping, the rep said I had to pay for the shipping and would not be reimbursed. That is completely unacceptable for a situation like this; now what should I do? Should I pay $10 to $15 to ship it back and possibly get another crappy pan or just cut my loses and toss it?

I bought this pan for the high reviews, ignoring the few reviews about it warping. I wish I hadn't!After a very short time and normal use, this pan developed a severe warp. The bottom bowed upwards, so the edges got extremely hot while the middle stayed cold. This makes the pan totally unusable. I took a photo of it with an L-square tool, it showed the bottom bowing up by almost 1/2 an inch!All in all, the pan lasted less than 30 days before it was totally and completely unusable. Thankfully I'm sill in my return window.It is not for mistreating the pan, either. The pan this was supposed to replace - a "Anolon Advanced Nonstick Fry Pan" that can be found here on Amazon - lasted three years, and only had to be replaced because the nonstick coating was failing.Either the quality on this item has dropped severely, or their manufacturing process produces erratic results. Either way, I won't be buying another.