{"id":1831235,"date":"2022-12-21T18:26:35","date_gmt":"2022-12-21T23:26:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/?p=1831235"},"modified":"2025-02-25T04:33:33","modified_gmt":"2025-02-25T10:33:33","slug":"hexclad-cookware-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/article\/hexclad-cookware-review\/","title":{"rendered":"I Tried the Gordon Ramsay-Approved HexClad Pan\u2014Here’s Why It’s a Cooking Superstar"},"content":{"rendered":"My cast-iron skillet<\/a>, which I use to cook pretty much everything, has been my ride-or-die for a long while. The well-seasoned skillet is nonstick, oven-safe and\u2014with the proper amount of preheating\u2014reaches surface-of-the-sun temperatures. For reactive foods that can't be cooked in cast iron (like tomatoes and other acidic foods), I use a sturdy stainless steel pan<\/a>. And finally, for ultra-sticky foods like eggs, I keep a nonstick ceramic pan<\/a> on hand.\r\n\r\nWhen I heard that HexClad\u00a0created a pan that combines the best elements of cast iron, stainless steel and<\/em> nonstick into a single miraculous pan, I knew I had to check it out. Here's my honest review of the HexClad hybrid pan<\/a>.\r\n\r\n[SINGLE_AFFILIATE_PRODUCT superlative=\"We Tried It\" product_name=\"HexClad Hybrid Pan\" short_description=\"HexClad promises the best parts of stainless steel, cast iron and nonstick pans all in one. Whiley pricey, multiple testers find that it's worth the splurge.\" image=\"2083941\" image_credit=\"VIA MERCHANT\" pr_name=\"HexClad\" pr_url=\"https:\/\/www.awin1.com\/cread.php?awinmid=21679&awinaffid=622885&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fhexclad.com%2Fproducts%2F12-hexclad-pan\" pr_display_text=\"Shop on HexClad\" retailers_2_name=\"Amazon\" retailers_2_url=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B07W62FH16?tag=tohmke-20\" retailers_2_display_text=\"Shop on Amazon\" \/]\r\n

What is HexClad cookware?<\/h2>\r\n[dam-video dam-id=\"56686\" type_of_player=\"jw\" \/]\r\n\r\nAccording to Gordon Ramsay<\/a>, HexClad skillets are \"the Rolls Royce of pans<\/a>,\" which is one heck of an endorsement. Lest you worry those words are nothing but a paid celebrity endorsement, know that other Michelin-starred chefs have buzzed about the HexClad pan, too.\r\n\r\nHexClad cookware is designed to feature all the positives of cast iron, stainless steel and nonstick pans with none of the negatives. Like cast iron, it's sturdy, resilient and retains a tremendous amount of heat. Like stainless steel, it distributes heat evenly across the pan's surface and is not reactive. And, like nonstick pans, it's, well, nonstick.\r\n

HexClad Skillet Features<\/h2>\r\n

\"Hexclad<\/h3>\r\nHexClad's patented design relies on a laser-etching process to create a hexagonal pattern on the bottom of a stainless-steel pan. It features a tri-ply construction, an aluminum core and a high-grade nonstick coating that's infused with diamond dust (!!!) for extra strength. The steel hexagons allow the heat to diffuse across the pan evenly, while the PFOA-free nonstick coating prevents foods from sticking. This cookware is also suitable for all stovetops (including induction!) and is completely oven-safe.\r\n\r\nHexClad is sturdy enough to last a lifetime, and as such, the company backs up its cookware with a limited lifetime warranty. However, HexClad is heavier than other cookware on the market, which may not be ideal for some users. (Although it's still not as heavy as cast iron.)\r\n

How We Tested It<\/h2>\r\nThree Taste Recipes<\/em> writers have used HexClad skillets<\/a> in their kitchen for over a year. In that time, they've performed almost every cooking task imaginable and tested a wide variety of foods.\r\n

Sauteing<\/h3>\r\n\"greens\r\n\r\nI tested the 12-inch HexClad pan. Straight out of the box, the HexClad pan's similarities to cast iron were immediately evident. This is one beast of a skillet! It's so heavy, it might just last forever, like how a good cast-iron pan passes down from generation to generation. Unlike cast iron, however, the HexClad's ergonomic handle makes it easy to lift and hold without much strain on the wrist.\r\n\r\nMost of the dishes I make for dinner start by sauteing a little garlic or onion (or both!) in olive oil<\/a> until golden before adding additional ingredients. So, the first thing I cooked in my HexClad hybrid pan was just that, along with a big mess of greens.\r\n\r\nThe HexClad pan heated up in about a minute\u2014far less time than it normally takes my cast-iron skillet to reach sauteing temp. Both the garlic and onion cooked evenly to a beautiful golden brown without sticking to the pan. Once I added the greens alongside a big pinch of salt, I confidently tossed everything together using tongs without worrying about scraping or nicking the pan, as I would have with a traditional nonstick pan. The greens cooked down in a flash, with all the liquid quickly evaporating as I swirled the pan.\r\n

Browning<\/h3>\r\n\"Toh\r\n\r\nHexClad cookware could easily handle simple everyday cooking tasks, so I tested it with something that's easy to foul up if you have the wrong pan. Slowly cooking chicken thighs, skin down, in a skillet should<\/em> yield shatteringly crisp skin with tender dark meat beneath\u2014but every skillet has its pitfalls.\r\n\r\nI've found that cast iron does the best job overall with this task, but because skillets tend to heat up unevenly, some thighs brown (or burn) more than others. Stainless steel can produce uniform browning, but the chicken can stubbornly stick to the bottom of the pan. Nonstick pans don't have this problem, but they are not suitable for the super-hot temperatures necessary for browning meat. Could the HexClad pan offer a solution?\r\n\r\nI preheated my pan over medium-low heat for one minute, generously seasoned four chicken thighs with kosher salt, arranged them, skin down, in the HexClad pan, then left them completely undisturbed for 15 minutes. When I flipped them over with metal tongs, they were perfect: Evenly brown with no signs of hot spots, impossibly crisp and utterly delicious. Nothing stuck, nothing burned. Not only was that good for the chicken but it also made cleanup easy! The HexClad cookware washed clean quickly with soap and water\u2014no scrubbing needed.\r\n

9-Month Update<\/h3>\r\n\"Hexclad\r\n\r\nOur Product Testing Manager, Annamarie Higley<\/a>, tested the HexClad for nine months in her own kitchen to address any concerns about long-term use or potential wear and tear.\r\n\r\n\"One of the comments I'd heard about HexClad pans is that the raised hexagonal pattern wears down over time,\" Higley says. \"Although I have noticed some of that, as well as discoloration in certain areas, this has minimally affected the nonstick surface or cooking capabilities.\"\r\n\r\n\"I've continued to throw challenges at this pan, not even intentionally, because it has become my go-to. I use it daily to cook eggs\u2014a notoriously fickle food that my other favorite, the cast iron, can't handle,\" adds Higley. \"There are also some surprising uses at which it's very successful, like toasting bread for panini. And I still love it for browning and sauteing, too. I have a Caraway Dutch oven that I just adore, but it can't brown meat the way I'd like, so I always turn to my HexClad for that task. Yes, even if that means creating one extra dirty dish.\"\r\n\r\nHigley concludes that although she foresees the pan's non-stickiness (if you will) waning eventually, she doesn't anticipate easing up on her usage any time soon: \"It'll always be a sturdy, sizable, oven-safe, heat-conductive pan that can handle almost anything. I'm hooked.\"\r\n\r\nThe HexClad hybrid pan offers even heat distribution and rapid heating, but users should preheat the pan and add oil or butter before cooking to prevent any sticking.\r\n

15-Month Update<\/h3>\r\nSenior Shopping Editor Katie Bandurski<\/a> has spent the past two years reviewing HexClad gear. \"I first tried the Dutch oven<\/a> and was instantly hooked,\" she explains. \"Then I ordered a 3-piece skillet set<\/a>, which is now my go-to cookware.\"\r\n\r\nKatie uses the 8-, 10- and 12-inch fry pans (with matching lids) on a daily basis. She has used them to fry eggs, sear tofu, mix stir-fries, brown chicken, wilt greens\u2014you name it. \"After over a year of heavy use, they still look brand new,\" Katie explains. \"I've had some slight sticking issues, primarily with eggs, but it's usually because I didn't allow the pan to properly heat up or add enough fat.\"\r\n\r\nHer favorite feature? These hybrid pans aren't fussy. \"I love that I can pull out my stainless steel turner and not have to worry about nicking the coating like I do with ceramic,\" Katie explains. \"With all the chatter about plastic kitchen utensils<\/a> potentially being toxic, I love that I can use safer materials without damaging my pans.\"\r\n\r\n\"I've tried a lot of cookware\u2014including ceramic, stainless steel, cast iron, carbon steel and good ol' nonstick,\" Katie explains. \"The HexClad skillet is hands-down my favorite. It's sturdy and well-made without the cumbersome weight of cast iron, the delicate coating of ceramic or the sticking issues of stainless steel<\/a>. Yes, it's pricey. But when you cook every meal at home on a daily basis, you need to find a reliable pan you love!\"\r\n

Pros<\/h3>\r\n