Has anyone here bought any of this and used it enough to have informed opinions of it?
In case you don’t know, the idea is a hybrid SS-nonstick cooking surface. A SS pan lining is incised to form a pattern of closely-spaced hollows, into which is put the nonstick. The result is a matrix or web of SS that stands slightly proud of the nonstick, the idea being that the latter is spared the mechanical wear of utensils. There’re also claims that the SS part of the cooking surface improves browning.
I’ve never used one of these pans, but a couple of people who own them tell me they like them. Hexclad is so new to market that its nonstick longevity is hard to assess. Frieling Black Cube, however, has been around 5+ years. Has anyone worn one out?
Wasn’t this the same concept as Circulon - except that the high ridges were also coated with nonstick? The idea being that even if you abused/wore off the nonstick on the ridges, the valleys would remain nonstick - I had a couple of Circulon frypans when they first came out. I thought they were duds/marketing hype and nothing more.
I think that if you’re really looking to use metal utensils in a non-stick pan these are a good choice for things like delicate proteins, but for omeletes, crepes, etc. you’ll be disappointed when compared to a good non-stick pan.
Moreover, if you buy into the hype about using a knife or hand mixer in one, I think you’ll be grossed out after watching this video.
IMHO they are a compromise at best, and don’t live up to all of their marketing claims.
I don’t, and I watched the video. You think this person is popular and making $ with videos like this? Any pan looks scratched and dinged under high magnification.
This is probably Universal Truth #1 in the cookware industry. The question is whether it’s a workable or acceptable compromise.
I picked up one of those “Granite Stone” pans off of Amazon for $20. I’m very impressed with it. The directions state it can go into the oven, but I prefer my Lodge or Victoria heavy cast iron pans for that job.
But for light frying and easy cleanup (dishwasher-safe), I’ll reach for my “Granite Stone” pan.
My biggest issue was the plasticky crap that looked to peel off the pan.
I have SS, non-stick, and cast iron pans… and I’m fine with wood/plastic/silicone tools for ceramic/non-stick. Given the price of the HexClad, folks could spend the same money on three pans (Tramontina SS and non-stick, and Lodge CI) so I am not sure where one would have to compromise, especially considering they’d have three pans instead of one, with each doing a better job depending on the foods they want to prepare.
I took a look at the description on Amazon. Makes me wonder just how much non-stick there really is. If you need to season it, why not just get bare CI to start with?
To properly season your HexClad cookware, bring the cookware to medium-low heat and spread 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil around the interior. Your cookware will be ready for use after leaving it on heat for 2-3 minutes and will perform better over time as it re-seasons itself from the fats in the food you cook with.
I saw that and thought the same thing. It’s not residual food and I doubt she put a blob of caulk in the pan (for the video). It definitely looked like some of the non-stick coating was peeling away.
That being said, I don’t think I would ever use any metal instruments on any of my pans, nor would I poke at them with a knife point/blade.
(I have one of those plastic scrapers for cleaning “stuck on food” for cast iron.)
This lady’s abrasion “tests” were unrealistic. She was probably keying off the outlandish ad claims. Still, these hybrid linings probably would hold up better to serious abuse than would continuous-surface nonstick.
And here’s the real issue: Wear isn’t limited to metal implements. The BC/Hexclad might hold up better to wood, nylon, silicone and Exoglass utensils, too.
My concern would be that, interrupted and discrete as the nonstick areas are, they may lose adhesion and debond. Now that would be a mess.
Granted her tests were severe, but within the claims of their marketing. Yeah you can treat them well with non-metal utensils, but if so why consider this pan?
I think your concern about the bonding of the non-stick and steel surfaces of the pan is a valid concern. Definitely not for me.
This is better and a valuable review. It certainly dispenses effectively with Meyer’s ad doozers.
However, it’s a little “Much Ado About Nothing” in the sense that it faults this lining too much (which is probably only about 60% nonstick surface) for not being as nonstick as 100% PTFE. The remainder of the surface (40%?) is SS, so it shouldn’t come as a revelation to anyone–especially that reviewer-- that BC/Hexclad is substantially sticker than continuous PTFE.
I was also somewhat dismayed that the review did not touch upon the fact that the stickiest part of these pans actually stands above the “wells” of PTFE. In other words, the protruding hydrophilic SS structure of gives the egg proteins something to bond to, not only in 2 dimensions, but 3.
I have trouble with the “classic French omelet” standard this review appears to set. While nothing is as hydrophobic/nonstick as PTFE, classic French omelets have been made in tinned copper for centuries, bare aluminum for >80 years, and even in SS clad since the 1960s without much sticking. Classic omelets did not become classic by virtue of PTFE. Earlier pans required more timing, technique and seasoning is all.
Again, the question is whether this mixed media design affords acceptable nonstick and durability. I might not buy Hexclad or Black Cube strictly for eggs, which IME are a worst-case situation; that’s hardly a broad indictment across all uses.
I will have to re-watch it, but I seem to remember the emphasis on the stainless steel sitting above the wells and that being the source of stickiness rather than a poor lining.
This guy is definitely not surprised by anything, but rather just playing to the audience. He’s very clued up, and I have rather enjoyed reading his thoughts on the design process behind the Joule and the Combustion Inc Precision thermometer (he’s the CEO) on Reddit.
I’m not sure why one would need 2 channels and 2 probes, though. I’ve got that ThermaQ base unit, so I’ll try it.
The Hillbilly version is just to approximate (or carefully adjust) the oven air temperature to a few degrees under your desired final internal temperature and bake. Then you sear. There’s not a big need to poke holes. Kenjii does this, and then his hack for the sear is perching the steaks over a half-full charcoal chimney for 90 seconds/side. Food safety aside, I’ll bake at 120F for an hour and then sear.
