I'm not much of a "gear" guy. No one envies the tools and toys I use to pursue my hobbies. Even my cookware, other than a German knife I keep razor sharp, is mediocre, and cooking is not just a hobby but a passion. It's also, ah, part of my job, so I was eager to up my game with regard to cookware. Testing out the Hexclad Hybrid Deep Saute Pan/Chicken Fryer with Lid seemed like a good idea. And it was.
I try to avoid terms like "game changer" but, damn, this baby changed the game in my kitchen. I've used it in almost every imaginable way that a pan can meet an oven. I cooked eggs, seared meats, baked, browned, simmered a pasta sauce, sauteed onions, fried some chicken. I even made a pizza!
The best feature of this pan is the heat conductivity. My pans have dead spots, so searing was often complicated by inconsistency and keeping a steady simmer was also a challenge. No problem here. The searing was thorough and even; the simmer held without adjustment. The heat came quick, as well, getting up to searing temperature in about ten seconds.
A lot of the cooking I did went from the stovetop to the oven after the aforementioned sear. This is an easy transfer with the heat-resistant handles and lightweight pan (> 5 lbs.). It can sustain heat up to 500 degrees, and the pizza I made had a crunchy crust like what I get from my pizza stone.
The aforementioned steady heat and the pan's deep well allowed for an easy, no-mess, golden-coated fried chicken. The broad surface of 12.5 inches also allowed for eight chicken thighs without crowding.
The stainless-steel surface is non-stick writ large. If there's ever a scofflaw of sorts named Brad who does the crime but not the time, he will surely be deemed "Hexclad Brad" in the tabloids because nothing sticks to this pan. And that seemingly bulletproof surface is scratch resistant to metal and cleans like a dream.
What not to like...What not to like...What not to like: Well, the price is right at $299, especially when considering all of the uses, lifetime warranty, ease in cleaning and maneuvering. The rounded, glass cover has a little hole to vent steam. It's sleek looking, deep and wide. A pan that also works like a pot (it can hold up to 7 quarts of liquid) can take up a lot of space, so this can be a concern for the cupboard-limited, but I suggest just doing what I do: Keep it on the stovetop; you're going to be using it all the time anyway!
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