Cuisinart Contour Stainless 8-Inch Open Skillet

This replaces a Tefal equivalent where the non-stick coating was starting to go. This pan has a very solid base, and it works well on our gas range in that even at high, there were no hot spots allowing for even cooking, and the pan heats quickly too. We were worried about straight stainless as opposed to non-stick, and we were surprised that the food doesn't attach that easily to the surface. Cleaning with a plastic non-abrasive pad worked well, no soaking necessary, that may change after the pan gets more wear, but so far, very pleased. The handle does not get hot or warm, even on our biggest burner at max heat after 15 minutes searing we can hold the handle without getting burned. The sides are not the thickest metal but the pan does not flex and the build quality we found excellent compared to our other pans. This product looks identical to the Emerill line except for the branding Cuisinard. We're sold on this particular build quality, the next time we need a pan or a pot, we'll look for the same product line.

I realy liike this pan. There was a learning curve withit though. the trick is to bring the heat up slowly. I burned most everything until IO learned this. I learned to guage the hoverung my hand over the pan to get the rigjt temperature. Then I learned to set the burner in a certain plae and let the pan ccome up to that temp and spray with oil.Now IO like these pans better than my cast idronpans.

I got this as an alternative to my cast iron for scrambled eggs. I raise poultry and I get more eggs than I can use so I scramble them up and feed them back to the birds. So I am regularly making large amounts of scrambled eggs. They kept pulling the seasoning off of my cast iron and I was having to constantly re season. I finally got so sick of it that I was looking for a stainless skillet the same size to do the eggs in. I don't use the non stick pans because of the chemicals it puts off and puts into the food. This pan is medium weight. It's not cheap light weight, but it is not heavy weight like some. It works fine for cooking the eggs and I'm sure it would do fine for most anything you'd want to cook. Eggs stick like the dickens no matter what pan you use and washing it after a batch of eggs involves soaking it for several hours and taking some time with a non scratch scrub sponge...but it comes clean like new if you're willing to take the time. I could use a tougher scrubby and shorten that time up, but I have the time, so why? I've accidentally forgotton it and burned on the eggs. Same cleaning process and it came clean and was undamaged. So I've got to call it a decent buy.

So far so good, used a little over a month and the steel is high quality, and I have not noticed ANY difference in steel quality than that of my set that I still use from 2011. Those of you with water marks and color changes are not washing properly as well as using too much heat. All my pots and pans over the years have had too much heat put on them and as a result I get a few discolorations in the steel...but it looks cool. I have noticed no warping yet, which is a good sign considering how large this pan is, so the heat distribution is to standard. This pan is perfect for making a lb. of bacon, can nicely lay out the strips and flip them with ease due to the low set sides and the sheer surface area offered at 12 inches. Same with searing other meats such as a pork shoulder or loin before slow cooking. This pan like the set is high grade stainless steel, so it will not rust no matter how long you sit it in water or leave it with salt on it. However, they are a bit hard to clean if you happen to botch the cooking temp, since steel cookware requires very precise temps and oil use to maintain a "no stick" situation, the slightest mishap will result in caked on burnt up crap cemented to the steel...simply throw some water and a lot of dish soap in it and put it back on the burner till it boils, this will emulsify the crap and it will release MUCH easier than with a scrubber and other harsh chemical compounds. As for versatility you can make pancakes, crepes, omelettes VERY easily in this pan (with the right oil and temp of course). You can also cook a couple of large steaks in it should you not want to grill! Searing is quite easy due to how large and open it is, can grab the meat from any direction and turn/flip however you need without getting anywhere near the burner or a hot edge. So far I have cooked bacon, pancakes, pork chops, and Italian sausage in this pan over the last month. I will come back with an update in a few more months to see if more cooking will have yielded any negative aspects of the pan such as pockets of bad steel (which should have shown by now, but haven't). Picture's uploaded are with the pan and its 8 year old 10" cousin for comparison of what to expect of nearly a decade of use! Side note, I don't shine up my pans or use bar keepers friend...its just a damn steel pan, use it for cooking food, not your Pinterest account.

I’ve been using this Cuisinart 12-inch stainless steel skillet mostly for burgers and steaks, and it’s been excellent. It heats evenly, sears beautifully, and the helper handle makes it easy to maneuver—even when it’s loaded with heavier cuts. It also does a great job with eggs, especially when preheated properly and used with a little oil or butter. One thing I really appreciate is the handle length—it’s just right for the larger size of the pan. It gives you enough leverage and control without feeling awkward or unbalanced, and the helper handle adds extra stability when transferring from stovetop to counter. After the first use, I did notice a few scratches on the bottom of the pan—even though I didn’t drag it across the burner or move it around. But honestly, that doesn’t affect how I feel about it. Scratches are bound to happen with stainless steel cookware, and the performance hasn’t changed one bit. I own several much more expensive stainless steel pans, but I find myself reaching for this one more often. It’s lightweight without feeling flimsy, and the performance is consistently solid. The flared sides make flipping and pouring easy, and it’s a breeze to clean if you follow basic stainless steel care. If you’re looking for a dependable, versatile skillet that punches above its price point, this one’s a winner. Great for everyday cooking and built to last.

This 8 inch pan is a work horse. Eggs fried, scrambled, omelet; grilled sandwiches/panini (put a plate and a full tea kettle on the sandwich); brown sausage or ground meat, saute aromatics, etc. Everything I've cooked in it has been great. It's surprisingly light, so I was skeptical when it arrived, but nothing has burned or scorched. I have never had to turn it up beyond medium to sear (gas range) and most often cook on medium low as per directions. FAR different than traditional non-stick You do need to add fat unless you're cooking something fatty like sausage or bacon and starting it on low. On my first try with fried eggs a dime-sized piece of white stuck, but that's because I flipped it too early - the white next to the yolk ended up being runny, yuk. That's one of the things I love about cooking on stainless - when it's ready, it releases. Whether it's an egg or browning cubes of meat, it only sticks if you try to move it too soon. So yes, stainless pans may require you to be mindful of the cooking process, to be engaged in the nuances of color and aroma, but then again - isn't that what cooking is all about? Clean up is very forgiving. Soak a bit in warm soapy water and most food wipes away. Have to confess I've left it soaking in the sink for a few days once or twice with no problem. After searing something like steak, if soaking doesn't lift off the brown bits I use baking soda as a soft scrub, comes out shiny like new. If you like to cook and need a small pan that will treat you as fairly as you treat it, get this pan!

Food sticks and it’s hard to remove stains. Would not recommend

Affordable and well made