Product Review

Enhance your existing Chef's Classic set with this versatile, 12-inch everyday pan, or give it as a gift to someone whose kitchen space is limited. You can cook practically anything in this superb specialty piece. Simmer soup, fry chicken, stir-fry vegetables, cook pancakes, and even bake casseroles. The two loop-style, riveted stainless-steel handles make the shape more compact for fitting in an oven, and the domed glass lid conveniently lets you monitor what's cooking. Chef's Classic cookware handsomely serves at the table, too.

Cuisinart constructs this pan of hard-anodized aluminum, which is even stronger than stainless steel, with an encapsulated pure aluminum core for quick, even heating. The interior features Cuisinart's Quantanium nonstick finish, a high-quality, long-lasting finish internally reinforced with titanium. Little oil or butter is needed when cooking on this ultra-smooth surface, and low to medium heat is recommended, along with non-metal utensils. The piece is oven-safe to 500 degrees F and should be washed only by hand. Cuisinart covers this pan with a lifetime limited warranty against defects. --Ann Bieri