Chef Pan Reviews

All-Clad makes some outstanding cookware, but I must confess that I own very few of their products, due in large part to the price. I find cast iron to be a much better material for cookware and it is immensely affordable. I highly reccommend Lodge Cast Iron.

That said, stainless has a few advantages as well and this piece in particular is a testament to the quality of All-Clad's craftwork. It is a heavy, durable piece that holds heat well (though a cast iron wok will do the same thing for 1/10 the price). It is ideal for stir fry or browning meat and it can go from the stovetop to the oven and back, so it is very versatile. You could also use it as a chicken fryer or small roaster for game hen or duck.

There are two things to be aware of with any stainless steel cookware: 1) don't use metal utensils- you will scratch the !@#$$ out of it. Use wood, teflon/rubberized, or plastic utensils. 2) Don't let it soak in water. Contrary to popular belief, stainless steel can and will rust if treated improperly; say, by scratching it with metal utensils then letting it sit in dishwater for days.

Good "wok" for 4 people or 2 people with leftovers. It is not big enough for more than 4. Overall good sturdy construction and it does heat evenly. I use medium or medium heat, does not require anything higher or may burn the oil/food. No problem with sticking as long as you keep stir-frying.

I bought the metal All-Clad Stainless Solid Square Spoon and used it to stir-fry with this wok. What a big mistake! It left irreversible scratches all over the wok after just one time of light use! So the lesson here is DO NOT USE METAL UTENSILS ON THIS WOK!! Use wooden ones instead. I called All-Clad and they said their limited warranty does not cover these kinds of scratches, only manufacture defects. Be warned!

This wok has performed very well otherwise. Cleans up easily as long as you soak it in water after use if you don't have time to clean right away.

I recently purchased this pan, and I couldn't be happier. It looks great, is easy to clean, and heats beautifully! Food browns well, and so far, doesn't stick. This is the pan I use most, for stir-fries, for braising, for sauteing, whatever. My old pans, a set of Calphalon hard-anodized non-stick pans, are going to be replaced, one by one...

The other great purchase I made was the All-Clad Non-stick grill pan--it is wonderful!