Hexclad Cookware Reviews: CNN’s top 3 non stick pan

How good is this 7 piece cookware set? With enough pans for your typical everyday cooking and a large wok when you want to try out Asian cuisines, there’s value for money in getting this set. All the pieces come with tempered glass lids too. In the set you have

• A 12 inch fry pan. This will be your everyday pan when y9ur making eggs and pancakes
• A 1″ inch deep sided pan perhaps for shallow frying snacks
• An 8 inch pan for sautéing, browning steaks and for making sauces
• A 12 inch wok when you need to stir-fry like a pro

All the pieces in this product line feature that patented hexagonal cooking surface. Perhaps the biggest selling point of this brand is that this hexagonal pattern has been laser etched into the cooking surface, with mild crests and valleys. 

These peaks give Hexclad an unfair advantage over other non stick cookware brands as you’re able to sear ingredients and steaks to that golden brown crispy texture perfectly every time and with ease. The troughs make cleaning up easy. 

Even though all pieces are dishwasher safe (and oven safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit), you won’t have a hard time handwashing them with warm soapy water either. The valleys were designed for ease of cleaning and healthy cooking.

Why we’d get these pans

They’re durable, they’re heavy duty and they’re non stick. Did you know that the exterior of the pans and wok is non stick too? Of course, you’ll be cooking on the interior and not here but you’ll have peace of mind knowing that you can easily clean up soups and sauces when they accidentally boil over. 

The aluminum core sandwiched in this set makes the pans and wok responsive in that heat changes are quickly relayed to the cooking surface. The outer stainless steel layer is magnetized making Hexclad cookware induction compatible. You can use these pieces on any stove top including electric coil ones, ceramic ones and halogen ovens. 

The hexagonal pattern is etched onto the inner stainless steel cooking surface. Even though this cooking surface has excellent food release properties straight out of the box, it gets better with time due to repeated use and seasoning. It’s clear that much thought went to designing this set and as the pans and wok come with stay cool handles. 

The flared, rounded rims make for mess-free pouring while the tempered glass lid is vented ensuring that you can see how well the food is cooking without releasing steam.

Pros

• Limited lifetime warranty on all pieces in this set
• A beautiful, innovative hexagonal non stick cooking surface
• You can use metal utensils and the cooking surface won’t be scratched
• Oven safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit when you need to finish off dishes in the oven
• Dishwasher safe
• Works on induction and ceramic cooktops too
• Tri-ply design with an aluminum ore for fast and even heat distribution

Cons

• You only get pans and wok in this set (no pots or skillets)
• May need to be seasoned with time

Thinking of stir-frying more? This 12 inch Hexclad wok is what you’re looking for. Honestly speaking, this wok is way pricier than those cast iron ones. Hoover, it comes with a lifetime warranty and it has a sturdy stainless steel build that’s somewhat indestructible. 

The body is made from the same hexclad tri-ply cladding technology we talked about that withstands excesses of 500 degrees Fahrenheit of heat in the oven. Even though this piece is dishwasher safe, burnt foods will rarely stick to the etched surface. 

Get most foods off the surface with warm soapy water and a wipe. If you accidentally burn foods and they won’t come off the wok, this non stick layer is durable and won’t be scratched by a wire wool pad or a scouring pad either. 

It’s scratch resistant and metallic utensils and no match for this layer, something I won’t say about non stick cookware from other competing brands.

Even heat distribution

Most cladded woks have an aluminum core (sandwiched between two stainless steel layers) at the base and no cladding on the sides. This wok is unique in that the aluminum core extends all the way up to the handles and isn’t just at the bottom. 

This means that the heat will be evenly distributed to all parts of the wok and that your food will cook evenly; when stir frying gigantic portions. You can use this Hexclad wok on any cooking surface. We reviewed it on gas cooktops, an electric one and a ceramic one and it had excellent performance. The outer stainless steel layer is magnetic and will wok on any cooktop that makes use of induction properties. 

I would say that the ideal wok for novices and professional chefs should be durable and heavy duty. This is why I would go for the Hexclad wok as its deep enough to stir fry generous portions at a time

Pros

• Comes with limited lifetime warranty
• Contemporary hexagonal pattern on the cooking surface
• Metal utensils can be used on it
• Works with induction cooktops too
• Made with a PFOA free non stick surface
• Indestructible non stick cooking surface
• Has an aluminum core for even cooking
• Comes with a long sturdy handle that stays cool even when cooking at high heat.

Cons

• A lid isn’t included and you have to purchase it separately
• Comes with a premium price tag

Thinking of jumping on the Hexclad bandwagon? This is the right piece to try out first. You will love it. It’s just small and light enough to flip eggs and large enough to sear chicken breast or a medium sized steak. In this two piece cookware set, you get an 8 inch pan with its tempered glass lid. 

The lid has a stainless steel rim that gives it strength that’s beautiful too. Sauté pans are often moved around in the kitchen and this is where you’ll fall in love with Hexclad’s stay cool handles. There’s an aluminum core ensuring that your food is evenly cooked too. 

I like to keep an eye on my sauces as they’re bubbling and this is why I love the tempered glass lid the pan comes with. You don’t have to unlock it every few minutes releasing the heat (and flavor) that had been locked in. The stainless steel rim on the lid ensures that it won’t chip or crack when mishandled either. 

When searing, the hexagonal peaks and troughs ensure that your meat doesn’t stick to the pan. Any stuck foods come off easily with a slight rub from a soapy cloth. The lid and the pan are dishwasher safe too if hand cleaning cookware isn’t you forte. There’s a non stick coating on the pan’s exterior for easy cleaning when soups and sauces spill over and dry. 

Like all the other hexclad pan reviews we’ve seen, this pan is durable too and will last a lifetime. It’s stick-proof and the tri-ply construction utilizes stainless steel for its durability.

Pros

• Comes with a limited lifetime warranty
• This 8 inch sauté pan is ideal for trying out cookware from this brand
• A beautiful, non stick hexagonal cooking surface
• Dishwasher and oven safe upto 500 degrees Fahrenheit
• It’s tempered glass lid has a vent
• Made with PFOA free materials
• Works on all cooktops including an induction one

Cons

• Needs regular seasoning to maintain it’s non stick layer
• Can only be used to prepare small meals

This will be your everyday use pan. In the packaging, you get a 10 inch pan with an equally sized tempered glass lid. The lid has a stainless steel rim for durability too. 

The contemporary hexagonal cooking surface will complement any kitchen’s décor. In comparison to the 8 inch pan, this 10 9nch pan has deeper sided making it better suited for frying, sautéing and griddling when preparing meals for a larger family. 

The Aluminum core extends from the base up to the handles for even cooking while the laser etching on the cooking surface makes it non stick. In the hexagonal walls formed by etching the surface, a valley is formed where air is trapped. Thinks of this section as an air pocket where food “floats” and doesn’t stick. It has a single long handled that’s creatively angled to give a comfortable grip even to people with smaller hands. 

The handle will always stay cool even when cooking at high heat. I won’t be a challenge moving it around even after it has been on the stove for sometime. I find hard anodized aluminum pans to be too light when cooking and cast iron ones to be bulky. 

At about 2 pounds, this pan is somewhat in between. This pan will last you a lifetime as long as you take good care of it. Season it regularly and the easy food release will never cease.

Pros

• Comes with a lifetime warranty
• Best Hexclad pan for everyday use
• Works on induction, halogen, gas, electric and ceramic stoves
• Metal utensils wont corrode its non stick layer
• Dishwasher safe
• Oven safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit
• Scratch resistant, unique cooking surface
• Can be used with all cooking methods

Cons

• Pricy in comparison to other brands
• You should season it regularly