Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 12-Inch Everyday Pan with Lid

Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 12-Inch Everyday Pan with Lid

This 12-inch everyday pan will end up being the hardest working pan in your kitchen. It is ideal for everything from simmering stovetop succotash and braising brisket to browning Dutch pancakes or cooking fruit tarts. Part of Calphalon's Commercial Hard-Anodized line of cookware, this pan is made of heavy-gauge aluminum that's uniformly thick across the bottom and sides, allowing for quick and even heat distribution. Its durable hard-anodized finish is stick- and scratch-resistant and won’t react with acidic foods. The patented cast stainless-steel handles are comfortable to grip, plus they minimize heat transfer so handles stay cool on the stovetop. Handles are held in place by three sturdy stainless-steel rivets. The included hard-anodized lid is dome-shaped, making it ideal for moist-heat cooking. The cookware and lid are oven-safe up to 450 degrees F so you can transfer a frittata to the oven for browning without having to switch pans. All cookware in this line is covered by a lifetime warranty. --Cristina Vaamonde
Customer Review: Food sticks
I am disappointed in this pan as food gets stuck VERY easily to it and it's not easy to get out. I guess the only consolation is that I can use a steel brillo pad to get all the stuck food off and it doesn't seem to really affect the pan. The listing says it is "stick resistant" but food sticks more to this pan using more oil than using a regular stainless steel pan with less oil.
Customer Review: The best pan for browning meats, and great for a lot of other things too!
I don't usually write reviews, but I saw that there have been a number of negative reviews for this everyday pan, and I felt compelled to speak up.

I bought this pan almost 6 months ago and have been happily using it 3-4 times a week.

I am in no way affiliated to Calphalon, but I have to say that this is really an excellent pan, especially for searing meat - when you want to achieve that beautiful "golden brown and delicious" look.

I preheat the pan, then pour a bit of oil and let that heat up for a minute. Yes, the meat does stick in the beginning, but it really and truly does release when it's ready ... allow the meat to sit undisturbed at least 3 minutes on medium heat - don't turn it over or try to peek underneath to see what's going on!

Also, I have found that it is the perfect pan to use when you want to make a dish that involves a pan sauce. After you have browned the meat, if you pour a bit of broth, wine, or water, the pan deglazes beautifully and - along with your choice of flavourings like onions, shallots, garlic, etc. - produces a very flavourful sauce with all the brown bits that resulted from searing the meat.

My pan of choice used to be a stainless steel, but I have discovered that this hard-anodized everyday pan does a better job. I have used this new pan for beef, pork, chicken, and fish steaks (I would still use a nonstick frypan for fish fillets, which are really very delicate), and all turned out much better. Because the material (aluminum) conducts heat so efficiently, you get a beautiful brown in less time than you would with a stainless steel pan, and definitely much less time than with a nonstick. This means that you won't end up overcooking your meat - so your result will be something that looks AND tastes good.

I have also used this pan to make rice dishes (paella-style), with the same amazing results. The cover allows steam to go back into the pan, so you can use a bit less liquid and all the flavour of your dish stays in there.

That this pan is also oven-proof is a great feature. On top of that, I think it looks nice and it is very sturdy too.

Cleaning it is very easy. I use a Dobie pad with some liquid dish cleaner, and wash in warm water. When I make a dish that doesn't require a pan sauce, right after cooking I pour about a cup of hot water into the hot pan, just to deglaze it and get rid of anything that might end up sticking or drying up in the bottom. This way I don't need to waste time scrubbing the pan after dinner.

I haven't tried using this pan for eggs, so I can't say if eggs would stick to it. I have a couple of nonstick omelette pans, and I use those when I want to make crepes, frittatas, omelettes, fried eggs, etc.

All in all, I have been really happy with this pan. It was very well priced, but I wouldn't have regretted paying even double for it. And like I said in the beginning, I am absolutely in no way affiliated with Calphalon. To tell you the truth this was even my first Calphalon pan. Because of my great experience with this one, I have bought others from the same maker.

Very highly recommended.

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