Is HexClad Cookware a Scam? 

As someone who cooks often and hates throwing away old cookware I've learned that I trust oil a lot more than I trust pans.

I had a Hexclad pan and after a couple of years, the surface started to show scratches and food started to stick. I contacted Hexclad and they asked me to send in some photos of the pan with scratches. They actually honored the lifetime warranty and sent me a new pan. I have been using this new pan for another two years now and so far so good.

On this season of Hells Kitchen they swapped all the nonstick pans for Hexclad and on a recent episode there was a big problem with the scallops sticking. Ramsey was very careful not to trash his brand deal while also not being able to come up with a solution lol.

I was very close to shelling out for Hexclad, but was convinced at the last minute to get a carbon steel pan for 40 bucks. So glad I did. I seasoned it and treat it like a cast iron and it works great. It can take high heat, metal utensils, and it gets really hot very fast. It sears great too. While it's not pure nonstick, when properly oiled and seasoned, nothing sticks.

I think the core of the problem is that people don’t want to admit that nonstick pans are basically disposable products with a limited lifespan. So the thought process is that if you spend a load of cash then maybe it will last longer. Really I think we just need to be less afraid of using oil because a sufficient amount isn’t that terrible for you.

Plastics Engineer here. Unbiased, credit given where due, and extremely accurate material science information tailored to the masses. Incredibly well said Chris, feels like I'm back in school again...

This is the best review I've seen on Hexclad. I made the decision to choose stainless steel cookware. It took a little practice, but Im happy I did it. I was almost convinced by Hexclad marketing tactics, but I got sick and tired of cookware coatings wearing out. Your video was the icing on the cake for my decision. No coated cookware will last forever.

I stopped using PTFE (Teflon) coated cookware many years ago. Dug out the old Wagner, Erie, Griswold pans and began the process of reeducating myself on what my grandmother had taught many years ago. Sure, cast iron is not nearly as convenient as a PTFE coated pan and requires more attention to heat control but what I've learned over the years form working with PTFE in the industrial space has led me, in part, to make the lifestyle choice.

That fork scraping the teflon pan gives me an anxiety attack.

I'm a HexClad owner, the comment you made at the end "reasonably non-stick, easy to clean and durable enough for misuse" applies to me perfectly. I burn seasonings, cook while drunk, etc. and HexClad has been awesome for me in that regard

That sober good reply to the hype! I love this! I am a cast iron guy ! Thinking this could be worth the money learned what seasoning a pan? Bought a cast pan 50 years ago and use it every day by most chefs too. The weight you can beat, the cost of using you can't, or health issues of the pan itself in good use. I love to cook and love science in the content of this. Thank you.

Since the coatings are the same for all HexClad cookware- pots and pans, I decided to get two of the pots because the old pots that I had actually needed replacing and I felt that I could use the HexClad pots as a skillet to test how well they would work for me. So glad I took that approach. Honestly, though the HexClad pans are really good, it's the fact that it isn't as non-stick as they claim. Sure, with enough butter or oil, should not be a problem - I am looking for something I can use very little oil. No, I don't want to use cooking spray on my pans as I feel it leaves a chemical taste on the foods. I could be wrong or have bought the wrong sprays. As far as being a pot, it works absolutely amazing. When I do fry things in the pot, it works out really well... such as ground beef, turkey or pork. I tried a steak in it once and it turned out good. But as far as a frying pan goes (I have three cheapies that are still holding up - will have to replace in probably a year or so) I have my doubts that it is actually the best frying pan on the market and it sure is very expensive. I think I will go with Le Creuset's cast iron Teflon coated pans. Or I might just get some higher-quality Teflon pans. One thing we all have to remember is that with Teflon pans, they are designed to be disposed of when they start breaking down. The one amazing thing that I do find with the hex clad, is how easy it is to clean up and how easy it is to pour sauces out of the pots. When you pour, they don't drip down the sides. I also have a Zega Pot that is like cooking in a thermos. It's a huge pot, but once it gets heated you turn off the stove and the pot will remain hot and cooking your food for over an hour if needed and will keep your food hot for at least four hours. Very well insulated and comes with a thermometer that talks to your phone.

Amazingly, RU-vid *stuck* the ad for Hexclad pans before this video started!

I thought these pans were just a magic texture on steel and didn't know they were Teflon. I'll stick with my cast iron and stainless steel. Thank you for the info! If anyone out there is having trouble cooking eggs on stainless steel heat your pan without oil and throw some water on it, if the water skitters around and doesnt stick and evaporate immediately then you're ready for oil and eggs.

Thank you for a detailed review. I wish I found this 3 months ago, yet I think I still fall within the usage you mention. I use a small amount of oil most times and I needed something easy to clean and use. I wish their marketing didn’t mislead me into thinking this was a lifetime Teflon cooking experience, and time will tell if they get much worse. I’d be interested to know their response to this video.

You described it perfectly. I've been using hexclad for almost a year now, using them multiple times a week. They heat extremely fast and evenly enough. They're non-stick enough when even a small amount of oil is used. That's all I ever need them to do and I'm completely happy with them. I cook because it's cheaper than the alternative, so I'm no fancy chef. I think they're great for the average person, but if you need the same level of non-stick as pure teflon, you might be disappointed.

I bought a set of these pans shortly before Gordon started pushing them. I knew they were not traditional non-stick, but more decent quality stainless with some non-stick properties. With what I use them for they perform very well. They heat very evenly, cook evenly, and have been very durable. I can cook things that would stick terribly on regular stainless without too much trouble. All that said, their marketing is absolutely misleading, and if you buy these pans expecting traditional non-stick you WILL be disappointed!

I did not expect to be so impressed with the review and explanation. I'm an ok home cook, but also a bioorganic chemist, so this was pure joy for me to watch.

Great information here, thanks. Personally, I cook with carbon steel and stainless steel. I know those pans will never wear out. I was curious about this hybrid cookware, though.

Thank you for the up front and honest review! I've seen enough of these commercials to wonder, but I know when it comes to non stick, you don't get the best of both worlds. I use a combination of stainless steel and old school (pre 40's) cast iron, and I have one non stick that I use for the delicate stuff. everything else is steel or iron, and I've never had issues.

This is really one of the best reviews I've ever seen. It's straight to the point and very balanced. No personal agenda is in the way of a fair evaluation of the product. And he treats the manufacturer with more respect than it probably deserves. Excellent!

I'm not entirely sure how I ended up on this video since I am not a cook in any sense of the word and I've never heard of a French omelette, but you made everything interesting and understandable to even the most novice viewer, so I really enjoyed it! Thank you for the great video!

Carbon steel and cast iron (and stainless for acidic foods) are the way to go for me. I've always hated teflon, the way it really just boils the food rather than searing it because it doesn't want to bind to anything like Chris explained, and of course the limiting factors mentioned in the video which cause it to be disposable. A well cared for carbon steel or cast iron pan will last for generations, cook beautifully, and remain nonstick without all the limiting factors of teflon. They're so much more versatile and get better with age.

Home cook here who still uses my grandmother's cast iron frying pan and my grandfather's cast iron Dutch oven. I've seen these HexClad pans at Costco and have hesitated, and now I know why. I'm SO glad I found your channel! For eggs and fish, I have found the Green Pan frying pans do perfectly fine for my uses. Never did have a 'Teflon' pan, just because I had no real use for it. Not afraid of a little butter for the eggs or fish, plus, it adds flavor. New subscriber, and look forward to your postings!

I own a set of HexClad, and I love them. That said, I was at least mildly disappointed in their non-stick performance, but I find as long as I add butter or oil to the pan, they work very well for my uses. Other than that, they're beautiful, great to cook with, and do a fantastic overall job and I'm even considering getting a couple more. I do agree that they should not advertise them in the way they do, though. It is misleading.

I bought my son in law a HexClad pan for Christmas and told him to report back to me how it works. I’m skeptical of any claims made by these nonstick pans. I worked for a wonderful cook who owned a greasy spoon 40 years ago and he taught me an important lesson in cooking with stainless steel pans. He had seasoned stainless pans and when I asked him the secret of how his fried eggs slid right out of his pans. His answer was simple: hot pan, cold oil. You preheat your stainless (or cast iron) pan and then add the oil. It works.

A very straight forward anlysis of HexClad, I particularly appreciated your approach when comparing traditional non-stick to HexClad with the one thing most non-stick pan manufacturors dread the EGG challenge.

This was a well done video, and I am someone that has had HexClad for almost two years now. These have been well used and in one very bad case abused and is still in great shape. The one abuse case was a 10" that was way over heated on my stove when zero turned out to be eleven. So short story is I burned the heck out of this pan and it is still as good as new. I can go burner to stove and even sear with these and compared to others they have not changed one bit from the unboxing. No they are not the most nonstick thing out there but but they are far better for the cost than any other I have had. If you need the one pan that is 100% nonstick then get that ten dollar pan just for eggs that you clean with the lint free cloth after each egg.

I have a bit of a unique view on this because I think because I went to their factory in China and met with the owners and got a tour. I was originally part of a campaign to try and promote cookcell and hexclad in other parts of Asia. I was gifted a set of pans to use and try (total of 8 different sizes skillets and pans) and while I do think they are durable and overall decent pans, they don't perform as well as advertised. They really wanted to push the egg blowing thing when they asked me to try, it kept failing. They wanted to sell it as a pan where no oil was needed. However, that's simply not something the pans are capable of doing. The pans do heat up really quick and they retain heat quite well. They are sturdy and overall good pans. When I make burgers and cheese melts on the pan, yeah it gets pretty caked on but if you soak the pan for a while, yes, everything that was stuck on will slide off. But if you're buying this and want to take oil out of cooking then that's just a bad idea. They look so sleek when they're brand new but after using it a few times, some of the pans have some brown marks on them now and they're near impossible to get off. I've tried almost every hack and still nothing gets those marks out. It still works but looks not so great. In the end I dropped out of the project because as much as I believe these pans are decent, I didn't want to be a part of a campaign that falsely advertises the capabilities of their products.

Ever since I got a carbon steel wok, I have been extremely impressed by how non stick it becomes when seasoned well. My plan for when my regular non stick pan needs to be replaced is to get a cast iron or carbon steel pan for general cooking, and maybe a small non stick for things like scrambled eggs. I realize that is kind of cheating to get several pans, but ultimately you have to realize that there is no single perfect pan.

We are an All-Clad family, we got a wonderful large All-Clad Stainless Steel Set more than 24 years ago and they are perfect still!! Always with the powder version of Barkeepers Friend by our side, there is nothing more rewarding in seeing a nice shinny clean pans, ready for use. We have also expanded the original 12 Piece set, to include a few All-Clad Non Stick selection and have replaced them over the years. Wouldn't dare to think to buy another brand as they are fantastic. Wish that All-Clad had a process to return the worn teflon pans and have them renewed again for a fee, to help keep them alive and to prevent throwing them away. Thank you for the video!

Thanks for this! I’ve been intrigued about this cookware. I will say, I was surprised you took a fork to your non-stick. I’ve had an Anolon Nouvelle Cooper non-stick set for 10+ years and the coating is still great - I never use metal utensils on them and I cook a lot. I did lose a couple to non-stick spray damage at one point but even the Zwilling/Henkle pans i replaced them with have held their coating nicely for a number of years.

Didn't expect this video to be so detailed on the science of Teflon in cookware in addition to HexClad's construction. Well done! I personally am happy with my cast iron/carbon steel + seasoning but the occasional Teflon pans will always have a use in my kitchen.

About a year ago my wife woke up and decided it was time to replace our set of non-stick pans. We did an inventory. The only pans not damaged were the cast iron, which were staying regardless. Before conducting my research, we discussed the "requirements" and she identified Durability, Non-Stick, Ability to go into the dishwasher occasionally and Ease of Cleaning. I raised the fact that everyone but me continuously used metal utensils in the pans, causing damage time and again over 20 years. After researching, and watching videos, HexlClad seemed to be the best fit for the family. Agree fully that they are not perfect non-stick pans, but more than good enough for most tasks, and with some added butter or oil good enough for the eggs we cook normally. One year in, they have been a great compromise although I might have chosen something different personally. They are performing very well, and everyone likes them. Chris, Glad to see your making more videos and looking forward to receiving the thermometers!

Really well made video! Learned more than I was expecting and you kept my attention. Awesome!

Interesting video, I appreciate the detail about these pans as I was looking into getting one. But, I'm surprised no one else has commented on your use of a metal fork on your nonstick pan! 😮

I recall an America's Test Kitchen episode, probably well over a decade ago, that covered non-stick pans. The general advice that has stuck with me was to treat them as disposable, and spend accordingly. We usually get the cheap aluminum Teflon pans and live a risky life. But for the most part we use regular tri-ply and cast iron, and save the Teflon pans for eggs, pancakes, other sorts of sticky things. Good review, answered a lot of questions about these pans!

My cast iron pans were made in the 1950's and when I cook with them - even eggs don't stick, and I've made the french omlette without it sticking. It's all about proper care and the seasoning of the pan, and making sure it's up to the right temp before cooking. They've lasted 70 years and are still going strong, and I'll probably hand them down to my kids when I am done with them.

Informative review, do you have one on ceramic coated pans?

I love this review! I'm considering a Hexclad 10' skillet recommended by a cook I follow on Twitter but I'm an annoying "research before you buy" person. This has really helped. I love cooking, but I also love learning anything about the science and/or art of cooking. You have a new subscriber.

Thank you for this. As a chef who purchased and quickly returned hexclad pans I was going crazy seeing that these were so popular and backed by many renowned chefs. There should be repercussions for dishonest sales like this.

I personally didn't see the commercials before buying. I bought them at a Costco after watching there in store demo. The salesperson never claimed they where non stick and was very forthright with what the pans could and could not do. Personally I love the ease of cleaning and am happy with the quality and there semi-nonstick abilities.

We have had an expanded set of HexClad now for 16 months and have had no issues at all. We cook a multi-pan dinner almost every night on a gas stove and all the pans look pretty much brand new!

I've had my Hexclad for around three years and use them almost every day. They still work great and I love them. As you said, they're nonstick enough but have much better durability than a straight Teflon pan. I have no problem making a French omelet in them, either.

Having been the student of Josephine Araldo, and worked at the Fairmount Hotel Kitchen for two years in San Francisco, I prefer and use almost exclusively the same cookware these Original Cordon Blue Chefs trained me, and that is antique cast iron pans that have acquired multiple layers of carbon. They are "almost" as viable as a pure Teflon surface with oil or butter, they do not break, wear out, environmentally safer, and are significantly less costly.

My mother got me one of these as a gift some time ago. I cook way, way more than her, so I decided to put it through its paces and use it as a daily driver pan. It was... okay. It was a pan. Nothing special. It wasn't any more "nonsticky" than any other random nonstick pan. After about 6 months it started to show signs of wear, and was noticeably less non-stick. I don't trust it as a non-stick pan at all at this point.

I’m very very disappointed in my HC 10” pan, a Christmas gift. Big fail. No matter how much “seasoning” I do. Misleading marketing on all fronts. Great, informative, objective review. Thank you.

Got one myself. Never expected it to be 1:1 with a pure teflon pan. However the guy who pitched the sale to me was honest to me and told me if you really want to get the stainless on it to not stick use spray on oil and not just pour oil in. You use less oil and it gives a uniform layer of oil that doesn't pool. Got one of those refillable oil spritzers and it is the best pan I have ever used and allows me to use whatever utensil I want.

Just use a dirt cheap teflon pan for eggs and switch it out every couple years (depending on use intensity) and a stainless, cast or carbon steel pan for everything else. There's no magic. Most of the time there's no need for nonstick anyways.

This is a thoughtful review. I have been using my stainless and carbon steel pans for a a few years now. I am OK with having to add oil to the pan to keep it from sticking and not having to replace pans every few years. A little sticking is fine for me and easy to clean up. This is a great channel!

I just bought hexclad for my wife's up coming birthday, you made me realize that while it's not perfect, I do feel that it will work perfectly for her application as she doesn't ever cook without using things like oil etc. however you did bring up some concerns for me and I truely hope that she loves these pans until they inevitably fail ....

Interesting piece Chris. Well done. I also own a set of HexClad pots and pans AND a set of Made In Teflon pans. I use the Made In pans exclusive for French Omelets and other egg dishes because I too found HC to not be as non stick. Personally I look at these pans as tools and try to use the right tool to fit the job. So I also have other pans for higher temperature cooking and searing. I will commend HexClad for honoring a replacement after a client phone call distracted me and let a pot of water boil dry. Im sure, the temperature got way above 600 degrees Fahrenheit. After sending pictures to HC asking if it was safe to use the pan- I knew it was not. To my surprise they replaced the 3Quart pot. So, non stick? Not the best but ok when properly seasoned, but good customer service. If I were to do it again? Possibly a set of Teflon and a set of stainless to go with the cast iron and carbon. After all I hear a well seasoned stainless can also be somewhat nonstick. In closing Im probably over geeking but it's the byproduct of being an audio producer/engineer, or just someone with OCD who loves to cook. :). I will be looking at your Predictive Thermometer. That is right up my alley. Best wishes and continued success.

I have a hexclad 12” pan and everything you said is correct. Its not as non-stick as a pure non-stick pan, but it is significantly more non-stick then any steel, aluminum, or cast iron pan. For that reason I do love it and highly recommend it to most people. A little non-stick spray or oil in the pan has it performing like non-stick and I get just as a good a sear on steaks as in my cast iron pan. Its very well constructed and feels like a quality piece as well. I like it a lot. Your review was spot on though.

Very well constructed video. I appreciate how you clearly identified the advertised merits of the pan and then addressed them in turn. Your style of presentation works for me. You've earned a sub. I bought a very nice set of pans from a reputible maker. I love every single pan aside from their nonstick clad pan. Their coating pales in comparison to what t-fal is putting out on $20 pans. It's a shame because of the effort they put into the foundation of what would normally be a lifetime pan underneath the coating. I've learned my lesson in that respect. Now I know why we only used cheap non-stick pans in the kitchen a decade ago.

It makes sense that it's not as non-stick as Teflon, but still better than stainless steel. It's advertised as a hybrid so could be used with metal utensils while still offering some non-stick properties. I just got the 14" HexClad Wok with lid and can't wait to use it. For pots and pans I use the ceramic coated non-stick variety.

My personal favorite is the Vollrath 8-inch Tribute® 3-ply fry pan with CeramiGuard® II nonstick coating and silicone handle. Not cheap, but not out of reach of most. A good high end workhorse of a commercial pan, it never leaves my stove-top ecept for a quick rinse with soap and water. Love it...

This is one of the most enjoyable videos I’ve watched on RU-vid in awhile. I really appreciated the methodical approach, the well-paced and executed explanations throughout, and the genuine care that was put in to the entire video. Keep up the great stuff!

This is great stuff. I would love it if you did a whole series absolutely roasting (no pun intended) the marketing BS of ALL of the non stick pans out there (Food Ninja, Blue Diamond, Red Copper, etc). I got a full set of stainless steel pots/pans from Costco a few years ago and never looked back... Mostly.

This was a very reasonably well put together video. You described your credentials as basis for why your opinion matters, treated the pans under review fairly, and explained in a straightforward, easy-to-understand manner, what teflon does, how it's applied (and fails), and gave us a realistic conclusion without deviating grossly from the lead up to it.

Learning how to season a pan helped me Start using stainless and dont miss nonstick. Now looking to get a copper set.

I've used hexclad pans for years and really enjoy them. They are indeed not pure non stick but the clean up is always insanely easy. I've thrown them in the dishwasher countless times and they still look and perform like new. However I do not use metal utensils with them because I can't stand the scraping sounds.

I just have to applaud the professional way this whole video was laid out. The content was presented with a level of classic respect for the viewer that only education can provide. I almost feel like this was too good to be on RU-vid and there needs to be a platform for the level if intellect in videography.

I have never watched your channel before, but I am very happy I stumbled upon it today. I have been considering Hexclad fry pans and this has given me food for thought. thank you.

Very in-depth interview. I tend to not trust any products with as much marketing as these pans have.

What I've found to work best for me as non-stick pans is ceramic. It's very easy to work with, and safe for my pet birds. Teflon releases a certain gas that is relatively harmless to humans but extremely toxic to birds. I also don't like the fact that I'd have to replace my teflon pans every couple of years, I'm a bit stingy when it comes to throwing stuff out.

I've had an entire set of Hexclad pans for about 18 months. I'm happy-ish with them. However, this video is spot on. I would say about them that they are great, high quality pans and are marginally more non-stick than stainless or carbon steel. The nice thing about them compared to my carbon steel skillet or cast iron is that I can cook acidic things in there without jeopardizing the seasoning of the pan. They are NOT even close to as non-stick as a pure non-stick pan. (and yes, I help them out with a generous dolop of oil). I've noticed that I no longer cook eggs that often though they can cook eggs provided you put plenty of oil in for them to float on. I'm not really noticing them show signs of much wear but I do treat them a little gently compared to my steel pans but not as gently as I would teflon.

Great review with lots of info I didn’t know about but with what I do and how I use butter and oil I love my hexclad pans

I have the small Hexclad skillet, like the one you tested, and don't use it anymore. I like the sauce pan better, but only for cooking pasta or rice. I'm convinced their marketing is a gimmick and won't invest any more money in their products. I'm an avid cast iron (Lodge), ceramic (Caraway) or stainless steel user in the kitchen. Thank you for your review; really insightful.

I switched to stainless steel and just use the spot seasoning technique a few years back. This video just convinced me that spot seasoning is definitely worth the effort and I'm never going back to teflon no matter what form it's in

I wanted to have them because i think they are pretty. Then I spent a day researching their claims, and then I decided against buying them, because it feels like endorsing a scam. Learnt a lot about coatings tho, so it wasn’t a waste of time :3

Absolutely agree. We have one of these pans, a large one for typical low heat stir fry. We still have a non-stick small pan for eggs, and large wok for high heat stir fry as the pans that we use the most. But knowing that each type of tool have its place, a large haxclad pan is a good work horse that makes cleaning easier.

Very detailed like I searched so I’m still puzzled on which pans I should purchase next 🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️!!!!

Hey! Now I remember you from Hestons various TV shows, this almost felt like a reunion to the days when I first got interested in more advanced cooking! Great to see you have done so well for yourself, and I genuinely found this video good. You could be a full-time content creator if you so wished 👌 Look forward to future geeky stuff!

Honestly, I'm impressed with how far traditional Teflon pans have come. They're far, far more durable than they were 30 years ago. The coating now feels like it's part of the metal surface, even though it's not.

@Chris Young, subscribed simply for the direct and no fluff approach to your reviews.

Hi @ChrisYoungCooks..just came across your channel. Thought it was a reasonable review of Hexclad which I also own. I am a private chef myself and a fan of the Modernist cookbook..cant afford them (but I will be happy to accept a gifted older edition since you guys update them :-). So I was excited about Hexclad initially when I first came across it at Costco, I bought the set of 3 skillets and got a wok as part of the deal. As with other nonstick cookwear you have to be careful of overheating. That was the big revelation for me when I forgot to turn off the stove and the pan overheated and the coating swelled up like a roti...I was not expecting that and that was the end of the romance with Hexclad after experiencing some of the similar results as you performed in testing. Having said thisI am STILL a proponent of Nonstick and I am currently enjoying my SCANPAN made in Denmark. Scanpan has a terrific coating and I have come to the conclusion that I will eventually not going to have it forever and I am ok with that..but I am loving it..BTW how can I get one of those thermometers?

I loved the review and thank you for your honest and detailed tests and explanations. I bought my mother a set for Christmas last year as her old no-name non-stick pans were wearing out. So far she loves them and swears by them. Yes, as a traditional cook she still uses oil, but she said she uses a lot less now. She also loves the fact that she can use metal utensils on her "non-stick" pans now. I think it is perfect for the situation's your review pointed out. It has all of the benefits she wants, and none of the drawbacks she hates. Also for her age it is great that she is cooking with less oil for her and my father's health. I would consider that a win-win. Just to point out, she cleans it with hot water, soap, and a sponge not something crazy like steel wool. I would love it if you would give a review of all of the top pans out there just so I know what to buy for my family. The pluses, minuses, and thoughts about usage as you did in this review. Thank you for your honest review as I am now subscribed, and would love to learn more cooking related things from you.

Carbon steel, cast iron (both non-stick with seasoning) or stainless steel if you want your cookware to last. Nothing against Teflon coated pans, just be prepared to have to replace them.

I only use non-stick for eggs, cast iron for searing and stainless for all else. Great review!

One of the most objective reviews I've EVER seen on RU-vid on any item or service. Well presented and shown. I'm sold. Looking forward to exploring the channel. Thanks.

Thank you for the amazingly in depth but easy to understand explanation of how these pans function 🖤

Thank you for the review. I purchased the pans so I would eat a home more often. I consider myself as a beginner cook and purchased these pans mostly because of the marketing and few friends use them. There isn't anything wrong with HexClad and they are durable pans for lasting more than the average pans. It all comes down to preference and for the penny pinchers stay away and buy what you want.

I had my Hexclad for almost 5 years and it started to flake. I called and was sent a brand new one. I showed them a few pictures and they didn't hesitate. Great customer service!

I purchased a couple small pans for the wife about a year ago... they have performed better than any other pans i've seen in 50yrs of my life. 100% non-stick? no, but if something does it's SUPER easy to clean and most of the time things just roll off. we purchased the rest of the set and have been very happy with them all. even heating was also a big plus for them. They weren't cheap, but We are 100% happy with the purchase.

I'm glad you did bring up who these pans are suited for at the end of the video. Because that's exactly why I bought these. LOL! I bought a set of Tefal non-stick pans, and my family DEMOLISHED them. It's not that they were ignorant of non-stick care, but they just lacked the discipline and care to give too much of a crap about maintaining the Teflon coating. Every now and then someone would use a fork, a metal spatula, or accidentally leave it on the stove for too long and burn something on it. Someone would put it from piping hot straight into running water. Those non-stick became insanely sticky in less than a year. Have had these HexClad cookware for a while and can say they have not degraded in their "performance" even a bit. Sure, it's not super non-stick but honestly most household cooking kind of does not need that level of precision. Besides, I still do have a Teflon pan specially for when the situation calls for it. I agree the marketing is bad but other than that, honestly these do belong in most kitchens more than Teflon non-stick pans do IMO.

Oh, you're one of the co-authors of Modernist Cuisine? That is an absolutely fantastic series of books. I didn't much care for cooking until I read the first volume of Modernist Cuisine a few years ago. You've earned a subscriber just from that alone. Of course, this video gets a like for being a simple and short yet sufficiently extensive look into an overly advertised pan. It's great to see the quality of those books transfers into your video format.

I treat teflon pans as disposable. Buy cheap, replace annually, abuse as much as I like

Very informative and professional produced video Chris. Thank you

We bought these plant pans recently at Costco and love them so far. The ease of cooking and cleaning is huge. I don’t think I ever thought it was 100% nonstick let alone for life but I love the way to heat the spread out so that you don’t have a pocket it’s burning all the rest is cooking well.

I have had hexclad for a year now and everything you said in this video is true. It isn’t great for cooking any eggs that are more delicate than basic scrambled eggs. With the design I wasn’t too surprised when over easy eggs didn’t come off as well as I would like. I’ve been very happy with them, but you also described my exact preferences at the end of the video when you said who you expected would be happy with them. They clean up easily and they have a great balance of durability and nonstick properties. I still use silicone or other soft kitchen tools to go easy on them even though they say you can use metal, I see no reason to tempt fate there.

Thanks for your review. I got a set of the Hexclad and within the 100% refund window had an issue (even after cooking in oil) with residue build-up. I contacted the seller and informed them (and sent a picture). I then received some instruction on how to clean the pan. I used the least abrasive of these proposals (i.e. a plastic scotch brite pad). After soaking again overnight and using the plastic pad, some (NOT ALL) of the residue was removed, however you can visibly see that the teflon part of the pan coating/pattern is visibly damaged/ not there anymore... I shudder to think what would have happened if I used (as the Hexclad video that they emailed me, steel wool and Bar Keeper's Friend). I am really disappointed as, while nothing really lasts forever (these days, especially), to have this happen within a month of such an expensive purchase is unimaginable... especially given the endorsement of Gordon Ramsay.

It is reasonable explain between the full nonstick coating frying pan and half nonstick coating frying pan. Also sharp point to whether the customer would prefer to long lasting or full nonstick from the frying pan. Great introduction !!

Great review ... of a product I'd never heard of until YT recommended this video to me. I had not been looking for cookware at all and have no idea why these things happen. The thumbnail was enticing and the fact it turned out to be genuine (as far as I can tell) is a nice bonus. I'm still using 25 year-old high-street grade Tefal pans which don't have much of their coatings left, but did buy a new Tefal frying pan, with Jamie Oliver branding, a few years back and it's great. CoolStoryBob

First time seeing you but this is an absolutely amazing review. Normally my favorite videos are videos where they show head to head comparisons. I have to say you went the extra mile and made sure the viewer understood why and how the product worked. I really appreciate that! and I'll definitely start following your channel.

Thank you for helping set realistic expectations. I truly feel more informed. Not sure I won’t buy these in the future but if I do I know what I’m getting into.

My partner bought two earlier-version pans of a similar hexagon-containing-teflon design off Kickstarter several years ago (Crowd Cookware) that initially worked well, but were also nowhere near as nonstick as a plain teflon pan. We really liked the ability to sear meat & caramelize vegetables similar to my trusty stainless, and were able to use less oil or butter with these, but cleanup was also somewhere in between. An occasional necessary light pass with steel wool ended the functionality of those pans, since once the teflon is gone it's far more sticky than the plain stainless would have been. He's now bought a hexclad as a replacement, and we love it, but despite his excitement over "wow you can even use metal with these!" I assume this version will also eventually crap out because it's an unavoidable fact that the same thing that makes the pan nonstick is the thing that causes a shorter lifespan. This hexagon technique is simply a robust way of protecting the teflon, but it's always going to be land somewhere in between stainless and teflon in both performance and longevity.

Great video. Just subscribed. I don't have HexClad, but I've considered shelling out the money for a full set multiple times... then I invariably do some research and always come back to the same conclusion that pans are tools and just like tools, you need specific ones for specific jobs. Well seasoned Cast Iron for steaks, burgers, roasted veggies, etc... Stainless steel for braising, sauces, basically anything where you can do a good deglazing, etc... And a few mid-priced non-stick pans that I just consider disposable cook wear. For less than $100 you can get a 3 pcs set of good quality non-stick pans and I find that they tend to last 1-2 years before I get a little uncomfortable with the wear-down. I know it may not be in everyone's budget, but kicking out $100 for new non-stick pans every couple years seems pretty reasonable. Of course, I also make sure not to use metal on my non-stick and always cook it at medium heat or below. If I need high heat cooking I am looking to my cast iron or stainless steel pans. Truthfully, my non-stick does a lot of my daily duty cooking as long as what I am making doesn't require high heat. If you don't mind the premium expense of HexClad and don't cook that often, it seems like a very reasonable option... but for less money you can get get 2-3 pans (of each) of really good quality SS, Cast Iron, and a 1-2 year disposable non-stick set and have true flexibility if you know your way around a kitchen.

I've been thinking about getting a set of these for us as our current pans are years old and pretty much at end of life. Thank you for the very real and honest review, it's helped a lot!

Almost bought one of these. So glad this video and this guy exists. Subscriber joined!

I appreciate and agree with your review. It is not as nonstick as I would have hoped, although it is acceptable. I do however like the speed in which it can brown almost anything. I love cooking steaks in it. The crust is amazing!