Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Stainless 5-1/2-Quart Casserole with Cover

i have 2 other 12" pans in my kitchen, made in and le crueset. both of those very expensive. both good in their own ways. but my le crueset has some scratches so i wanted a replacement. this 5.5 quart cuisinart is a workhorse. i love it! it's lightweight. it's got great handles on both sides, a flat and really big surface area and it's deep so less splashing occurs. it sautes beautifully and cleans up beautifully. and.....what a great price! you cannot go wrong with this beauty.

I have owned AllClad pots and pans for over 10 years and have been very pleased. They are part of the family, and do their job night after night with no issues. For those of you who don't know, the Cuisenart MCP is Cuisenart's attempt to duplicate the excellent cooking properties of AllClad pans for a fraction of the price. The bottom line is that they have succeeded, and have even improved on AllClad's already excellent design.I bought this particular pan to replace a Tajine which my daughter now has at her place. While this looks nothing like a Tajine, it functions perfectly for this style of cooking. The basic pan is low and flat like a tajine. The lid fits tightly allowing the food to gently steam braise over very low heat. It makes Just the right amount of food for 2 people. But...This pan is far more versatile. The heating is very even due to the aluminum core. It's perfect for searing meat, then building a sauce over the brown bits, then slowly simmering. This pan is really good for reducing sauces, and the low sides facilitate evaporation of the steam. It's also excellent for steaming shellfish. I've used it once to cook a small roast, starting on the stove top to brown and then finishing as a braise in the oven. It's perfect for that, and no long handle to get in your way. My wife also made potatoes au gratin in this and it was perfect. So you can fry, saute, braise, and bake all in this pan. It's a very handy piece of cooking gear.Just remember that the 3 quart size is small-good for 2 people but it isn't big enough to serve a family. I like this pan so much, I bought the 5 quart version for serving a larger crowd.I said they had improved on AllClad's pans so I guess I should explain that. The price is an obvious one. To get the price low, these pans are made in China. If that bothers you, buy the AllClad which is made in the USA. Another improvement is that these pans can go on an induction burner. My older AllClads cannot. The biggest improvement in these pans though, is a simple one. The Cuisinart MCP pans come with a flared edge. While this doesn't seem like a big deal, it makes pouring liquids out of these pans much less prone to spills, or running down the sides.If there is one improvement I would make to these pans it would be to dome the lid about 1-2 inches higher. That would be a nice touch, so Quisinart, if you're listening, that's my suggestion.In summary, these are great pans at a surprisingly good price. They actually are better than they should be at this price point. I am almost sad to say they are as good AllClad pans which I have loved for many years. In truth, I bought these pans to try out, expecting to to give them to my daughter and buy the AllClad versions for myself. I am rethinking that strategy now.

Review of the 3qt pot. In general, this is a great piece of kit for the kitchen. Passing along some thoughts to help people to make a decision, comparing to old school Calphalon Commercial Hard Anodized cookware purchased in 1998. I'm replacing my beloved Calphalon after 20 years of hard service as the anodization is finally wearing through. THICKNESS: This line is comparable to Calphalon manufactured in China. Calphalon manufactured in Toledo was a bit thicker. HEATING: With the fully clad aluminum core, equal to the Calphalon. NON-STICK: It's stainless steel. Many videos on how to season it. CAPACITY: This will handle one box of hamburger helper with meat and veggies very comfortably, but I wouldn't try two - that's a different pot. INDUCTION: Yes. FINISH: This version is brushed inside and out, which I highly favor versus a mirror finish. HANDLES: Love the handles - got very used to this design with the Calphalon. Easy to store and handle.. USES: Casserole for 4 people with leftovers. A compact casserole like potatoes au graten, that's 8-10 servings. Easily stir fry or steam a bunch of vegetables. Make a half gallon of whatever sauce or soup you have in mind. Pan fry two chicken breasts at a time, or one steak at a time. Boil a half pound of pasta, 8 half cobs of corn, or a dozen eggs. STOVE TO TABLE PRESENTATION: Absolutely - it's quite attractive. QUALITY: Mine arrived in great condition and the bottom is flat. OVERALL: This is a workhorse, especially for a smaller household. Solid purchase, in my opinion.

I am in love with this pan. It is very substantial, heavy and large. It heats up beautifully and evenly with no hot or cold spots; is rather deep so grease doesn't spatter out even when frying hamburgers or chicken. I use a tsp. of vegetable oil in the bottom and hamburgers do NOT stick. It even makes a boat load of scrambled eggs with a tiny bit of oil in it, and they do NOT stick. Food comes out tasting really good from this thing. Love the fact that it doesn't have a long handle so I can navigate the stove top more easily without bumping into the pan. After it cools, I place it in the sink and fill it with hot soapy water - after about an hour it cleans up beautifully with dish soap (I don't waste time trying to get it back to its beautiful shine as that is not that important to me even though I do use a hanging pot rack.) It makes great pancakes, boils, sautes, is a terrific fryer, pretty much anything. I have an entire set of multiclad pro series by Cusinart. It is some of the best cookware on the market without the exorbitant price. Truly a family heirloom (my grown children are already fighting over who will "inherit it." ha!) I will never go back to non-stick junk ever again. This is forever stuff.

First, it is a heavy and beautifully made pot. Has even heat distribution. For me, its most important feature is its versatility. You can use it as a skillet. For example, brown some chicken and use the cover to cook thoroughly. But, because of its height and volume, you can then add some vegetables to make a chicken stew or curry. Well worth the price. One of those last forever items.