Maintenance

As we saw with the burgers, the carbon steel pan has certain traits that really make it a great all-around pan. It definitely has that nice heat retention and heat transfer of a cast iron pan. It has that nice release of a non-stick pan. This is a great all-around pan, does almost anything you want it to do, it's…

and the thing that's great with the matte fur is that the handle can go into whatever temperature into the oven we want

it now is kind of kind of turned like a golden orange color because it's oxidizing a little bit so it's very obvious that that pan is being exposed the raw metal is being exposed to the air

and now the new matte fur come without anything on them they're really nice and easy to clean

but this guy is definitely you know non-stick on there there's no doubt about that right

so looking at these two pans we've got that this was the first time that I ever cooked on them you know that you know nothing's really stuck on here

this guy here behaved a lot better in being at a preheat of 250 previously like I was saying I was at 250 preheat it looked like I got too hot I went down it got too cool and it wasn't a great result this guy's looking quite perfect at the moment sitting at 250

so that's a really nice result right there doing its thing induction burner gets a little bit mad when you do that this guy here same thing so great result okay so definitely that factor of that first cook with a new pan you know seedling that surface definitely helps so our second result here is really great

right now there is zero spinning from this is the one that was abused this is the one that was not and they are not spinning whatsoever

okay so clean and cool cool zero spinning so that is great that cheap what I think is kind of crappy induction cooktop I have been able to make spinners out of other carbon steel with that cooktop um it does make spinners these guys didn't that's a tremendous result so super stoked

so you know Matt fur I would give you know a big big thumbs up I think they're tremendous I love that they have non-vivided handles onto the pans the shape of them of course are ideal I really enjoy that they the handles don't have epoxy on them and they can easily just go straight into the oven they're great

so you know Matt fur I would give you know a big big thumbs up I think they're tremendous I love that they have non-vivided handles onto the pans the shape of them of course are ideal I really enjoy that they the handles don't have epoxy on them and they can easily just go straight into the oven they're great

These cast iron pans start out like traditional cast iron, but then they're coated in a glass like vitreous glaze that seals the pan from air and moisture that could cause rust

their enamel coating makes enamel cast iron pans virtually maintenance free. You never have to season them and you can soak, use soap and scrub as much as you'd like.

Okay, that is my buying guide for these wonderful lifetime pans.

Best of all, you can cook almost anything, even acidic foods that need to be simmered for a long time like a tomato sauce because the enamel seals the cast iron making the pan rust proof and non-reactive.

While both regular and enameled cast iron pans are induction compatible, the smoother enameled bottoms can be a little gentler on glass cooktops

Enameled is for the person that never wants to think about seasoning their pan. Enamel doesn't need it.

Instead of exposed rims that can become sharp after washing in the dishwasher and lead to the bonded layers splitting, Hestan NanoBond and ProBond pans have sealed rims. So you can clean these pans in the dishwasher without any concerns.

and you can easily remove them with white vinegar. Just add a splash, swirl with water, scrub, and rinse.

So if you want the simplest, most low-maintenance option, I'd go with Misen.

This is truly a case where you cannot go wrong with all three pans.

When you do need to season it, all you have to do is clean it, dry it, rub it with a thin layer of oil, and bake it in the oven. Although the baking portion takes an hour or so, the actual work you need to do takes less than 5 minutes. It’s not a big deal and it’s not difficult

But the reality is that seasoning isn't just oil; it's polymerized oil that's been bonded to the cast iron. It's hard and tough and as long as the dish soap doesn't contain lye or sodium hydroxide, a few drops won't hurt

I always recommend using a chainmail to clean cast iron, but if you cooked an especially messy meal and chainmail is not doing the trick, mild dish soap is okay

As you can see, the soap didn’t impact the seasoning at all

Cast iron develops non-stick properties over time with proper seasoning, but it's not totally non-stick like a Teflon-coated pan

But flavoring food with a small amount of acidic ingredients, such as a splash of wine, vinegar, or lemon juice, won't cause any issues

If you're not cooking highly acidic foods for a long time, like over 30 minutes, the seasoning should be fine

To prove this point, I squeezed a whole lemon into this cast iron pan and let it simmer for about 4 minutes. After removing the lemon juice and wiping the skillet, you can see that the seasoning wasn't affected at all

One of the reasons I love cast iron is that it retains heat exceptionally well

Once it's fully preheated, it retains heat well, so your food will cook evenly

That may be true, but in my experience, this step is completely unnecessary. If the skillet is well-seasoned and you dry it thoroughly, it shouldn’t rust, and you don't need to oil it after each use

carbon steel pans are made thinner and significantly lighter than cast iron while still being incredibly durable.

For acidic foods, stainless steel and enameled cast iron are better options since there's no seasoning to damage and those materials are non-reactive.

For acidic foods, stainless steel and enameled cast iron are better options since there's no seasoning to damage and those materials are non-reactive.

But you don't need to do it often and after you do it once, you realize how easy it is.

In my experience, mild dish soap does no harm.

One of the biggest advantages of carbon steel is its durability. It won't crack or break if you drop it, which can happen with cast iron.

And there's no coating or enamel that can wear down or chip.

You can use metal utensils and even cut food in it, although I try to avoid that because the sharp edge will scratch the seasoning.

It’s one of the rare products that gets better with age. The more you use it, the better the seasoning develops.

This guy is conducting more heat. More heat's being pulled into it. So, it is a little bit of a hotter pan.

I had brought this down just cooking this on a one out of 10. So really, really gentle heat just to get a nice even fry.

Uh, but you know what it's done in such a short time I think is completely adequate.

Uh, but you know what it's done in such a short time I think is completely adequate.

So, I think it look great. Made in pan here. Little bit residue. Really nothing much. And residue, nothing on there.

So, I think it look great. Made in pan here. Little bit residue. Really nothing much. And residue, nothing on there.

It's got that that micro texture on it, which is a a purpose thing done by Maiden. They do several different finishings to the pan to give it a texture and then they season that to grab hold of that texture to make sure that it works incredibly well and that it stands up really well.

So, the seasoning that I've done from cooking has worked out great with a simple egg test.

But the heat is down on the maiden pan. But I would say that that pan is cooking a nice delicate crepe beautifully.

I am finding that using this seasoning that they've done and the the finish has worked out really really nicely. It's really even and it works beautifully. So I have no problem with how that pan has finished up. Like it's it's seasoning beautifully.

So, you know, the ease of maintenance to what they've done makes it great.

And they cooked really remarkably evenly.

Now because aluminum also transfers heat pretty rapidly, putting it right next to that copper gives that pan a turbocharge in responsiveness.

If they put magnetic steel on the bottom layer, presto, it's now induction compatible.

Because of that, it heats slower but retains heat much better.

It cooks like cast iron but since it’s stainless steel, it doesn’t require the seasoning or maintenance.

the field turned out some nice cornbread, no sticking and a nice crust.

this field cranked out an absolutely delicious [music] grten with no sticking on the potatoes.

Butter potatoes. Those brown up pretty nicely and they did not stick. That's a good thing.

But the field did okay here and I think it helped with the browning that both the potatoes and the okra, they get moved around a little bit.

I think you did an okay job with bacon. Just a little bit of pulling on there, but the um the card says uh bacon can actually stick a little bit early on. So, with that in mind, I think it did uh just fine. I started it out in a room temperature pan, brought it up to heat, some early [music] flips, and mostly…

Um I mentioned that the pan doesn't have as much thermal mass as maybe some other cast irons or carbon steels for that matter, but I am still getting a good sear and browning here.

And here, summoning every bit of egg sliding mojo that I could muster, [music] I got a moderately decent sliding egg. It released even did okay on the flip. You know, cast iron skillets are not really known for flipping eggs, so the side walls are too tall, etc., etc., but it's still released on that second side, and…

It's uh nice and well-formed all the way around. And if you look at the bottom of the pan, it's the same deal. In fact, I'm going to try to get this so you don't get your eyeballs glared out right here. But, the surface of this is perfect. There's no discoloration anywhere. It looks pretty much like a brand new pan.

Hex patterns on the side. No problem there. No discoloration. No busted hexagons or anything. And then down on the surface here, you can see how even that looks. There's not any problems with this.

So again, you wouldn't think that this had anywhere near this kind of usage on it. It's still in perfect shape as far as I'm concerned.

Yes, this is ceramic, but I haven't seen enough data saying that it's not going to be bad for a ceramic coating, too. And even if there was data that said that, I still wouldn't put them in the dishwasher. I just hand wash them, hand dry them, and then they just stay perfect. It's not that difficult to do.

This one uh has a few scratches on here. It's not so bad. But again, this would still pass as a new pan, too.

we don't really have any imperfections, we don't have any scratches anywhere, there's no areas where that nonstick coating has come off. So, from a physical appearance standpoint, all of these pans look cosmetically perfect.

You can see that my rim is still nice and shiny.

I use them on my pans and I haven't seen any problems with it, but it is a lot more abrasive.

After 2 years of use, my Hexclad pans have held up really well.

And also when I clean them, I make sure I don't use anything overly abrasive.

To test it, I measured how flat each pan was, then heated them to 425°F on induction for 2 minutes. All three started out slightly concave, which is common because manufacturers build in a little curve to allow for expansion. After heating, none of them showed any visible change.

To see if Misen and Anolon's claims are true, I got all three pans wet and left them overnight. The next morning, none of them had any rust.

Next, I simmered crushed tomatoes in each pan for 15 minutes. Acidic foods usually break down seasoning, and that's exactly what happened with Strata. Its surface went from dark and seasoned to light and patchy. Misen and Anolon were unchanged.

I haven't noticed any decline or change in their performance.

But because it needs seasoning and that seasoning can break down with acidic foods, it requires more maintenance than Misen and Anolon.

Misen and Strata both have aluminum cores, which in theory help spread heat more evenly and reduce that stress.

To test it, I measured how flat each pan was, then heated them to 425°F on induction for 2 minutes. All three started out slightly concave, which is common because manufacturers build in a little curve to allow for expansion. After heating, none of them showed any visible change.

To see if Misen and Anolon's claims are true, I got all three pans wet and left them overnight. The next morning, none of them had any rust.

Next, I simmered crushed tomatoes in each pan for 15 minutes. Acidic foods usually break down seasoning, and that's exactly what happened with Strata. Its surface went from dark and seasoned to light and patchy. Misen and Anolon were unchanged.

After that, I repeated the overnight water test. Again, Misen showed no rust, but since the tomato sauce had stripped away Strata's seasoning layer, it came back rusty.

I haven't noticed any decline or change in their performance.

But because it needs seasoning and that seasoning can break down with acidic foods, it requires more maintenance than Misen and Anolon.

After that, I set up a stand mixer so a whisk was in constant contact with the cooking surface for two straight minutes. All three ended up with some light scuff marks, but no deep scratches or any real damage.

Misen and Strata both have aluminum cores, which in theory help spread heat more evenly and reduce that stress.

To test it, I measured how flat each pan was, then heated them to 425°F on induction for 2 minutes. All three started out slightly concave, which is common because manufacturers build in a little curve to allow for expansion. After heating, none of them showed any visible change.

To see if Misen and Anolon's claims are true, I got all three pans wet and left them overnight. The next morning, none of them had any rust.

It's certainly easier to maintain. You don't have to polish copper

for care the titanium series gets an eight and eer gets a six

for materials titanium gets an eight and ear gets a five

the the buyer was a lot easier to season for some reason in my opinion

that's where I personally stand that the buyer is heavier and it has some of that weight and density to it even now compared to the larger mat for 12 inch plus Pan

the buyers still really Hefty but it's still lighter than an equivalent cast iron pan with the same size

to be honest it holds up really well um it's not difficult to maintain it's not difficult to keep seasoned and and honestly the more you use it the more you cook with it the better it does become and that's just something that I love about Finance they're not they're easy to maintain they're not hard and the seasoning…

I sharpen it I sharpen it every day and at that point it only takes two or three Strokes either with a sharpening tool such as you're looking at here or with a sharpening tool that does both edges at the same time and two or three Strokes it's sharp and noticeably different than if I don't take those two or three…

But a towel is [music] super easy and all you need to do is just wrap it around your hand. You go to pick something up and your hand's protected.

Not to mention that these are far cheaper and far easier to wash than an oven [music] mitt.

It also has a filtration kit in it, which means you can, as it drains, it filters the oil and pumps it back into the basket, meaning your oil life will last longer.

no you do not it's enameled cast iron so it doesn't need season

there was a whisk that I used to use back one of the restaurants that was 25 years old

The brushed finish does a better job hiding fingerprints and smudges but otherwise it doesn't have any impact on cooking performance.

The lid handles are also different. Both are stainless steel and secured with two rivets; however, the lid handles on D5 are significantly larger and feature an engraved All-Clad logo while the D3 handles are thinner and smooth with no logo.

This is probably the biggest thing that irks me about my Hexcloud purchase is that at the time they were labeled or sold or marketed as non-toxic. When I got home and I did a little bit more research, I came to find out that they actually do in fact contain PTFE.

For home bakers, this engineered weak point turns a $400 mixer into a recurring project, not a set-it-and-forget-it tool.

The result is a cycle: bake, break, disassemble, repeat.

Symptoms show up as grinding noises, sluggish performance, or even visible oil leaking from the mixer seams.

The original grease is petroleum-based, chosen for its low cost and basic compatibility with metal and plastic parts. Over time, especially during repeated heavy mixing, this grease starts to break down.

Heat from the motor and friction inside the gear case causes the oil to separate and seep out, leaving behind a sticky residue and dry spots on critical gear teeth. Once the lubricant thins or migrates, metal parts lose their protective buffer.

Service records and technician interviews point to a pattern. Mixers that have their original grease replaced with a modern synthetic alternative run cooler, leak less, and show less internal wear after years of use. For owners willing to open the case and swap out the petroleum grease, the improvement is immediate.…

The so-called lifetime claim in practice often means the lifetime of the first round of heavy baking, not the decades-long service many expect.

One logbook shows a KitchenAid Artisan returned for its second worm gear replacement in under 5 years.

Modern mixers cycle through repairs, while their all-metal ancestors quietly outlast them.

The one major limitation with carbon steel pans is acidic foods. A squeeze of lemon or a splash of wine won’t hurt, but prolonged exposure to acidic foods, like tomato sauce, will strip the layer of seasoning right off the looking surface.

Bare cast iron pans have this same issue.

Carbon steel consists primarily of iron, which rusts when exposed to water and air.

The fact that you need to season carbon steel pans may seem like a major downside, and for some, it's a deal-breaker.

The two rules that I do highly recommend following are, one, don’t put carbon steel pans in the dishwasher. The hot water, steam, and dish detergent will ruin the seasoning.

And two, always dry your pans completely after washing them. Even a well-seasoned pan can rust if moisture is left on it for long periods.

if you notice tiny black bits on your food when you cook with carbon steel, or if you wipe the pan with a paper towel and the paper towel turns black, that's a sign that you need to deep clean your pan. Those black bits are either tiny pieces of the seasoning flaking, burnt food, or both.

One of the biggest advantages of carbon steel is its durability. It won't crack or break if you drop it, which can happen with cast iron.

You can use metal utensils and even cut food in it, although I try to avoid that because the sharp edge will scratch the seasoning.

The one thing you need to be cautious about is warping. If you expose it to drastic temperature changes, like rinsing it under cold water when it's piping hot, the metal can expand and contract unevenly, which leads to a wobbly, unusable pan.

You also never wanna leave these pans soaking in the sink, so if you're that type of cook, maybe cast iron isn't for you.

After that, I repeated the overnight water test. Again, Misen showed no rust, but since the tomato sauce had stripped away Strata's seasoning layer, it came back rusty.

The main challenge with Strata is the seasoning. If you apply too much oil or don't spread it evenly before seasoning in the oven, the surface can turn tacky and cause sticking.

But because it needs seasoning and that seasoning can break down with acidic foods, it requires more maintenance than Misen and Anolon.

The one feature that annoys me about this Dutch oven is the metal accents on the handles - they look nice, but they're not completely flush with the cast iron part of the handle, so food can get trapped and be a pain to clean.

You can unscrew these metal pieces to clean them, but it's an extra unnecessary step.

are you willing to dedicate time to the craft of cooking?

It may not be for everyone

After the pan cooled, I wiped away all the oil and heated the pan again for 2 minutes to dry any remaining moisture. Sure enough, after cooling, the pan was sticky and gummy.

I have reseasoned this pan multiple multiple times. I have seasoned it with Crisco, with grape seed oil, with peanut oil. I have seasoned it in the oven. I have done carbon steel type seasonings on a stove top, getting the pan smoking there.

Just because HexClad says that this surface is really strong. In fact, on their website, they say that this is almost indestructible. There's going to be a repeating theme to this video, and that is just because HexClad claims certain things about these pans doesn't mean that you have to push the limits all the time,…

if you put your pans into the oven, these are only rated up to 400° F, but the pans can handle more than that. So, just remember that if you're cooking over 400°, that you can't [music] put these in the oven, otherwise you can shatter them.

I got a bit of a hard time with that. I mean, I don't want to say that Hexclad's lying about that or anything, but 900° is pretty hot. And the reasoning behind it, I'm not really sure if I buy it or not.

I do have a few little scratches in the handle, but it's no big deal. There's one right there. And in fact, that scratch, I believe was there right out of the factory.

I personally won't use metal utensils on any of my pans. I'm just not going to do it. I don't care if HexClad says that you can. I never have, and I never will. I'll use wooden utensils, or I'll use silicone utensils, but it's never going to be any kind of metal on this. It makes a lot of sense when you look at this,…

That's much different than the complaints you might have seen in other YouTube videos and from people complaining online elsewhere. Cuz I see people with all this stuff starting to chip off of here, the pans just not being nonstick at all, and everything's sticking to them, and all sorts of other complaints.

In fact, um HexClad does have a lifetime warranty on their pans, but uh usually a lifetime warranty is the lifetime of the pan. It's not your lifetime.

Now, this is made for stainless steel pans. And if you're going to use it on a HexClad pan, you got to be a little bit careful because you don't want to be using that on that nonstick surface. You can really wreck that, I think.

Remember, keeping them clean is a big deal because if you got stains on a pan and you repeatedly heat that pan up again with those stains on it, those will get harder and harder to remove.

Second, cast iron retains a significant amount of heat. That heat can radiate back onto the cooktop and cause the burner to shut down if the surface temperature becomes too high

But simply cooking bacon is not the best approach to build an initial layer of seasoning, and here’s why. First, most bacon contains sugar, and that sugar will caramelize and make the surface sticky

Secondly, bacon and other animal fats can become rancid if you cook with those fats and store your skillet without washing them off completely

And lastly, the purpose of seasoning cast iron is to prevent rust. When you cook bacon, the fat only covers the interior of the skillet, leaving the exterior and handle unseasoned and unprotected