T-Fal Experience Nonstick Frying Pan, 12 in Induction Skillet, Black

Having kids we're trying to teach to cook, I bought this mainly as a distraction piece so they wouldn't mess with our other cookware. It worked, but it also impressed me tremendously! I still prefer cast iron for much of what we do, but, for me, having this even just for omelettes has been well worth the price. It's just been 2 months, so time will tell, but the non-stick properties are really amazing. I've never had omelettes slide out like on commercials. With the base, it has a nice heft, it's neither heavy nor flimsy and so far it has helped it withstand kids washing the skillet before it's fully cooled down. I haven't tested that it's supposedly ok with metal utensils, and I don't plan to. I also do not use cooking sprays but a little avocado oil and wipe it around before cooking. With any luck, this will preserve the non-stick properties and avoid the eventual burned on build up from cooking sprays that has ruined pieces before for us. It has been mentioned that the center is raised a bit, which is true, but it's how it is designed to be. I've made very thin omelettes on this without issue. I use an infrared thermometer when cooking to see that heat is distributed and monitor the temp. I've found this to heat as expected as compared to my cast iron, which I take to be an indication of shortcomings of my glasstop's burners. I rotated the skillet and it verifies that. The red decal that changes color when ready to cook does work well. It seems to go solid, reliably, right at 300­°. It's only been 2 months, so it will be interesting to see how this holds up, but it does get used at least 5-7 times a week between all of us. Unfortunately for me, I see this listed today at $28, whereas I paid $33. The good news is that even at a higher price this would've been worth it. If my kids kill it somehow after a year or so, I'll likely get another one. With my luck, it won't be made anymore. Highly recommended.

UPDATE (May 2017): After a little over 2 years, the non-stick surface finally lost it's non-stick properties. Part of that was due to the fact that my wife loved this pan so much, she used it all the time for everything, and non-stick pans will last longer if you only use them for applications where you really need a non-stick surface. NO non-stick surfaces last forever, however, which is why I think it's silly to spend a fortune on a non-stick pan. Of all the non-stick skillets I've tried (including some of the expensive ones) T-fal has the best non-stick surface. Some notes, though. This pan did exhibit the "hump" in the middle of the cooking surface, but I still say the constant belly-aching over this is way overstated. It never affected the ability to cook anything I wanted to. If anything runs towards the edge, just give it a quick swirl – problem solved. It made great, thin omelets, even with the "hump, until the non-stick surface wore out. However, this pan did warp. Just enough that it wouldn't lie perfectly flat on a ceramic cooktop. I think it had something to do with the construction. Although it conducts heat evenly, this is not a heavy duty pan. The stainless steel bottom is a thin disk mated to an aluminum body, which is different than more expensive pans that sandwich an aluminum disk between layers of stainless steel. The two metals expand and contract at different rates, so I think warping is inevitable with this design. Because of that, I opted for the Ultimate Anodized version of this pan for its replacement, which features solid anodized aluminum construction. Same non-stick surface. Same handle. I've been very happy with it. If you have an induction cook-top, then this Professional version is your only option. It's a good pan. Just don't overheat it and maybe avoid super hot dishwasher cycles to make it last longer. (May, 2014) It's still pretty much brand new. So I can't comment on its durability, yet. The build quality is fine. I prefer a slightly longer handle and ones with the slip-on silicone sleeves, but it's fine. This pan is oven-safe, but only at less than 400 degrees. But this pan is not made for super-hot cooking - no non-stick pans are. It's not a super heavy pan, but it's not super thin like so many cheap ones. But the purpose is to quickly heat things up, and it does so evenly. Mine did not exhibit the "bow" that some complain about. Even if it does bow slightly over time and the oil runs to the sides, I'm not concerned. With a non-stick skillet, you are adding fat strictly for flavor. A quick swirl is all that's necessary when you add the food. (Note: If you actually watch ATK like I do, you would see that their skillet actually DOES exhibit the bow and their oil runs to the sides. Doesn't seem to stop them from making great food, so I think the bellyaching over this is a bit overstated) If you are adding more than, say, a tablespoon of oil, you probably need to use a different pan, anyway. You should be using this pan to cook quickly sauté veggies or cook delicate foods like fish and eggs, not to cook burgers and steaks or simmer foods for a long time. Use stainless steel or cast iron for those things. The non-stick surface is excellent. Omelets are a breeze. Fish releases easily and intact while still getting a little color. To make the surface last as long as possible, hand washing is best, and cleanup is easy. This is more than I've spent on a non-stick skillet in the past - I usually just buy inexpensive commercial non-stick pans from restaurant supply companies. But the America's Test Kitchen tests and reviews seem to suggest that this one will put up with a little more abuse and retain it's excellent non-stick properties longer than most. I can't comment on that yet, but I haven't seen the non-stick properties of any of these skillets last longer than a year - or two, at best. Dings and scratches are normal wear-and-tear, unless you really baby these things, - always hand wash them, always use soft utensils (wood and silicone are best - hard plastic can still scratch the surface), and store them in a way that the non-stick surface never contacts any other surfaces. This skillet does the types of cooking it was made for extremely well. That's why you should buy it.

These are the best pots/pans I have ever used! This particular one I actually purchased as a gift for my mom, but I have completely switched all of my pots and pans to the T-Fal E series. I have yet to cook (or burn) anything that actually stuck to the surface and couldn't just be wiped out. FOR EXAMPLE: I occasionally make sandwiches for my family, and one thing that I do is throw deli meat (whether it's turkey, ham, salami, etc.) in the pan to heat it up and give it a slight crispiness, and top it with cheese (processed, shredded, real cheese, whatever we have at the time). I will then flip it over to "toast" the cheese side. Again, the cheese releases from the surface as good as the meat does, and this gives it a little smoky flavor that adds to the overall taste. This is by far the best non-stick pan I have ever used! PROS: Incredibly non-stick No harmful chemicals in the coating (does NOT contain PTFE (Teflon) Super easy to clean Lightweight, but solid Has a color changing circle in the center to let you know when it's hot Retains a considerable amount of heat (you can cook the same with less heat from the burner) CONS: Does not hold up to use with metal utensils -- have to use silicone-coated or plastic Made of aluminum -- this contributes to the light weight, but is soft and dents/bends easily if not properly cared for Lids are not readily available (T-Fal does not make them) After about 2 1/2 years of near daily use, this particular pan became "sticky" due to improper care (the non-stick surface became VERY scratched, down to metal in some spots), but this is not a fault of the pan. It could have easily been prevented. I cook just about every meal for my family, and after using this I would never switch to a different brand or series of pots and pans. But, like any high-quality item, they must be properly cared for. SUGGESTIONS: ALWAYS wash by hand, do NOT put in dishwasher!! (This should be self-explanatory, it takes approximately 30 seconds to completely clean by hand). For me, washing consists of a rinse under hot water, a simple wipe (NO SCRUBBING NEEDED) with either a soapy soft-sponge or cloth, followed by a hot water rinse and towel dry. DONE! NEVER heat pan with nothing in it!! (Even though it is non-stick, you should always add a little oil/butter or whatever you are cooking to the pan while heating). This prevents the pan from overheating. DO NOT overheat!! Overheating the pan causes the coating to "scorch" and will greatly reduces it's effectiveness. ALWAYS use plastic or silicone-coated utensils, as metal utensils WILL damage the surface. Pay attention to your cooking temperature! The design of these pans allow you to get a better cook in the same amount of time with less heat on the burner! For example, I can boil water with the burner set at 6 in the same amount of time that it takes an aluminum or stainless pot to boil with the burner on 9 or 10. Frying (say, eggs or burgers) can be done on 4 or 5, whereas other pans need to be on 7 or 8. **YOU'RE SETTINGS MAY DIFFER!! EVERY STOVETOP CAN PRODUCE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF HEAT!!** I have used everything from cheap ceramic-coated non-stick to very expensive (and overpriced, if you ask me) PROFESSIONAL stainless steel cookware, and nothing I have used in the past can even begin to compare with the quality of this series of pots and pans by T-Fal. Not to mention, the price on this series is outstanding, and i would easily pay double for them if I had to, and they are definitely worth it!. I have repeatedly, and continue to recommend these to ANYONE looking for pots/pans or having a problem with sticking food. Now, I am not a professional chef, and I do not consider myself to be, but I do cook with multiple pots/pans a lot, and these have made cooking a much better experience for me, and cleanup is much simpler (no soaking to get the stuck-on crud off!).

UPDSTE 1 January 2014: I've had my T-fal 12 inch fry/sauté pan for over 6 months, using it several times a week. It still has its superb non-stick quality and has sustained no scratches or nicks to the surface. I recently added a T-fal E9380263 Professional Total Nonstick Oven Safe Thermo-Spot Heat Indicator 8-Inch Fry Pan / Saute Pan Dishwasher Safe Cookware, Black to my collection. This pan, like it's brothers and sisters, is not flat. I placed a steel straightedge across the bottom and can fit a 0.032" (1/32") feeler gage at the center. This 8" pan is not as bowed as the larger pans, but that's to be expected with the smaller size. The quality of the 'professional' grade is really top-notch: heavy, well balanced, non-stick extreme. ORIGINAL REVIEW 30 June 2013: I accept the fact that I will buy and use nonstick frying pans that will lose their nonstick quality after a year or two and that I will (unhappily) continue to use them for another year before replacing them. It's what I've always done and I have no reason to expect that pattern to change. I replaced a much more expensive Calphalon pan with the T-fal E9380864 Professional 12 1/2" fry pan. Fortunately, the Calhalon lid fits the T-fal like it was made for it, so it wasn't a total loss. T-fal makes a their cookware in several levels of quality and I specifically chose the T-fal "professional" model after reading reviews of this and other models. The Professional model has a very heavy bottom and solid sides and handle. The pan I received is not flat. I put a steel straightedge on the bottom and measured a gap of a little over 1/16" at the center. This doesn't really matter to me for 2 reasons: first, I cook on a gas stove and second, I don't care that oil in the pan will migrate to the outer edge, mainly because it's nonstick and I use very little oil or butter with it. Obviously, some people will find this to be a problem, but it isn't for me. The flatness of this pan is not a fluke; I also bought a T-fal E9389764 Professional Nonstick Oven Safe Dishwasher Safe 10-Inch Fry Pan / Saute Pan Cookware with Glass Lid, Black and it has exactly the same flatness issue. T-fal makes several recommendations about using this nonstick cookware: season it with a little oil before use; don't overheat the pan; don't heat it without something in the pan; allow the pan to cool before washing; do not use abrasive pads to clean it and do not put it in the dishwasher. I am following all of these recommendations to the letter. I have been using this pan for about a month and it remains very slippery, probably better than any nonstick I have used before. I have no idea how long the nonstick quality will last, but I will update the review in the future. Pro: very slippery nonstick surface; professional model feels very solid; very reasonable price for the quality of the product Con: not flat

It’s a great pan so great that I returned it and got the three pack. Great with induction and a good flat base. I red dot is idk I guess? I think that’s more for searing and the pan doesn’t need to be that hot a lot. Otherwise excellent non stick pan used with wood or silicone utensils and hand wash mostly. Btw the first one I got was a like new and when it arrived it was dented af so I sent it back and got new one that was packaged better and fresh. I paid $41 then $44 then $80 for the 3pack.

This was an affordable pan revommended by America’s Test kitchen. However it doubled in price since the first one I bought. That said I do notice improved quality in the handle, and thr nonstick, so there is a digference. The finish hold up it’s oven safe to 450, and cleans quickly. It is holding up with use. I only use wood or silicone untensiles in it so idk beyond that, the size is large enough to sear my trurkey breast on a 12-14 lb turkey and that’s what I wanted. As an every day pan it sautes and browns and has good versitility in my micro sized kitchen. I uses a proctive piece while storing it at the bottom of the pans/bowls stack, that keeps it frim damage. All in all it’s my most used pan all around.

I recently bought a whole cookware set that came with a non stick fry pan. However it's often too small for bigger jobs like family stir fries. So when I was interested in supplementing it with a 12" pan, I settled on this for both the great reviews, and the price. I'm sure I don't have to convince many that often just making an addition to a set of something, or getting a replacement can sometimes cost near half of what the whole set costs. Some of the single frying pans I found on Amazon costs even over half of what I paid for a 7 piece set of good quality cookware. This fry pan is not only top quality in my opinion, but comes at a very reasonable price. It's all non stick, in and out, and the handle is a thick and comfy. As far as the red dot thingy in the middle, I have not see it change to all red yet when heating it up. But that doesn't really matter. It's plenty hot enough in no time and a pleasure to cook with. As far as some of the reviews here talking about oil running off to the sides of it, I noticed that too. But I really can't find any hump or bulge in the middle that accounts for it. I actually think that its mostly caused by people's stove tops that are not exactly level. For this pan is so non stick that oil tends to pool up in drops anyway and you are much better off using butter, or a spray. Actually I have no problems at all with either butter or oil for I just smear it around a little bit before plopping my fixen's in. And there are many here that haven't mentioned a run off at all in their reviews. In any event, I don't mind it or hold it against this fine pan at all. It's top quality all the way, very reasonably priced, and a good size for a big family fry. I highly recommend it... : )

Over the years I've purchased numerous non-stick frying pans. Don't know how the manufactures had the nerve to call them "non-stick". The best non-stick surfaces that I've had might last a couple of weeks, or so. On the other end, some began sticking on the first or second time used. Now, I've got to admit, I used products that were mid-level cost. I could not afford taking out a second loan on my car to purchase one of the top-of-the-line non-stick pans. I've recently started watching the public T.V. program series "America's Test Kithen". In that series they test kitchen products and announce their best buys, considering both price and how well it works. One of the episodes this year had a review of 12" non-stick saute pans. One of the top performing models cost around $200.00. The other top performing model, and their "best buy", was the T-Fal Professional 12.5" saute pan, and the cost was listed at $36.00. One of their tests was how many eggs they could fry, one at a time, before the pan lost it's non-stick quality. The T-Fal won this test at about 77 eggs when they finally gave up. Some of the other brands didn't even come close, some couldn't even do one. So, taking a chance on their word, I searched the Internet about this brand and model. Read several comments about purchases of T-Fal not doing well, and notice that other users said you need to buy the correct SERIES of T-Fal. I then searched for the best price. Guess what, Amazon had, by far, the best price for this brand and model, considering the shipping cost (free) in the the product price. I bought this saute pan through Amazon several weeks ago and have used it several times, including the harshest test I could think of, scrambled eggs. This pan is amazing. It does exactly what it's name says, non-stick. Eggs came out perfect, and clean-up was a paper towel wiping it out after cool down. Only problem I've had is that the 12.5" pan is too big for some jobs, so, I've ordered the T-Fal Pro 10" and 8" pans. UPDATE: May 4, 2013 After a little more than a year and a half later, with moderate use, about 2 to 4 times a week, my 12.5" frying pan has started loosing it's flat bottom. It would be OK if I had a gas range, but I don't, I've got a smooth surface electric range. But, no problem, I went to Amazon and ordered a replacement. Still cost less than $35.00 and still has free shipping. Just got it yesterday by UPS after only a couple of days. No change in my opinion, the best non-stick frying pan I've ever used.

Excellent product excellent packaging

The pan is great. It heats up really quickly (I'm using it on an induction cooktop), nothing sticks, the heat seems to be quite equally distributed. My only issue with it at the moment is the fact that the surface doesn't seem to be even - there's clear hilltop at the center dropping towards the edges. Doesn't bother me too much, but then again, I'm only using it for specific types of food (frying fish mostly). I don't use a metalic spatula, even though it said on the cover I can; but just in case to preserve its life as long as possible. It's great for frying fish, pancakes, creps, mushrooms, onions, and probably more. Even with the uneven surface I give it 5 starts.

Muy buena calidad, es inmenso cabe, bastante comida y nada se le pega ya no tendrás que usar aceite

Pricey but worth it. Non-stick has come a long way... they claim that you can put this in the dishwasher and even use metal tools on it. I don't do either out of habit, but I can feel that the teflon coating is stronger than my old T-fal pans, even when they were new. I've had this for about 8 months now. Fantastic frying pan. I have a gas stove and it heats up evenly despite being quite large. Love the big size. Worth the cost.

Good quality frying pan