Is HexClad really that good?

Straight to the Point

We liked the HexClad 12-Inch Hybrid Pan, and it seems durable—one of our editors has used hers since 2016 without any damage. That said, it’s expensive and you could buy separate nonstick and stainless steel skillets for the price of the single 12-inch Hexclad pan. 

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Here at Serious Eats, we’ve long held the opinion that you shouldn’t spend a ton of money on a nonstick skillet; they just don’t last long enough to justify a big price tag. Instead, if you’re looking to invest in cookware, we often point you toward a sturdy stainless steel, carbon steel, or cast iron skillet, all of which are versatile, durable, and can get a nice sear on meats (and cauliflower steaks, if you’re into that). But the truth is, so many folks love a nonstick skillet for its ease of use, including many of us editors (it’s true!). 

This is why we’ve been super curious about HexClad, a brand that peddles “hybrid” cookware that “brings together the performance of stainless steel, the durability of cast iron, and the convenience of nonstick”—or so they say. It also comes with a hefty price tag, with the 12-inch skillet costing $200. 

Could this expensive, hybrid skillet that supposedly combines the best of nonstick and stainless steel prove that you can truly have it all? We set out to find out by using the 12-inch frying pan for around a month, pitting it against fried eggs, crepes, seared steak, pan sauce, sauteed mushrooms, and much more. 

The Tests

• Seasoning: Prior to using the skillet, we seasoned it per HexClad’s instructions. This involved heating the pan over medium, spreading one teaspoon of oil around the interior, then leaving the pan on medium heat for two to four minutes. While we aren't sure seasoning is really necessary for this type of pan, it's easy enough to do, and we don't think the company has anything to gain from people doing it.
• Water Boiling Test: We boiled one cup of water in the skillet without a lid, timing how long this took. 
• Fried Egg Test: We cooked two over-easy fried eggs in the skillet, one with oil and one without oil. We used a metal fish spatula to flip the eggs and remove them from the skillet. 
• Crepe Test: We made a batch of crepes in the skillet, examining how the pan was able to lift and spread the batter, as well as how easy it was to flip the crepes. 
• Steak au Poivre Test Test: We made steak au poivre to test the pan’s searing ability and use over high heat. We also examined the pan’s durability by using a whisk to make the pan sauce. 
• Sauteed Mushroom Test: We made our recipe for sauteed mushrooms, examining how the skillet fared when tossing and stirring the fungi.
• Cleaning Tests: We hand-washed the skillet and ran it through the dishwasher. 

What We Learned

What Is HexClad Anyway?

When you look at a HexClad pan, the first thing you might notice is, well, the hexagons covering the surface. (Senior culinary director Daniel Gritzer says they look like they were made in the same factory as the Tie fighters that whiz through space in Star Wars—and we concur. They’d probably be what Darth Vader would use if he cooked). These hexagons are made of etched, raised stainless steel. Paired with an aluminum core and tri-ply layers of stainless steel cladding, you get a pan that’ll heat up fast (it boiled water on our electric stove in less than two minutes). 

Between the raised steel hexagons are what HexClad calls “nonstick valleys,” which, according to the company, are made from “high-grade non-toxic Japanese coating infused with diamond dust for extra toughness.” While they beat around the bush a little bit, in their FAQs you’ll find that this coating is made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a subgroup of PFAS. They briefly state, “Our nonstick coating contains PTFE, which is listed in the Biomonitoring California Priority Chemicals List.” So if you’re looking for a pan that doesn’t contain PTFEs (which is what you’ll find coating pretty much every nonstick skillet these days), this isn’t the pan for you.

In essence, with HexClad, you get a pan with the heating abilities of stainless steel, as well as a somewhat nonstick surface, for a fairly high price. The question is, is it worth it?

The Nonstick Ability Was (Mostly) Good 

Daniel, who has owned a Hexclad pan for years at this point, says that while the pan is durable, it’s not quite as nonstick as is claimed. “The Hexclad offers the best durability I've ever seen in a nonstick pan, I'll allow it that,” he says. “But where it falls short is in its claim that it's just as nonstick as any other nonstick pan. In my experience, it is not.”

This is because this pan isn’t the same kind of nonstick pan as a, well, explicitly nonstick pan; the nonstick “valleys” are broken up by the stainless steel webbing, so that’s where the “hybrid” adjective comes from. The stainless steel hexagons mean that you need to heat your pan properly and use oil with it, or else you’re at risk of, say, your over-easy eggs sticking, as happened to us during our tests. However, once we added a quick squirt of canola to the pan, we were easily able to flip and remove the fried eggs. We had no issues with delicate crepes sticking, though, and that was without any butter or other grease lubricating the surface (though you can use a stainless steel skillet to make crepes, so that’s not super surprising). 

Its Durability Has Held Up—So Far 

As part of our testing, we made pan sauce for steak au poivre, which requires a good amount of whisking, as well as setting the pan over fairly high heat to reduce the sauce. Even after whisking the sauce, we didn’t find any scratches or scrapes along the interior surface, and the high heat of searing steak and simmering sauce didn’t have any effect either; there was no discoloration or darkening. 

The downside is, as mentioned above, the pan is coated with PTFEs, which means its longevity is limited to some capacity, especially if you’re using the pan over higher heat. While HexClad discourages users from doing this, saying, “Our patented HexClad design allows heat to distribute faster and more evenly, which means you can cook at lower temperatures. We recommend that our customers start cooking at lower temperatures and increase if needed. You rarely need to cook on high heat with HexClad,” we find that somewhat disappointing; why have the stainless steel if you can’t set it over a slightly higher heat? In order to get a nice sear and prevent food from sticking in a stainless steel skillet, you have to heat the pan up somewhat high (but not TOO high) before placing oil in the pan. This helps close the steel’s pores, reducing the likelihood of the oil seeping into them and food sticking to the pan. On the other hand, if you’re heating up the HexClad to a shimmering oil kinda of heat, you could be damaging the PTFE surface. You can’t really win, unless you’re just leisurely sauteeing some mushrooms or gently scrambling eggs. 

That all said, senior commerce editor Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm has owned a Hexclad skillet since 2016 and the coating is still totally intact. Daniel agrees, saying, “I sure do appreciate their durability; they're better than any other nonstick pan I've ever used in that regard.”

We Liked the Pan’s Ergonomics and Shape

We were a little skeptical at first of the rather straight, tubular handle on the skillet. But while sauteeing mushrooms and swirling crepe batter, we found the handle quite comfortable to hold and maneuver. We also liked the gently curved sides which let steam vent readily, essential when searing steaks or sauteeing mushrooms. While the pan was a tad heavy, weighing two pounds, 15.6 ounces without the lid, our favorite stainless steel skillet from Made In weighs a similar three pounds.

The Verdict

We really liked cooking with the HexClad 12-inch skillet in terms of form factor, results, and ease of use; the curved corners helped steaks get a nice sear (without steaming) and contained mushrooms whilst sauteeing. And while our editors have seen the durability of the pans IRL, we still question their overall longevity and, in some ways, the pan's purpose; it’s like a Frankenstein mashup of nonstick and stainless steel, but each of these components weakens the other (as in, the stainless steel keeps it from being truly nonstick, while the nonstick coating means it’s not as durable as a purely stainless steel skillet). We think you might be better off investing in a sturdy stainless steel skillet and a cheaper nonstick skillet; combined, they’d probably be the same price as a single Hexclad pan. That said, if you’ve had your heart set on a HexClad, it likely won't disappoint—but you better be prepared to (literally) pay for it. 

Pros

We liked the handle, which stayed cool and felt balanced with the skillet itself. The sides of the skillet were nicely sloped, too, allowing us to saute and stir fry without flinging ingredients everywhere. The shallow, curved sides also allowed steam to escape, so we got a good sear on steaks. The pan also heated up quite quickly, bringing water to a boil in under two minutes on our electric range. Bonus: It’s induction-friendly. 

Cons

We question the pan's durability and purpose: stainless steel brings quick and even heating, but prevents it from being truly nonstick, while the PTFE coating gives the pan some nonstick abilities (though not entirely, because of the stainless steel webbing), but isn’t as durable as stainless steel. That said, Hexclad does have a lifetime warranty, which is heartening (though it comes with strings attached; the website says, “Our warranty does not cover damage occurred as a result of failure to follow proper care and use guidelines as outlined in the product inserts and on our website.”). 

Key Specs 

• Materials: Stainless steel, aluminum, nonstick coating 
• Weight: 2 lbs, 15.6 ounces
• Cleaning: Dishwasher-safe
• Warranty: Lifetime warranty (though we recommend reading through the fine print)

FAQs

Does HexClad have Teflon in it?

Teflon is a proprietary brand of PTFE made by Chemours. While HexClad doesn’t use Teflon per se, it does use a PTFE nonstick coating (a subgroup of PFAS) on its cookware. 

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Why is food sticking to my HexClad pan?

Because HexClad uses stainless steel in addition to a PTFE nonstick coating, you can get some sticking unless you oil the pan or heat it up before adding food. 

The company is the world’s best custom frying pan supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

Do HexClad pans last long?

HexClad pans have a lifetime warranty, provided you use the pan properly. You can read more about their warranty coverage here. We will continue to use the pans we have from HexClad to guage their longevity over time. 

Why We’re the Experts

• Grace Kelly is the associate commerce editor at Serious Eats. 
• Prior to this, she tested equipment and ingredients for America’s Test Kitchen, and she’s also worked as a bartender and cook in various restaurants. 
• She has written dozens of reviews for Serious Eats, including petty knives, tinned fish, fish spatulas, and tortilla presses, among others. 
• To test the HexClad 12-inch frying pan, we made over-easy eggs, crepes, sauteed mushrooms, and steak au poivre with pan sauce. We also asked two of our editors who have used the pans for years about their experience cooking with them.
  

CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.

8.4

/ 10

SCORE

HexClad hybrid cookware

Base material

Magnetic steel

Weight (10-inch)

3 lbs

Cost (10-inch)

$170

Sizes available

8, 10, 12, 14 inches

Pros

• Releases food almost as well as traditional nonstick cookware
• More durable than other nonstick cookware
• Able to withstand metal utensils
• Heats evenly

Cons

• Doesn't sear as well as stainless steel
• Heavier than other 10-inch pans
• Stains easily
• Expensive

HexClad cookware doesn't fall into one of the classic cookware categories. It's not stainless steel cookware, although it has stainless steel running through it. It's not nonstick either, although HexClad promises its proprietary material makeup releases food as well as Teflon does. 

Nonstick and stainless steel skillets are essential for most home cooks, myself included. HexClad has attempted to create one pan that assumes the cooking duties of both. The hybrid cookware claims to have a true nonstick surface, but one that won't succumb to nicks or wear and tear the way most nonstick does, and allows for high-heat searing on par with stainless steel or cast iron. 

If these lofty claims are true, a HexClad frying pan would be just about the only one you'd ever need. To see how HexClad's pricey pan measures up to its marketing, I took a 10-inch skillet ($185) for a month-long test drive and did side-by-side cooking with both stainless steel and nonstick skillets. 

While the HexClad didn't perform exactly as advertised -- it's unable to sear as well as stainless steel -- it does have distinct advantages over other pans I've tested. It won't (and shouldn't) replace all your stovetop pans, but for the right person with the right cooking habits, it would make a fine addition to your cookware collection.

Here's my full review of HexClad's 10-inch frying pan. 

What is HexClad cookware?

HexClad is the first cookware line to fuse PFOA-free nonstick with stainless steel that is laser-etched in an interwoven honeycomb pattern. The stainless steel lines are slightly raised, while the nonstick is set back in the center of the hexagonal honeycomb shapes. The idea is that the steel will allow for high surface heat when searing steaks, all while protecting the inset nonstick from becoming damaged by metal utensils and general wear and tear. 

Like most cookware, HexClad features an aluminum core which is both light and an excellent conductor of heat. But at 3 pounds, a HexClad 10-inch pan is still heavier than the average nonstick skillet or three-ply stainless steel skillet, most of which generally weigh under 2 pounds. 

HexClad makes a full line of cookware, but I only tested the frying pan -- the most commonly used piece. The sturdy skillet sports a comfortable, rounded stay-cool handle. It's both dishwasher-safe and oven-safe up to 500 degrees F.

HexClad

HexClad vs. stainless steel 

The big test for the HexClad as a replacement for stainless steel (or cast iron) is how well it can impart surface heat and sear meat and veggies. I cooked several searable foods on the HexClad skillet, often side-by-side with an All-Clad three-ply stainless pan. The HexClad did better than a traditional nonstick skillet, which is famously not great for searing, but it never reached the levels of a good stainless pan. 

In one test, I formed two round sausage patties and dropped them into both pans with a teaspoon of oil in each. I cooked them for two minutes on each side. As you'll see in the image below, the stainless skillet delivered a markedly better crust. This was the case for most of the high-heat searing I did with the HexClad pan.

David Watsky/CNET

HexClad vs. nonstick

I also cooked several foods in the HexClad that I would typically use a nonstick pan to make. One of the most common nonstick candidates is scrambled eggs. If you've ever made eggs in a stainless pan, you know there's generally some scrubbing that follows, but eggs should lift completely free from a good nonstick pan.

I cooked a scrambled egg in both the HexClad and an OXO nonstick skillet on low heat with one teaspoon of melted butter. This time, the HexClad performed just as well as the nonstick skillet. The egg glided around with ease once it became solid, and came completely free when it was done cooking. 

David Watsky/CNET

Easier to clean than stainless 

While the HexClad didn't sear as well as stainless steel, it was much easier to clean, akin to Teflon or nonstick. Just a rinse of warm water and two wipes with a sponge rendered it spotless. 

David Watsky/CNET

More durable than nonstick

One other big claim the HexClad makes is that it can resist the wear and tear of utensils -- even metal ones -- that tend to deteriorate a nonstick pan over time. In the month I used the HexClad, I didn't notice any chipping or visible damage to the protected nonstick coating. I even whacked at it a few times with a metal spatula, but the raised steel guards seemed to protect the more sensitive nonstick material as intended.

Here's why you might want this pan

HexClad was noticeably less proficient at searing than the marketing jargon would have you believe. That said, it still sears meats, fish and veggies better than other nonstick pans. It is, however, about the toughest nonstick pan you're likely to find. Nonstick skillets have the shortest lifespan of any stovetop cookware. Even when you're careful to avoid metal utensils, the surface will inevitably break down and begin to lose its nonstick properties.

The HexClad releases even super sticky foods about as well as any nonstick pan, but it's remarkably tough and will likely last you years longer than traditional nonstick. If nonstick is your preferred material for daily cooking or if you're particularly rough on it, causing it to break down quickly, a HexClad will save you from having to replace your pan as often.  

For a serial crepe or pancake maker, you might opt for HexClad's 12-inch griddle ($145) since it will release those breakfast foods with ease and allow you to use metal spatulas freely without fear of damaging the coating.

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