Circulon Pans: Unlocking The Secret To Perfect Cooking

Are Circulon pans any good? Well, Circulon cookware has a functional design, but it’s not the most elegant-looking cookware. The Symmetry collection is induction-compatible despite having a hard-anodized aluminum construction. The inclusion of a bonded steel plate to the base allows this collection to maintain its induction versatility while utilizing the benefits of non-stick technology. However, the steep walls of the pans make them a bit less spatula-friendly and less convenient for sliding food off.

Heat retention - Circulon pans retain heat well

Circulon pans are only oven-safe up to 400°F, whereas most brands without silicone-wrapped handles can tolerate up to 500°F. The Symmetry collection is induction-compatible despite having a hard-anodized aluminum construction. The inclusion of a bonded steel plate to the base allows this collection to maintain its induction versatility while utilizing the benefits of non-stick technology. Circulon pans feature steep walls, which are great for containing ingredients and making thick, fluffy omelets. However, the steepness makes the cookware a bit less spatula-friendly and less convenient for sliding food off.

The test was simple. Pour two cups of cold water into a Circulon pan and place it on the stove. Then, turn the heat to high and start a stopwatch. The goal was to observe how evenly the bubbles were spread across the cooking surface and how long it took to boil the water. When the bubbles started to form, they were uniformly dispersed across the pan — no hot or cold spots. The first bubbles formed after 2 minutes and 7 seconds, and the water came to a complete boil at 2 minutes and 55 seconds. To get a benchmark, I performed the same test with five other pans, including Anolon, Made In, All-Clad, Calphalon, and Misen.

After five minutes, the water in the Circulon pan was the warmest, indicating excellent heat retention. After ten minutes, the water in the Circulon pan cooled off and had a similar temperature to the All-Clad, Calphalon, and Misen pans. Despite the slow heat time compared to the competition, the Circulon pan distributed heat evenly and retained heat well.

The Circulon cookware features comfortable, soft silicone-wrapped handles that stay cool throughout the cooking process. The drawback of this is that silicone reduces the cookware’s heat tolerance.

Non-stick coating - Circulon pans use a non-stick coating

The Circulon TOTAL® Nonstick System is a unique design feature of Circulon pans. It consists of raised, circular rings that prevent abrasion from utensils and make the cookware more durable. The brand uses three layers of premium non-stick coating that the company claims “lasts 15x longer than the competition.”

The non-stick coating is also on the outside of Circulon’s cookware, making the cleaning process easier by preventing food from clinging to the exterior.

The Symmetry collection is induction-compatible despite having a hard-anodized aluminum construction. The inclusion of a bonded steel plate to the base allows this collection to maintain its induction versatility while utilizing the benefits of non-stick technology.

The Symmetry collection is only oven-safe up to 400°F, whereas most brands without silicone-wrapped handles can tolerate up to 500°F.

The Symmetry collection features steep walls, which are great for containing ingredients and making thick, fluffy omelets. However, the steepness makes the cookware a bit less spatula-friendly and less convenient for sliding food off.

Durability - Circulon pans are durable

Circulon pans are durable and long-lasting. The brand uses three layers of premium non-stick coating that the company claims “lasts 15x longer than the competition.” The raised, circular rings inside the pans, branded as the “Circulon TOTAL® Nonstick System”, prevent abrasion from utensils and make the cookware more durable.

The Symmetry collection is induction-compatible despite having a hard-anodized aluminum construction. The inclusion of a bonded steel plate to the base allows this collection to maintain its induction versatility while utilizing the benefits of non-stick technology.

The soft silicone-wrapped handles stay cool throughout the cooking process, but the drawback of this is that silicone reduces the cookware’s heat tolerance.

The steep walls of Circulon pans are great for containing ingredients and making thick, fluffy omelets. However, the steepness makes the cookware a bit less spatula-friendly and less convenient for sliding food off.

Overall, Circulon cookware has a functional design, but it’s not the most elegant-looking cookware.

Oven-safe - Circulon pans are oven-safe up to 400°F

Circulon pans are only oven-safe up to 400°F, whereas most brands without silicone-wrapped handles can tolerate up to 500°F. The Symmetry collection is induction-compatible despite having a hard-anodized aluminum construction. The inclusion of a bonded steel plate to the base allows this collection to maintain its induction versatility while utilizing the benefits of non-stick technology. Circulon pans feature steep walls, which are great for containing ingredients and making thick, fluffy omelets. However, the steepness makes the cookware a bit less spatula-friendly and less convenient for sliding food off. Overall, Circulon cookware has a functional design, but it’s not the most elegant-looking cookware.

The raised, circular rings inside the pans, branded as the “Circulon TOTAL® Nonstick System”, prevent abrasion from utensils and make the cookware more durable. Adding to this, the brand uses three layers of premium non-stick coating that the company claims “lasts 15x longer than the competition.” This non-stick coating is also on the outside of Circulon’s cookware, making the cleaning process easier by preventing food from clinging to the exterior.

The test was simple. I poured two cups of cold water into a Circulon pan and placed it on the stove. Then, I turned the heat to high and started a stopwatch. The goal was to observe how evenly the bubbles were spread across the cooking surface and how long it took to boil the water. When the bubbles started to form, they were uniformly dispersed across the pan — no hot or cold spots. The first bubbles formed after 2 minutes and 7 seconds, and the water came to a complete boil at 2 minutes and 55 seconds. To get a benchmark, I performed the same test with five other pans, including Anolon, Made In, All-Clad, Calphalon, and Misen.

The Circulon pan distributed heat evenly and retained heat well. While Circulon has plenty of fans and is a well-reviewed brand, its cookware is not without its flaws. Food sticking: As I covered earlier, food tends to stick despite these pans falling into the non-stick category.

The drawback of the comfortable, soft silicone-wrapped handles is that silicone reduces the cookware’s heat tolerance.

Food sticking - Food tends to stick to Circulon pans

Food sticking is a common issue with Circulon pans. Despite being non-stick, food can still stick to the pans. The steep walls of the pans make them less spatula-friendly and less convenient for sliding food off.

To avoid food sticking to Circulon pans, allow foods to come to room temperature (10-15 minutes) before adding them to the pan. Placing chilled food in a heated pan causes sticking. Preheat the pan on low to medium temperature setting. Do not preheat on high temperatures in order to heat the pan faster. Add oil or butter to the pan. A small amount of oil, butter or margarine is all you need for easy food release. Do not use aerosol cooking sprays directly on your nonstick coating. Cooking spray burns at lower temperatures and can burn into the non-stick coating causing build up of the spray. This will cause sticking and damage to the non-stick coating. Pans should be cleaned with warm soapy water after every use so food residue is not allowed to build up, which will, after time, cause sticking and damage to the non-stick coating.

The Symmetry collection is induction-compatible despite having a hard-anodized aluminum construction. The inclusion of a bonded steel plate to the base allows this collection to maintain its induction versatility while utilizing the benefits of non-stick technology.

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