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(More customer reviews)I had been looking for a larger saucier because I needed a 4 qt pan and I like to cook with a whisk. I was going to purchase the Calphalon Tri-Ply 3 qt Chef's pan until I tried it out at BB&B, and discovered that the handle was too short and at an uncomfortable angle for me.
While I was there I looked at the Emerilware, and really liked the handles. I found this pan here on Amazon - one of only two 4 qt Chef's pans that I was able to find (the other one was a Calphalon Contemporary that was $159.99 - WAY too expensive for me) and based on the good reviews, decided to buy it.
I used it tonight to cook brown rice, and there are some things that I really like about it. While I was skeptical about the disk on the bottom being so much smaller than the diameter of the pot, I found that I could use the small burner on my electric coil stove on high to bring the water to a boil, and then turn the heat down to low for the rice to cook. It cooked evenly and the rice was done much sooner than it is in my older pans. But then, it could also be because I could see through the glass lid (I like glass lids) and was able to tell when it was done, without depending solely on the timer.
Also, I have rheumatoid arthritis and not a lot of strength in my hands, so I really liked the helper handle. Though the handle on the pan lid got hot, the handles on the pan itself remained cool.
So then, why the three stars? After the rice was cooked, I took the lid off the pan and used a metal cooking fork to fluff it up. I always do this, and it was NOT done in an abusive manner. After I washed the pan, I noticed two pits amongst some scratches on the bottom. I could also feel a spot that had what felt like a "burr" on it. Now, I understand that scratches happen on stainless cookware, and I really don't have a problem with that.
However, the pits, IMO, should never have happened. I took the fork and one of my older pans (an Amway Queen multi-ply 18/8 stainless saucepan), and whacked the bottom of it quite vigorously with the pointy end of the fork tines, several times. It left no marks at all.
When I tried the "fork treatment" on the bottom of the Emerilware (ONLY once, and nowhere near as hard as I did it on my old pan - I wanted to see if the fork was the culprit), I ended up with a nice row of three tine marks! It just makes me sick...I know it's not the *best* quality cookware, and I didn't expect top-of-the-line All-Clad quality at this price point, but this is stainless steel and you should be able to use metal utensils in it without causing this kind of damage to the surface. At this rate, it will look like it's been through WW III before the month is out.
I'm going to call the company tomorrow and see what they have to say about it, but if they're not helpful, I'm packing it up and sending it back to Amazon.
Too bad. Like I said, I really wanted to love this pan...
ETA :
Well, after reading some other reviews of Emerilware Stainless, talking to my husband, and sleeping on it, I've decided to keep it. While this line used to be decent, it seems that in the last year the company has "cheapened it up" (because, you know, we need more cheap Chinese crap), and when I checked the Amazon return policy, I would have to forfeit half my money. Hubby's laid off, and I'm not willing to do that. Plus, I haven't found any affordable alternatives.
There are still plenty of things I like about the pan, so I'll just think of it and treat it like an inexpensive non-stick pan - no metal utensils, and if it gets too bad, I'll replace it.
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Emerilware Stainless Steel 4 Quart Chef's PanThis 4 Quart Chef's Pan with Lid bears the signature of celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse, and was designed to meet demands in the kitchen. Start preparing great food by using great cookware -- like the kind used by one of the world's most famous chefs!
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