If there is one thing I’m coming to understand in life it’s that less really is more—especially in the kitchen. For a greater part of my twenties, I invested in countless one-trick kitchen gadgets and tools, like avocado slicers, giant wok pans, and pasta makers, all in the hopes of becoming an amazing home chef. But instead of honing an impressive set of culinary skills, I simply became overwhelmed with countless one-off kitchen gadgets and gizmos that sat collecting dust in my collection.
That’s when I decided to do a major purge a few years ago to rid my kitchen of these hardly used tools and instead focus on curating a collection of everyday items I use on a regular basis, like my multi-purpose Shun chef’s knife and my well-used GIR spatulas. Every so often though, I’ll choose to thoughtfully incorporate some additional pieces into my kitchen, such as this Hurom slow juicer that I still use every morning, and most recently this Stainless Clad Frying Pan from up-and-coming cookware company Made In.
I had heard a lot of buzz about Made In Cookware early last year when I was looking around at different pan sets to purchase for a close family member. And though I didn’t pull the trigger on buying a full set, I kept hearing more and more about Made In’s incredible selection, including their well-reviewed, American-made Stainless Clad Frying Pan.
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Because I tend to overcrowd my pans with excessive ingredients, I went with Made In’s 12” Stainless Clad Frying Pan—the largest the brand offers—and tested it out making an assortment of staple foods, including scrambled eggs, vegetable stir-fry, pan-fried fish, chicken thighs, and cheesy quesadillas. All very quintessential frying-pan fare!
These suggestions weren’t just coming from other studied home cooks I knew either, but also from professional, award-winning chefs who suggested the brand for anyone who wants high-end, restaurant-quality cookware at an affordable price. Even when you visit the Made In website, you’ll quickly notice that celebrity chefs like Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio and James Beard award-winner Nancy Silverton actually use these very same pots and pans in their restaurant kitchens.
What I noticed very quickly about the 5-layer metal pan is just how easily and efficiently it heats up. Not only does it retain its high heat, but it also evenly distributes that heat around the whole pan throughout the cooking process. My other frying pans, including my sturdy cast-iron frying pan, would take several minutes to reach the right heat and struggled to maintain a solid, consistent temp, the Made In Stainless Clad Frying Pan reaches high heat within a minute or two and holds that very temperature until I turn off the stove. The pan’s handle also doesn’t heat up with the rest of the pan while you’re cooking, so you won’t have to worry about burning your hand.
If you’re wondering just how much heat the pan can handle, it’s actually quite a lot; 800 degrees Fahrenheit to be approximate, so if you want to throw this steel pan into the oven and roast something, go right ahead. From an aesthetic perspective, the Made In frying pan looks and feels super expensive, even though it’s less than $100. And if their frying pan is any indication of what to expect from the Made In brand, there’s no telling what the rest of their line-up has in store for the everyday home cook.
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