The “Gorgeous” Skillet I’ll Be Using for the Rest of My Life Is Half the Price of an All-Clad
I’ve tried Quince clothes and bedding, so I know that the brand really does deliver on its claim that the prices may be low, but the quality is not. Far from it, in fact. Similar products that cost significantly more are on par with Quince’s budget-friendly ones. That’s why, when I heard that the brand was venturing into stainless steel cookware, I had pretty high hopes. Quince did as well, apparently; the retailer compares it to professional-grade, gold-standard options like All-Clad and Made In on its website.
Looking at the side-by-side comparisons, it’s hard not to be convinced. Speaking for myself, I’ve been holding off on buying pricier cookware because I’ve only just graduated college. It just seems like something that I should wait to buy until I’ve settled a bit more, so Quince’s less-expensive five-ply stainless steel set seemed like the perfect stepping stone. I’ve been using Quince’s set every day since I got it — the nonstick fry pan most of all. Actually, it’s so good that I don’t think I’ll need to upgrade for years (if ever).
5-Ply Stainless Steel 10" Nonstick Frying Pan
What Is Quince’s Five-Ply Stainless Steel 10-Inch Nonstick Fry Pan?
As the only piece in Quince’s cookware collection with nonstick coating, this 10-inch fry pan is likely the one you’ll use the most, due to its easy cleanup. However, like the other items, it comes from a family-owned Italian factory that’s been developing cookware since 1925. It also offers five-ply construction, which means that five layers of stainless steel and aluminum are stacked together. So even though it has a premium nonstick finish, it’s just as efficient at distributing heat. (The long handle is heat-resistant, though.) Plus, the layers make it extremely durable, so it should hold up if you take care of it the right way. The exterior’s finish is satin, so it looks extremely luxe on your stovetop — and speaking of that, it’s also compatible with any stove type.
Why I Love Quince’s Nonstick Fry Pan
I could tell right out of the gate that this pan was leaps and bounds better than my old one. As excellent as I’ve found Quince’s other straight-up stainless steel pieces to be, I’m drawn to the nonstick one the most — I’m a fan of anything that takes less time to clean. I don’t want to spend forever scrubbing food off of the bottom of a pan (which I have ended up doing many times before). Of course, performance is important, too, and this piece has cooked everything I’ve thrown in it evenly and quickly, whether it was ground beef, frozen veggies, grilled cheese, or eggs.
As I’m sure you know, making eggs is the ultimate test of whether its nonstick coating really works, and this pan handled it beautifully. In addition to cooking shockingly fast, my fried and scrambled eggs slid out of the pan with hardly any residue left over. The little that did stick came off in seconds with a little dish soap and my sponge, and thanks to the comfortable handle and surprisingly manageable weight, it’s easy to hold over the sink. But painless maintenance aside, it’s also worth mentioning that the flared sides and flat base allow for effortless flipping and stirring, and it was deep enough to place my bamboo steamer inside of it over a couple inches of simmering water. (My frozen dumplings came out perfect!)
If you’re on the fence about buying a pricier version like All-Clad’s, you really can’t go wrong with Quince’s (which is less than half the price). Currently sitting at 4.6 stars, other shoppers appear to agree. “Got a really nice sear on our steaks the first time we used it!” one said. “Looking forward to buying the rest of the pans so we can have a complete collection!”
Buy: Quince 5-Ply Stainless Steel Saucepan, $89.90
