Cuisinart Chef's Classic Saute Pans

by Cuisinart

• 5-1/2-quart stainless-steel sauté pan; mirror-finish exterior with matte interior
• Aluminum-encapsulated base for excellent conductivity and even heat distribution
• Stay-cool, stainless-steel riveted handle with helper handle to ease lifting
• Tight-fitting cover locks in moisture and nutrients for more flavorful foods
• Oven-safe up to 550 degrees F; broiler, freezer, and dishwasher-safe; lifetime warranty

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 21.4 x 12.7 x 4.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B00008CM6B
• Item model number: 733-30H
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (214 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,362 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining)
  • #1 in Kitchen & Dining > Cookware > Sauté Pans
  • #51 in Kitchen & Dining > Cookware > All Pans

Product Description

Size: 5-1/2-Quart

Endorsed by none other than the legendary French chef Paul Bocuse (the only restaurateur in the world to be awarded the prestigious Michelin 3 Stars for over 36 consecutive years), Cuisinart's Chef's Classic stainless cookware is high quality, yet affordable. Unlike many lines of cookware, it can go in the dishwasher for clean up, yet the aluminum core within the base provides even and efficient heating. This covered saute is useful for simmering, sauteing and skillet dinners. It's equipped with a helper handle to make life easier.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

331 of 333 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A great pan at a great price November 2, 2003

By Paul Cerra

Size Name:5-1/2-Quart

This Cuisinart Chef's Classic saute pan has quickly become my favorite pan. It's huge - a full 12" across - which makes it very versatile. The pan conducts heat extremely well and is oven safe to 500 degrees. The handle is very sturdy, reasonably comfortable, and stays cool (outside of the oven, of course). The lid fits tightly. Both the interior and the exterior are very shiny and attractive. All this and it's easy to clean. Yet this pan sells for just a fraction of the sexier brands like All-Clad or Calphalon.

The chief reason for the great price is due to the construction. This is known as a "disk bottom" pan because it has a highly conductive aluminum disk embedded in its base. The really expensive brands feature "cladding", where a layer of conductive metal (usually aluminum) is embedded throughout the entire pan. Although the cookware industry loves to say that disk-bottom pans are inferior, test after test proves this claim is untrue. After all, we don't cook on the sides of a pan; we only cook on the bottom. See Cook's Illustrated magazine, May/June 2003, for a great discussion of this.

There are a few reasons why this pan might not be right for you. This pan's size makes it fairly heavy, so if you have arthritis or weak hands, you might want to opt for a smaller pan. Similarly, this pan might not fit on those tiny stovetops or ranges that you sometimes see in "galley" kitchens in apartments. But if you want a large, durable, high-quality saute pan at a fraction of the cost of the big-name brands, this is the pan for you.

101 of 103 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful pan! July 29, 2003

By Tzy Kao

Size Name:3-1/2-Quart

I'm tired of those non-stick pans that eventually lose their coating and thought that I'll try stainless steel pan for almost everything but frying an egg. Boy did I pick the right pan to start with! This pan, besides being beautifully made, is the perfect size for almost everything I cook. It's very heavy, but the helper handle helps. It conducts heat very well, so I no longer use the high setting on my gas stove or the food would burn. Despite being made in China, the quality is excellent. I'm sure it will last decades. My only complaint is that sometimes I wish the stainless steel cover is made of glass so I can see through. But, I'll still give it 5 stars because I'm very very happy with the design and quality.

66 of 67 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars 5-Stars for the Pan...0-Stars for Amazon Packaging August 25, 2005

By Jolly Gourmand

Size Name:5-1/2-Quart

All my Chef's Classic cookware looks and cooks wonderfully well and is normally a breeze to clean up. This Monster pan is no exception. Weighing in at close to 10 lbs., it is the senior edition of the highly rated Cuisinart 3 1/2-Qt. Saute Pan. If you have a small range, the size of this (a full 12" accross) may crowd out some other burners, so beware.

I discovered thet the dome cover for the shallow Cuisinart 12" 'everything' pan also fits this pan and thus makes it a good candidate for a dutch oven.

Now for the bad news: Amazon did not see fit to ship this within a padded box. As a result, the pan arrived with a dent in the 'dripless' rim. I will likely not return it, but will give Amazon some 'direct' feedback.

(9/15 Update): Amazon made a very positive and 'generous' response to my complaint. Thank you Amazon! Also, both the 3 1/2 Qt. and 5 1/2 Qt. saute pans are on 'super' sale. Do yourselves a favor and buy both.

(9/23 Update): Because of the lower 'super' price (currently $27.99), I ordered two more as gifts. One shipped with the Cuisinart retail box packed in a nicely padded Amazon box and the other was shipped only in a Cuisinart retail box that had split open. Fortunately there were no dings or dents since this is a very sturdy, hefty item. I wonder if Amazon owns the warehouses its goods ship from? If it does, Amazon needs to try for consistency in its packing.

02/09/06: Here's an oddity: After several 'hefty' price hikes, Amazon is now hawking this 'monster' pan for $5 less than the 3 1/2 quart pan. Go figure!