Customer Reviews

Swiss Diamond Nonstick 8" Cast-Aluminum Fry Pan

5 star:		(75)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

The problem with many reviews is that they are written in the honeymoon period after the purchase. I bought many pots and pans by this manufacturer. I bought this 10 inch frying pan almost a year ago and I have used it almost every day. It still works, but here's the problem - this type of surface is funny, at first it's like all teflon pans, totally slippery and it is very, very scratch resistant, but after a while no matter how well you clean it, it will develop a hard layer of oil/carbon and will become not much different than a poor to middle of the road seasoned cast iron pan. If you don't believe me, buy it and run it through about 100 cycles and you'll see what I mean. As far as the many other Swiss Diamond pots, casseroles, etc. I have purcased; I give them my highest mark, but keep in mind that any of these that gets used a lot and has oil on it will develop this layer of carbon which is impossible to remove. To their credit, the manufacturer actually warns you of this with the instuctions, and that you must not let the oil get burned on. My experience after 200 thermal cycles is that keeping that from happening is impossible. Maybe I wasn't religious enough in my cleaning at first, but once the process starts it will slowly cover the whole bottom of the pan no matter what you do. I use as much oil and butter in this pan now as I would on stainless or cast iron. Good luck

I LOVED this pan when I first got it, and for a while. I've had it for over a year now. It cooked evenly and was wonderfully non-stick. In fact, it cooked as nicely as a well-seasoned cast iron. I tried to care for it as directed, but even so, the pan has lost most of it's non-stick qualities and is difficult to clean well.

To make a long story short, I prefer my old cast iron, and while they require some care, they hold their quality. This pan has become unmanageable as far as its non-stick coating is concerned. There doesn't seem to be any way to "restore" it as you would a cast iron pan.

I REALLY WANTED TO LOVE THIS PAN, but after one year, I am very disappointed. Started out well, but quickly went the way of cheap non-stick pans.

I have an entire set of Swiss Diamond in addition to this pan. I bought Swiss Diamond because, due to weak wrists, I needed sturdy cookware that was not as heavy as stainless steel. Because aluminum is the primary, affordable, lighter-weight alternative, and one does not want food coming in contact with aluminum because of the possible leaching of it into the food, I sought non-stick pans with a coating that would not flake or scratch off and end up in my food. After much research, I discovered Swiss Diamond. I have not been disappointed. The pans are a great weight--hefty without being too heavy, and after several months of use, the coating is holding up beautifully. I confess that I do not primarily use metal utensils in it, however, so I can't testify about how they hold up against metal.

These pans caramelize food beautifully, and the evenness of the heat distribution in them is a pure joy. They do take a few extra seconds to heat up, but hold heat very well. I really love how flat the pan's bottom is, and imagine if you have a flush electric cooktop, these would be especially appreciated. Though I have a gas range, I had trouble in the past with pots and pans slipping and sliding on the enameled grates, but these pans do not slide. And I was delighted to discover, after realizing I had accidentally left this pan on low heat for an hour with no food in it, it did not warp at all and is still in perfect condition. This cookware cleans up easily and perfectly, too. I love that they are coated on the outside walls of the pans so any dried or cooked on food comes off the outside as easily as the inside.

One thing to note is that if you are looking for a pan to cook eggs in without oil, this may not be your best choice. The texture of the diamond coating seems to grab more than a slick Teflon pan would, and the first time I tried to flip my fried eggs without a spatula, I had less than stellar results. But with sufficient oil, I can flip the eggs without a spatula or a problem (I need to make my daily quota of coconut oil anyway for health reasons, so I'm fine with putting oil in the pan). If you use a spatula, you should easily be able to flip eggs without oil.

I do hope these pans turn out to be durable over the years. So far, after a few months, they are aces! In fact, my husband may be growing weary of my exclaiming, "I LOVE this cookware!" over and over again.

I've had this pan for about 8 months and loved it at first. Once i adjusted to using lower heat, it worked fantastically as a non-stick pan. Over time, though, it has become progressively less and less non-stick. I take meticulous care of all my pots, including this fry pan. I wash them thoroughly after each use and use only silicon and wooden utensils with my non-stick pans, including this one. That's why I've come to the conclusion that Swiss Diamond non-stick just isn't that good, especially for the price point. At the current rate, it will be useless as a non-stick by the time I've had it for a year.

This heats perfectly evenly, cooks wonderfully, looks great, and I believe you could burn glue in this pan and it would wash out with cold water and a couple of swishes with a brush.

The non-stick, which is not Teflon, covers the inside AND outside of the pan, except for the very bottom that sits on the heating element, so you don't have drips burning onto the side that won't come off. And absolutely nothing sticks to this stuff--I cook almost everything without oil or fats of any kind, and I have used one of these pans hundreds of times to brown onions, sear meat, melt (and burn) cheese, and even "fry" eggs with no oil. Nothing sticks, and everything rinses right off.

The lids are tempered glass, with a valve under the center handle that lets you let off the steam or keep the pot sealed. The handles are very comfortable. I think the pans and the lids look terrific, even if they aren't highly polished stainless or chrome (and how long does that high polish last?).

Two caveats, both of which are in the instructions: keep the heat below High (on an electric, the element should NEVER glow red), and make sure there are no traces of food on the pan before you use it again. Little smears that you don't quite see when you've just washed the pan, but you can see when it's completely dry, can cook onto surface and reduce the effectiveness of the non-stick, and can cause discoloration. And you don't need to cook over blazing burners like they do on the TV shows--I get great results at moderate heat. Besides, I don't have a crew to clean my crusty pans when I'm finished cooking like the TV chefs do.

I recently bought a Swiss Diamond Saute Pan on the basis of a limited lifetime warranty and this claim in the product description:

"Swiss Diamond cookware features a revolutionary new non-stick incorporating diamond crystals ... to form a virtually indestructible non-stick cooking surface that will not crack, blister or peel. So durable its metal utensil safe."

After my experience using this pan I take issue with the terms "virtually indestructible" and "metal utensil safe" and feel that I have been deceived.

I've followed Swiss Diamond use and care instructions *to the letter* but not long after I started using the pan the surface became pockmarked. I would submit that the product is certainly neither "virtually indestructible" nor "metal utensil safe."

Interestingly their lifetime warranty does not cover "scratch marks," which is puzzling because they've just claimed it's "virtually indestructible" and "metal utensil safe." How is a "virtually indestructible" and "metal utensil safe" surface going to get scratch marks on it? Maybe they know something we don't?

None of the other nonsticks can hold a candle to this stuff! I bought this and the 8" fry pan 2 months ago and, except for the bottoms, still looks brand new despite being used nearly every day. I even used a bacon press (cast iron) in it every time I cooked bacon and a couple of times I accidently scraped the inside side of the pan with no marks left. Hubby stacked knives and forks inside, then topped it off with 6 dinner plates. I thought it was done for--scratches and nicks everywhere, but no, not a single mark. My Calphalon Commercial nonstick (which hit the trash already) looked like it had been through a war when my 18 yr. old did that. I must admit, though, that I do not use metal utensils in it, nor do I put in a dishwasher since I won't have one til the kitchen is remodeled. Overall, though, just from what abuse it has gotten, I'm very impressed and will buy more. My advice? Don't mess with the rest--buy the best and this is it. Going to try the wok next. Wish they sold an electric griddle with this stuff in it.

I found & purchased this pan at the beginning of September when there was only one review for all of the pieces. I wanted to use as a test pan before ordering more. Let me tell you this is definitely on my Christmas list! I am thoroughly impressed.

I have used this pan nearly daily & sometimes twice daily since receiving it and it has performed flawlessly. Within the month my husband stacked knives, forks & spoons inside it & then topped it off with 6 dinner plates. I nearly had a heart attack! My son had done that to a Calphalon Commercial Nonstick fry pan & I had to throw it in the trash. I quickly unloaded it, all the while chastising my husband for doing that to a nonstick. I inspected it closely, but couldn't find one nick or scratch! I was absolutely amazed!

I cooked bacon one day & decided to use my rectangular iron bacon press in it. I accidently scraped the sides a couple different times with no damage whatsoever.

Another day I accidently left the empty pan on the burner at medium-low heat for well over 20 minutes. The burner itself started to smoke, but not the pan! No warping or darkening of the finish. I was sure then I had done it in, but again I was wrong.

I must admit that I don't use metal utensils in it, although it states that you can. I always use silicone (mostly) or nylon. I also don't put it into the dishwasher as I won't have one till the kitchen gets remodeled, so have not tested it in these two aspects.

I must warn others that this pan takes a few minutes to heat up fully. I heat it up on medium-high heat every time and then reduce the temperature to medium to medium-low. I flash-cooked bacon the first time I used it due to failing to reduce the temperature.

Now, if they just made bakeware & small appliances with this stuff on it...

I agree with all the good stuff that others have said about Swiss Diamond, I won't repeat it. I'd like to mention however, that the diamond coating is also on the outer surface, and the edge of the pan. Thus, if you have a drip or a spill, the outside is as easy to clean as the inside.

I've tried every non-stick thing that's come on the market for the past quarter century. My wife has managed to destroy every one of them, in short order. She has a habit of jabbing things in the pan with knives, forks, or any thing else you're not supposed to use. After 6 months, the Swiss Diamond has proven itself to be wife-proof! It looks as new as the day I got it.

I love this product. I bought 3 pieces about a month ago and it easily lives up to all its claims. It looks good, cleans very easily, both inside and out. The heat dispersion/distribution is incredible. Crack an egg onto the pan and you can see how perfectly uniform it cooks immediately. Ideal for omellettes. The handles really do stay cool.

The bottom is perfectly flat and works well both with gas and ceramic electric.

Meat browns well. Seems to do fine in the dishwasher, although the manufacturer recommends against it. In my house, pans either survive the dishwasher or die. But frankly, it cleans so easily that the dishwasher isn't necessary.

I've owned cast iron, Calphalon, Calphalon non-stick, Le Crueset non-stick, Scan Pan, and a couple of others over the years and nothing compares to this product. No scratches or flakes.

Haven't tried it in the oven yet, but can't imagine why it wouldn't work perfectly. My only doubt is how long it will last. (all the other above mentioned cookware worked fine at first too)

I scratched up too many non-sticks over the years. This doesn't really have a coating so that shouldn't be a problem.

So far, it's been worth every penney and I will probably buy more.