OK... adding some info and a bit of an edit...and final outcome
Putting this the 1 Star category as it seems this is where most folks with sticking or burning food end up. One of the main problems with this pan is many of them are defective out of the box. The cooking surface appears to be not flat...it is raised in the middle.
This causes a hot spot in the middle and any cooking oils or fluids run to the edges and leave the center dry.
Upon close examination, it is probably due more to the manufacturing of the pan. The cooking surface may well be flat, but when the sides are formed to that near, 90 degree angle, the process leaves a "bump" around the outer diameter of the pan. This creates a pan that is deeper around the edges than the middle, which then allows all the cooking fluids to run from he center to the edges.
I checked other of our All Clad pans and have seen the same thing on smaller pans as well. The issue is not as pronounced as this saute pan, but none the less, there seems to be a manufacturing issue where All Clad bends / rolls the sides of the pan up.
It should be noted, our older 12 " non stick All Clad saute pan does NOT have this issue. Dead flat across the bottom and dead flat cooking surface
AllClad is well aware of this problem yet continues to produce pans with the same issue (they just sent me one as a replacement...not flat). Chowhound.com has many users with same issue.
If you buy this pan, first thing out of the box, turn it over and lay a straight edge across the bottom of the pan. If you see a small amount of light, it should be ok. If you see a significant amount of light (like 1/16" or more) between the edge and the pan, usually in the center, return the pan. The defect is not subtle, it is quite obvious.
As for AllClad customer service...well, at this point I cannot say they are any different than your average consumer retailer...once the sale is made they want their customers to just shut up and go away. Hopefully, as our issue plays out, this will improve....
Update: well, no...not surprising but they claim they have no way of inspecting replacement pans before they go out, so although they sent anther defective pan, they want me to send it back...on my time and at my expense....before they will send out another one..which, again, they have no way of checking proper to shipping.
Request to speak with a supervisor / manager resulted in the predictable "none are available, they're all in a meeting". Of course this is nonsense, but predictable. When asked when I will get a call back, also the predictable reply "24-48 hours".
Sound familiar ?
And so, from Aug 5 at 10: 00 AM to today, Aug 7 at 11:30 AM, does anyone think I received a call back ?
This doesn't sound like it will be resolved.
Bottom line, so far, the AllClad stuff is pretty good but they seem to have taken some manufacturing steps that compromised their quality and don't seem to interested in fixing it.
We shall see
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And....so, they never called me, so I called them this afternoon (AUG 7)
Was advised, immediately, the raised center is intentional and is made that way so "they don't warp when cold"
Say what ? Umm yea...that's what I said. When told I hadn't received the promised call back, I got the usual scripted reply but all of a sudden a "supervisor" became available
Lots of conversation, but bottom line(s)
1. Yes they have changed manufacturing process
2. Yes, the raised center is "supposed" to be there
3. Yes, cooking fluids will run to the edges of the pan..their solution: add more oil
4. Yes there are manufacturing tolerances so some will have less of a raised portion than others
5. No they can't check their inventory for pans with lower end of manufacturing tolerance
6. No they won't issue a credit against purchase of another AllClad product
7. No they won't replace the pan with a different pan
8. Yes you can send it in for warranty but if we decide it is within our "tolerances" we will return it. If we decide it is out of tolerance we will exchange it for another of the same pan (with the same problem). No exchanges.
Basically, "you bought the pan, it's your problem"
Ended the conversation without a solution. Threw out a number of ideas...all were rejected.
Finally asked them are they willing to loose a customer over this pan (that they KNOW has issues) ?
Are they willing to accept whatever blow back they get from consumers that read this ?
And finally, if they wanted to be a consumer direct retailer (which they are) why don't they act like one ?
*crickets*
So basically, they changed manufacturing process and created this issue (and believe me, with speed they addressed this and the obviously scripted replies, they likely deal with this ALL the time)
They can't fix it, it's your problem
Stop calling....go away
Ok...no problem, adios
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