Review of T-Fal Elegance Stainless Steel 3-Quart Covered Saucepan

Basics:
This pot is made of 18/10 stainless steel.There is an aluminum disk in the bottom to promote even heating.I have used it on a Sunpentown induction plate, and it works fine.I have also used it on a gas stove.It has an inner depth of 4" and inner diameter of just over 7.5".

What I like:
1. The stainless steel looks nice and makes me think that I am reducing my family's consumption of PFOA.I don't cook with cheese or other sticky substances, and the stainless steel will survive any type of cooking utensil.(I usually use bamboo chopsticks.)

2. Three quarts/liters is really a convenient size for small-family cooking.

3. The aluminum mass in the base seems to maintain heat better than my T-Fal anodized aluminum or brass cookware.By this I mean, when I cook dry pasta, this pot seems to return to a boil just a bit faster than the thick-walled aluminum pots.

4. It's easy to see through the glass lid.There is no moving open/close valve that I need to clean.

What I don't like:
1. Since the lid is flat, instead of domed, you need to hold it at an angle for a few seconds so that the condensation can drip back into the pot instead of onto the stove or elsewhere in the kitchen.

2. The pot lid handle can get hot.After bringing 2.5 quarts of cold water to a rolling boil, the handle (and lid) is so hot that it's uncomfortable for me to hold it for more than a couple of seconds (waiting for the condensation to drip off).(Update (September 2008): This depends on the type of stove you use and was based on the stove in one apartment.My induction cooker and the stove where I live now are both faster.)

3. After boiling water for an additional ten minutes (the time to cook dry pasta), the air-cooled pot handle becomes so warm that I cannot grip it with my bare hands.So, I'd prefer a phenolic handle.I don't use stovetop cookware in my oven, because the handles are too long to fit.

Summary:
I have used this pot three to five times each week for about four weeks.It's pretty much my favorite saucepan now.(I didn't have the money for All-Clad.)Other pots I have owned include: T-Fal 2.5-qt nonstick brass saucepan, T-Fal 4-qt nonstick anodized aluminum saucepan, T-Fal nonstick anodized aluminum skillet, Martha Stewart nonstick anodized aluminum wok, Anolon nonstick anodized aluminum chef's pan.

Product Description
Elegance 3 Quart Saucepan by T-Fal is crafted with 18/10 stainless steel with an encapsulated aluminum core that evenly distributes heat, eliminates hot spots and prevents warping. Equipped with interior measuring marks etched into the wall of the saucepa

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