de Buyer Steel Frying Pan, Made of Heavy Quality Steel

Specs for 24 cm/9.5 in. pan:

* 9 3/8" outer diameter

* 9 1/4" inner diameter

* 6 3/4" flat bottom cooking diameter

* 1 1/2" depth

* 3/32" (~2.38 mm) thickness of steel

* 3.0 lbs. weight

The back of the minimal packaging states:

"IRON FRYING PAN * without coating * PFOA and PTFE free guaranteed * No chemicals added Environment safe protection * Ecological, recyclable, adn good for the environment * HEALTH: Iron molecules from the pan contribute to good health * Allows for high heat which seals quickly keeping vitamins and nutrients in food * COOKING QUALITIES: High temperature = perfect for SEALING, BROWNING and GRILLING * SEASONING: the more the pan is used, the better the performance * The darker it becomes the better it is for natural nonstick properties * "

The first thing I noticed was the handle had some sort of speckled coating/paint on it. The only de Buyer pan I've seen in person had a handle that was bare steel, just like the pan itself. Time will tell if the finish holds up well.

The small pamphlet did not include the "boil potato peelings" seasoning tip. The included instructions said to add 1 mm of oil and heat until smoke appears. My sister-in-law, who recommended de Buyer, had success with the potato peel method, so that is what I chose to do.

I've only used the pan a few times. It has worked almost as well as a teflon fry pan, with only a little sticking. Cleaning was very easy with hot water and a stiff brush; easier than modern (rough) cast iron. Perfect size for an omelette.

This is my first product review, so I'm witholding a 5 star rating only to see how this pan will hold up over time. I'm not sure there's really anything that could be done to improve a fry pan. I would only note that 3 lbs. may be heavy for some folks. I personally like it because it's very stable on the stove.

I can't add photos to this review, so I'll try to add it to the product description.