What can one say about Le Creuset that has not already been said or written about. The pan is first class and cooks all foods very evenly. I only wish that I would have known about this earlier. This is well worth the investiment if you are a serious foody. Le Creuset pulls it off again and all I can say is Outstanding.
I didn't compare to All-Clad which I feel is too expensive for comparable performance, and not nearly comfortable enough. I didn't compare Cuisinart and Calphalon stainless because I feel they cut corners to compete on price, and don't compare on quality (poorly balanced, handles too short, etc). But those are personal preferences, your mileage may vary.
THE SCOOP:
Mauviel is 5 ply and Le Creuset is 3 ply.
Price is in the same range, though Mauviel m'Cook is a little more expensive, 15 to 20% more. But both are less than All-Clad, and more expensive than Cuisinart.
Both are clad on bottom and up the sides.
Mauviel is made in France. Le Creuset stainless is made at their own factory China (which means the work is not subbed out to a contractor in China, but rather that Le Creuset has a manufacturing plant in China where they manage the production).
THE RESULTS:
They both heat up at the same speed and are equally even. I saw no difference.
Le Creuset's pan was much, much easier to handle. Creuset's handle is more ergonomic. Helper handle on the other side makes things easy to manage. And overall, the Creuset was better balanced, I feel.
Quality-wise, Le Creuset wins. The execution and attention to detail is flawless. The Mauviel just feels a little less substantial and less carefully put together.
APPEARANCE:
Attractiveness is a personal thing, but I prefer Le Creuset. If you hang your pots and pans on the wall, though, then you might prefer Mauviel. Here are my thoughts:
Le Creuset looks sturdy, but does so elegantly, like a country kitchen style, while Mauviel is amore streamlined design, more refined shape, but not as attractive to my eye.
The Mauviel exterior is shiny stainless, while the inside is brushed stainless. Mauviel is logo is pressed into the base of the handle. The brushed interior just feels a little less classy and uninspiring sitting on the stove.
Le Creuset has two toned brushed/polished stainless exterior with a polished interior. Le Creuset logo is pressed into the base of the stainless handle and the top of the helper handle. I find the execution of the two tone exceptionally well done (way more attractive than Cuisinart's two tone french classic "high end line" for example) and the details, like the riveted handle are supremely well executed.
Le Creuset does have printing on the bottom side of the skillet, which detracts a little bit from the quality feel. Does not make you want to hang your skillet on the wall.
For hanging pans on a wall, Mauviel's shiny exterior, slimmer profile, and non-print bottom look better to me.
On the stove or table, though, I find Le Creuset is actually more modern and elegant looking, even though it's more sturdy. Its shiny interior and attractive shape are inspiring to me sitting on the stove awaiting my creations, but this is personal preference.
Le Creuset Stainless Fry Pan Summary:
PROS:
Quick, even heating. It's aluminium/stainless 3 ply clad.
It's heavy and thick, which means there's enough aluminum in there to actually distribute the heat across the entire pan. Performance demonstrates this.
Clad on bottom and up the sides.
Handle is excellent. Best out there, in my opinion (better than Calphalon, All Clad, Mauviel, Cuisinart).
Has a helper handle. Superbly handy.
Very attractive (see above report on attractiveness for details).
CONS:
Printing on the bottom (Le Creuset, plus some symbols indicating that the skillet can be used on gas, electric and induction). Doesn't affect performance at all and isn't noticeable unless you're looking at the bottom of your pan. So if you're hanging your pots on your wall, it's not as elegant as an all-smooth shiny stainless like Mauviel.
All in all, I'm quite in love with Creuset Stainless. It performs great, it's comfortable to manage and beautiful to cook in.
Buy Le Creuset 3-Ply Stainless Steel Fry Pan Now
Overall the pan is a great value.I use it mostly for frying foods.The only drawback is that the finish on the frying surface grew dull after the first use and no matter what I do it stays dull and marbled looking.Read Best Reviews of Le Creuset 3-Ply Stainless Steel Fry Pan Here
We have a larger All-Clad pan and the handle seems to have been designed by a sadist.This Le Creuset handle is very comfortable and the pan's polished surface cleans up nicely.The thick three ply aluminum core distributes heat evenly when placed over our gas burners.We haven't used the wide pouring lip but I can see where this would be convenient.The 9 1/2" size and weight are perfect for many uses.
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