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.
Buy Swiss Diamond Fry Pans Now
(Be sure to see update at the end, but first, my original--regrettable--glowing review)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.
UPDATE 3/18/2013 Sadly, pans are in the landfill now. We didn't even want to donate them, we thought they were so unhealthy! After only a year, they started flaking and wearing on the edges. I advise against these pans, not just because they weren't durable, but I have come to believe they are made with PTFEs--the toxic stuff in Teflon. I now have ceramic coated pans (German Weilburger Healthy Legend) and so far, so good, but I'll wait awhile before reviewing!
Read Best Reviews of Swiss Diamond Fry Pans Here
I purchased this pan while returning another one to the Swiss Diamond warranty department. It was no longer "non-stick" and there was white discoloration all over it. When I called the warranty department, they seemed very receptive and told me to send it in. I followed their directions and sent it off for inspection.Because the Swiss Diamond seemed so responsive, I thought that I would have no problem having it replaced. I went ahead and purchased a new one because I needed a pan right away and did not want to wait for the time it would take to replace. I thought I would give the replaced pan to my daughter.
About a week after I sent the pan off for inspection to the Swiss Diamond warranty, it was returned unopened. UPS had a stamp on it stating: "refused delivery, receiver did not want". I was confused and looked at the package and reviewed the sending instructions that were emailed directly to me from Swiss Diamond. I had followed the mailing directions exactly as specified so I called. I then called and left a message to my contact person. When I did not hear from her the next day, I emailed her. The next day the email was returned undeliverable.
When I finally got a hold of someone at the number I had, I was told that they were no longer honoring Swiss Diamond warranties and I would have to contact the Swiss Diamond Company in Switzerland. I went to their website and emailed them because there is no international 800 number and I did not want to invest any more money in this fiasco. It has been 2 months now and I have emailed them 2 times and still no response.
I have given up as this is more trouble that it is worth. The reason I purchased this product in the first place is because I thought it had a warranty, at least one that the company would honor. I don't mind paying extra for a product that a manufacturer stands behind. I rarely return things but when I have for valid reasons I have never had a problem with having the item replaced.
This product is not worth the cost they charge. I could probably go to Target or WalMart and purchase something just as good for a quarter of the price and still get better customer service.
This is just another Teflon pan. They cannot legally use the word "Teflon" because that is a registered trademark name from Dupont ( I think). It is still the same stuff.
Want Swiss Diamond Fry Pans Discount?
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?
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