()I don't know why, but I was fascinated by the idea of the Circulon Frittata Pan and simply had to have it.It's not like a frittata pan is a kitchen essential.I've lived my whole life without experiencing the joys of a specialized pan for eggs.But as an American consumer, I love unnecessary gadgets as much as the next person.I don't mean to downgrade this Circulon pan because, in at least one major way, it exceeded my expectations.As the two halves of the pan are detachable, they can be used independently as 9" skillets.So even if you aren't whipping up the perfect omelet, you can still get daily use from this set.In truth, I'll probably use the two parts separately more often than I use them as they were intended.
Pros:
Detachable pans (as previously mentioned)
Sturdy Construction
Quality Non-Stick Surface
Oven safe to 400 degrees
Cons:
User error still applies.Okay, this might not be the pan's fault.In truth, though, I'd have hoped to make the flipping motion more seamless.You can still make quite a mess if you're not at the top of your cooking game.As I've practiced with various dishes, I've definitely seen an improvement in my performance.Just realize that you can still make a mess (and not a lovely showcase of an egg dish) if you aren't a skilled flipper technician.
Still, though, if you've got to have a frittata pan--this seems to fulfill all the major requirements.So as a practical device that does exactly what it should, it's a solid recommendation.KGHarris, 1/13.
()I've always liked egg dishes, so I was pleased to be able to order this interesting stove top concept. I find it to be a bit difficult to use, easy to clean, but with some quality issues.
Design:
A frittata is classically made by beginning the cooking on the stove, then transferring the pan to the oven to cook completely. This set uses a bottom and top pan (essentially two pans) which interlock at one end. The idea is to start the cooking, attach the second pan via a special locking handle on the side opposite the holding handle, and flip, causing the frittata to cook without the oven. The pans have a sturdy handle that does a good job of keeping cool, and a non-stick coating that is rated for metal utensils (one does not have to use plastic). It did not seem to have any trouble with nonstick and metal utensils. This is not really surprising, since the top pan has to touch the bottom pan; so having a "platic required" coating would not have worked.
Recipe:
It took a lot of tries to get a decent frittata out (they tended to be underdone due to not enough care with step 7 below). There is only a tiny print recipe included, so I'll repeat what worked for me here.
1. Assemble the vegetables and anything else you want to sauté. I also like to use a little cheese.
2. Beat 5 eggs or so together.
3. Heat both pans on medium heat, using two burners on the stove.
4. Place butter or other oil/grease in the deeper pan. This will be used for cooking the vegetables.
5. Place a small amount of butter or oil in the second pan.
6. Cook the vegetables until they are tender. You can season them at this point, or later.
7. Once the vegetables are cooked, pour in about 3/4 of the eggs.
8. As the eggs get more cooked, uses a spatula to raise the edges of the eggs to allow uncooked eggs to go underneath. This step is critical, or the dish won't get cooked through. It usually takes about 4 minutes for this step.
9. Once the eggs are pretty well cooked (just a little runny on top), add the cheese. Then pour the remainder of the eggs over the cheese and blend it together (so the cheese doesn't burn when flipped).
10. Remove the shallower pan from its burner, fit it into the interlocking end of the bottom pan, and carefully but rapidly flip it over. Shake the pan a bit after flipping to ensure everything settles. It will get a bit of egg out of the sides of the pan, but not much. I found it less messy to simply hold both handles together, rather than trying to flip with a hand on either side of the combined pans.
11. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes. At this point everything should be ready to go!
Construction:
While the pans seem sturdy, one of the two sets I received had a loose handle on the side that interlocks the two pans together. It is supposed to be permanently fixed, so I can't just screw it in. Hopefully it will work, but having one out of two with a problem like this causes me to reduce the score to 4 stars.
Cleaning:
Very simple. The nonstick really works.
Summary:
A bit messy, but it works once you get the hang of it. Hopefully my second set was a rare problem in construction. Recommended.
Buy Circulon Contempo Hard Anodized Nonstick 9-Inch Frittata and Omelette Skillet Duo Set Now
()This is marketed as a Frittata Set, so I'll address that first.A regular frittata starts in a skillet and finishes in the oven.It's sort of a thick, puffy baked omelet.This set allows you to make a frittata completely on the stovetop: you cook the eggs and filling in the larger skillet, then lock the other (preheated) skillet on top and flip the whole thing, to allow the frittata to finish cooking stovetop.I don't really see the point in this.For one thing, how often do people make frittatas?As a Mom, I regularly cook weekend breakfast for a passel of teenaged boys, and I make a frittata maybe once a year.Secondly, I'm not sure that flipping it stovetop is any easier than baking it in the oven.So this pitch is gimmicky to me.(Somewhat of note:Some reviewers state that they used the flipping interlocking pans to make omelets.I guess it's splitting hairs, but from my perspective, omelets by definition are folded over their ingredients, frittatas are open faced -and so if you're flipping your mixture of eggs and filling it's more a frittata.Potato-Potahto.)
But as skillets, this set is very nice.It's 2 nonstick Circulon skillets (one slightly larger).I had Circulon when it first came out, about 20 years ago, and it has evolved this surface is much better.(The grooves are much smaller.)These pans are a handy size for smaller kitchen needs (you could do an omelet in one).I use them for things like sauteeing tomatoes for bruschetta, cooking up shrimp for pasta and shrimpthey're great for those 'smaller burner' jobs that you need to do while using the big burners for the main course. They're also good for grilled cheese, fried eggs, etc.They have an even heat conductivity and they're easy to clean.I like the helper handles and I love that they are safe for metal utensils.They're very handy pans.
PROS:
+ 2 pans
+ Handy size for small to medium jobs
+ Non stick
+ Easy clean
+ Helper handles
+ Safe for metal utensils
+ If you feel it's important, you can in fact interlock them and flip eggs over to cook a frittata stovetop
CONS:
Metal parts of the handles get hot
How often do you make a frittata anyway?
BOTTOM LINE:Frittata or not, these are nice pans to have at hand.
Read Best Reviews of Circulon Contempo Hard Anodized Nonstick 9-Inch Frittata and Omelette Skillet Duo Set Here
()Flipping is the hardest part of these pans but follow the included instructions and with practice they work great.Heat the smaller pan but cook in the larger pan.When it is time to flip make sure the smaller pan fits tightly in the groove of the larger pan.Then flip over the sink, not the stove!Beautiful!
The pans themselves are fantastic non-stick pans.They clean up with nothing more than a paper towel.Even if I'm not cooking anything that needs to be flipped I have two perfect frying pans.They are well made and although it is early to judge, they look like they will give years of service.The instructions say they are oven safe to 400 degrees but I'm a little nervous about risking them.Anyway, definitely worth the money.
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()First, I don't consider myself a cook. I sometimes do cheese omelets, with some milk and mozzarella shredded cheese. These skillets helped me made the best and tastiest omelets so far, and I'm glad I can provide a non-cereal nutritious breakfast for the kids. The skillets seem to be of good quality, although the bottom of one of them got scratched after a few uses. The handles are very comfortable. The set is very flexible to various cooking needs.
Two notes of caution: Do not turn the 2 skillets over unless you are sure the content is solid or it might leak especially if you hold the two handles too tight. This all takes some training: although the 2 skillets fit one into the other, the enclosure is not hermetical. Second, as the enclosed documentation mentions, do not try to wash these in the dishwasher, as they might get discolored.
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The CBO-1000 is very handy. I'm no cook, but within a few days of ownership I've made hamburgers, jalapeno-cheese cornbead and shish kebab. It is easy to clean, heats up quickly and doesn't take up much space. I would wholeheartedly recommend it as a countertop cooking appliance that does a lot.
