Review on Cuisinart 726-38H Chef's Classic Stainless 14-Inch Stir-Fry Pan: Exceptional Quality with Helper Handle and Glass Cover by Joshua Talbot

I was almost shocked by some of the reviews here, but I gave it a go and I wasn't disappointed. Below the negative reviews, you can see a whole bunch of negative reviews: Difficult to clean Heats food poorly Starts fire, etc. This is not the best choice for a beginner in the stainless steel world. Stainless steel requires special care when cleaning, but gives excellent results when used correctly. First, it's a frying pan. This is a cooking technique that uses very high temperatures and very short cooking times. When cooking at these temperatures, you MUST use the correct type of oil. Before pouring oil into a hot pan, check the oil's smoke point. If you use olive oil for frying over high heat you will likely cause the oil to flare up and start a fire as some reviews say. If you used the wrong oil and set the pan on fire, is it really the pan's fault? No, it's the owner's fault for not knowing what the heck they're doing. Pam, butter, lard and EVOO are not suitable for higher pan temperatures. Traditionally used in frying in Asia, soybean or peanut oil has a fairly high smoke point. Safflower oil is also another good choice and is easier to find at the grocery store. Use the right oil and you'll get great results without burning your pan, food, or yourself. -Brite-Stainless-Steel-Scouring/dp/B002CQTXBC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426816966&sr=8-1&keywords=stainless+steel+pads Another good choice is a product called Bartender's Friend - http://www.amazon . com /Bar-Keepers-Friend%C2%AE-Cleanser-Polish/dp/B000V72992/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426817040&sr=8-1&keywords=barkeeper%27s+friend Finally learn about stir fry if you still have it never done it has never done it before because the technique is very different from traditional western cooking. Neither frying nor braising will work in this pan. It is also not a suitable pan for frying. The heat is concentrated on the flat bottom of the pan, NOT the sides of the pan. Another common complaint about this pan is the lid. I personally never use it. Stir frying isn't a method that requires a lid, so I'm not sure why Cuisinart even chose to pair it with this pan. I suspect the size of the lid is why some users are reporting it breaking. The jar is not thick and the lid is so big that it just seems brittle to me. I won't need it, so don't worry. However, if you intend to use the lid on this pan a lot, you might want to look into a smaller pan. For example, if the pot were 12 inches at its widest point instead of 14 inches, the lid would be significantly thicker. If you are concerned about splashing without a cap, I think a 14" splash guard would be a better and safer choice than a cap. Don't buy it for induction and I wouldn't recommend it for gas. For a gas range, an old forged steel wok would be your best bet. They have a frying pan that you can do a lot better than this frying pan, but not in this price range.