Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless 5-1/2-Quart Saute Pan with Helper Handle and Cover
Review by Phaedrus : Complex Simplification of Cookware

I've accumulated 21 pieces of the Cuisinart Chef's Classic cookware over the past year and have found each to be beyond expectations. Amazon has done a remarkable job of "best pricing" over this time period, although I did not obtain everything from them.

I stumbled upon a wonderful web site named "Cooking for Engineers" which removes the subjective and focuses on the objective. Perhaps this may be of value to those researching cookware. The following link is to the "Equipment & Gear" section. The remainder of the site is of similar content and quality.

http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article.php?id=120

I'm sure that you won't go wrong purchasing any of the Cuisinart Chef's Classic line, and I'm further certain that you'll find the best pricing from Amazon if you're willing to be patient.

Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless 5-1/2-Quart Saute Pan with Helper Handle and Cover
Review by Emily Dellas "chef/cooking teacher" : If you only have one pan...

Wow- this pan is a winner. I consider it a bargain at full price as its size, shape and sheer quality make it indispensable in your kitchen. Owing to the aluminum core, the stainless steel heats up quickly and can really hold it's heat- this allows you to nicely sear your meats/fish. As it's all metal, it can go in the oven without problem (you can sear on the stovetop and finish roasting in the oven) and because it has deep sides, you can finish a sauce right in the pan. It's a great size for soups and stews as well and doesn't feel too big when cooking for 2 or too small when cooking for 8. Clean up is a breeze and it can even go in the dishwasher. Compared to cast-iron or anodized aluminum, it weighs much less (but can still deliver the heat when needed) and is an all-around treat to use. The quality rivals All-Clad at a mere fraction of the price.

Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless 5-1/2-Quart Saute Pan with Helper Handle and Cover
Review by Jolly Gourmand : 5-Stars for the Pan...0-Stars for Amazon Packaging

All my Chef's Classic cookware looks and cooks wonderfully well and is normally a breeze to clean up. This Monster pan is no exception. Weighing in at close to 10 lbs., it is the senior edition of the highly rated Cuisinart 3 1/2-Qt. Saute Pan. If you have a small range, the size of this (a full 12" accross) may crowd out some other burners, so beware.

I discovered thet the dome cover for the shallow Cuisinart 12" 'everything' pan also fits this pan and thus makes it a good candidate for a dutch oven.

Now for the bad news: Amazon did not see fit to ship this within a padded box. As a result, the pan arrived with a dent in the 'dripless' rim. I will likely not return it, but will give Amazon some 'direct' feedback.

(9/15 Update): Amazon made a very positive and 'generous' response to my complaint. Thank you Amazon! Also, both the 3 1/2 Qt. and 5 1/2 Qt. saute pans are on 'super' sale. Do yourselves a favor and buy both.

(9/23 Update): Because of the lower 'super' price (currently $27.99), I ordered two more as gifts. One shipped with the Cuisinart retail box packed in a nicely padded Amazon box and the other was shipped only in a Cuisinart retail box that had split open. Fortunately there were no dings or dents since this is a very sturdy, hefty item. I wonder if Amazon owns the warehouses its goods ship from? If it does, Amazon needs to try for consistency in its packing.

02/09/06: Here's an oddity: After several 'hefty' price hikes, Amazon is now hawking this 'monster' pan for $5 less than the 3 1/2 quart pan. Go figure!

Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless 5-1/2-Quart Saute Pan with Helper Handle and Cover
Review by E. Blake "poodlebone" : this is a BIG pan

When I ordered this, I didn't really think about the size. Amazon shipped it in one of their own huge boxes, and the pan was in perfect condition. I used it for the first time the other night, and realized just how big it is. I have an older stove, and once I put the pan on a burner I discovered that I couldn't use any of the other 3 burners. If you have a small stove or one where the burners are close together, keep that in mind.

The pan worked beautifully and cleaning up was easy. I'm buying other pieces from this collection and throwing out my old Farberware non-stick cookware. As someone else said, a gladd lid would have been great but otherwise it's perfect.

Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless 5-1/2-Quart Saute Pan with Helper Handle and Cover
Review by Tzy Kao : Beautiful pan!

I'm tired of those non-stick pans that eventually lose their coating and thought that I'll try stainless steel pan for almost everything but frying an egg. Boy did I pick the right pan to start with! This pan, besides being beautifully made, is the perfect size for almost everything I cook. It's very heavy, but the helper handle helps. It conducts heat very well, so I no longer use the high setting on my gas stove or the food would burn. Despite being made in China, the quality is excellent. I'm sure it will last decades. My only complaint is that sometimes I wish the stainless steel cover is made of glass so I can see through. But, I'll still give it 5 stars because I'm very very happy with the design and quality.

Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless 5-1/2-Quart Saute Pan with Helper Handle and Cover
Review by Matt Taylor : Quality pan at a great price

I was reluctant to consider this pan based on it's low price. I'm glad I took the chance! I already own a couple All Clad stainless pans, which I love, but when I priced their 5qt saute pans I balked. In my research I came across this pan, read the stats and figured I must be missing something. The All Clad stainless 5 qt. saute is like $200!! This pan with similar features was $40. I ordered it from Amazon thinking I could easily return it if it didn't pan out. Well I haven't returned it. It's quality cookware. It's heavy, cooks evenly, has 2 riveted handles and comes with a tight fitting stainless lid suitable for use on other pans. I am shocked at the value this pan offers.