HexClad review: One of the most durable nonstick skillets we've ever tested

Usually, when it comes to choosing a pan, the quest begins with the question of either nonstick or uncoated metal (cast iron, steel, copper, and so on). With nonstick skillets, you're safer from botching omelets, pancakes, or any other delicate food. But accidentally scratch that nonstick coating (be it Teflon, or other polymers), though, and your pan starts to lose the nonstick quality and becomes less safe to use.

Enter HexClad Hybrid cookware. The brand's unique three-ply pans offer the best of both worlds, which is why they're slowly replacing all of the cookware in my kitchen. Here's my full HexClad pan review.

What I like

The design combines the best features of stainless, nonstick, and aluminum pans.

There's all sorts of technology incorporated into these pans. Similar to All-Clad's D3 Cookware, HexClad pans consist of an aluminum core between two layers of stainless steel (one of which is magnetic for compatibility with induction cooktops).

Unique to HexClad is the hexagonal pattern, which is actually a series of etchings that leave stainless steel ridges, or "peaks" and "valleys," as the brand refers to them, which contribute to the cookware's nonstick properties. What you're left with is something virtually scratch-proof (the brand says scratch-resistant, but I've yet to manage a scratch at all) that functions every bit as well as more traditional coatings.

A frying pan with a hexagonal patterned nonstick surface sits inside a dishwasher rack alongside upside-down glass jars and cups.

Then there's the handle. It's designed to stay cool while the skillet itself heats, and I have to say that I haven't developed a single burn from handling this pan. The handle also fits perfectly well in the palm of at least three different-sized hands, which, sadly, is not often the case.

It really is exceptionally scratch-proof.

Let me break here and say that I seriously dislike proprietary polymer coatings. Further, when I have owned nonstick cookware, it hasn't lasted long in my hands. A couple of careless swipes with a metal spatula, and it was game over.

A close-up of a frying pan with a hexagonal patterned nonstick surface, with a metal slotted spatula resting inside.

So the first thing I did to test this pan was break out the stainless steel spatula and get to scraping. Rather than find flecks of carbon, steel, or whatever else in my freshly caught and filleted fish, there wasn't so much as a blemish on the surface of the pan. It passed its first test effortlessly. Next, I scrubbed it with the wrong (green) side of a Brillo sponge (you learn very quickly not to use Brillo on good stainless steel when working in a commercial kitchen). Still no scratches.

The sleekness makes it excellent for cooking foods that usually stick.

To cook with the pan, I set it on the gas stove with a medium flame and cracked an egg into it, sans oil or butter. The egg ended up sticking slightly, but this is a freshly scrubbed pan. With a little seasoning or a small drizzle of oil, there's no trouble, and a spatula is not necessary to slide the egg out with the yolk unbroken.

A fried egg with a bright yellow yolk and lightly seasoned with pepper cooks in a nonstick frying pan with a hexagonal patterned surface.

With the HexClad Frying Pan, I've cooked everything from crispy-skinned fish to a slew of sauces and reheated grits. The best part? The skillet goes right in the dishwasher. And should anything horrific happen to your pan — though, after months of careless use, I can't possibly imagine how — it's covered by a lifetime warranty, save for cosmetic damage that doesn't affect the quality of the cookware.

Where it falls short

The biggest downside of Hexclad pans is their price. Even a 7-inch skillet will set you back at least $100. For that price, you can buy several nonstick skillets many times over.

In June 2025, the company also settled a class action lawsuit, which claimed that Hexclad's use of the term "non-toxic" was misleading. Since then, it's been hard to get a definitive answer to whether the pans are actually PFAS- and PTFE-free. If that's important to you, I recommend looking elsewhere. Our guides to the best nonstick pans and best ceramic cookware have options.

The bottom line

A raw salmon fillet seasoned with pepper cooks in a nonstick frying pan with a hexagonal patterned surface, as a spatula lifts one edge.

If you happen to view cooking as more of a chore than anything else and want to be in and out of the kitchen as fast as humanly possible, you almost objectively need this pan (and I don't make recommendations lightly). Plus, the company's offer of a lifetime warranty certainly doesn't hurt. HexClad makes eight-, 10-, and 12-inch skillets as well as a griddle and a series of wok-stir-fry hybrids and pots, though the best deal is probably the seven-piece set. If you're not in need of that much cookware, a single pan is always a good place to start.

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