HexClad vs. Stainless Steel Cookware: 7 Key Differences

Are you shopping for cookware but can’t decide whether to buy HexClad or a traditional stainless steel brand like All-Clad, Made In, or Demeyere?

HexClad features a unique hybrid cooking surface that combines the durability of steel and the convenience of non-stick. Traditional stainless steel cookware has a smooth, durable surface ideal for searing, browning, and pan sauces.

So, which is better for your kitchen? What are the key differences?

In this comparison of HexClad vs. stainless steel cookware, you’ll learn how these options differ in durability, performance, maintenance, and more.

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Use the links below to navigate the comparison:

• HexClad vs. Stainless Steel: Key Takeaways
• Comparison Chart
• Difference 1: Construction
• Difference 2: Durability
• Difference 3: Non-Stick Properties
• Difference 4: Heat Conduction and Retention
• Difference 5: Cooking Performance
• Difference 6: Oven-Safe Temperature
• Difference 7: Price
• Bottom Line: Should You Buy HexClad or Stainless Steel Cookware?

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Comparison Chart

	HexClad	Stainless Steel
Base Construction	Stainless steel with an aluminum core	Stainless steel with an aluminum core
Cooking Surface	Hybrid of stainless steel peaks and non-stick valleys in a hexagonal pattern	Stainless steel (smooth)
Induction Compatible	Yes	Yes
Oven-Safe	500°F	Up to 800°F (varies by brand)
Cleaning	Cleans up easily	Requires extra scrubbing and cleansers like Bar Keepers Friend
Where It’s Made	China	USA, Italy, Belgium, Brazil, China (varies by brand)
Company History	Trademark registered in 2016	All-Clad invented fully-clad stainless steel cookware in 1971
Price	$$$$ (Amazon or HexClad.com)	$$ – $$$$$ (Amazon)
Top Reason to Buy	Versatility (performs well with all tasks)	Lasts forever; ideal for creating fond and pan sauces
Top Reason to NOT Buy	Non-stick coating degrades over time; expensive	Food sticks

Difference 1: Construction

Stainless steel cookware is made of bonded layers of metal. Typically, it’s made with durable, non-reactive steel on the top and bottom and a heat-conductive aluminum sandwiched in the middle. All-Clad D3 cookware is an excellent example of this type of 3-ply construction.

Stainless steel cookware doesn’t have any non-stick or enamel coatings. So you never have to worry about it chipping, and it can handle high heat without becoming damaged.

HexClad, though similar in its basic structure to stainless steel cookware, introduces a significant twist.

While it also features three bonded layers with steel and aluminum, HexClad stands out with its patented non-stick and steel hybrid interior and exterior.

The cooking surface and the bottom of HexClad pans feature a series of laser-etched hexagons, creating a pattern of peaks and valleys. The peaks are stainless steel, while the valleys are non-stick coating.

This design isn’t just for looks; it has a practical purpose. The steel peaks prevent utensils from directly contacting and scratching the non-stick coating.

Difference 2: Durability

HexClad’s unique hybrid design protects its non-stick coating from scratches. While it certainly extends the life of the non-stick surface compared to traditional non-stick pans, it’s important to remember that even this advanced coating won’t last indefinitely.

Forks, knives, and other sharp or pointy utensils can get between the steel peaks and damage the non-stick coating. Even if you avoid metal utensils, heat, soap, and friction from sponges will eventually wear down the coating.

With daily use, expect a HexClad pan to serve you for about 3-8 years. But it can last longer with proper care and maintenance.

With proper care, stainless steel pans can last a lifetime. You might notice your stainless steel cookware darkening or developing a patina over time, but this won’t affect its cooking performance.

Unless they warp, dent, or the handle breaks (all unlikely events), these pans will outlast HexClad by decades.

Difference 3: Non-Stick Properties

HexClad pans are coated with a proprietary ceramic non-stick coating called TerraBond. This slippery coating releases food and makes cleanup easy. A bit of soap, warm water, and a gentle sponge or cloth are all you need to keep your HexClad pan in top shape.

I’ve cooked dozens of meals in my HexClad pans, and most foods do not stick. Eggs are the one exception; you need to grease the pan with a small amount of butter or oil to prevent them from sticking.

A major downside of stainless steel cookware is the tendency for food to stick. Proteins in foods like eggs and fish can form stubborn bonds with the steel surface, making it difficult to flip or move them without breaking.

However, there are ways to minimize sticking with stainless steel. The key is proper preparation.

First, preheat your pan. Then, add oil or butter and let it fully heat up before placing your food in the pan. Resist moving the food right away; instead, let it form a nice crust, naturally releasing itself from the pan when ready. If you move the food too early, it’s more likely to stick.

Read this guide for more tips on preventing food from sticking to stainless steel pans.

Difference 4: Heat Conduction and Retention

To see how fast an evenly HexClad heats, I poured 2 cups of cold (55°F) water into the pan, placed it on the stove, and turned the heat to high.

The water started bubbling after 1 minute and 40 seconds. The bubbles were evenly distributed across the cooking surface, which signifies that the pan heats evenly. The water started boiling at the 2-minute and 30-second mark.

I conduct this test with every cookware brand I review. As you can see in the results below, HexClad heats slower than some stainless steel brands like Farberware and Made In but faster than most brands, including All-Clad, Viking, and Demeyere.

Pan	Time to First Bubbles	Time to Boil
Farberware	1 minute and 2 seconds	1 minute and 29 seconds
Made In stainless steel fry pan	1 minute and 40 seconds	2 minutes and 21 seconds
Anolon X pan	1 minute and 35 seconds	2 minutes and 22 seconds
Misen fry pan	1 minute and 50 seconds	2 minutes and 25 seconds
Caraway	1 minute and 53 seconds	2 minutes and 26 seconds
Anolon Advanced fry pan	1 minute and 55 seconds	2 minutes and 27 seconds
HexClad fry pan	1 minute and 40 seconds	2 minutes and 30 seconds
Made In non-stick fry pan	1 minute and 53 seconds	2 minutes and 31 seconds
Zwilling fry pan	1 minute and 45 seconds	2 minutes and 31 seconds
T-fal fry pan	1 minute and 50 seconds	2 minutes and 32 seconds
Gotham Steel fry pan	1 minute and 58 seconds	2 minutes and 32 seconds
Rachael Ray fry pan	1 minute and 47 seconds	2 minutes and 36 seconds
Viking fry pan	1 minute and 42 seconds	2 minutes and 39 seconds
Calphalon fry pan	1 minute and 45 seconds	2 minutes and 40 seconds
Sardel fry pan	1 minute and 41 seconds	2 minutes and 46 seconds
Pioneer Woman fry pan	2 minutes and 2 seconds	2 minutes and 46 seconds
Hestan fry pan	1 minute and 52 seconds	2 minutes and 47 seconds
GreenLife pan	2 minutes and 11 seconds	2 minutes and 47 seconds
Our Place Always Pan	2 minutes and 2 seconds	2 minutes and 48 seconds
Ninja NeverStick Pan	2 minutes and 7 seconds	2 minutes and 49 seconds
Tramontina fry pan	1 minute and 53 seconds	2 minutes and 52 seconds
Circulon fry pan	2 minutes and 7 seconds	2 minutes and 55 seconds
All-Clad D3 skillet	1 minute and 55 seconds	2 minutes and 55 seconds
All-Clad HA1 fry pan	2 minutes and 12 seconds	2 minutes and 58 seconds
Goldilocks fry pan	2 minutes and 17 seconds	3 minutes and 5 seconds
Demeyere Industry fry pan	2 minutes and 3 seconds	3 minutes and 10 seconds
Ballarini fry pan	2 minutes and 15 seconds	3 minutes and 12 seconds
Heritage Steel fry pan	1 minute and 59 seconds	3 minutes and 15 seconds
Demeyere Atlantis fry pan	2 minutes and 11 seconds	3 minutes and 25 seconds
Xtrema fry pan	3 minutes and 41 seconds	6 minutes and 7 seconds

After boiling the water, I removed the HexClad pan from the heat and set it on the counter. After 5 minutes, the water was 120.7°F. After 10 minutes, the water was 102.4°F.

As the results below show, HexClad’s heat retention is average. It holds a steady temperature better than several stainless steel pans, including All-Clad and Heritage Steel.

Pan	Temperature After 5 Minutes	Temperature After 10 Minutes
Xtrema fry pan	142°F	113°F
Made In stainless steel fry pan	121.1°F	106.6°F
Demeyere Atlantis fry pan	122.0°F	106.3°F
Made In non-stick fry pan	120.2°F	105.8°F
Ninja NeverStick Pan	130.5°F	104.8°F
Misen fry pan	118.6°F	103.4°F
Zwilling fry pan	121.1°F	103.0°F
Rachael Ray fry pan	126.3°F	102.7°F
Goldilocks fry pan	122.0°F	102.5°F
HexClad fry pan	120.7°F	102.4°F
Circulon fry pan	133.3°F	102.0°F
Tramontina fry pan	118.5°F	101.3°F
Calphalon fry pan	112.8°F	101.1°F
All-Clad D3 skillet	111.6°F	100.9°F
Ballarini fry pan	120°F	99.9°F
Heritage Steel	120.1°F	98.2°F
All-Clad HA1 fry pan	117.9°F	98.1°F
Hestan fry pan	114.4°F	98.0°F
Sardel fry pan	114.0°F	97.8°F
Demeyere Industry fry pan	115.2°F	96.6°F
Our Place Always Pan	118.0°F	96.7°F
Caraway fry pan	116.6°F	96.4°F
Anolon X pan	114.1°F	96.0°F
Viking fry pan	106.6°F	95.9°F
Farberware fry pan	112.0°F	95.4°F
GreenLife fry pan	119.0°F	95.0°F
Gotham Steel fry pan	113.0°F	95.0°F
Anolon Advanced fry pan	112.7°F	90.9°F
Pioneer Woman fry pan	104.3°F	90.9°F
T-fal fry pan	108.7°F	88.0°F

Difference 5: Cooking Performance

I’ve tested HexClad and dozens of stainless steel cookware brands for several years. I’ve used them to cook eggs, steak, chicken, vegetables, pancakes, sauces, and much more.

The most significant difference is that HexClad releases delicate food better than stainless steel. If you grease the pan, eggs, pancakes, and flakey fish cook wonderfully in a HexClad pan without sticking. It’s possible to cook eggs in stainless steel, but it takes practice, and you might ruin a few eggs in the process.

While food sticking to stainless steel pans can be frustrating, it’s not entirely bad. Some sticking is actually helpful for creating fond, the crusty browned bits that form the flavor base for tasty pan sauces.

For example, when searing a steak in a stainless steel skillet, a savory layer of browned meat juices will adhere to the cooking surface. After removing your steak, those flavorful stuck-on bits (the fond) can be deglazed with wine or broth, scraped up, and reduced into a rich, delicious pan sauce full of meaty flavor.

So, while HexClad’s non-stick surface may be convenient, the tendency for stainless steel to allow just a bit of sticking means more fond can form, leading to more flavorful sauces.

HexClad sears and browns similarly to a stainless steel pan. In some cases, like with steak and burgers, I’ve gotten a better crust with stainless steel because the meat sticks to the surface and maintains closer contact with the heat. But the difference is subtle, and the average home cook wouldn’t notice.

I recently conducted a head-to-head test between HexClad and All-Clad stainless steel. I prepared two pieces of salmon exactly the same and cooked them on the same heat settings. As you can see, both pieces seared incredibly well and cooked evenly.

The only difference was that the All-Clad pan was more difficult and took longer to clean because the salmon stuck slightly.

Difference 6: Oven-Safe Temperature

HexClad is oven-safe up to 500°F, accommodating most baking and roasting needs. However, it has a significant limitation: it’s not broiler-safe.

The ceramic non-stick coating in HexClad pans is only oven-safe up to 500°F. Since most broilers operate at temperatures higher than this limit, HexClad is unsuitable for broiling.

Stainless steel cookware doesn’t have such limitations. It’s not only oven-safe but also broiler-safe. The maximum oven-safe temperature for stainless steel varies among brands and collections, typically ranging from 400-800°F.

The table below shows the maximum oven-safe temperatures for top-selling stainless steel cookware brands and collections.

Brand/Collection	Oven-Safe Temperature
All-Clad D3	600°F
All-Clad D5	600°F
Made In Stainless Steel	800°F
Misen Stainless Steel	500°F
Heritage Steel	800°F
Tramontina Tri-Ply	350°F
Farberware Classic	350°F
Hestan ProBond	600°F
Demeyere Atlantis	500°F

Difference 7: Price

HexClad is priced at the higher end of the cookware market, comparable to premium brands like All-Clad, Demeyere, and Hestan.

Many home cooks find it tough to justify HexClad’s high price, especially considering these pans eventually need to be replaced.

Stainless steel cookware is available at a wide range of prices. Brands like Made In, Heritage Steel, and Calphalon offer excellent performance and durability at a slightly lower price than HexClad.

And brands like Goldilocks, Misen, and Tramontina provide cost-effective alternatives without significantly compromising quality.

Compare the current prices of HexClad versus my top-rated stainless steel brands at the links below:

• HexClad on HexClad.com and Amazon
• All-Clad on All-Clad.com and Amazon
• Made In on MadeInCookware.com and Amazon

Bottom Line: Should You Buy HexClad or Stainless Steel Cookware?

So, should you buy HexClad or stainless steel pans?

If you can afford to, buy both. Get a 10- or 12-inch HexClad fry pan for eggs, fish, and other delicate foods and stainless steel pans for high-heat cooking, pan sauces, and everything else.

But if you only have the space or budget for one, stainless steel is the better overall option. Stainless steel lasts longer and can handle higher heat, making it the more versatile choice.

Ultimately, the right cookware depends on your budget and personal preferences. If you value convenience, HexClad is the better option because it releases food and cleans up fast. But if you want the ultimate all-purpose cookware with long-lasting durability, stainless steel is the clear winner.

You can read more reviews and check the current prices of HexClad on HexClad.com and Amazon. My top picks for stainless steel are All-Clad, Made In, and Demeyere.