The benefits of Circulon pans

Circulon, the cookware brand, was begun in 1985 by Meyer. The cookware was hard-anodised and non-stick. The engineers at Circulon were the first "in the industry to combine the superior strength and heat distribution of hard-anodised aluminium with a durable non-stick system, creating a unique and unprecedented type of cookware." The cookware remains popular today and offers many benefits for the cook.

The material

The Circulon pans are made of anodised aluminium. The process of anodising, hardening the aluminium, is done by an electromechanical process. Hard-anodised aluminium is actually "30% harder than stainless steel." Anodised aluminium is less reactive to foods containing acid. Due to the heaviness of the aluminium, it distributes the food more evenly. Moreover, the pan heats up more quickly than other cook pans. The handles are made of stainless steel and are riveted to the pan. The lids are made of glass banded by stainless steel.

The interior

The interior of the pan has a non-stick coating which makes it difficult for food to stick while cooking. It is not necessary to use oil spray while cooking. In fact, "spray oils will burn at lower temperatures causing the cooking sprays to burn into the non-stick coating, which will create a build up. This build up will not only cause your food to stick, but will also damage the pans coating and give your cookware a 'rusty' look." The surface of the hard anodised aluminium has the "same microscopic porous configuration as the soft, plain aluminium" which allows the non-stick coating to not only stick to the interior of the pan, but also permeate the pan's surface.

Cleaning

Due to the non-stick coating, the Circulon pans are easy to clean. - Soak the pan first, allowing the water to loosen any food that may be stuck in the grooves inside the pan. Once the food is loosened, scrub the interior with a scrub brush in the direction of the pan's grooves. - Rinse the pan and wash with soap and water. - Dry the pan carefully, preventing water form damaging the interior of the pan. - Some of the newer Circulon pans can be washed in the dishwasher. Check the care instructions before attempting.