I was given the opportunity to test out a Circulon skillet that’s part of a new line of cookware offered at Canadian Tire. The piece I’ve been playing around with is the hard anodized 9.75” deep covered skillet.
Now, I was already a fan of hard anodized cookware. The set I’ve been using for the last eight-plus years was made by Anolon, which just happens to fall under the same umbrella as Circulon. I spent a solid six months reviewing different cookware back then, just before Bo and I moved into our first place together, and I never regretted my decision to purchase that Anolon set. It has stood up to a ton of cooking, from me not knowing what I was doing, to actually being able to turn out some pretty yummy stuff. I have to say, a lot of those same features that I love are clearly visible in this new Circulon line.
My Experiences:
I put this pan through the ringer over the last month, cooking a little bit of everything in it. Meat, breaded meat, veggies, eggs, etc. The hard anodized non-stick surface did a fantastic job of stopping anything from sticking. I could use hardly any oil in the pan, and still, I could swirl and toss the food around without any issue.
As far as heat distribution goes, it was pretty even (things in the very center would maybe cook a fraction faster, but it was never an issue). I made my quick and easy orange chicken twice for the kids and both times the chicken pieces browned very evenly (you can see below). I used the skillet like a wok one morning and made Oliver some chicken fried rice for his lunch, and had no issues pushing rice aside to cook eggs, or tossing it all with the flick of a wrist when combined. I’d say the shape of the skillet makes it easy to use for a variety of different cooking styles, as it has quite high and curved sides for a skillet.
The lids are glass (a feature I love so I can keep an eye on what’s cooking), but the handle on them is stainless and will get quite hot. You’ll need to keep a pot holder around for taking it off. The handle is a good length and shape, and comfortable to hold, but I did also find that it got a bit hot while cooking as well. Now, I cook over gas, and tend to have multiple burners going at the same time, which contributed to this I’m sure.
I’ll also say that for a family of 5, the skillet is a little on the small side, but I cook almost every meal (at least partially), on the stove top. For a family of 4 or less, you shouldn’t really have an issue. The 5qt dutch oven that comes in the set would work to cook larger meals in too (I actually have two 5qt skillets in my Anolon set that cook most of my meals, so it’s a great, functional size).
Available Products:
There are three different types of cookware available by Circulon Prime.
The Red 11-Piece Non-Stick Cookware Set is oven safe to 400℉, has a red silicone polyester exterior, glass lids, is dishwasher and metal utensil safe, and can be used on any cook-top. The set includes:
- 1qt covered saucepan
- 2qt covered saucepan
- 3qt covered saucepan with a straining lid
- 5qt covered dutch oven
- 9.75” deep covered skillet
- 5-cup nonstick egg poacher that fits into the skillet
The Hard Anodized 12-Piece Non-Stick Cookware Set is oven safe to 400℉, is made with hard anodized construction (making it twice as strong and more durable than stainless steel), glass lids, is dishwasher and metal utensil safe, and can be used on any cook-top. The set includes:
- 1qt covered saucepan
- 2qt covered saucepan
- 3qt covered saucepan with a straining lid
- 5qt covered dutch oven
- 9.75” deep covered skillet
- 5-cup nonstick egg poacher that fits into the skillet
The Stainless Steel 12-Piece Non-Stick Cookware Set is oven safe to 400℉, is made with hard anodized construction (making it twice and strong and more durable than stainless steel), glass lids, is dishwasher and metal utensil safe, and can be used on any cook-top. The set includes:
- 1qt covered saucepan
- 2qt covered saucepan
- 3qt covered saucepan with a straining lid
- 4qt chef’s casserole
- 6qt covered stockpot
- 8.5” open skillet
- 1.5qt steamer insert that fits into the 2qt saucepan
Also available are a few à la carte red frying pans a Jumbo Electric Griddle, Open Non-stick Roaster, and a Double Non-stick Roaster (in red).