Cuisinart Classic Stainless Steel Saucepan with Cover – 2 Quart

Pros: heats well, pour-spout on pan, vent holes for steam or straining, glass cover
Cons: sometimes the handle is warmer than I like
I wanted to purchase another saucepan to supplement my cookware.  I also thought stainless steel would work well for some items I cook that might stain another pan.  On my wish list: I did not want a coated nonstick pan, I did want a glass cover (preferably with holes to release the steam), a pour-spout on the pan would be a nice bonus.  The Cuisinart Classic Stainless Steel Saucepan with Cover delivered all this and more.
Description
This Cuisinart stainless steel saucepan is in the 2-quart size.  The pan is a nice shape, slightly narrower at the bottom than the top.  It has an aluminum base.  The manufacturer describes the stainless steel interior and exterior as having a mirror finish.  It has a riveted cool-grip handle with a hole at the end for hanging the pan, if desired.
The top of the saucepan has a pour-spout.  The glass lid has a stainless steel rim with deep stainless steel sides.  There are two sets of holes on opposite sides of the stainless steel sides.  One set of holes is smaller (three short rows of holes), the other set of holes is larger (two short rows).  The cover also has a riveted U-shaped handle on top.  The saucepan is dishwasher safe.
My Experiences
I’ve been using this Cuisinart saucepan for six months and love it.  The pan is easy to use and care for.
Primarily, I use the 2-quart saucepan for heating vegetables, sauces, and soups.  The pan is a terrific size for the quantity I cook, and I like that the aluminum pan bottom evenly heats.  The saucepan bottom has not discolored, either.
A great feature is the pour-spout.  This is the only pan with cover I own that has a pour-spout.  It makes it easy to empty liquid or sauce from the pan without slopping it.  The lid also has steam holes along the deep stainless steel sides.  When I need to drain only the liquid from the saucepan, these holes make great built-in strainers.
The lid is designed so that the small or large holes can be placed at the pour-spout opening.  This position allows the holes visibility, which also allows steam to escape the pan.  In case it matters to you, the cover fits well atop the saucepan.  The deep sides fit inside the pan, and the lid is a smidge smaller than the pan diameter so the deep sides don’t scrape the pot.  However, there is a bit of looseness between the cover sides and the pan so that the cover doesn’t form a seal.
Most of the time the pot handle is cool to the touch.  There was only one time when I grasped the saucepan handle and released it thinking too warm to hold.  It wasn’t burning hot, but it was also not comfortable to hold with the warmth.  It only happened once, but now I’m cautious.
I have cooked carrots and tomato-based sauces in this stainless steel pot.  The carrots often leave an orange residue in my other pots, and tomato sauce usually coats a pan in red, which can be a pain to clean.  This Cuisinart pan is a cinch to wash.  Even though the manufacturer says the saucepan is dishwasher safe, I hand wash the pan using liquid dishwashing soap and then set it in the dish drainer to dry.  It usually only requires a swish of the sponge to clean, and if needed, I soak the pan with some liquid soap before washing.
Summary
After six months of consistent use, the Cuisinart Classic Stainless Steel Saucepan with Cover still looks like new.  The mirror finish looks sharp in the kitchen, and so far has resisted scratching.  The glass lid allows me easy visibility so that I can keep tabs on the contents.  I appreciate the two sizes of holes to vent the steam, plus the holes double as a strainer to remove liquid from the pan.  This saucepan is super easy to clean, too.  I would definitely buy another one.
Enjoy the day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com
Copyright 2015 Dawn L. Stewart
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