HexClad Review: Here’s How the Oprah-Loved Cookware Held Up After a Year of Heavy Use

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission.

As a professional culinary writer and food editor with over a decade of kitchen experience, I’ve seen my fair share of cookware come and go. Trendy brands burst onto the scene, promising revolutionary performance, only to disappoint after a few months of serious cooking. So when HexClad first caught my eye with its hybrid design—boasting a unique hexagonal laser-etched surface that looked like something out of a high-tech kitchen laboratory—I was skeptical. But knowing it’s the cookwareOprah and Gordon Ramsay use, I had to try it out for myself.

Let’s be clear: I’m not easily impressed. My kitchen is best described as a battlefield where pots and pans are subjected to intense heat, rapid temperature changes, metal utensils, the dishwasher, and the kind of daily abuse that would make most cookware manufacturers weep. I’ve (regrettably) destroyed more expensive cookware than I care to admit because I am not a gentle cook and I prefer to cook with high heat. Stainless steel that’s warped, non-stick surfaces that peeled after mere months, handles that came loose—I’ve experienced it all.

When I first unboxed the HexClad set, I was intrigued by its bold claim of combining the best properties of stainless steel, non-stick, and hybrid cooking surfaces. The sleek design was appealing, but design means nothing if performance falls short. Little did I know that this cookware would not just survive my kitchen’s brutal testing ground but would actually become my go-to collection for everything from basic breakfast sandwiches to elegant seafood dishes.

Let’s get into the good stuff, how does it look after a year of heavy (and semi-abusive) use? I own the HexClad deep sauté pan with lid, the HexClad saucepan with lid, and the 8″ Damascus steel chef’s knife. Here’s how they each look after being used (nearly) daily for the past 12 months.

HexClad Deep Sauté Pan with Lid

You can tell the pan shows some signs of wear and tear, but it still looks remarkable, considering the number of times I have used it. Better yet? It works just as incredibly as the first time I tried it.

HexClad products are dishwasher safe, but HexClad recommends handwashing to extend the life of the pans. But if we’re being honest, I toss these pans in the dishwasher more than I handwash them and I haven’t noticed any decline in performance as a result.

HexClad Saucepan With Lid

I didn’t use this saucepan as much as the sauté pan in the past year, but I’m still surprised at how well it’s held up. Again, there are a few minor scratches and some visible wear and tea,r but the pan is still in excellent condition.

HexClad Damascus Steel 8″ Chef’s Knife

Without a doubt, this knife got the most use of any of my HexClad products. I don’t have the space in my kitchen for a ton of cooking gadgets so I use a knife for all of my chopping, slicing, chiffonading, etc. Because I use it so much, I did exercise a little extra care when taking care of the knife. It was always hand-washed and I sharpened it about every two to three weeks but as you can tell from the picture below, it still looks brand new.

I could not love this knife more. Out of the dozens of knife brands I have tried over the past decade, this HexClad knife has outperformed them all. It’s the perfect weight, and as long as you routinely sharpen it, I haven’t noticed even the smallest decline in performance.

The only con to HexClad cookware is the price. They are rather expensive but if you’re looking to invest in cookware that will last and continue to perform, I cannot recommend HexClad enough.

Before you go, check out these chic cookware brands that give Le Creuset a run for its money: