Berndes SignoCast Classic 12-Inch Square Grill Pan

In the beginning I was only looking for a George Foreman kind of small grill machine so we can still enjoy grill steaks & burgers in winter. But I just couldn't find a machine with the right size & function in my price range. I especially dislike that fact that with most of those machines you can't really control the temperature well. Then I saw someone's blog mentioned Berndes grill pan & I was immediately attracted by its features. Comparing to the grill machine this is more like real cooking so naturally for me, a homemaker who enjoys cooking, this fits my needs much better so I'm willing to spend more. Before I finally made my purchase I've read so many reviews about Berndes. People brag about how good its non-stick surface work. I was a little skeptical, but I'm a believer now that I've used it for a week. I've used it for grilled chickens, steaks, fishes, lamb chops & they're all good, plus I could rid off lots of fat. The pan is very easy to clean too. Yesterday I whipped a few eggs, wanted to make scramble egg but decided to test my Berndes Grill pan on how non-stick it can be. Without applying any oil I pour my whipped eggs on the pan & turn to medium heat. A few minutes later I pulled up an egg sheet(with light grill marks) and my Berndes pan is as clean as it hasn't been used. Neat~Amazon has the best price for this 12" pan. Thanks to Amazon!

In a sentence:Food doesn't stick but food residue does. Uneven cooking, especially bad for thicker cut steaks and chicken breast.I have a few different grills, A well seasoned cast iron, an enameled cast iron and then this. I bought the because I got tired of the meticulous care involved with the cast iron and needed something that was relatively low maintenance. The compromise was in the quality of the food obtained with this versus a well seasoned cast iron grill.A 1.5 inch steak can be purely done on the stove top, the cast iron affords excellent searing and even cooking. This one (for slightly thicker cuts) does not allow good heat penetration.I am led to believe (based on extensive cooking) that heat transfer is not so good on this versus regular cast iron (enameled and seasoned). When cooking steaks, chicken breasts etc the quality of the final product varies considerably between the two. Although this produces cooking of an acceptable standard, I believe there is a two fold difference in heat distribution (through protein) anyway.Cleaning:I feel a lodge cast iron grill seasoned twice with either lard or flaxseed oil gives better non-stick and is far easier to clean than this product. When grilling bell peppers, the caramelization is easier to remove from the cast iron than it is on this. The food certainly does not stick on the berndes, but fatty/sugary residue does.The handle of this product is also very flimsy, it comes off.I am not a big fan of cast iron, but it is one of the best cooking mediums available in the home kitchen. I would say if you are willing to take those extra steps then a 20 dollar lodge grill will certainly outperform this.

This pan is great for stove top cooking, but I purchased it for the Amazon-stated 450*F oven capability. My plan was to sear foods and finish in the oven. The product information that came with the pan clearly states oven use up to 250*F! Therefore, it cannot go in the oven at normal cooking temperatures. If you are just using it on top, it is wonderful -- even cooking with beautiful grill marks, and easy to clean.

I love all of my Berndes skillets and pots! I have used the grill pan to grill vegetables as well as meat! We have one very large skillet that is 13 yrs. old and still as good as new! If your take care of them they will last forever it seems. They are expensive but well worth the money! I am replacing all my pots and pans with Berndes brand as I can afford to.

If you have never cooked with Berndes you are missing out. This pan was perfect for frying steaks in. I have probably 12-15 pieces of Berndes and will never use anything else. We have only done steaks in this but would bet it would be perfect for fish as well.

Really great grill pan. Heavy duty, nice grill marks. I use it all the time.Clean up is easy. Nothing negative about it. All good.

I saw this pan being used at a cooking demonstration by a chef who was not pushing any product. I immediately noticed how easy it was to clean after it's use. That was the major reason I became interested.It cooks evenly and cleans so much easier than my other grill pans. It's light weight and a must for any kitchen.

The best stove to oven grill pan EVER!!