- Stainless steel outside
- Aluminum core
- Stainless steel cooking surface
- Stainless steel wall
- Aluminum disc in the base only
| Maker statement | Fully clad | Disc bottom |
|---|---|---|
| Products we list | 66 | 4 |
| Works on induction (maker says) | 64 of 66 | 4 of 4 |
| Dishwasher allowed by the maker | 32 of 66 | 4 of 4 |
| Metal utensils allowed | 28 of 66 | 1 of 4 |
| Needs seasoning | 0 of 66 | 0 of 4 |
| Pan oven limit | 500–1050°F (60 of 66 state one) | 350–500°F (4 of 4 state one) |
| Lid oven limit | 400–425°F (4 of 66 state one) | 450°F (1 of 4 state one) |
Where the aluminum goes
Steel spreads heat poorly, so good stainless pans carry aluminum, which spreads it well. In a fully clad pan the layers are bonded through the whole body, base and walls, up to the rim. In a disc-bottom pan, also sold as an "encapsulated" or "impact-bonded" base, a thick aluminum disc sits under the base and the walls are a single layer of steel. Cuisinart's Chef's Classic set, for one, has an aluminum encapsulated base.
What changes when you cook
Across the base, both spread the heat well. The difference is in the walls: in a disc-bottom pan they heat less evenly, so a reducing sauce or a risotto can catch at the edge while the middle cooks normally, Alva explains. For boiling water, pasta or stock the walls do no work, and a disc-bottom stockpot does the job for less money.
How to tell which you have
Look at the rim edge-on: a fully clad pan shows faint stripes where its layers meet, and a disc-bottom rim is one solid piece of steel. Turn the pan over: a bonded disc usually leaves a visible step where it ends. Read the label carefully, too. "5-ply" can describe only the disc, so look for "clad to the rim" or ask whether the layers run up the sides.
Which one to choose
Choose fully clad for frying pans, sauté pans and saucepans, where food and sauce touch the sides. A disc-bottom stockpot or pasta pot is a sensible place to save money.
How these comparisons are made
Questions about this choice
Do disc-bottom pans work on induction?
Many do, because the disc is capped with magnetic steel: Cuisinart's Chef's Classic set is induction-ready. Check the maker's page for your pan, and that the disc is wide enough for your cooking zone.