This is a review of the Cuisinart GreenGourmet eco friendly 11 inch square grill pan. If you want to get this model, Click Here.
This Cuisinart Green Gourmet grilling pan, as its name suggests, is supposedly manufactured in a way that is friendlier to the environment and thus following the ‘green’ trend that is quite popular today. However, this kitchen item is not only marketed as a product that is good for our environment, it’s also marketed as a product that is good for our cooking too.
As for the eco friendly aspect, the GreenGourmet pans of this brand are manufactured in a way that reduces carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to global warming. Both the stainless steel handle and the packaging are made from recycled materials, and the Cuisinart ceramica nonstick coating is allegedly free of PTFE and PFOA – substances believed to have a negative impact on one’s health and well being.
However, the fact that a product is eco friendly does not mean that people should rush to get it. All these ‘green’ aspects of this cooking tool can be great for marketing, but eventually the customers are going to judge the item based on how well it functions as a grilling pan.
On its first few uses, the square shaped unit actually performs quite well. It heats up fairly quickly, and the heat is distributed evenly across the surface, without any hot or cold spots that would ruin your food. In addition, the nonstick surface does prevent the food from sticking, making it relatively easy to clean it after use.
Another thing that adds to the versatility of this model is the fact that the product is broiler and oven safe, meaning it can basically go directly into the oven with no problem whatsoever. On the other hand, you’ll have to hand wash this Cuisinart design since the GreenGourmet cookware products are not dishwasher safe.
While in its first ten or so uses this kitchen tool would probably serve you well, the nonstick coatingjust doesn’t seem to last. Eventually, you’ll end up with a pan that causes almost any food to stick to its ‘nonstick’ surface. Seasoning this item usually won’t help much once the nonstick surface loses its effectiveness.
It’s not rare for nonstick cookware to deteriorate with time, but some products are better than others. You can either pick a heavy cast iron pan that can last much longer than the average unit that isn’t made of cast iron, like the Cuisinart GreenGourmet eco friendly 11 inch square grill model. Or you can look for a nonstick grilling pan that has a more durable nonstick coating.
I also have a Green Pan and I LOVE it. I bought a few different eco pans to try out and Green pan was the best and Earth Pan was the worst. I am also addicted to my George Forman Grill and I know the coating on it isn’t that safe. So, I called Green Pan and they said they are developing an electric eco grill that should be out “in a few months”…yay! Now, I just hope their new grill has the removable grill pieces like the new Forman evolution so it can be easily washed….keeping fingers crossed!
This may be a gimmick, but I have a whole set of GreenPans which are the original safe alternative to Teflon. They perform fantastically well under all sorts of family abuse (I have 4 kids). They heat evenly and nothing sticks EVER. I love the fact that they’re safe for our family and I tossed out the Teflon with no objections from anyone!
It looks more like a gimmick product to me, but I admit that it’s unfair that I critize this eco-friedly cuisinart grill pan without actually trying it.
It’s just that I have tried a couple of those nonstick pans and they usually don’t last long, so I’ve decided to try a cast iron pan.