Hybrid, stainless steel or cast iron?

HexClad's hybrid is a tri-ply pan with an aluminum core and a magnetic stainless base for induction, whose cooking surface is 'a laser-etched stainless steel hexagon design' of ridges over 'nonstick valleys' filled with HexClad's TerraBond ceramic coating, which HexClad calls PTFE-free and 'free from forever chemicals'¹³. The steel peaks are what you sear on; the valleys are what releases. HexClad's own care page says the pan needs seasoning with a teaspoon of oil on medium-low for two to three minutes and will 're-season itself' over the first weeks².

360 Cookware's stainless has no coating at all. The cooking surface is T-316 stainless steel, 18/10 (18% chromium, 10% nickel), over a sealed aluminum core and a T-400 series stainless exterior for induction, bonded to a total thickness of .110 in (2.7 mm)⁶. 360 says it dry-sands the surface smooth instead of coating it, and that the pans are made without PFAS, PFOA, PFOS or PTFE⁶⁹. Food release comes from technique: preheat until water beads glide, use low to medium heat, and let proteins release on their own⁷.

Lodge's cast iron is seasoned iron: 'Seasoning is just oil baked onto the pan', 100% vegetable oil applied in the foundry, and the layer 'gets better with every use'¹⁰. The Blacklock line is Lodge's lighter, triple-seasoned skillet in 7, 10.25 and 12 inch sizes, sold as made without PFAS and for 'all kinds of heat-sources, from stovetops and ovens to campfires and grills'¹¹. There is no coating to protect and no ridge to clean; the surface is the oil you maintain.

HexClad's instruction to start lower is about its aluminum core: the pan 'allows heat to be distributed faster', so a medium burner behaves like medium-high on other cookware². The warranty backs that up by excluding 'excessive heat' from coverage⁴, so the number on the dial matters to the claim as well as the dinner.

360 Cookware's rule points the same way for a different reason. Stainless 'holds heat extremely well', so 'too much heat is one of the biggest causes of sticking and burning', and 'Discoloration is due to persistent overheating'⁷⁸. The blue or rainbow marks that follow are, in 360's words, harmless and come off with vinegar and water⁷. The pan is not damaged by heat the way a coating would be; the food is.

Lodge gives no upper limit because the material is iron and oil: 'Cast iron can handle any kitchen cooktop, oven, grill, and open flame'¹⁰. The cost of that freedom is the maintenance step the other two do not have, 'wash, dry, and rub with oil', and the rust or flaking seasoning Lodge's troubleshooting page treats as normal and fixable¹⁰.

HexClad's 12-inch page gives 900°F for the pan and 400°F for the vented glass lid¹. Its 6-piece set page gives both 500°F in its summary and 900°F in its feature list². Until HexClad reconciles the two, the lid's 400°F is the only number that governs a covered dish, and 500°F is the safer reading for the bare pan; our oven-safe guide follows the same rule for every maker.

360's fry pans state 500°F with a stay-cool stainless handle⁵. Its use and care guide adds a limit most pages skip: the phenolic handles and cover knobs on its Classic line are good to 350°F 'if the broiler unit is not on', because 'The direct heat from the broiler unit in a gas or electric oven will cause the handles and knobs to blister'⁸. Check which handle your piece has. Lodge states no temperature on the pages we read; it states ovens, grills and open flame as intended uses¹⁰¹¹.

HexClad: 'HexClad cookware products carry a lifetime warranty against manufacturer's defects', excluding damage from 'excessive heat, abuse, neglect, improper storage, misuse of sharp utensils, improper cleaning, improper seasoning, or use in a foodservice setting'. It is 'limited to the original customer ... with proof of purchase and is non-transferrable', covers products bought new from HexClad or authorized sellers, and 'the customer may be held responsible for return shipping fees'. HexClad asks you to activate it with a form, and warranty periods begin when the product is received⁴. The product page carries a 30-day return window¹.

360 Cookware: 'warranted against defects in workmanship and materials for the lifetime of the cookware', with the original purchase registered as proof; 'Any heir to the cookware must provide a copy of the original purchase for replacement'. Cookware 'damaged or destroyed by fire, abuse, accident, theft, or natural disaster' may be replaced 'at 50% of the retail price at the time of replacement' on submission of a report or letter⁸. The product pages state 90-day returns and free shipping⁵; dishwasher use 'can void the warranty of certain products'⁹.

Lodge's Blacklock page links a 'Made Right Warranty' whose text did not load in our read, so we do not describe it¹¹; the care page's troubleshooting treats rust and flaking seasoning as things you fix rather than claim¹⁰.