I Love This Stainless Steel Pan So Much, It Never Leaves My Stovetop

Finally deciding that it's time to upgrade your cookware is a big deal. If you're someone who cooks often (or just someone who likes to have pretty cooking tools), choosing a brand new pan, for example, can be a big lift. That's especially true thanks to the many options for finishes, brands, and cooking needs out there. One of the most reliable, long-lasting, and versatile pieces to have at your disposal is a stainless steel pan—the deeper and wider, the better to really get a ton of use out of it.

Luckily, one of our favorite brands, Sardel, has a 4-quart stainless steel sauté pan that's as perfectly functional as it is beautiful. I've had mine for about two years now and I use it so often and turn to it for so many different dishes, I've made the unconscious decision to let it live on my stovetop full time. I sear chicken thighs in it for the crispiest skin of my life, sauté thinly sliced vegetables for a stir fry, shallow fry lightly breaded calamari rings, make a one-pot paella, and braise short ribs in a rich red wine and beef stock pan sauce. So yes, it's a pan with plenty of range.

This deep sauté pan is my personal favorite and I recommend it to anyone I know in the market for a new one, and if that includes you, Sardel gave Real Simple readers an exclusive 15 percent off discount to use site-wide. Now, you can own one (or more) of its many cookware options at a lower price with code REALSIMPLE15.

To buy: $124 with code REALSIMPLE15 (was $145); sardel.com.

This particular pan works so well at distributing heat evenly because it was crafted with five layers of metal—three layers of aluminum in the middle of the pan called the "core," and two layers of stainless steel sandwiching them into this piece of Italian craftsmanship. The pan's handle stays cool while it's cooking on a burner and the elongated design makes it easy to grip while stirring or quickly tossing ingredients.

My kitchen has a gas oven, but the pan is compatible with induction cooktops as well. One of my favorite features of this Sardel pan is that it can go from the stovetop right into the oven without skipping a beat. I use this feature to finish off pieces of chicken, steaks, and those braised short ribs, too.

Cleaning up after using this stainless steel pan is almost too good to be true. Anything that might seem to stick to its surface is quickly released with a little bit of moisture and a wooden spoon while I'm still cooking to ensure an easy time in the sink. Once I've plated a meal, I let the pan cool and then simply rinse it out with warm, soapy water and the soft side of a sponge. No special cleaners or excessive elbow grease have ever been needed, but I did purchase a bottle of stainless steel cleaner recently to preserve the shine after using my Sardel pan so often over the last two years.

Upgrade your cookware with this 4-quart stainless steel sauté pan or another piece of Sardel's fine Italian craftsmanship for 15 percent off today with code REALSIMPLE15. Go ahead and indulge a little in a beautiful pan and enjoy some perfectly cooked meals.