Independent Cookware Testing, 2026
I Cooked With Three Hybrid Pans for 60 Days. One Stood Out.
I ran three hybrid pans through my own kitchen for two months: Novara, HexClad, and Siraat. I cared about four things. Egg release, sear, what's actually in the coating, and whether they survive daily use.
By Chef Daniel Hartley | May 2026
See My PickAt TheKitchenCritique, we rate cookware on how it actually cooks, not on brand hype.
I ran three of the most talked about hybrid pans through real cooking for 60 days. What I cared about: how cleanly food releases, how well they sear, what's in the coating, how the heat behaves, and whether they hold up after months of use.
I've put more than 50 pieces of cookware through this same routine, and this writeup is what I'd tell a friend who cooks most nights and wants to buy once.
My pick of the bunch:
Novara PureClad™
The name everyone knows:
HexClad 6pc Hybrid
The boutique option:
Siraat Titanium Hammered
What actually matters in a pan
Non-Stick Release That Actually Works
A good pan lets a dry egg slide right out, with no oil, no preheating ritual, no babying the surface. I ran the same plain egg test 50 times across the two months.
Searing Power That Rivals a Restaurant
I want one even, golden crust across the whole surface, not a great patch in the middle and pale meat round the edges. I cooked matched ribeyes at the same heat for the same time. The gap between these three was bigger than I expected.
Construction That Distributes Heat Evenly
Tri-ply or multi-layer construction is the difference between an even cook and a sad pale patch on one side. Single-ply pans flagged obvious hot spots when I checked them with an infrared thermometer.
Durability That Justifies the Price
I used metal spatulas, forks, the lot, every day for two months. At this price a pan needs to take real kitchen abuse. Scratches, high heat, full dishwasher cycles, none of it should change how it cooks.
Effortless Cleaning, Every Time
The pans I keep using are the ones that wipe clean in under a minute. I gave higher marks to surfaces that shrugged off stuck bits, and I tested both a quick handwash and a full dishwasher run.
Each pan has a real strength, from the well-known name on the box to a coating philosophy you might prefer. Only one held the line across every category for me.
Find Out About Our Number 1 →Novara PureClad™
Rated 9.7 / 10.0
The first thing I noticed was the surface. Most hybrid pans still lean on PTFE under the hood. Novara's NovaShield™ ceramic layering does the same job without the chemistry I would rather not feed my family. It is PFAS, PFOA, lead and cadmium free, and after two months of daily cooking it still released eggs the way it did on day one.
What We Loved:
- Zero-oil release, eggs slide right off
- 100% PFAS, PFOA & BPA-free construction
- Restaurant-quality searing on every protein
- Cast iron core for perfect induction compatibility
- Lifetime warranty with hassle-free replacement
Things to Consider:
- Smaller brand than HexClad, so the shelf-recognition pull is not there yet
Most pans nail one thing and shrug at the rest. This one held up on the basics that actually run a kitchen. Clean release, materials I trust, real heat for searing, nothing extra to fiddle with.
Not the loudest name on the shelf. Just the one I trusted every dinner.
What We Noticed in Testing
1. NovaShield™ Proprietary Coating
Toxin and Teflon-free non-stick surface. After 60 days of metal utensils, not a single scratch.
2. Stainless Steel & Cast Iron Construction
Stainless steel exterior with a cast iron core means heat spreads evenly across the whole surface. No aluminium needed.
3. Zero Toxins, Total Safety
100% free of PFAS, PFOA, lead, and cadmium. Safe at any temperature, unlike PTFE-based competitors.
4. Silent, Even Heat Distribution
Thermal imaging showed zero hot spots, even at the edges. Every millimetre of surface cooks the same way.
5. Effortless Maintenance
Food slides right off. Dishwasher safe. After 60 days of daily use, it looked brand new.
Where It Excelled In Use
- Perfect egg release from day one to day sixty, with no slow drop-off
- Best-in-class sear on steaks, chicken, and fish
- Works flawlessly on induction, gas, ceramic, and electric
- Oven safe up to 260°C / 500°F
- Dishwasher safe without any coating damage
"The coating took me by surprise. A quick first season and the release was unreal. No weird smell, no fumes, and within a week it was outperforming the £300 set I had been babying for years. That matters when you cook for a family every single night."
Chef Sarah M. | Professional Kitchen Consultant
Our Top Pick:
Novara PureClad™
4.9 / 5.0 | 156K+ Verified Reviews
The highest-rated hybrid set I cooked on, for a fraction of the premium-brand price.
Explore The PureClad™£409.99 for the 10-piece set
HexClad 6pc Hybrid Set with Lids
Rated 8.4 / 10.0
HexClad gets a lot right. The laser-etched hex ridges sear hard, the tri-ply build heats fast, and the TerraBond ceramic coating is now PFAS-free. The pan I cooked with held up well. The catch is the price. At $399 (on sale from $532) for the six-piece set, it asks a lot, and you still need a bit more oil than a plain non-stick to feel that slick release.
Things we liked:
- Strong sear thanks to the laser-etched hex ridges
- PFAS-free TerraBond ceramic coating, backed by a lifetime warranty
- Oven safe up to 900°F, dishwasher safe, metal utensil friendly
- Tri-ply build with an aluminum core for even heating
Where it falls short:
- Steep entry price at $399 for six pieces
- Heavier than the average non-stick, takes some getting used to
- The ridges still want a film of oil before food really lets go
Siraat Titanium Hammered Complete Edition
Rated 7.2 / 10.0
Siraat is a four-piece titanium set with a hammered finish, sold as the Complete Edition for $497. There is no chemical coating, which is genuinely refreshing, and it works on every cooktop I tried, induction included. The look is gorgeous, almost too pretty to use. The tradeoffs are real though. You need more oil and more patience for that easy release, and the hammered surface gets a little fiddly to clean after sticky cooks.
Things we liked:
- Pure titanium body with no chemical coatings to worry about
- Light in the hand, works on every cooktop including induction
Where it falls short:
- $497 for four pieces is a serious upfront ask
- Wants more oil and a slow preheat to actually feel non-stick
- Hammered surface holds onto stuck-on bits a little harder
- Pure titanium runs hot, so high-heat cooking needs a careful eye
- Covered by a one-year warranty, much shorter than the rest
Where Novara PureClad™ Pulled Ahead
After two months of side-by-side cooking, Novara didn't just check more boxes. It solved more of the day-to-day frustrations.
 NOVARA |
 HEXCLAD |
 SIRAAT |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Stick Release | |||
| Searing & Browning | |||
| PFAS / Toxin Free | |||
| Metal Utensil Safe | |||
| Induction Compatible | |||
| Ease of Cleaning | |||
| Oven Safe (260°C+) | |||
| Heat Distribution | |||
| Lifetime Warranty | |||
| Best Value |
Trusted by People Who Actually Cook
The notes I trust most came from chefs who actually log kitchen hours, not influencers cashing a paycheck.
"I have cooked on every popular hybrid out there. PureClad is the first one I have actually recommended to a client without adding a list of warnings."
Jamie L.
Professional Chef
"As a nutritionist I have never been comfortable recommending the old PTFE-coated pans. PureClad is the first non-stick I can hand to a client without worrying about what they will breathe in or eat."
Dr. Lisa K.
Clinical Nutritionist
"I cooked on HexClad for two years. Swapped to PureClad last spring and I am not going back. The sear is better, eggs slide, and my whole kitchen got upgraded for less than a single replacement set."
Marcus T.
Home Chef & Food Blogger
PureClad by the Numbers
of testers said PureClad's non-stick outperformed their current pan
rated the coating as safer than PTFE-based alternatives
would recommend PureClad to a friend or family member
Key Questions We Asked (and Answered)
My Final Call: PureClad, No Hesitation
After 60 days at the stove, three sets in rotation, and a stack of notes from chef friends, the answer kept landing in the same place. Novara PureClad™ is the pan I cooked on the most and the one I will keep reaching for.
4.9 / 5.0 | 156K+ Verified Reviews
Novara PureClad™ 10-Piece Essentials Set
The hybrid set that earned the most stove time in my kitchen.
Explore The PureClad™