• Cooking evenness: This model was excellent for cooking evenness across the entire cooking surface. We expect all cookware in this set to perform similarly for this and other food.
• Food release: This model was fair in releasing multiple eggs from the frypan. Four eggs are cooked in the frypan consecutively. The pan is initially seasoned with vegetable oil prior to cooking the first egg. An Excellent score indicates that all four eggs slid off the pan without assistance; A Poor score indicates that scraping was needed to release any egg from the pan and some egg residue was left on the pan.
• Nonstick durability: This model was very good at withstanding up to 2,000 strokes using steel wool on the frypan's surface. This is done only on frypans with nonstick surfaces, simulating scraping with metal utensils and abrasive cleaners. This also predicts performance for other nonstick pieces in the set.
• Handle temperature: excellent at keeping temperatures low enough to touch without a potholder when used on the stovetop. You'll definitely need a potholder for sets scoring Fair or Poor. We also consider the size and shape of the handle when scoring.
• Handle sturdiness: this model was very good for handle sturdiness, which gauges its resistance to bending or breaking under increasing force.

The Cuisinart Culinary Collection is part of the Cookware test program at Consumer Reports. In our lab tests, Frying Pans (Nonstick) models like the Culinary Collection are rated on multiple criteria, such as those listed below.

Cooking evenness: A thermal imaging camera is used to evaluate the heating evenness of the frying pan.

Nonstick food release: Nonstick food release score reflects the nonstick qualities of a pan's interior by cooking four eggs consecutively without oil. An Excellent score indicates that all four eggs slid off the pan without assistance; A Poor score indicates that scraping was needed to release any egg from the pan and some egg residue was left on the pan.

Nonstick durability: To assess nonstick durability, we intentionally abraded frying-pan surfaces with steel wool until the coating was worn through or up to 2,000 strokes. Scoring reflects the durability of the frying-pan's coating and it's nonstick quality after being abraded.