Calphalon hit a homerun w/ this pan!  I've owned this pan for two years and just purchased one as a gift for my mother.  This one pan can be used for many purposes; as a wok, for deep frying, to saute, to steam, to stew, it does it all.  It heats relatively quickly for a pan of its size and cooks very evenly.  The handle stays cool except where it attaches to the pan.  Why is this important?  Well, the only down side is its weight, typically I have to hold the handle where it attaches to the pan when moving the pan when full or pouring contents out of the pan.  The handle is long and thin except at the end.  The pan w/ contents is too heavy to hold the handle at the wide end, there is no leverage.  So, you hold it at the base where it gets warm.  Small detail, the pan's versatility and usefulness far outway this little "nit."  Finally, the pan is very easy to clean.  I always find myself reaching for this pan out of all the other pans and skillets that I own.  Yes, it is costly, I promise you, you'll love it