I’ve got a product review for you today: the Tremontina All Generations line of cookware. The company asked me to give their 10-inch Teflon©  Platinum Nonstick Sauté Pan a try, then write a review for RheumaBlog. The idea was to

THE TRAMONTINA All Generations 10-inch Porcelain Enamel Nonstick Saute Pan has earned the Arthritis Foundation’s Ease-of-Use Commendation.

point out the pan’s pluses for people with diseases that attack the joints, making them stiff and painful. “Why not?” I thought.

When the pan arrived in the mail, I was impressed by its weight–and a bit worried. One of the biggest challenges I face when I cook is lifting hot, heavy pots and pans. I fear that the rheuma will make my grip suddenly dicey; I do not want to drop pans full of boiling or searing food.

I know I’m not alone in this.

But I do love to cook, and heavier, high quality cookware tends to stand up to frequent use and can last for years, even decades. A pan with a correctly made, heavy bottom conducts and distributes heat better, which allows the food to cook more evenly. This is a good thing, you know? It saves time. It means less stirring and less gripping of utensils in sore, twingy hands. And you don’t end up with some parts of the dish overcooked and some undercooked.

Still, maneuvering a heavy pan with arthritis-wracked hands can be truly daunting. But Tremontina planned for that. Instead of just the traditional, single long handle on the sauté pan, they’ve added a second, smaller one directly opposite the long one. I found that I could lift the full pan easily with both hands, dividing the weight evenly. It balances perfectly, regardless of the amount of food inside.

That is a big deal.

Here’s another really nice thing about the Tremontina sauté pan: it’s that smooth, Teflon© Platinum nonstick coating. You don’t really need any butter or oil to keep food from sticking to this pan, but if you do want to use some for flavor, a dab will do quite nicely. Watching your weight? This pan will make it a little easier.

And clean-up is simple. Just tip the pan and whatever remains inside will slide out smooth as a belly-down penguin on an ice-flow. Scrambled eggs, sautéed onions, reduction sauces and gravies–all come off the pan in a jiffy, without scrubbing, even if the food was accidentally overcooked and you expect it to be a real chore to clean the pan. I really appreciate this perc. Scrubbing can be downright painful.

You do need to season the pan before you use it the first time, but it’s a simple process that takes all of a minute. You should use wooden, plastic or silicone utensils to avoid scratching the non-stick surface. And to avoid damaging the pan, you must always cook on medium heat. No biggie, though: the pan conducts heat so quickly and evenly there’s no need to turn the burner up any higher.

The handles have comfy, ergonomic,  silicone-covered grips. You don’t need a pot-holder in each hand to avoid burning yourself. And the lid is made of clear tempered glass so you can see the food as it cooks. It also has a silicone-covered handle.

I’m trying not to gush. Really. But this is, honestly, about the best sauté pan I’ve ever used. There’s this, too: the Tremontina All Generations line of cookware has been given the Arthritis Foundation’s Ease-of-Use Commendation.

You can buy Tremontina cookware at Target, Wal-Mart, and online. The seven-piece set runs about $60, which dropped my jaw, it’s so amazingly inexpensive. It comes with a lifetime warranty. And finally, it’s made in the USA. (cue the patriotic music!)

If you’d like to take a better look at this great cookware and learn more about it, visit this website. And don’t forget to scroll down and watch the short CNN news video on the right-hand side. It explains how products like the Tremontina All Generations line of cookware are tested for use by people with diseases that cause joint pain and weakness.

Next time:  my review of the homeopathic pain-relief lotion, LivRelief.