UPDATE (May 2017): After a little over 2 years, the non-stick surface finally lost it's non-stick properties. Part of that was due to the fact that my wife loved this pan so much, she used it all the time for everything, and non-stick pans will last longer if you only use them for applications where you really need a non-stick surface. NO non-stick surfaces last forever, however, which is why I think it's silly to spend a fortune on a non-stick pan. Of all the non-stick skillets I've tried (including some of the expensive ones) T-fal has the best non-stick surface. Some notes, though. This pan did exhibit the "hump" in the middle of the cooking surface, but I still say the constant belly-aching over this is way overstated. It never affected the ability to cook anything I wanted to. If anything runs towards the edge, just give it a quick swirl – problem solved. It made great, thin omelets, even with the "hump, until the non-stick surface wore out. However, this pan did warp. Just enough that it wouldn't lie perfectly flat on a ceramic cooktop. I think it had something to do with the construction. Although it conducts heat evenly, this is not a heavy duty pan. The stainless steel bottom is a thin disk mated to an aluminum body, which is different than more expensive pans that sandwich an aluminum disk between layers of stainless steel. The two metals expand and contract at different rates, so I think warping is inevitable with this design. Because of that, I opted for the Ultimate Anodized version of this pan for its replacement, which features solid anodized aluminum construction. Same non-stick surface. Same handle. I've been very happy with it. If you have an induction cook-top, then this Professional version is your only option. It's a good pan. Just don't overheat it and maybe avoid super hot dishwasher cycles to make it last longer. (May, 2014) It's still pretty much brand new. So I can't comment on its durability, yet. The build quality is fine. I prefer a slightly longer handle and ones with the slip-on silicone sleeves, but it's fine. This pan is oven-safe, but only at less than 400 degrees. But this pan is not made for super-hot cooking - no non-stick pans are. It's not a super heavy pan, but it's not super thin like so many cheap ones. But the purpose is to quickly heat things up, and it does so evenly. Mine did not exhibit the "bow" that some complain about. Even if it does bow slightly over time and the oil runs to the sides, I'm not concerned. With a non-stick skillet, you are adding fat strictly for flavor. A quick swirl is all that's necessary when you add the food. (Note: If you actually watch ATK like I do, you would see that their skillet actually DOES exhibit the bow and their oil runs to the sides. Doesn't seem to stop them from making great food, so I think the bellyaching over this is a bit overstated) If you are adding more than, say, a tablespoon of oil, you probably need to use a different pan, anyway. You should be using this pan to cook quickly sauté veggies or cook delicate foods like fish and eggs, not to cook burgers and steaks or simmer foods for a long time. Use stainless steel or cast iron for those things. The non-stick surface is excellent. Omelets are a breeze. Fish releases easily and intact while still getting a little color. To make the surface last as long as possible, hand washing is best, and cleanup is easy. This is more than I've spent on a non-stick skillet in the past - I usually just buy inexpensive commercial non-stick pans from restaurant supply companies. But the America's Test Kitchen tests and reviews seem to suggest that this one will put up with a little more abuse and retain it's excellent non-stick properties longer than most. I can't comment on that yet, but I haven't seen the non-stick properties of any of these skillets last longer than a year - or two, at best. Dings and scratches are normal wear-and-tear, unless you really baby these things, - always hand wash them, always use soft utensils (wood and silicone are best - hard plastic can still scratch the surface), and store them in a way that the non-stick surface never contacts any other surfaces. This skillet does the types of cooking it was made for extremely well. That's why you should buy it.