Asahi Cne117 Egg Pan Tamagoyaki Professinal Model, Wooden Lid 18cm Copper

One of my mottos is "the right tool for the job"...works every time. IF you are serious about making a really good tamagoyaki often, buy one of these AND (importantly) learn to use it. The size, 18cm, is the minimum practical size, about four eggs, and good for two people. Copper IS easy to maintain depending on your attitude. If used regularly, it acquires honorable (work related) tarnish. I have no use for shiny copper. My motivation is to use it, not look at it. The interior is said by some sources to be a nickel plating, that makes it somewhat like stainless steel. The interior is very easy to clean.I'm stoked about this pan because it worked for me the FIRST TIME (see photo), even using cooking chopsticks...no spatula. For me, the ideal tamagoyaki should have no brown spots (overcooked) and have a delicate flavor. This pan performed. I have tried the usual kitchen cookware for producing this rolled omelet with varying degrees of success, but nothing like that pictured.I STRONGLY suggest watching video of a pro in-action making one of these. The best video is of a chef cooking an eight-egg version. Do what he does and you can't miss.Constant oiling is critical. Heat distribution by moving the pan is crucial. If you don't enjoy learning cooking technique and active involvement with cooking, this is not the pan for you. I have a "flame-thrower" stove, not a conventional range. I have to keep the pan moving and watch what the eggs are doing. You don't set this pan on even a conventional burner and leave it. This is not cast iron or thick stainless steel folks. The copper transfers heat so easily, that the heat is very easy to control and can be "aimed" where needed. Also, I have my doubts about how this would work over any heat source other than open flame.If you are one of those who rates a pan highly by virtue of even heat distribution, this is not for you. I like the control it allows. It is sensitive and responsive like a Formula One race car.Wimp-out and buy a cheap non-stick pan if you must, but you will be tossing it for a new one eventually. Like good cast iron and stainless steel, this copper pan will outlive you. Can't ask for better.

A beautiful addition to our kitchen. The metal is beautifully finished and the folds are crisp and tight. Some assembly is required but nothing a screwdriver can't solve. The handle is very utilitarian like most other Japanese kitchen implements we own but works just fine. The heat is distributed very evenly and QUICKLY. Mastering tamagoyaki is not easy but this pan has made it joyful. I'm not sure why the wood lid is the full size of the pan as you need only half of it to press the omelet but otherwise, I have no complaint about it. Most recipes for this size pan call for four eggs but I've been able to get up to six in this pan for my family of four. Forgive the overcooked eggs in the photos - I'm getting better!

Be sure to drill a larger pilot hole for the handle fastening screw. It easily strips & refuses to tighten completely otherwise. Besides that, this is a very good pan with all the thermal characteristics one looks for in copper cookware. Makes Tamago preparation for small omlettes (fewer than 6 large eggs) simple. Don't use more than 6 eggs. The directions and packaging are entirely Japanese, so look elsewhere for directions if you don't read the language.

Sticks really bad!! Even after season the pan. Uneven heat, getting hot spots. It’s going back.

This is a quality copper pan with a nickel coating inside. However, you should be careful with the screw it comes with for the handle. Just don't use the screw it comes with for tightening the wooden handle to the pan because it will strip and you'll be angry. Just use a better quality small screw from a hardware store like I did. Also the copper polish it comes with really isn't great so just rub the outside of the pan down with ketchup and let it sit for a few minutes before washing off. The acid in ketchup restores the coppers shine and it really does work. Never put it in the dish washer and only wash by hand. When you first use it you need to use a lot of oil to keep the omelet from sticking. For me it took five uses to properly season and now I use less then half the oil I used for my first omelet. I now use about 1 TBS of oil for a two egg omelet. A hot pan with hot oil will give you more covered surface area since hot oil spreads out more resulting in less needed oil. Lastly, if you don't already know the wooden lid is for shaping the tamagoyaki omelet and it really does come in handy. I suggest watching a YouTube video of someone using this pan if you never used one before or never seen one used correctly before.

So first off, this pan is pretty legit. The copper is heavy and sturdy, the tin coating is extremely easy to clean once you've got a good layer of oil on it, and it makes AMAZING tamago. Combined with the wood shaper, this thing is pretty awesome, but there is just one huge flaw in the design that makes it incredibly difficult to use, and that is the handle.In order to get a good grip when cooking, I almost instinctively choke up on the handle, but the copper extends quite a bit out from the pan and up the handle. On my first time using this pan, I burned myself three times. Every time after that, I have burned myself at least once, even while constantly trying to stay aware of where my hand is. At this point, I've stopped using it until I can come up with some kind of shield to keep my finger from drifting towards the pan. Taking a look at other wood handle pans online, I've noticed that many of them have a raised portion on the wood right where it joins to the metal, just so the user has somewhat of a warning that if they go any further, they're on a trip to paintown. That or some kind of silicone sleeve covering the metal portion of the handle would make this a 5 star product, but as is I don't think the amazing tamago is worth the price of my fingertips.