This is one of the most interesting new cookware designs out there.

The idea behind Strata's Carbon Clad design is that you take the natural non-stick properties of cast iron and carbon steel, and combine them with the light weight and fast, even heating of stainless steel.

As far as I can tell, it seems like a proprietary process that this team invented. To me, it strikes a great balance and works well as an "everyday" pan. You won't get the same world-class sear you might get from a 7 pound cast iron skillet, but you get a combination of lots of other desirable features.

And perhaps the most interesting part is that it's a great off-ramp for people who use toxic coatings on their cookware (teflon, etc...). These people are used to lightweight, non-stick pans, and the jump to either stainless steel or cast iron/carbon steel typically involves sacrificing either the non-stick surface or the light weight.