HIC Kitchen HIC Kitchen Oval Au Gratin Baking Dish Set, Fine White Porcelain, 10-Inch, Set of 4 Au Gratin Baking Dish Set, Fine White Porcelain, 10-Inch, Set of 4

Okay, my Pillivuyt was stolen along with my Lamson cutlery and Calphalon cookware. Loss totalled about $3000. I can't afford to replace that stuff again now and some pieces are retired, so...I love porcelain. I do NOT love Teflon or the like.This HIC is a Chinese "replication" of Pillivuyt pieces. It's very similar in style, though there are important differences to consider. Porcelain itself is not ground as finely. This means that the bottoms of these lovely Gratins are not as smooth. You should consider gently sanding them smooth with emery paper so they don't scuff things as easily. Realize that porcelain DOES scuff things, regardless!Another difference is that somehow, Pillivuyt manages to create remarkably flat surfaces. By that, I mean that they are not ripply or wavy. These HIC pieces are visually less flat, though that may be hard to detect by moving your finger across a surface. It's a minor detail, but maybe it's not. In a few years, I'll know.That said, that's the bad news, and it's not very bad!The good news is that they cook pretty much the same as my old Pillivuyt did. My most common use for this size Gratin is to microwave single eggs in them for my signature breakfast sandwich. I used the very tiniest amount of oil wiped on the surface, and I do mean tiny, and it's enough to get the egg to release, sunny up or scrambled, easily with a fork. You can scramble the egg with a real table fork IN the Gratin and nuke it and it will fluff up. Seasoned lightly it comes out great. Or, you can bake a bunch in the oven or a couple in the toaster-oven and VERY fluffy. The fork gets them out with ease, and washup is just hot water and a paper towel, same as with any quality pan. A couple of times, I overcooked (um, burnt?) cheese on them. Soaked in hot water only, a NYLON scrubber (Dobe is my recommendation) and clean as can be. They're easy. Can't really tell much difference from the Pillivuyt.Good porcelain really IS basically the original nonstick.And here's the kicker: These cost 1/3 the price that Pillivuyt does. Sure, that extra 2/3 buys the final tiny bit of refinement and I'm not sure what the effect of having the finest bone grind in the world is with P, or whether their glaze is substantially different over the years yet.Most people drop these before they would possible "wear them out." Here, you get SIX gratins for the price of less than TWO of theirs. It's not a big deal to lose them to accidents.These HIC Gratins are a deal. I'm definitely going to look at others of their pieces as I need them. The price is right and so far, so is the performance.

I use these for crepes, and gratins. These are safe to use under the broiler. Cleanup is easy. Presentation is pretty. I'm fully satisfied with these versatile and well made dishes.

Bake and serve, clean up is a snap, lightweight and pretty, and fairly inexpensive, what can I say, these are a great deal. I love to bake and serve in individual dishes, even if it is just for me alone. Enchiladas, crepes, veggie dishes, all can be cooked and served in these au gratin dishes. Unlike some au gratin dishes that say they are 9 or 10 inches, but are actually 7 or 8 inches instead, these HIC au gratins are 10" from handle to handle and are the perfect size for individual casseroles that don't need a lot of depth, such as a filled crepe smothered in sauce with cheese, potatoes au gratin or many other like items. Presented on a plate, they are an elegant way to bake and serve, without breaking the bank to purchase them.

I use these for a whole host of cooking and serving. They are shallow, but are a really handy size to cook an individual item - say a chicken breast, salmon, couple of sausages, etc. along with other items in the oven. Surface is little rough on the unseen bottom, as no glaze, but not an issue. Bought a second set as I had two crack after less than a year of use, but they are so useful it's worth it. Been a while and no more issues. Recommended.

Love au gratin dishes. For baking a single filet of fish, or an individual casserole of mac & cheese. Porcelain also cleans well with soaking.

I've been wanting a set of white porcelain au gratin dishes since I saw in person the utilitarian yet elegant ones recovered from the wreck of RMS Titanic. These are similar enough to those to satisfy my hankering.They look better than I was expecting. The handles have a nice texture that gives them a classic look that doesn't show well in the photo. Top surfaces are glossy, the bottom is matte with an inset for the importer's logo.These are well-glazed and fired hard. I have no problem believing that they are suitable for use in an oven, broiler, or microwave, and they are surely dishwasher safe.My only minor complaint is a long-term pet peeve about sticky labels that are difficult to remove. The good news on these au gratin dishes is that the importer's round label on the top soaks off in dishwater (or isn't hopelessly bonded to the glossy glaze.) However, there is also a small rectangular bar code label on the bottom that will require some Goo Gone or similar solvent to remove completely (and you surely want to do that before exposing the dishes to heat.)ETA I just received a second set of four that I ordered so as to ensure that I always have these on hand. I haven't broken one yet but that is always a possibility. I am pleased to report that the small labels on the bottom of each dish came off easily - No need for Goo Gone this time!I have used these dishes many times now, and they have performed very well indeed.I'm very pleased with this purchase!

These have the feeling of fine China but are sturdy, able to be baked in a 400 degree oven. At first I thought they would be too small but they surprisingly hold a lot. I made a seafood bake with halibut, 3 scallops and 3 large shrimp in them!

We find that we love the foil wrapped dinners for the BBQ in the summer, but the foil pouches are a mess to empty and serve nicely on a plate. And they are way too hot to handle !!! I was looking for individual casserole dishes to cover entirely with aluminum foil for cooking and then serve by just removing the foil. These are fantastic....I have used them in a 425 degree oven baking for 30 minutes and resting for 10 minutes before serving. They also hold 10 ounces which makes the servings a little larger for the guys in our family. Now we have an electric BBQ so I can set the temperature I want. I expect it will work as well.