one of the most important elements of true paella is the socarrat - and for that to occur - you need excellent heat distribution from burner to pan - this pan works like a charm

Based on the boxes condition and the fact that the products packaging bag was ripped open I believe this pan was shipped elsewhere before it got to me. Nevertheless, the pan is in great shape all I can add to this is reference YouTube videos on seasoning these types of pans, the instructions that come with this pan will only leave you with a layer of black, sticky gunk on the inside of the pan, when seasoning think of thin layers off oil.

I did not purchase this pan for paella, but for use as a large-batch skillet. It's works well for this use because the bottom is completely flat and it has high sides to keep food contained. It also fits nicely in the oven. The handles do get hot, but this is not a concern for me. I removed the wax coating by placing it upside down in a 300F oven for 60 minutes, wiping it down with paper towel a couple of times towards the end. I also seasoned it in the oven which allowed me to season both the inside and the outside of the pan. The pan I received measures 15 15/16" wide x 2 3/8" deep (without the handles). I looked up the weight online... per Lodge, their 15" cast iron skillet weighs 12.36 lbs. Per another website, the Mauviel weighs about 6.5 lbs. If you are looking for a large skillet that cooks like cast-iron, but is a lot lighter, this is an excellent choice. Highly recommended!

I was shopping around for a 15" dome wok lid that would probably work on this pan, and another genius poster mentioned they they were using a perforated pizza pan for a lid on their 16" wok. I happen to have one, so I tried it on this pan and it fits perfectly!

Great pan, The Bees wax made for an interesting event, we baked in oven and boiled water to remove. turned into a hot mess. after wax removal the pan did season well.
Used for Paella on weber grill and it turned out great.

Awesome but too deep and heavy.