The concept of having alternating concentric rings of non-stick material and stainless steel material makes sense in regards to durability but not anti-stick. After using them a few times, I found that the food does not stick to the black rings but sticks to the stainless steel rings. So I guess that minimizes the effort to scrub the pan to only half of the surface area but it does not make the pans "non-stick" in reality. I would rather be held to using wooden and plastic spatulas versus having to soak and scrub my pans.