I just wonder why in the world you would want a pan shaped like that?

It seems that no matter what kind of stove you have (electric or gas), the right and left edges of pan would not be heated as much as the center.

Am I missing something???

I loved this comment from one reviewer who gave it four stars:

The only down fall is the shape is not conducive to the tradition round burner and often does not cook items evenly.

Now how can you give a piece of cookware four stars if it doesn't cook evenly?!

Oval pans don't make sense to me. 2 parts of the burner is heating the kitchen, or
I'm missing something important.

I have trouble keeping up with all the round pans.
Lou

I could see how it allows for more pans on the cooktop -- but if you keep having to move food around in it -- what's the point??

Fit in the cupboard better?

Definitely better in the oven, if you have to fit other things in there.

I'm guessing you all don't have oval saute pans like RR. But maybe you need them and I'm guessing she sells 'em?

I know I was very disappointed when I finally got an oval cast iron pot. It is too narrow for my big burner on my glass cooktop and it is too big for the next smaller sized one. I vowed to never get another oval pan as long as I was stuck with an electric cooktop.

But my best guess is that the shape is just something someone in the marketing department came up with when given the challenge to come up with something that customers don't have yet.