This seven-piece cookware set is deluxe: it outfits a kitchen for a lifetime of essential cooking needs. The virtues of Calphalon's anodized aluminum are highly praised among cooks: even heat distribution, stick-resistant surfaces, quick heating and cooling, durable construction, and attractive design. The set includes one fry pan (or omelet pan, as Calphalon calls them); one lidded saucepan, perfect for making a variety of sauces, simmering side dishes, or cooking small batches of soup; an 8-quart lidded stockpot that will handle the gamut from pasta to soup to corn; and a true gem, a chef's pan, great for everyday cooking and effectively blends the functions of sauté pan and saucepan. The details of these pots make them especially satisfying to use: riveted stainless-steel handles are sturdy and stay cool while cooking, lids fit easily and seal in juices, the stick-resistant finish means you need only use a minimum amount of oil, and the pans are all safe for the oven and broiler. Care for these pans with consideration for the long, useful life they offer: always wash them by hand with mild cleaners. --Sherry Smith What's in the Box
10-inch omelet pan; 2-1/2-quart saucepan with lid; 4-quart chef's pan with lid; 8-quart stock pot with lid
Customer Review: Great pots, good selection
I have a lot of Calphalon in my kitchen- it's all I use on the stovetop aside from a couple of cast iron skillets, a wok, and a really big stainless stockpot. But it's the Calphalon that handle the bulk of the day to day cooking. As others have noted, they're tough, and they have great heat conductivity. This set is pretty close to what I'd buy for starters, too; it comes pretty close to what I have hanging over the stove right now. One caveat if you're not familiar with Calphalon: The anodized coating is super hard, but the typical alkaline detergents used in dishwashers will damage it. You have to hand scrub your Calphalon, or find a ph-neutral detergent.
Customer Review: Essential for both home and professional cooks
I purchased this set for my first apartment as a cooking enthusiast. I am now attending culinary school and every pot and pan looks as perfect as the day I bought them, even with constant heavy-duty use. In regards to other reviewers who have complained about food sticking to the pan: the pans must be preheated to an appropriate tempurature for the food you are cooking; or don't move food around in the pan before it's "set". With proper cooking technique you will have no problems, food will slide right off the pan. The main reason I chose the hard anodized is for its quick, even heating and durability, perfect for searing and finishing in the oven or broiler. The material is thick, won't warp in a 500 degree oven, and doesn't need any special utensils. And I don't have to worry about cleaning baked on grease - soaking the pan shortly in soapy water takes care of it. Clean up is simple - these are much easier to get squeaky clean than any of the numerous stainless steel and copper pans I have. Once in a while I use Dormond cleaner to keep the black finish dark and satiny. My only complaint is that Calphalon no longer makes skillets (or omelette pans as they call them) without a nonstick finish. I recently purchased the Calphalon One infused anodized skillet and have not used it long enough to test its durability, but its the next best thing.
I like to cook. Because I do I like to buy professional kitchen cookware sets. My very favorite set is my LeCreuset. It's enameled cast iron. It's very heavy cookware, and certainly not everyone would want to cook with it, but then I don't like lightweight aluminum pots and pans. I prefer my LeCreuset because I think that the outside enamel remains good looking, whereas some aluminum and stainless pots and pans have finishes that are easily scratched. Luckily if you're in the market for professional cookware you have a lot to choose from.
Most cookware manufacturers such as All Clad, Cuisinart, Viking, Calphalon, Kuhn Rikon, Chantal and Mauviel all make a variety of cookware of differing quality. Mauviel is known for their copper cookware. They also have a line of 7-ply cookware. This cookware has an aluminum core for excellent heat conductivity. It has a durable brushed stainless steel surface on the inside and a highly polished stainless steel surface on the outside. Viking professional cookware has a multi-ply construction. It's a combination of aluminum alloys and stainless steel which Viking says will give "lifetime performance, durability, easy cleanup and quick even heating". What sets these pots apart are their ergonomic stainless steel handles and extra large lids.
Another popular cookware manufacturer is Demeyere. Demeyere has a line of induction cookware, something new to a lot of cooks and very expensive. These induction pots and pans have 7-ply construction and use materials that limit heat to 250 degrees celsius. This can actually prevent many foods from burning.
A much more easily affordable quality cookware set is All Clad. They offer several different types of cookware, the All Clad Copper Core and the All Clad Master-Chef 2. The Culinary Institute of America also has a cookware set out called the CIA Masters Collection. It was designed by the certified master chefs at the CIA. It has a 7-clad construction and a copper core.
The professional cookware sets that we've mentioned above range in price from $1900 to $600 for a 10-piece set. Most of them offer multi-ply, and, as in the case of CIA and Demeyere, 7-ply. Most have copper cores, aluminum interiors and stainless steel exteriors. So how do you choose?
The way most people choose is money and appearance. My suggestion would be to buy one pot, or pan if possible before you buy an entire set. That way you can use the cookware and see if you really like it before you commit to it.
Learn about professional grade cookware and other cookware choices at busy-kitchen.com
calphalon cookware set