Customer Reviews

Berndes SignoCast 10-Piece Cast-Aluminum Cookware Set

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've been looking for a good cookware set for a long time. Tried the 'bargain' stuff, and they didn't last. Even bought the Wolfgang Puck cookware set ... and the rivets that hold the handles on corroded with use on th inside of the pan ... and the food kept sticking to the pans making them a chore to clean.

Well ... I broke down and bought the Berndes SignoCast 10-piece set ... and I'm in heaven. There really isn't anything NOT to like about this cookware. It's light, it's got the Dupont Autograph 2 non-stick teflon coating (with no handle rivets inside) ... and it even looks nice. It even cooks well at lower temperatures, which is better for taste and keeping in the nutrients.

Made in Germany ... this is very high quality cookware with a lifetime warranty. I will never buy the stuff made in China ... ever again. I like it even more than the few Calphalon pieces I own. I wish I would have known of this brand before ... as it seems this set is going to last me the rest of my life.

I bought this set knowing the brand - I am from Germany. The price I paid here at amazon, $219 is similar to what I would have had to pay back home finding it on sale, i.e. this is not a $1100 set! However over the years this brand has always been at the top or among the top of the list of tested cookware in Germany and therefore most certainly worth this price.

Cooking with them is a breeze, the food heats evenly. And the coating is truly non-stick which makes cleanup a delight too. I also personally like the fact that the pans are not as heavy as some other ones I've used.

Some other observations: Receiving the set, I had to disassemble each lid, as the knob was attached on the inside. I'm assuming that was for transportation purposes. Not necessarily a downside, just hadn't expected to have to get out the screwdriver for cookware. Also the lids do not stay on the pots and pans upside down, so no stacking these when not in use.

The first set I received had some abrasions in the skillets. Faulty packaging I guess. Amazon promptly sent me a replacement, and reimbursed me for the return shipping. So I was happy with the smoothness of the exchange.

Anyway I hope to update this review once I have used this set for a longer period of time.

Update @ 11 months:

As to the usage, still non-stick, no scratches, no chips, no warping. Always hand washed and non-metal utensils used at all times. I do put the lids into the dishwasher. Had to tighten 2 handles so far, the ones on the skillets. As I do use those the most.

Also, the lid to the stockpot fits on the 9.5 inch skillet and on the 9.5 inch saute pan. So every piece has a lid, they just have to share... I initially purchased the pasta insert for the stockpot as well, and I exclusively use that pot for pasta cooking. 7 quarts just isn't big enough for my uses. Oh, and the handles for the stockpot are part of the pot, so they DO get very hot! The stockpot is the only one with that issue. All other handles are fine.

I love the fact that these are oven safe. The skillets and saute pan have weathered that test. Haven't used the lids in the oven. Not that I would, just thought I'd add that in case anyone was wondering. If I had to cover what I was cooking in the oven, I'd probably reach for my dutch oven anyway.

All in all if I could I'd change my rating from 5 to 4 stars, since the stockpot handles get hot on the stove, and I had to tighten some handles in less than a year. But honestly I'd sill buy this set again, for the price I paid. And I'd even recommend it to friends looking for a very decent, mid price, non-stick set.

I own this set and the larger set. They are made in Germany. The construction and materials are just First Class. The outside of the pans are NonStick coated - so they stay clean and nice looking. The also use the most advanced Dupont coating. For some reason the price has been coming down recently - they should be increasing due the the value of the EURO. I would not be surprised to see these come from China in the near future. These pans cook evenly and are fast conductors of heat. And for your glass top stoves they are super flat.

The pots are definitely a good value. Well constructed and it based on design, they are not likely to warp. My only issues are the greatly inflated retail price and the gold box deal that is not at all a special deal as it is an every day price.

I returned a pan set that I purchased on Amazon because the bottoms were leaving white residue. I ordered these as a replacement as a gold box item. I was heistant as there were no reviews at that time. I am glad that I made the purchase. These are very high quality pans that make cooking fun! The handles are a nice length and the lids have nice size nobs. Be sure to have a philips screw driver upon arrival as you will need to assemble the lids. They also tell you how to care for your pans and instructions upon first use that ensure longevity. I own an electrical stove and they cook very evenly on my stove! With this being the case, I am sure it would do amazing on a gas stove. Product was packaged very well and shipping was quick. I am having a very positive experience with this product!

Excellent product. Broken handle on one pot, informed manufacturer was told would replace handle but nothing yet after two weeks.

We are generally very pleased with the product quality and performance however one of the pan arrived flawed. It came with a stripped screw that holds the handle to the pan. A pan with no handle is not very useful. We had difficulty reaching the company via their 800 line, leaving serveral messages that went unreturned. Finally an e-mail message was answered. A return label sent. The pan picked up, but we have yet to hear anything back from the company. We are in the third week. Problem resolved? Not yet! Berndes, are you listening? Berndes SignoCast 10-Piece Cast-Aluminum Cookware Set

I have been using Berndes cookware since the day I bought my first piece at a sale my local hardware store was having. They had one of the traditions 9 1/2 fry pan with lid for practically nothing. I took it home and was blown away by the quality and durability of this little pan. I then looked on the web and discovered they were of reasonably high value. I ordered a few more pieces from Amazon and eventually threw out all of my Calphalon and other cookware. I have my family and friends in the process of converting to Berndes also (one skillet as a Christmas gift is all it takes).

You simply are not going to find better cookware in this price range.

Don't waste money on Calphalon, W.Puck, Pampered Chef, or any other cookware in the High-end consumer range. Just buy Berndes and be happy.

I had been evaluating cookware sets on the internet and pricing them at the local "box" shops for almost a year. I had used a Circulon set for almost 12 years and it was really showing alot of wear.

This is very well made cookware. The clean up is increadibly easy inside and out and because the outside of the pans are also non-stick they will look good for years to come. I really like the glass lids and the fact that while the cookware is well-made the pans are not so heavy that you feel you need to two hands to move them.

A great buy on quality cookware.

I just purchased this set through Amazon and am very pleased. They are very heavy and appear to be sturdy. Although I've only used them once, I am very happy with the quality.

My only negative comment would be the knobs are stainless steel and therefore get hot. The literature states they have Phenolic knobs (heat-resistant) and I would appreciate it if someone would let me know how they can be replaced.

I'm looking forward to years of service with this high-quality cookware set.