Customer Reviews

Calphalon One Infused Anodized 10-Piece Cookware Set

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

I have been using the Cal One 10" fry pan for about 3 weeks.

Replaced an All-Clad stainless non-stick that I finally killed after about 3-1/2 years of tough, almost daily use. Wanted a pan that was as easy to use as non-stick, as durable and tough as SS, and cleaned up like new with little effort. Well -- its comes very close.

Have used it to make breakfast sunday morning, saute veggies and cook skirt steak in the broiler -- all with metal utensils.

I pay good money for quality equipment, not because its some yuppie fashion accessory to be displayed on the wall, but because I like to cook and don't want to be concerned about "not damaging" my equipment while cooking --- I know its going to be abused so it pays off long term for me to buy better quality up front.

So far I've been very impressed. This is a solid, durable product. Surface doesn't scratch, it can take the heat, and cleans up well with some soaking. I think folks who are very tough on equipment will like it.

Weaknesses -- Material is low stick, but not completely non-stick. While things don't stick like SS, they don't slide as nicely as a non-stick w/o some oil in the pan. So I feel that some cooks like me will still want a good regular non-stick pan for certain things -- it's not going to be "One" for everyone.

It is also not 'quite' as responsive to changes in heat as the All-Clad Copper Core and SS. However, the differences are so slight that I just don't see any advantage of a traditional SS/Copper pan given this material's other benefits and easy clean up.

Note: There is an error in the description of this set. The set includes 10" and 12" fry pans, not 8" and 10" as described.

If you've read the other reviews here, you probably already know that this is reduced-stick, NOT nonstick, cookware. There is a nonstick version of this cookware, and if you want nonstick, you should buy that. If you don't know why nonstick cookware isn't desirable for all cooking, you should do some reading before spending this much money.

I upgraded to this cookware from a set of anodized aluminum cookware (not nonstick) that I've had for 10 years. I probably don't need cookware as good as this, but as I learn to cook more and different things, I'm sure I'll come to appreciate this cookware more fully. For now I can state that it is a huge improvement over my anodized aluminum cookware. It performs as promised by the manufacturer, and cleanup is relatively easy.


I have had one major problem with this set. Four of the six pans included in the set were significantly damaged. The box wasn't damaged; the packaging as a whole is simply very, very poorly designed. When you open the set, the first thing you will have to do is pry the 4 1/2 quart saucepan from inside the 3 quart chef's pan. Inspect the outside of the 4 1/2 quart sauce pan and you will almost certainly find damage from the rivets in the 3 quart chef's pan below. I also found damage to both of the fry pans and the 3 quart chef's pan.

I returned the damaged pieces to the store where I bought the set. We had to open 4 more sets to replace the four damaged pieces. It took 5 sets to assemble one 10-piece set in satisfactory condition! The manager of the store is sending the other 4 sets back to Calphalon. What a waste of my time and good cookware.

The damage I refer to included nicks, dents and gouges that tended to occur in the same places in the pans in each set. There will be some bright silver marks on the set that you might think are chips in the surface, but that isn't the case. They clean up nicely with Barkeeper's Friend. If there's no dent, nick or scratch left when you clean them, you should be fine.

I called Calphalon about the issue. They acknowledged problems with the packaging and said that they had taken steps to correct it (though all of the sets I saw were packaged the exact same way).

Calphalon's answer was for me to ship the damaged pans to them first, and they would in turn send me replacements. But I didn't buy the set to be without it, and there was no guarantee that the replacement pans would not be damaged. At the very least they should send the replacement pans, allowing the customer to return the damaged pans in the same box.

Anyone buying this set should really anticipate the likelihood of the need to return the set or individual pans due to packaging/shipping damage. Inspect your set closely.

I read the other reviews for this cookware which made me kind of worried but I purchased it anyway. For anyone considering Calphalon One Infused (not the non-stick) don't worry yourself over any of the reviews that talk about how food sticks to this cookware as it simply doesn't. Is it totally non-stick? No, things will stick a very little, but just as much as they should to make great sauces that you can't do with non-stick. You can also use metal utensils which is a huge plus (I hate using plastic spatulas to flip over easy eggs as it's too thick and causes yolk breaks). I can make scrambled eggs and can clean the pan with just a paper towel. Just the smallest amount of oil (after the pan is heated) is all you need.

Anyway, don't be worried about any of the reviews that talk about these pans sticking. Either these people don't know what they're doing or they have cookware from another company and regret their decision.

A few tips (that have nothing to do with Calphalon, just with all good cookware).

1) Don't use oil in an aerosol spray can. The aerosol propellant will cause spots on the cookware which you won't be able to remove. This is true for all cookware. Just never use aerosol spray oil. This could be one of the reasons why people think they can't get pans clean, it's not the food, it's the aerosol propellant.

2) Don't put anodized cookware in the dishwasher. The reason is that the anodized process uses acid to change the aluminum black and dishwasher soap is mostly bleach so it acts like a strong base. Basically, if you use dishwasher soap on any anodized cookware, it will make it look modeled or blotchy. It won't break the pans and everything will still work just fine. The only thing it will do is make the cookware look older than it is. If you keep the bleach away from anodized cookware, they will keep their new look. This is true for any anodized cookware, not just Calphalon. Also avoid any kind of cleaner with bleach as this will do the same thing over time.

3) Pre-heat cookware before you add oil. This should be done with all cookware, not just Calphalon.

4) Let the cookware cool before cleaning (which will make clean-up easier). This should be done with all cookware, not just Calphalon.

5) Use Bar Keepers Friend brand to clean the cookware every so often to keep it looking brand new. I've used Bar Keepers Friend for many years on stainless steel sinks and it works equally well on just about any cookware including Calphalon.

Finally, don't even consider the non-stick version of this cookware. The Calphalon One Infused (not the non-stick) is the one you want. You'll love it!

I originally bought the Calphalon One Infused Anodized 10 piece set back in 2004, shortly after it just came out. Prior to this set, I was only using the All-Clad Stainless Steel... I bought the Calphalon One set because I had a friend who highly recommended it - She said it was better than All-Clad. So I decided I had to try it for myself!

Nearly two years later, I must say that she was right! I'm sure some of you have heard the saying that food cooked in stainless steel tastes better...?? Well, I must tell you that food cooked using Calphalon One tastes even better than food cooked using stainless! The texture is better, and the taste is more flavorful! C1 also browns better than stainless steel!

After converting to C1 from All-Clad, I decided to do some research to find out what makes C1 better. For one obvious reason, C1 is made of anodized aluminum. Aluminum is a far better heat conducter than stainless steel (but not better than copper or silver), however, anodized aluminum is stronger than regular aluminum AND stainless steel, and does not react with foods the same way that regular aluminum does (especially with acidic sauces, etc). You see, All-Clad uses the tri-ply construction method in their stainless steel line, where a layer of regular aluminum is sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel (and the layer of aluminum that All-Clad uses is fairly small compared to thickness of C1 pans). Calphalon One pans are simply stronger, and feel more solid compared to All-Clad. Not to mention, the handles on C1 pans are much more comfortable compared to All-Clad.

While C1 is not dishwasher safe, the quality and taste of the food definitely make up for this. I have read several reviews where people were under the impression that C1 infused anodized was also non-stick. While the pans are stick-resistent (clean up is EASY), they are not non-stick! If you want non-stick, then buy the Calphalon One non-stick line. I have also read reviews where people complained of food sticking when using Calphalon One infused anodized. This is because these people probably do not know how to cook (and non-stick would suit them best). If you don't know how to cook on a non non-stick surface, then this cookware may not be for you...

Again, I have had this set for almost two years, and I keep adding more C1 pieces to it. One very impressive note is that my oldest C1 pieces still look fairly new! While anodized aluminum will stain over time (similar to staining on stainless steel), Barkeeper's Friend will remove those stains and keep your cookware scrupulously clean and looking new for years to come!

Needless to say, my All-Clad pieces have sat in the cupboard, unused for quite some time...

Calphalon One is hybrid hard anodized cookware that infused with polymer. This is not a nonstick cookware.

This cookware has the characteristic of the hard anodized aluminum cookware while the infused polymer provide the nonstick effect (if you use it correctly). It is less stickier than regular anodized cookware.

On the advertising, calphalon doesn't say that calphalon one is a nonstick cookware (I mean the one like teflon coated cookware). It says that calphalon one is infused anodized cookware. They are two different things. You can tell that a cookware is a nonstick (teflon coated or whatever) by seeing it and feeling it with you finger.

"Calphalon One is revolutionary hybrid cookware that combines the best qualities of traditional metal and nonstick cooking surfaces."
In this quote, calphalon does not say that calphalon one is a nonstick cookware, BUT, it has the quality of both traditional metal and nonstick cooking surfaces.

It says that calphalon one sears perfectly, release with ease, deglaze beautifully.
To get the nonstick effect, you have to heat the pan first until it's hot enough, then, pur the oil, and put (let's say) the steak. Let it sear for several minutes until the pan releases it. You shoud try to turn the meat, if it still sticks, it means the pan hasn't release the meat yet. DON'T TRY to turn the meat before the pan releases the meat, because the meat will stick like crazy. After the pan releases the meat, you can turn the meat with ease.

Calphalon One is a very good cookware. You just can't use it like a Teflon coated nonstick cookware. If you like hard anodized cookware, this calphalon one is an upgrage that featured "sear and release" technology by infusing the polymer.

After looking for over a year for the best cookwear for my needs, I finaly decided that this was the way to go. THIS IS NOT ENTIRELY A NON STICK COOKWEAR! This is more of a midway between the traditional Calphalon and their new non-stick line which will be out in July of 04. I bought the 7 quart saute pan and was so excited to be using metal utensils, I could have done a cartwheel. This pan cooked like a dream. Clean-up was a snap, but again, it is NOT A NON-STICK PAN IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE! So you have to ask yourself what kind of a cook are you? If your prority is to have a quick clean up - then go with a non stick group like the new Calphalon that is coming out in July. If you are really into cooking well with a set of cookwear that allows you to sear, brown, cook evenly, heat your pan well etc...go with this. It is attractive (great if you hang your cookwear from a rack) it is a heavy group of cookwear that gives you a good solid base, and it cooks like a pro set. If COOKING is what you want...this can't be beat. If the cleaning part of cooking outweighs that...go non stick. Calphalon has a great customer service group too. I LOVE THIS STUFF!

I have been cooking for the last 10 years or so on Calphalon Commercial Hard Anodized cookware (which I thought was the best). When I saw an ad for this new 'infused anodized' cookware touting it as a 'revolution' - I had to give it a try. I must say these pans are wonderful. They sear and brown just as well as my old hard anodized pan but they have this added bit of release that allows me to cook even the most delicate foods and provides the easiest clean up - almost as easy as nonstick. I have read some reviews on here, and you need to be careful and not expect these to be Nonstick, as they are not meant to be - but rather they have 'characteristics' of nonstick, as it states on the packaging. If you use nonstick and are happy with it but wish you could get better results while still keep some benefits of nonstick - these are the pans for you!!! OR if you are a gourmet or home chef - you will see and feel the advantage.

I did a lot of research before deciding to invest in these pans (they aren't cheap pans). I loved the idea of being able to use metal utensils while still having some of the non-stick properties. I did not go into this with the idea that they were non-stick pans, in fact, I did not want non-stick pans.
I am not chef, by any means, but I do know how to properly use heat in the cooking process. That's helpful in appreciating these wonderful pans. I am thrilled with my purchase and my cooking has improved as a result,too! They are all I thought they'd be and more.
Clean-up is fine. I use the bar keepers friend when I need to & otherwise just warm soapy water. Much, much better than stainless steel.
They are very attractive,too. Decorative AND functional, what a great thing that is!!

This is the best cookware we've ever had. My wife and I are avid cooks and we've gone through pretty much every type and brand of pots and pans - until Calphalon One. This is very different from Calphalon non-stick or commercial - you really want Calphalon One.

These pans really are low-stick (term of my own making) only if you use them right. You need to heat them up slowly with oil already in the pan - and wait until you're at cooking temperature before putting the food in. If you just turn the heat on and put the food in, it'll stick big time. Also, frozen items needs to be left out of the freeze for 5 to 10 minutes before cooking so they don't stick. If you do this, these pans are awesome - you'll have very little stick (you will have some - this is NOT non-stick) and the food will cook incredibly better than any other pan. It will sear right in, and heat distribution is so uniform that you can cook with the center or edge of the pan and see no difference. You do need to set your cooktop a little lower than other pans since heat transfer in the Calphalon One's is much better than most other pans.

Also, an oil atomizer (spray) with olive oil works much better than Pam or similar, since these leave an oily film on the pans that is visible once they dry. Also, even when some foods sticks (like scrambled eggs) Bar Keeper's Friend (the powder version) will do the trick.

This set is expensive, but definitely worth the price. We've been using them (with metal utensils) for over a month now and you couldn't tell they're not just out of the box.

These are wonderful pots and pans. They heat evenly and quickly. Foods brown beautifully. They do not stain or absorb the flavor of whatever you're cooking. They're heavy: you can feel the quality everytime you pick one up. Oh, and they're also beautiful.

As many other reviewers have mentioned, these are NOT non-stick pans. But they do release easier than typical anodized or stainless steel pans. Cleanup is slightly more difficult than with teflon-coated pans, but a few seconds of extra scrubbing seems a reasonable tradeoff to me in terms of how they cook.

Bottom line: if you're a reasonably experienced cook who knows how to use heat properly and is not afraid to use a little oil when cooking, you'll love these pans. If non-stick properties and easy cleanup are the most important things to you, then try Calphalon One Nonstick or one of the many other quality non-stick brands out there.