Customer Reviews

Calphalon Professional Hard-Anodized 8-Piece Cookware Set

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Having used Calphalon pots and pans in our kitchen for lo, these last 18 years or so, and my wife and I both being avid cooks, and having raised four children in the process, I feel I can give some pretty good advice here.

I've read some of the reviews below. Some wax ecstatic, others criticize the Calphalon Professional Hard Anodized cookware as (1) not suitable for dishwashers, (2) can't use Brillo, (3)loses its hard anodized coating, 4) the cookwear stains, and (5) the handles get hot.

To all this criticism I respond: (1)yep-it's true, (2) so what? and (3) no cookware is gonna' solve all your needs.

First, as to why I don't use the Calphalon non stick series: one, I'm not sure it will indeed last a lifetime as the regular Hard-anodized seems to be doing; and two, I really only maybe need a non stick in an omelette pan or frying pan, so I can purchase those separately. This particular set comes with a non stick omelette pan.

Which brings up the point that NO one brand of cookware will serve all your needs. If you think it should, see a psychiatrist for the delusion. <G> I use castiron pans for cornbread and other things--I have some copper pots for other items.

Here is my caution: if you want this cookware to look brand new ten years down the road, then don't put it in a dishwasher, don't use brillo, used the dormand cleaner regularly, and don't cook acidic foods like tomato based sauces in them. Oh yeah, maybe you shouldn't cook much in them, either. <G>

If appearances are THAT important to you, buy All Clad in stainless steel. (Even then, don't use Brillo or it'll scratch them and they'll be ugly!--but you can put them in a dishwasher and it won't hurt their appearance. ) Don't buy copper pots either. They're beautiful but also require serious care and polishing to keep sparkling. I know. (My wife just read this, and editorially snorts, "HA, you DON'T know--I do").

But if you really don't give a rat's behind about appearances--after all, let's get real, these are POTS, for gosh sakes--then this stuff will last a lifetime. (Oh, I know, a gas stove, in a kitchen with a fireplace and some brick, some beautiful cookware hanging from the ceiling, and beautiful cookware simmering on the Viking stove. A stainless steel refrigerator. Hardwood floors.) Yep, it's a pretty fantasy, but in the real world, your pots and pans are used. What's wrong with simply purchasing a super heavy aluminum pot that will last--we don't need to mysticize our pots into magical wonders that will actually cook our food for us and stay forever young and beautiful.

I DO have a gas stove (and a Kitchen Aid mixer, Waring Blender, Cuisinart, and Henckel knife collection), and I DO hang these pots, along with the copper ones, from the ceiling, but worrying about them looking BRAND NEW? HAH!

The point is, that if you don't really care how your pots and pans will look ten years down the road, as long as they are still perfectly and COMPLETELY functional and unwarped, then by golly, do what we do:

1. Wash them in the dishwasher every day.

2. Brillo or stainless steel wool the heck out of them.

3. Cook all the tomato sauces you want to.

4. Use them every day and feed an army.

18 years later these pots will still be the same, sans perfect color-- because like the "one ring", I don't think you can destroy these things. We've left them sitting on burners or in the oven, we've dropped them on concrete, and they're still fine.

So again, if you want perfect looks years down the road: don't cook in your pots, don't put them in a dishwasher, spend a lot of time polishing them, and never use brillo. (By the way. it's not the dishwasher that removes the gray anodized coating or discolors the Caphalon, it's the dishwashing detergent that is extremely harsh.

But if you don't mind a few scratches in the bottom of a few pots from gouging them with metal forks while cooking, and you don't mind cooking discolorations and the gray anodized color fading inside in places, but you want heavy, heavy duty pots and pans that are indestructible that you can throw in a dishwasher, toss in the oven or use on the stove top, and cook anything in (well, forget the cornbread), these are enduring. I mean what's wrong with used looking, non gray heavy duty aluminum pots, for gosh sakes, as long as they last forever and cook extremely well?

Ten years ago we bought a set for my mother in law.

This year we buy a set for the oldest son who is getting married later this year.

Oh, one more thing. Yes the handles get hot. I'd suggest you "get over it". Use a hot pad. It will become second nature to do so. The "advantage" of these handles is that they too are indestructible and you can toss the whole thing in the oven at any time as well.

And I like the metal lids over the glass. They don't break. I can take off a lid to look inside the pot if I need to.

Pax,

Chris

This set was an early Christmas gift from my boyfriend per my request. Calphalon's hard-anodized cookware set has always been on my wishlist.
The biggest reason I chose this set was that this set includes the NON-STICK OMELETTE PANS while the rest of the other hard-anodized sets don't. Hard-anodized surface is great for most types of cooking, however, dishes like omelettes, sunny side ups and most other types of cooking that are cooked on omelette pans benefit from the non-stick surface.

Calphalon's non-stick surface turns out to be one of the best I've seen. So far, nothing has stuck to my pan. I've even cooked something with melted cheese on it and even the cheese didn't stick. It just slid right off when I angled the pan. The other pots and pans were great too. While the non-sticking performance of the hard anodized surface isn't as great as the non-stick surface, it still doesn't stick and it's very easy to clean. These pots and pans heat up much quicker than conventional pots and pans. Boiling water takes much less time and also becomes much hotter. Everything cooks evenly. The vegetables I've cooked on the pots come out beautifully. The veggies maintain perfect shape along the edges; even after cooking them for long periods of time. The result is firm on the outside but soft on the inside.
The foods also are hotter when served than the other pots and pans.
The chef pans are extremely useful. Deep and wide enough so when stir frying, the foods don't fly out of the pans. It's just so much easier to mix.
While some people say that the pots and pans are too heavy, I find it a perfect blend of manueverability and stability. I can lift it up with no effort, yet, it doesn't move around on the stove top. People also complain about the handle becoming too hot. While it does get hot, you won't burn your hands from grasping the handle for 2-3 seconds. They also sell heat resistant handle covers as an option but you can use just about any type as I am using a generic heat handle cover which I bought for around $4.00 at my local kitchenware store.
As the manual states, you should not use a dishwasher, I don't use one so it hasn't been an issue with me. You should also use a mild cleanser to avoid discoloration. If you must use a dishwasher or are lazy when it comes to cleaning, please look elsewhere.
I really found myself loving the care and cleaning of my new pots and pans since they're so beautiful. I love everything about these pots and pans and so I proudly rate them a 5.
Please note, this is my subjective opinion so others may find a different experience.
Purchase it and decide on your own. While Amazon.com's sales price are pretty low compared to other places, the price tag is still high, but, you get what you pay for and this set is a steal for what it can do.

I started working in high-class restaurants while I was in high school and still moonlight part-time as a professional cook. Calphalon makes an excellent, professional product but too many people equate "most expensive" with "best" for everyday home use.

The fact is that even the most ambitious home cooking is very different from professional cooking. Professional cooks work at much higher temperatures and at far greater speeds, volume, and variety than anyone does at home--- unless their family numbers around 130 or so and eats a couple of dozen different things every day. In a restaurant kitchen, pots get used and washed five or six times a day, thrown around, sit in sinks for an hour or two after each meal cycle, and are generally treated with high levels of abuse. Good restaurant pots are tough, versatile, and put up with heavy use with no complaints.

The top-of-the line Calphalon products were designed for professional cooking and, though they are wonderful in the right context, they are awkward and overpriced tools in the home kitchen. Making them non-stick is a contradiction in terms--- like fitting a powerful sports car with baby seats. Many home cooks will find the heavy-gauge Calphalon lines impossibly heavy, especially when filled with boiling water, hard to maintain, and dangerous because of the very hot handles. Thinking that you will be cooking "professionally" by using "professional" pots in a home kitchen--- even one with a Viking range, Wusthof knives, and other status symbols too expensive for most restaurant kitchens--- is just silly. Spend a night in a real professional kitchen and you will see what I mean.

On the other hand, Calphalon's lower-priced pots, designed specifically for the home market, are wonderfully made for their intended use and solve virtually all the problems of the heavy-duty lines. They are lighter gauge material but, because home cooking is at much lower temperatures and with less pot abuse, that makes sense. So does the non-stick surface--- which is superb for pots that get washed-- by hand-- only once or twice a day. Plus they weigh a lot less and often come with very well-insulated handles.

So buy for use, not the price tag, and save this line for when you open your own bistro.

Although this set is realy good, it isn't as wonderful as the commercial line. It cleans up well and cooks evenly, but the handles get super hot super quick! I love the design and quality of the pots and pans. I would suggest spending the extra money and go with the commercial products.

This is a workhorse cookware set for the home cook who likes good browning, quick heating and still wants non-stick frying pans for the ease of cleanup. I have the 10 inch omelette pan without the non-stick coating, and it is wonderful, but for making eggs I prefer the non-stick. The chef's pan is just the perfect size for my family, and domed lid makes it easy to slow simmer less than tender meat cuts. I have also noticed that the saucepans conduct heat much better than the T-Fal they replaced. Sauces seems to come out smoother, and when I make a cheese sauce, I don't have to worry about little streaks of unmelted cheese. Some people who bought this set have complained about cleaning it, but I have found that a little Comet takes care of any sticking, especially if you allow the pan to soak a couple minutes in hot sudsy water before you start scrubbing. To me, this cookware combines the durability of cast iron cookware with the superior heat conduction of aluminum without being fragile like T-Fal.

The four star rating is because of the handles getting hot. But I use my pot holders, and I'm planning on buying the handle covers. It would be nice if they were included in the set.

My boyfriend bought this as a christmas gift for me as a request. Even though I got a great deal, it's still an expensive set compared with the set I've been using and purchasing. I've been researching for a long time now for the ultimate cookware setup and I've finally decided on this one. I've always wanted a Calphalon set.

The photo unfortunately, isn't accurate to real life. It's much darker and more of a dark charcoal color as with the rest of the Calphalon product lines. They will all match in color.

Unlike the rest of Calphalon's "Professional Hard Anodized" sets, this one includes a NON-STICK OMELETTE PAN! This was the biggest selling point for me because any type of cooking usually done on a frying pan usually results in a dirty surface because all of the foods have stuck to it's pro-stick surface. This one is an UNBEATABLE non-stick pan. Nothing sticks to this pan. Sometimes I can't even tell if I washed it after cooking. It's that good. The food just slides right off. Also the hard anodized surface worried me because it's not a non-stick but I haven't had any trouble with food sticking to the surface. It also cleans up really easily.

This quality cookware set is also so good that even after a few hours of cooking vegetables, the veggies do not lose shape. It stays firm yet, soft inside. So every dish looks beautiful and tastes just how it looks.

While other reviewers complain that the pots and pans are heavy, it's not as heavy as one would think after reading the reviews. It's perfectly weighted. Great combination of stability and maneuverability.

I was worried that the handles would get too hot but I haven't found that to be a problem. You're not going to burn your hands if you touch them for a second. You can also buy rubber or suede handles as an option. Any handles from any local cookware shop will do.

While I don't have a dishwasher, for the people that must use dishwashers, this isn't a good buy for you as it's not dishwasher safe. However, if you buy this set, you're going to want to take care of it and you'll have newfound joy in washing your pots and pans. I know I have : )

I really don't think the stars in the reviews mean anything. It's how YOU like it and not others. I cannot guarantee you that you'll rate this a 5 star but I still hope you find this review helpful. : )

I have had Calphalon stuff for 3 years now, and cook with this stuff almost daily. Since moving I have also used it on electric stoves, but a gas stove is definitely better. Honestly, many of the complaints (cleaning problems, food sticking, etc) are the result of not reading the instructions - maybe the newer sets, unlike mine, came with different ones.

I clean all my anodized pots and pans with a scotch-brite pad and soap, and in some cases with Comet. I have the Calphalon cleaner, but never really use it - Comet is cheaper and works better. The old Calphalon instructions said it was ok to use, and no problems so far, and I certainly don't expect them now. The point is that this stuff was made to be cleaned this way, since that is how it's done in restaurants to get the cookware turned around to be used again.

The issue of food sticking is usually one of having the heat up too high. This being said, taking a metal spatula and scraping stuff off the surface is not a problem: anodized aluminum is a harder surface than steel.

It's normal for aluminum cookware like this to get little dings and dents - it adds character and does not affect overall usage. Don't leave acidy foods like tomato-based sauces in the pots for too long (like overnight in the fridge), since it the manufacturer says this will damage the anodized finish. I did that a couple of times with no problems, but YMMV.

The only complaint I have is with the handles getting hot - in restaurants the line cooks normally use hand towels to handle the pots, but for home use it would be nice if they included the available rubber insulators right off the bat...

In the last month I've owned this set, I've noticed that it has encouraged me to cook more and make more interesting dishes. It replaced a Revere Ware "stainless" set that was thin, flimsy, and subject to uneven heating. That set now sees only two uses - the 1 qt saucepan for tomato sauce (so I don't stain my Calphalon) and the 4 1/2 qt dutch oven for making pasta.

The Calphalon on the other hand sees much more "hard" use and after a solid month of use, it remains looking brand new. Understand that if you want these to look new for a long time, you should follow these tips.

1. NEVER PUT THEM IN THE DISHWASHER! You wouldn't put your wedding silverware in the Maytag, right? Why put precision-crafted cookware in there? So how do you clean it? Look below.

2. LET THE PANS COOL BEFORE WASHING! Hot pan + cold water = warpage. Aluminum, even anodized, will warp in that situation. Always let them cool to touch before washing them.

3. SCRUB THE INSIDE WITH A "DOBIE" PAD FIRST. Dobies are available at most supermarkets -- they are a yellow sponge with a plastic nylon mesh over it...provides the "bite" you need to get out the gunk, but is safe to use even on non-stick surfaces. Warm water, liberal dish soap, and a dobie are all you'll need, and you'll turn your nose up at "Brillo" for sure!

4. WASH A SECOND TIME WITH A REGULAR SPONGE AND SOAP. The dobie isn't so good at the grease film many foods leave behind, this job is for your sponge.

5. REPEAT UNTIL THE PAN IS COMPLETELY CLEAN. Your hand is the best measure of this...when rubbing the pan with the sponge, you should feel no intermittent resistance at all -- that says it's all clean. Then rinse well.

6. DRY THE PANS IMMEDIATELY. Do not let them "rack dry" for that can leave spots which will be readily apparent.

Some other general tips...

7. CAREFUL! THOSE HANDLES GET HOT! I've burned myself initially touching lid handles and the panhandles as well; use a Calphalon suede handle cover or a potholder...it's awkward at first, but will become second nature thanks to burn-induced aversion therapy!

8. PREHEAT THE PANS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE AN ELECTRIC STOVE. Some of us who live in apartments are cursed with electric "burners." Remember that these take longer to heat up the thick aluminum pans and that contact with the burner is key.

9. DO NOT ADD SALT TO WATER UNLESS IT IS ALREADY BOILING. You will most likely never add enough salt to the water to "lower" the boiling point...it is mostly a flavoring agent anyway. But if you do add it before boiling starts, it may settle to the bottom of the pan and cause pitting.

10. AVOID VERY ACIDIC FOODS, SUCH AS TOMATO PASTE. This is not always reasonable, but like I said, I use a cheap saucepan for this rather than worry about spoiling the finish on my Calpahlon. Granted, if you don't mind, by all means use the good pots but be warned.

11. USE CALPHALON ANODIZED POLISH INFREQUENLY, BUT REGULARLY. Every six months is what I've heard if you use the pans at least three times a week.

In conclusion...yeah, All Clad is probably the best you can buy (unless you like to work out when cooking, then Le Creuset's cast iron is best) but Calphalon is almost as good (i.e., All Clad = Wusthof Gran Prix, Calphalon = Henckels Four Star), and tends to be easier to get a bargain with! And yeah, anodized cookware won't look as good hanging from the ceiling but if you're looking for decorating your kitchen, don't look here -- go get some fancy-shmancy copperware, just don't expect to cook in it regularly (the clean up is much harder)!

I hate to shop, so I bought this on Amazon.com knowing it was a great deal (I did some research). Here's the basic scoop. This set is great!

I've been using 'this 'n that' cookware for years and finally decided to spent a couple of hundred dollars (that's not a lot for cookware). This is heavy duty cookware that lasts! I like the way the pots feel with the weight and the "anodized" surface is amazingly stick-free (I still use "Pam"). All the hardware is solidly built and everything can be put in the oven if needed (no wooden handles). Everything cooks evenly and with good timing.

Do NOT scrub the surface with Brillo or put in the dishwasher. Hand-washing is a drag, but this stuff is too good to mess with. One other note: I left one pan burning on the stove for God knows how long. Everything was burnt dry black! The pan was red hot but did NOT warp! That sold me for good. Besides, it's a lot less expensive here than in the store (and there is a warranty). Bon appetite!

This is an excellant set of cookware for a person interested in more than just heating up food. Not being dishwasher safe might matter to some. The hard anodization is a vast improvement over the plain aluminum I had used for years. I have used all pieces except for the big 12 qt. stew pot. This is nice stuff. The non stick pans do well with omlets and such. However, don't try to brown anything with them! I also have, in additon to this set, a 2 qt chef's skillet and have an 8 qt. saucier ordered. Oh, and I still use my cast iron skillet and dutch oven.

I have only had the set for three days and have given it a workout! I am impressed with the set! I hope this review was of use to you.