Customer Reviews

Calphalon Tri-Ply Stainless 10-Piece Cookware Set

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

We own a 12" calphalon anondized pan and a 10" nonstick calphalon everyday pan but we don't like the way the anondized cleans up and that we can't use stainless utensils with the nonstick. We then decided to "test drive" the 3-ply stainless calphalon by purchasing the 8" omelet pan. We LOVE it! The pan has a good weight to it, and using metal utensils is no problem, but best of all, food cooks evenly and efficiently and afterwards the pan cleans up with absolutely no effort. Making a perfect omelet is now a breeze. Based on our positive experience with this 3-ply "tester", we've decided to purchase the 10-piece set as our Christmas present to ourselves. Can't wait to start using it!! Try one pan, and you'll see for yourself.

Here's what I like about these pans:

-well made. You know it will last.
-conducts heat very well. distributes heat evenly in pan reguardless of position on burner.
-Dishwasher safe. That's great.
-looks nice. Very stylish.
-the metal lid handles do not get hot. It's amazing.
-Pretty easy to clean... ...most of the time.

But there are some flaws:

-Pans are so heavy, one hand manipulation (i.e. draining while holding lid in place) requires, good strong hands (and arms).
-see through lids usually get steamed up and you can't see anything anyway.
-Lids have crevices where the rim meats the glass. food particles often get stuck in there and require special attention.
-If something should get burned-on, it is not an easy clean. Burned on grease will not come off without scouring (which I hated to do with these pretty pans).
-I worry about dropping the lids, which usually happens eventually.
-the handles on the pans are very smooth and feal good in your hand. However, you might have trouble keeping large pans steady while moving because they are slippery and a bit narrow for gripping. (feels like the pan is going to spin)


The construction of the pans is so good that I can see why they are so expensive. But, for this price I wish they were a little more user friendly. Might be best suited for burley chefs with harry arms.

I was concerned that I wouldn't use all the pieces, but I have found uses for everything here. They're like artwork in the kitchen!

The pans are nicely weight balanced and the handles stayed cool. I like the glass lids so I don't have to open them and release all the steam, but the steam fogs them over for a while anyway. The pans heated up at lower temperature and more evenly than any other pans I have such as the T-Fal skillets.

The pans cleaned easily with hot sudsy water and minimal scrubbing. I had some discoloration in my 2 1/2 qt saucepan that was sort of purple even after washing it twice. I panicked until I remembered the universal solution for cleaning stainless: distilled vinegar! It works on water spots and calcium as well. I put a splash in there it cleared up immediately. After rinsing and drying it was shinier than before I used it. Phew!

These are lifetime pans. I replaced everything I had with these. Some of the stuff I had since I got married, but no regrets. Just beautiful!

I changed my stars to 4 from 5 because those handles just aren't big enough to grip the pans and kind of hurt really. I wouldn't recommend these if you have any hand pain or grip problems. Also, I have a hard time cleaning completely around those pesky rivets.

My fiance and I chose to add the Tri Ply series to our registry based on look and feel alone. We couldn't be happier that we did. They look beautiful and feel wonderful. FOOD ACTUALLY COOKS DIFFERENT IN THESE. I would recommend using lower heat than you would with a cheaper set.

I too experienced a discoloration after using one of the pots for the first time... had a heart attack! As per one of the earlier reviews: a little distilled vinegar... poof, back to normal!

FYI - We chose this set over an All-Clad set based on looks and price... but we have some friends who got the All-Clad set... ours seems better when it comes to quality...

We have owned this set for over a year. Definitely high quality. We also purchased a 5 quart (12 inch) Calphalon One Saute pan. This is a great cooking surface as well. This is needed for dishes that require a larger cooking surface. We also purchased a 12 inch Calphalon commercial non stick pan that gets a lot of use.

Good points about this set:

Stainless steel - Surface will not react with any food like (plain) Aluminum does.

Stands up to almost daily use.

Heavy - distributes heat evenly.

Food develops a nice "fond" (the brown stuff that forms on the bottom of the pan). Fond contains a lot of great flavor. You do not get this with non stick.

Glass lids - you can see what is happening with your food, you do not need to lift off the lid and loose heat to check anything. Yes steam does develop, but after a minute or so it disappears (lot of steam collects and forms bigger drips).

Comfortable handles - pot and pan handles stay cool. The metal handles on the lids do get warm though. Yes, holding with one hand while scraping out food does get heavy.

8 Quart stock pot - large, heavy and conducts heat well. (6 quart is a little small). Great for making stews and stocks. Also doubles as a dutch oven.

Lifetime warranty - all high quality cookware should come with this.

Easy clean up - if you end up with badly stuck food, use some bar keepers friend.

Bad points:

We have rarely used the 10 inch pans (also called "medium" in recipes). I use the 8 inch omelet pan as a meat pounder. It has also toasted nuts on occasion.

I believe that both All-clad and Calphalon are now made in China. Go and compare both side-by-side. Check the lids for flatness (see if they "rock" back and forth or are level). Turn all of the pots and pans upside down and check for tightness of fit at the handle. Some of the more expensive All-clad have a space between the handle and the pan that you could slip a dime into. Really, go look for yourself. Calphalon has better quality control, the lids rock less (still a little every once in awhile), and the handles fit snug (less chance of food becoming trapped). They just seem to be a surperior product. Thanks for the tip on cleaning the inside with a tbs of distilled vinegar. Brand new and the insides picked up some rainbow color. A little distilled vinegar on the inside, rub with your fingers and rinse. Like new again. As for cooking these are great pots n pans. If you are not a serious cook get the commercial hard anodized or commercial nonstick. These are unbelievably easy to clean. A real pleasure to wash by hand, and they "brown" foods with no real difference if you are an average cook. If I were buying these again I would start with all the deep discount sale pieces and build my own set. Your food will tase better, the colors are much richer (carrots are orange and greens are really "green") I always thought that was just a lot of hype. My wife is a great cook. I am an "eater" and love quality products. Non of the handles get hot. Just use a normal light weight dish cloth. Happy eating

I cook and bake a lot and have been using non-stick cookware & Farberware. I purchased this set after buying a glass top electric stove (needed flat bottomed cookware). I did a lot of research and decided on Calphalon Tri-Ply; thinking "it looks great but everything is going to stick". I was so wrong! I followed the manufacturer's instructions on heating the cookware and proper care. This cookware is a dream! Everything cooks faster, no hot spots, no sticking, and cleans up beautifully. The only problem I have is using it to make omelets. I like a fluffy, no brown spots omelet that I only get using a non-stick pan with a lid to steam the eggs. But that's a minor issue compared to the unbelievable joy it is to cook now!

I love these pans! They cook wonderfully, have a sleek look, and are easy to clean. Although they do not have a non-stick coating, they are dishwasher safe and I find I do not need abrasives. If you do scratch the cooking surface, overtime you might find it harder to clean. I like the weight but a new user might have to get used to it.

I paid $400 which is still a good value but there may be better deals out there. A friend found the 10 piece set for less. Free gifts might also make a better value. Calphalon is absolutely worth the money.

I have tried other brands of cookware and these are the best at any price I've seen. I own both a set of the Tri-ply stainless and the nonstick Contemporary cookware from Calphalon (bought one and won the other) and both are fantastic. As far as any discoloration on the stainless, try some Bon-Ami or Bartender's Friend powder. Works great and keeps everyting very shiny and clean. All-Clad is fine but for the money you can't beat Calphalon. Calpahlon is owned by Rubbermaid so maybe that explains why it is so good.

These pan are the best pans I have owned. I was a little leary of the clean up but they clean up with hardly any effort. They also cook like a dream. A very good investmest. These are pans I plan to own for a very long time unlike the nonstick pans that only lasted a few years.