Customer Reviews

Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Triple Ply Stainless Saucepan with Lid

5 star:		(99)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm a self-confessed cookware junkie and professionally-trained home chef. I have at least 60 or so different pots and pans, and actually use most of them regularly. I've been biased toward Calphalon Anodized (not non-stick) for nearly 20 years, and still love the line. I got into Calphalon Tri-Ply, which is superb, but thought I'd try this pan to see if the value was there.

IMHO, Calphalon Tri-Ply, Cuisinart Multiclad, and KitchenAid Clad all have far surpassed All-Clad for various reasons. Basically, All-Clad hasn't changed its design in ages, and has missed out on a number of very real improvements.

To Wit: the rolled lip that eliminates pouring drips and runs of liquid down the outside of the pan. A simple improvement, but a huge one for simplifying clean-up later, and for whatever surface you rest the pan on. So far, I think Calphalon has the best lids -- glass, deep draw, and very nicely fitting. This Cuisinart pan's top fits acceptably well, but it's probably the weak link. As for strengths, this pan weighs in as heavy or heavier than either the All-Clad or Calphalon offerings of similar size, so that's a big win for heat dispersion and uniformity (All-Clad has become really thin over the years!). Unlike the KitchenAid, the exterior is matte finished except for the top 1/2 inch or so. This helps to ensure that the pan will look good despite real-world use. The shape is nice -- not too tall and narrow, so it works well on a small burner.

Finally there is the handle. This doesn't have the cool-V design of the Calphalon, but it stays pretty cool anyway. I have a major problem with All-Clad handles, which are extremely uncomfortable for me, the way I lift pans (I have very strong arms and wrists, so I usually lift pans overhand, unlike many who go underhand to get the extra muscle leverage). Lifting overhand, the All-Clad handles dig into my palm in a very uncomfortable way. These Cuisinart (and Calphalon and KitchenAid) handles do not.

4.5 stars overall; 1/2 star docked for the lid being less than perfect (but still as good as all the competition except Calphalon).

UPDATE: Feb 18, 2009: I've compared the Cuisinart Multiclad Pro and All-Clad Stainless pans side by side, and if anything, the Cuisinarts are heavier duty, certainly not meaningfully lighter! The All-Clad LTD pans (some of them) do appear to be thicker/heavier than their stainless counterparts, but then we're comparing apples and oranges, and in any event it's pretty much gilding the lily to go much thicker than they are already. The pouring lip on the Cuisinarts is a huge in-use advantage as well (far less messy). On the whole, the Multiclad Pro line is an incredible bargain. Search my reviews for other comments about these vis-a-vis Calphalon etc.

This pan looks great and performs great. It's less heavy duty than All-Clad, but unless the kitchen is in the middle of a stone quarry it is plenty, plenty heavy duty enough. And it looks great, too. In addition to the price advantage, another lead over All-Clad is the turned lip. One disadvantage, though, is the handle. It's not a light pot, and when it is full it is simply heavy. The handle is not broad/thick/shaped enough, and there is no helper handle on the opposite side. It works, certainly, but the 2006 version could be improved.

I thought I would love this pan. And I do love the multi-clad. And the handle's fine, along with the rivets.

The problem is the lid.

For some reason, the Pro and stainless Chef's lines use a lid that just sits on top of the pot rather than utilize the lid they provide for the non-stick Chef's line, one that has an underrim on it and is seated within the pan (like the Calphalon lids; and, like the Calphalon lids, the non-stick Chef's line lids are glass). The end result is that if and when the contents begin to boil, the steam begins to boil over, even if the contents themselves do not (and if it's anywhere near full, the contents boil over as well; either way, you have a mess). Therefore, unless you watch it like a hawk, or leave the lid off, the 1 1/2qt pan becomes, practically, a 1qt pan, and you may as well get the 2qt if you want 1 1/2qts capacity. Or go with the non-stick Chef's line. Or Calphalon (which, unfortunately, is nearly three times the price).

I bought this pan because of the similarities to the Calphalon Tri-Ply and the All Clad Stainless I own, but at a lower price. When it arrived today, I was delighted! Every bit as high quality as the much more expensive pans I own.

The interior and the exterior around the lip is mirror polished so very easy to clean. The bottom half and the base of the pan is slightly brushed so that it doesn't show scratches or fingerprints. It features a slightly curved out lip for dripless pouring that is identical to Calphalon. The handle is well balanced and doesn't get hot when cooking on the stove. The lid is a heavy gauge stainless and fits snugly.

It features the aluminum core that is sandwiched between 2 layers of stainless steel. Note that this is NOT the less expensive disc base you find on lesser products. It is smooth and seamless and provides superior heat conduction and retention. You will definitely need to use much lower heat if you've been using cheaper pans.

These do not have a non-stick coating but they clean up beautifully. If you ever burn something, use a little Bar Keepers Friend and your pan will look like new. It will also go into the dishwasher no problem.

I can definitely recommend this line so from now on, I will check All Clad, Calphalon Tri-Ply, and Cuisinart Multiclad Pro and then choose whatever's on sale because as far as I'm concerned, they are equally high quality.

This cookware overall is an excellent choice for the price. It heats uniformally cleans up well and looks great, I have them hanging on a pot rack in the kitchen. The handles do well on heat they don't get to hot unless they have been on the burner for an extended period of time but I've used more expensive pots that heat up much faster. If I have a complaint it's that they haven't expanded the line at all. I'd like to see more choices in the multiclad like like they have in their other sets.

I have two or three pots and pans from this line and all work superbly and at a lower price than competing multiply equipment. I think it's important that the central ply of aluminum go all the way up the sides as opposed to being just in the bottom, but I have no scientific evidence for this. Note that these pans have a fairly high heat capacity; this means that they retain heat for a while after being removed from the heat source. On the stove top, the handles stay cool though.

This is a sturdy pot with, as a previous reviewer mentioned, a useless lid. Cuisinart claims that the pot is so super-conductive that your stove need never be set higher than medium; I'm used to aluminum, and this pot takes longer to boil on "high". The anti-drip lip seemed promising, but it takes skill, and of course doesn't work when you consciously try to avoid dribbling. Most of the pot is brushed steel, so scratching is less of problem, although stainless steel needs care so it doesn't appear stained. Personally I don't care as long as it still works. Worth the money at Amazon's 75% discount.

The pot has a lifetime warranty, but Cuisinart asks for a $7 check to "facilitate the speed and accuracy of your return" (apparently not applicable in CA) in addition to paying for shipping it to them. Since only the gross negligence of Cuisinart would result in a defective pot, this is an unacceptable requirement. With Amazon's low price it's not worth it even your pot comes without a handle or develops a hole, since Cuisinart might repair it, while Amazon will quickly send you a new one with less effort and little more money on your part. I doubt very many will need to take advantage of the warranty, but I thought Cuisinart's effort to discourage warranty returns was noteworthy. In a bad way.

I have owned All Clad and Calphalon multiply stainless pots and pans for years and have been very pleased overall. However, they both need cleaning attention to keep the beautiful appearance and the All Clad is just too expensive, especially for the larger pieces. I waited for this Cuisinart 1.5 quart multiply saucepan to go on sale at Amazon last month ($19.95) and bought it. I have used the pan a half dozen times and it looks and performs as good as the All Clad and Calphalon. This pan is a bit heavy for 1.5 quart and I would prefer that the lid be glass. However, the glass lid from Cuisinart's Classic 1.5 quart saucepan fits this pan perfectly. The pan heats evenly and, when up to temperature, retains heat for quite awhile even when I turn the burner down to low. This pan requires the same cleaning attention as the other two brands. Bottom line -- buy Cuisinart Multiply Pro, over All Clad and Calphalon, if you are looking for high quality stainless multiply. Then go buy some good food with the savings.

November 2009 Update: I am still completely satisified with this saucepot. Recently I purchased a portable induction cooking burner which requires cookware that is attracted to a magnetic field. This pot sticks securely to a magnetic and, therefore, is compatible with induction cooktops unlike my Calphalon multiply cookware that does not stick to a magnet.

This sauce pan does the job, has even heat distribution, and is easy to clean. The price here on Amazon, especially when there is a special price, is quite good. Much less than the equivalent all-clad. It's moderately heavy.

I'm really enjoying using this pot. I just switched from my old baked-on enamels and shopped carefully before deciding on 3-ply stainless steel. This pot has all the features of the more expensive multi-clad brand but for a much more reasonable price. The handle does stay cool, by the way. It's easy to clean and a very useful size. I did buy a couple of stainless steel pans with the 3-ply bottoms only (not totally 3-ply all the way around). They are not the same quality at all, and food burns onto them much easier. The worse part, however, is picking them up. They are unbalanced in my hands and they are hard to wash because of this unbalance. Really, 3-ply is worth it. Cuisinart really has a good thing going here!