Customer Reviews

KitchenAid Gourmet Essentials Hard Anodized Nonstick 10-Piece Cookware Set

5 star:		(101)
4 star:		(38)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I did quite a bit of research, trying to find a good but "reasonably" priced cookware set. When I read the reviews for this KitchenAid set, I thought I would give them a try. I LOVE THEM!!! I used them to cook Christmas dinner and couldn't have been more pleased with my purchase! Clean up is an absolute breeze!!!! It truly is non-stick without using oils or butter. The only downside is that food does get stuck in the rivets, which is the only time you have to use a little elbow grease to clean these pans.

Overall, I'm 100% happy with the price, the look, the weight and the performance of this set. I love the stay cool handles. I quickly tossed my old set (which had become far from non-stick) and am cooking up a storm. I have to admit, on my old set, I always used non-stick spray. When I read the KitchenAid directions, that came with these pans, it said NOT to use spray as it compromised the integrity of the non-stick surface. OOOPS! Lesson learned. Non-stick spray will never touch this set!!!

When I initially was looking for a new cookware set, I had several choices/brands to consider. Due to past experience with Circulon, we opted to stay away from it. Circulon was pretty good stuff, BUT those little ridges in the bottom of the cookware seem to collect alot of "gunk" in them...and yes I did hand wash it after each use :P After a while, unable to remove it even with scrubbing.
So I compared this set with Emerilware and Avalon hard anodized sets.
All three sets were very similar in weight and sizes. I liked the handles on the Kitchen Aid , due to the silicone rubber on them. It really keeps the cool to touch even after "heavy duty "cooking.
Also,after a little research, I discovered that there is a reason Anolon, Circulon and Kitchen Aid all look real and feel real similar... they are ALL made by the MEYER /Kitchen Aid company !!! After seeing eaach set in person at numerous store, we discovered they were almost identical except for a few minor detail (handles, markings, etc.) Seems that even cookware , you pay for the name!!
Lastly, we have used this cookware to cook fish, chicken, ground beef, eggs, you name it. I con honestly tell you , as stated, you only need to use oil/butter for flavor. NOTHING sticks to this cookware. everything seems to just slide right off. I mean even water on these pans beads right up! It heats evenly and very fast. As directions state, cook on low to medium heat. Seems this cookware heats up faster and cooks better that way. On low/ medium heat, was able to cook just as fast as my previous pans did on high.
All in all...fantastic cookware set and fantastic price on Amazon.
I would highly recommend this set for those that need new cookware and those that love to cook. You don't need to spend tons of money on the other brands whem you can get the same this/ different name for a much cheaper price!! :)

I've owned this set for almost 2 years now and they have held up extremely well. They are extensively used by both me, and my two college roommates and haven't warped or anything. Great set for cooks of all types.

UPDATE: 4 years now and still in near perfect shape.

I received this set as a wedding present and have loved using it over the past 2 years. I cook several times a week, mostly for husband and myself, and sometimes for guests. This set has been perfect for my needs, and has performed very well. I follow the care directions (handwashing, no metal utensils) and the non-stick coating has done very well. I love the glass lids and the cushy handles.

My husband complains that the bolts that attach the handles get food stuck to them and are the hardest part to clean. However, I think this is a typical issue.

The set includes, as pictured, 1-, 2-, and 3-quart covered saucepans, 6-quart covered stockpot, and 8- and 10-inch French skillets. The skillets don't come with lids, but the two biggest pot lids work well. I did feel a need to buy a 12-inch skillet as the one addition to supplement this set.

These pans we have had for about a year. The non-stick works great, however, the outside of the pan is a bit difficult to clean. They are NOT dishwasher safe, however, we have thrown them in the dishwasher with liquid detergent only and they seem to be fine. Although we did place the large pot in the dishwasher near the soap dispenser and the soap ate away at the exterior of the pot a bit...we cannot get the white mark to disappear. Also, the lids even before we started dishwashing them, got rust marks where the handles attach to the lid. You do need to be careful about what type of utensil you use on these...no metal..it scratches the surface too much. Finally, I have burnt myself several times with the handles on the large pot. The protective coat is not that big or thick and when it is full of hot water, you cannot get a good grip without burning your hand on the exposed metal handles. Other than that, we have been happy with these pots. They seem to cook nice and evenly and fairly quickly. For the price, they are a good deal.

I decided to splurge on new pots and pans and saw a special one-day deal on Amazon ($99) for this set and after reading reviews and looking at other sets this seemed like the way to go.

My pots and pans arrived and I LOVE THEM! They are gorgeous and made of great quality (especially compared to my cheapy pots that I had before). The lids are nice and fit tight and have stay-cool handles. The pots and pans also have this stay-cool handles and are easy to grab and maneuver. The pots and pans clean easily and I have yet to have to scrub them really at all after cooking. The variety of pot sizes is really nice and the skillets are a good size for someone who isn't cooking for a ton of people (like myself).

I think these pots and pans are well worth the almost $400 that they retail for at major department stores. Get them on Amazon on sale for $99 or $149 and you are getting a BARGAIN! I think that these pots and pans will last me a long time so I will definitely get my money's worth. :)

I am very pleased with my purchase. The pans arrived quickly, and inside of another box for security and protection. The pans have the anondized surface, which makes them more resistant to scratches and wear. It's a sharp looking set of pans - very sleek with a contemporary look. They all have a rubberized grip on the handles so picking them up is easy, and the heat doesn't transfer to your hands. The lids are glass so you can easily monitor your food while it cooks. These pots and pans are NOT allowed in the dishwasher, however, because it will diminish their quality (which is common for good pans). So if you're the lazy type who doesn't like to hand-wash you may want to buy a different type of pan. Otherwise - I highly recommend these to anyone looking for a good set that will last years.

I bought this set after having a set of Cook's Essentials for 4 years (very poor quality). The quality of the Kitchen Aid is excellent and the nonstick coating is definitely nonstick, which makes them so easy to clean (they recommend hand washing). The variety of pots is perfect for the cooking that I do. Hopefully they will last for many years to come!

They look really great and the quality is good as well!
Besides, I think KitchenAid is a very serious and responsible company. I had a problem with one of the pots and they sent me another one for free. I did not have to send them the pot or pay for the shipping, I just wrote to them explaining the problem.
Now, I want to have the entire collection!

I still use this set, although am greatly disappointed in it. It cooks nice, cleans beautifully, even when something burns. However, every single one of my pans/pots has warped. None of the lids fit on correctly. I have not put them in the dishwasher, so I don't know what caused the problem.