Customer Reviews

KitchenAid Gourmet Essentials Hard Anodized Nonstick 12-Piece Cookware Set

5 star:		(151)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

I've owned more expensive cookware sets, but this moderately priced set from KitchenAid ranks with the best of them. All of my previous cookware was stainless steel or low-end aluminum, so I was not sure what to expect in terms of durability. However, this set has exceeded my expectations. The pans are wonderful to cook with, the non-stick coating beats anything I've tried before, the lids fit tightly, and the insulated handles make oven mitts unnecessary. I love how light the pans are -- even full they are easy to lift and pour from. One note of caution: The domed lids and upright lid handles mean these pans require a bit more storage space than other sets I've used.

Being a consumer reports junkie I noticed this cookware was not rated under the nonstick column so I relied on Amazon reviews and decided to purchase this set. My hats off to the people who have reviewed this item because the comments are very accurate and honest. I really love this Kitchen aid set for the following reasons:

1. It looks just amazing to have them shown, we have visitors complimenting the looks of the pans and then they see Kitchen Aid and say "wow". It's a good feeling.

2. The cooking is very fast and the burn is very even....amazing. I whipp up two eggs in under 3 minutes. The other day I cooked and omelette and upon flipping it over the cook diagragm was very evenly spaced and consistent. Again Amazing !!!

3. Most reviewers say it is easy to clean....that is so true!!! One quick clean with either a dish sponge or a simple rag will do the job.

3. The handles do not get warm even when warming up the pan. You can leave the pot warming and grab the handle with full confidence and you will not worry about the handle being warm.

4. The top glass is very stylish and durable. We accidentally dropped one and not a scratch.

5. The price with the special offer from Amazon brings this pot down to a very affordable price.

6. These pots are enough to cover your every day cooking needs. I believe they will also last at least over 5 years so I highly recommend them.

Again thanks to Amazon for just being Amazon, but people out there taking the time to input reviews, I want to thank you for the comments and reviews that lead me to believe there are good people still out there watching out for one another.

Amazon is just awesome in most areas, I hardly ever shop at ebay because of Amazon.

Cheers,

I read lots of reviews on the other two major brands, and decided that circulon was out because of the rings on the bottom, and many of the lower end calphalons seemed to have peeling problems. I bought this set of kitchenaid pans, and both my wife and I absolutely love them. Easy to clean, cook very nicely, had them a year and no problems at all. Just remember, don't use metal on them, and don't put them in the diswasher.

The deep saucepan is awesome for lots of dishes. Very happy with this set.

I'm very satisfied with these, had them for almost 2 months and no problems. Glad I bought them early, because I only paid $134.99 (after a $22.00 discount) from Amazon, now they're charging $237 for them. They clean very easy, no scrub needed, even if you let the food sit in them overnight. No major scratches, if you take care of them they'll be fine. The covers are great, I like the glass, nice to see how the food is cooking without having to lift the lid. The cover handles are a lil awkward, not allowing you to stack the covers on top of each other. And if you don't hold the cover handles exactly on the plastic grips the medal part gets hot, but those are minor issues. Overall a very good product and so happy I was able to throw my el-cheapo pots away. Hope to have these for years to come.

Perhaps it's just because I had had my previous set for 10 years, and was accustomed to the sizes and capacities. But I find the sizes to be rather odd. The saucepans are all smaller than I consider practical. The largest one would barely hold soup for four people-- forget trying to cook a batch of pasta without pulling out the big stockpot. And the smallest one is so small that the weight of its own handle pulls it over. This means that I can't use it to make a roux, because the ingredients aren't heavy enough to counteract the weight of the handle and keep the pan upright.

Other than that (not insignificant) complaint, I'm pleased with the heat-resistant handles and the even heating of the pans themselves.

Updated February 2009: If I could change my star rating, I would. The set loses a star because the "break resistant" lids don't resist very effectively. A 10-inch drop to the floor (from a low cabinet shelf) shattered the lid. I was stunned. As I said before, I had my previous, no-brand set for 10 years, put them through way more abuse, and never broke a lid. Plus, each pot has its own unique lid, so I have no alternative. No idea if KitchenAid will replace it. Lids are not available for purchase on their site, so we'll see...

This is a very nice pan set. Very easy to clean ON THE INSIDE ONLY! Forget trying to clean the outside. I have written Kitchen Aid too for imformation on how to clean them with No Reply. So buyers, watch out - they get dirty REAL FAST! Oil gets on the bottom of pans and It's There for Life!!! No steam outlet holes in lids either. :o/

My new husband and I were looking for a non-stick but sturdy set, with see-through lids. We got some gift certficates for our wedding we had to use. These are wonderful so far. I used to own a Caphalon set, for much more $, and I can already tell these are far superior. Handles, lid, everything is sturdy. I hate to hand wash, but these are so simple--the food just falls off, and nothing sticks anywhere. We are very happy so far, and will report more later. I saw these at Kohl's for about $80 more (on sale!). These make cooking a joy, and clean-up simple. Glad we bought them!!

I am pleased with the quality of these pots and pans. They are a good weight, nice finish, and well-balanced. The large fry pan is particularly handy. My only reservation is that the shape of the lids makes it tough to store--the handles are tall, and when you invert the lid so the handle is inside the pan, the lid slips around too loosely to allow steady stacking of another pan on top. Still, I recommend these as a good value for the average cook/kitchen.

This is an even better set than the one I bought about 8 months ago. I wish I had that larger frying pan and the really small saucepan. This cookware is excellent and quite easy to clean. The cooking surfaces cook very evenly and they are thick enough to avoid scorching. I highly recommend this set. You will love it, and anyone you give it to as a gift will love it. I do agree that storage is a little bulky, but they are so great that doesn't bother me a bit. I put a dish towel in between stacked pans to protect the surface.

absolutely great cookware. looks good and cleans up good,remember don't clean them in a dishwasher. The only thing is the glass lids are slow to dry(water gets under outside ring).

Even when sister-in-law boiled over the top ,they looked good(not sister-in-law).