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Calphalon
Calphalon Enameled Cast Iron Cookware
Calphalon Enameled Cast Iron is made of heavyweight cast iron that distributes heat evenly and has an attractive porcelain enamel exterior. The interior is satin enamel, handles are oversized for easy lifting, and it is oven safe up to 500 degrees. Exterior enamel colors include chive (green), mustard (yellow) and cabernet (deep red). Calphalon sells five pieces of cookware in their Enameled Cast Iron line- an 8 quart oval Dutch oven, an 8 quart Round Dutch oven, a rectangular baker, a fry pan, and a panini pan with press.
You should not use metal utensils with this line. It does not need to be seasoned like regular cast iron cookware. It has a lifetime warranty. The Calphalon enameled cast iron cookware is dishwasher safe, but hand washing is strongly recommended.
Buy Calphalon Enameled Cast Iron Cookware at Amazon.com
There are few reviews of Calphalon Enameled Cast Iron. The person who does not appreciate the panini pan says of this cookware,
"When I first washed it, the knob on the top came unscrewed in my hand as I was drying it. This is supposed to be solid cast iron! It's cheaply assembled from parts, not cast in one, durable piece. The enameling is also applied sloppily. There are bubbles in it, so in many spots it's thin, potentially causing the cast iron underneath to rust over time. Quality control appears very poor for a $100 pan."
The five star reviewer says,
"I use this panini grill with press at least 3 times a week and it has held up for 7 months now, without a scratch! A beautiful asset to any kitchen and the red is stunning! A must have, and a great price!"
The single reviewer of the rectangular baker says,
"This pan is amazing!!! You can put it on the stove and saute your veggies and ground your meat, add the extra ingredients and pop it in the oven. The pan heats up fast and evenly resulting in less cooking time. Compared to my standard Pyrex, I have cut the cooking time in half on most of my casseroles and dishes. In the end, I have one dish to clean and I cut my cooking time in half."
Overall there are few reviewers of this line at Amazon, but most endorse the product quite earnestly.
Your Cookware Helper Note: I have not personally tested this product line. However, I have to question brands like Calphalon, Rachael Ray, etc, for trying to come out with product lines of every kind of cookware material available. When it comes to cast iron, American made Lodge performs extremely well with the French notables Staub and Le Creuset for a much lower cost. I see Calphalon trimming the product lines to refocus on their expertise, and I see the cast iron line going away, that is, unless it is too profitable to drop.
Buy Calphalon Enameled Cast Iron Cookware at Amazon.com
Last Updated on Saturday, 04 June 2011 11:33
Calphalon Simply Stainless Steel Cookware
Calphalon Simply Stainless Steel cookware is made of medium grade stainless steel both on the interior and exterior surfaces, with an aluminum core bottom for even heating, domed tempered glass covers, and low heat transfer handles. This consumer budget oriented line is safe in your oven up to 400 degrees. It is recommended for use with all utensils. Stainless steel interiors make it healthy.
Calphalon Simply Stainless Steel is dishwasher safe and has a ten-year warranty. Simply Calphalon Stainless Cookware is sold either in a 10 or 8 piece set, or you can buy the omelette pans and sauce pans separately.
Buy Calphalon Simply Stainless Steel Cookware at Amazon.com
At Amazon, the cookware gets high reviews; the 8 piece set received 4 out of 5 stars overall.One says,
"I bought this set to replace my old no-name cookware set. It's a HUGE difference and I'm glad I bought Calphalon. The material is thick and heavy which are the characteristics of good cookware according to my aunts who've cooked for 30 years. The design of this set is really nice. I was worried about the handle that is made of some kind of metal though it's written as hand-cool handle. From my cooking, the handle is cool even when the pots/pats were at the temperature of boiling hot.
"I highly recommend this set. It looks really good and the quality is way beyond my expectation!"
Another long time user says:
"Have been using set for 1 year. Extremely pleased-highly recommend. Not top of the line but definitely worth every $$ I paid. Switched to gas stove 6 months ago and really appreciate difference between these pots and cheaper quality pots. Handles stay cool even with burner on high. Easy to clean with soft scrub pad."
The ten-piece set rated even higher at 4 1/2 out of five stars. One said,
"It has taken me awhile to come to the conclusion that this is the best set of cookware I've ever owned.
"I did my homework and there is no doubt that All-Clad is the best. I considered All-clad and have several pieces, but Calphalon is by far the best set for the money. I mean, come on, $1000???. I can't afford that, and if I could I'd like a chef to come with it. And another thing, I'm not super gentle with my pans and for the price of this set I don't feel guilty about banging them around."
Reviewers generally find this Calphalon line heavy, durable, and particularly were impressed by the good value for the price.
Buy Calphalon Simply Stainless Steel Cookware at Amazon.com
Last Updated on Saturday, 04 June 2011 11:33
Calphalon Tri Ply Stainless Steel Cookware
Calphalon Tri-Ply Stainless Steel cookware is made with a three-ply construction that includes a heavy gauge aluminum core, and surgical quality stainless steel to provide quick and even heating all the way up the sides. It has a satin finish, ergonomically designed polished stainless steel handles for easy grip and lifting, and tempered glass domed lids so you can see while you're cooking. Calphalon Tri-Ply Stainless Steel cookware is sold in 13 and 8 piece sets, while basics (omelette pans, sauce pans, and saute pans) and "specialty items" (chef's pans, everyday pans, stir fry pans, and tapas pans) can be bought separately.
Calphalon Tri-Ply Stainless Steel cookware is dishwasher safe, oven safe to 450 degrees, can be used with metal utensils, and has a lifetime warranty.
Buy Calphalon Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Cookware at Amazon.com
Amazon reviewers really like Calphalon Tri Ply Stainless Steel cookware. The 13-piece cookware set receives 4 ½ out of 5 stars. The reviewer considered the most helpful compares it favorably in cost and performance to a number of other brands. Although this reviewer has only been using the product for a month, the reviewer has a wealth of information:
"We just decided to switch to stainless because of the harmful chemicals released by non-stick pans at high heats, as well as a general growing interest in cooking, such as the ability to sear food and deglaze the pan to make great sauces.
"We looked at cheaper lines, such as Emerilware, Cuisinart's Chef's Classic, and Simply Calphalon Stainless, and decided we didn't like the fact that the bottoms of those pans are the only areas that are triple-ply, so the sides on those are thinner and don't heat in the same way the bottoms do. Those cheaper pans also don't feel balanced in the hand, and so to me they actually feel heavier because of the awkwardness. The unibody construction of Calphalon's Tri-Ply Stainless Steel line seemed to be the same quality as All-Clad's triple-ply construction, but cheaper."
Another reviewer who has used the cookware for over a year had this to say:
"I've had these pots and pans for 1.5 years now, and have steadily added to my tri ply collection. I'm still very pleased with them.
- They have still retained their mirror finish on the exterior.
- Cleanup is a breeze- just rub a bit of barkeeper's friend (I'd like to shake the hand of whoever invented that- best thing since sliced bread).
- The moisture channeling from the lids is very much appreciated- everything I cook is definitely juicier.
- I was amazed at the quality of material- I boiled some eggs in a pot one day, and 14 hours later, I kid you not, the water was still warm, not lukewarm, but warm!"
Overall, reviewers give higher marks to this line than some of Calphalon's nonstick lines and at least one feels it is a good alternative for cooks who do not wish to pay more for All-Clad.
Your Cookware Helper Note: I have a Calphalon Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Skillet, and I do like it very much. It warped a little bit so it doesn't lay perfectly flat on my flat top stove, but it does perform well. It cleans up easily, and sautes very well. Handle is a little bit small for my preference. I use it frequently and it usually goes into the dishwasher after a little bit of scrubbing. It is competitive, not with All-Clad, but other high quality fully clad stainless steel offerings.
Buy Calphalon Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Cookware at Amazon.com
Last Updated on Saturday, 04 June 2011 11:32
Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel
Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel cookware has a tri-ply design with an aluminum core for even heat distribution and an exterior that is brushed stainless steel. The stay cool handles are designed to be comfortable for extended use on the stovetop. The covers are tempered glass so that you can see while you're cooking. Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel is sold in 10, 13 and 18 piece sets. One can also buy the basics (omelette pans, sauce pans, saute pans, and stock pots) as well as "specialty" items separately ranging from a 14 inch omelette pan to everyday pans.
Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel cookware is oven safe to 450 degrees, without covers the cookware is broiler safe. It is dishwasher safe, you can use metal implements with this cookware, and it has a lifetime warranty.
See Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel Cookware at Amazon.com
Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel Cookware does not fare exceptionally well with Amazon's reviewers. The reviewer considered to be the most helpful says the following:
"I was on my way to purchase a set of All-Clad and saw these. The design is gorgeous, the weight is excellent, and Calphalon is an excellent name. I bought the 10 piece set. I had it for only 10 days and found something very distressing.
"When you stir the food, what do you do with the spoon? You hit it on the edge of the pan to get off any food. I do this routinely without any problems. To my surprise, the Calphalon's edge dented with every hit. I can only imagine what the edges would look like after a year; given that I'd only had them 10 days and the edges were all beat up. Please, don't get the impression that I'm hard on pots, but the softness of the steel was very disconcerting and was bad enough after 10 days for me to return the set. A $500 set of pots shouldn't dent like these did."
One reviewer felt people should also know that this cookware does not work on induction stove tops.
"I have to give the Calphalon Contemporary cookware 3 stars because while they're beautiful, feel nice in the hand, and seem well made, they do NOT work on an induction (aka, electromagnetic) stove (requires magnetic cookware) even though they're supposedly stainless steel. I bought several pieces, popped them on the stove, and the stove didn't "recognize" them at all. Needless to say, I was VERY disappointed and have to return them all. I'm sure they're great for standard electric or gas."
Overall, reviewers find this cookware beautiful but many had enough issues that they found the expense too high for what they received.
See Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel Cookware at Amazon.com
Last Updated on Saturday, 04 June 2011 11:34
Calphalon Simply Nonstick Cookware
Calphalon Simply Nonstick Cookware is made of hard-anodized aluminum that allows heat to conduct evenly from the bottom to the sides of the pans. The interior is double coated with their nonstick surface. Handles are silicone and stay cool on a stove top. Calphalon Simply Nonstick Cookware is sold in 10 and 14 piece sets. Basics (omelette pans, sauce pans, and saute pans) and "specialty items" (5 quart chili pot, jumbo fryer, roaster, round grill pan and square griddle) can all be bought separately.
Calphalon Simply Nonstick cookware is oven safe up to 450 degrees; you cannot use metal utensils with it. It is NOT dishwasher safe, and it has a ten year warranty.
Buy Calphalon Simply Nonstick Cookware at Amazon.com
Amazon reviewers showed the same difference between longtime and new users of the Calphalon Nonstick as some of their other nonstick brands-longtime users rated it more poorly. An enthusiastic reviewer who had received the product pretty recently says,
"I had been shopping for affordable cookware and the selection was dismal to say the least. When I received my order I was pleased by the quality and even more impressed when I actually used it. The heat distribution was great. The care and cleanup was a snap. Forget any other cookware in this price range. This set will last you a lifetime if you take care of it."
A reviewer with the common complaint that over time, some lines of Calphalon's nonstick just do not last said,
"I've owned this set for almost two years now. They were absolutely perfect for the first 18 months. They cooked beautifully - excellent heat distribution, superb nonstick, easy to clean, solid weight, etc. I took good care of them - never in the dishwasher, no metal utensils, etc.
"At around the 18-month mark, the most often-used pan (~2x per week) started to become sticky while cooking. Examination of the inside base of the pan showed that shiny metal was beginning to show through the coating. The pan pretty soon became the worst of all worlds (sticky, ugly, and very difficult to clean) and I had to throw it out. All in all, I loved these pots, but their nonstick coating isn't ready to be a full-time cookware feature."
Like some other separates, the 12 inch Jumbo Chicken Fryer rated highly, with 5 out of 5 stars and a relatively great number of reviewers. Even these reviewers admit that the nonstick would not last a lifetime, but are still very happy with the fryer.
Buy Calphalon Simply Nonstick Cookware at Amazon.com
Last Updated on Saturday, 04 June 2011 11:33
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About Calphalon Cookware
Calphalon Cookware
- Calphalon Enameled Cast Iron Cookware
- Calphalon Simply Stainless Steel Cookware
- Calphalon Tri Ply Stainless Steel Cookware
- Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel
- Calphalon Simply Nonstick Cookware
- Calphalon Contemporary Nonstick Cookware
- Calphalon One Infused Cookware
- Calphalon One Nonstick Cookware
- Calphalon CS Nonstick Cookware
- Calphalon Everyday Nonstick Cookware
- Calphalon Tri Ply Copper Cookware