The Calphalon Question

I usually cook with calphalon, with only a few exceptions. I know that it does not work well for anything where you need a hot spot (i.e. stir frying) but it seems to work pretty well for most other stuff.

A know a lot of people hate the stuff, and I am trying to figure out why. I wonder if I just lack the skills to know the difference, or whether there is something in particular about it that is bad.

I was in Williams and Sonoma last week with my wife and a friend of ours. The friend was looking for pots, so we questioned the sales guy about all-clad as opposed to calphalon. He insisted that the all-clad was superior but could not really give a reason. I ended up buying one pot for myself, and after using it, could not tell any real difference from the stuff I own.

Anybody have any strong views on this (other than just a subjective view)? Are there any real reasons for preferring the one over the other?

I like both kinds of Calphalon, coated and not. My two main-use skillets are coated: they are rugged, light, cook quite evenly, and apparently are long-lasting. Some among us have complained that they're not non-sticky enough, but I find that with a judicious use of fat, grease, oil and stuff, they're just as non-sticky as I need them to be.

I like the balance and handles as well.

I use a couple of uncoated pans (roaster, straightsided-skillet, etc.) where some might use cast iron or stainless. They're lighter than iron and have better heat characteristics than most stainless, even cladded.

Most likely you'll have provoked quite a bit of turbulence with your query.

Good.

Geo

Being the recipient of a garage sale box on unused Commercial and Professional Calphalon ($1,200 worth of pans for the bargain basement price of $25), I'm in the love it group. Like any normal pan, you have to heat it thoroughly before using it. Once you get the hang of it, they're great pans! I pretty much have every pan they make (except the grill pan) and use them all.

I think cooking utensils are a very personal choice. I, for one, find the All Clad handles "sharp" (they really cut into my hands) and suited to larger hands (big girl, small hands).

From a sales person's perspective, All Clad is superior because it costs more. There are a ton of people out there who think if something's really expensive, it *has* to be good. Of course, all the cooking shows use All Clad....there is another reason why it has to be better. Emeril endorses....blah blah blah. People are impressionable.

dees_1 wrote:From a sales person's perspective, All Clad is superior because it costs more. There are a ton of people out there who think if something's really expensive, it *has* to be good. Of course, all the cooking shows use All Clad....there is another reason why it has to be better. Emeril endorses....blah blah blah. People are impressionable.

Dees,

On the other hand, it sounds as if you don't like All-Clad, aside from the handles, which I like, simply because it's expensive/popular.

Here is a lengthy thread on cookware and, to sum up my opinion of All-Clad, I like it very much. Yes it's expensive, but we have been using our original pieces for 18-years and they, each and every one of them, are in tip-top condition.

Sometimes there are reasons things are popular, aside from People are Sheeple.

Enjoy,
Gary

Actually, I suppose I should confess, my core saucepan group is Farberware, given me (us) on the occasion of my (our) first wedding, in '66. In the split, I got the Farberware, she got most everything else.

So I've got, like, 6 pots & pans that I've been using for going on 40 yrs. Good stuff. Try to take it away from me, I'll kill you.

Be forewarned.

Geo

As I think G-Wiv pointed out in that other thread and in one I started, you can get All-Clad at Cut-Rate prices by going to www.cookwarenmore.com. They sell factory 2nds, which usually amounts to a ding in the handle or a scratch on the bottom (the horror !).

I got like 6 pieces (12" skillet, 14" skillet, 2 qt sauce, 3.5 qt sauce, 3 qt sautee, 3 qt saucier) for under $450, I think. It sometimes takes a while to get (my 12" just shipped and I'm still waiting on the saucier) but it's a great deal.

I used to have the Simply Calphalon stuff and it was good for the $$, but I never seemed to be able to cook a decent pot of rice in them. Haven't missed yet w/ the All-Clad.

Gary - Never cooked with All Clad so I can't really say I don't like them. I'm sure they perform extremely well; they just don't suit my hands, which is really important to me. I use several different manufacturer's products (Calphalon, Cuisinart, LeCreuset, Lodge, Magnalite, T-Fal and RevereWare) with differing finishes; they all suit their purpose well.

tem - Simply Calphalon is not the same as the Commercial or Professional lines (or even Calphalon One). They developed that line to offer a more affordable product. It's just ok but I wouldn't consider it in the same league as the other lines or All Clad. The only analogy I can come up with is like comparing a Yugo to a MiniCooper. They're both easy on fuel and will get you where you want to be but which one performs better and is more reliable? Yes there is a price difference....You do get what you pay for but sometimes you have to comparison shop.

IIRC, I think the Simply Calphalon is pretty much the same as the original Calphalon that I remember being sold back in the early 90s when I worked at Bed Bath & Beyond for about 6 months.

I picked up a Simply Calphalon once and it's very inferior to our regular Calphalon. I am a fan of both Calphalon and All-Clad for different things. One of our large Calphalon pots is all wonky inside; the suface has deteriorated. I would try to return it to the company but I suspect someone in the house (ahem) has been mistreating it. (I am constantly finding pots sitting on the stove with junk crusted on them, or Calphalon frying pans in the sink under other stuff so they end up getting cleansers on them that I don't think are good for them.)

Bibi Rose:

Calphalon is pretty good about taking their pots back. They don't alway replace them free but exchange them at a substantial discount. Calphalon recommends cleaning them with a rescue pad. I usually find soaking and then cleaning usually does the job. Most of my calphalon pans are between 20 and 25 years old. I have not used All-Clad although I did sell them once upon a time. I just had enough pots and didn't add them.

I have added one Calphalon pot in recent years, what they call the everything pot. It was relatively inexpensive I bought it at the outlet store in Michigan City. I use it frequently and it has served me well.

To keep Calphalon from sticking be sure and heat the pan thoroughly before adding food including oil. This is what the company recommends and has served me well through the years.

Besides Calphalon I have several LeCruset pans that I enjoy for long slow cooking and beans.

I also have one very large Cuisinart stainless steel skillet that I got when I had a houseware store and the pan was damaged but didn't effect its use. This pan is also over 20 years old. I use for making pasta sauce or if I'm making a lot of chicken to be cooked in a sauce but browned first. It has served me well and is great when I want a stainless pan for tomato sauces.

Paulette

My Calphalon have also held up pretty well.

Other than cleaning and weight in the hand, does anybody know any real difference between the All-Clad and the Calphalon?

Is there anything that All-Clad does better?

Any reason to switch from one to the other?

Doe one conduct heat any better than the other? Does either impact the food in a different way (i.e I know better than to use my cast iron pan for tomato or eggs)?

I use stainless, some All-Clad (got cheaper on ebay years ago), some other stainless stuff and of course some cast iron.

I just don't use non-stick at all. Not sure where Caphalon really stands on their surface, but I am sensitive to formaldehyde and the doctor advised to stay away from non-stick cookware.

The new Caphalon TV ad where some lady really POORLY browns a steak, and thinks she did a great job just blows my mind.

Is it all about not using OIL when browning meat? That sounds like a tough task.

Watch some Molto Mario - he is awesome about browning his meat, and it's always done in plenty of extra virgin olive oil.

EVOO is even GOOD for you in many ways, particularly if you have cholesterol problems, so I don't know why anyone would try to stay away from cooking will oil, just use EVOO.

Nancy

We've had our caphelon cookware (the anodized pro stuff)for 10 + years and its still in good shape and cooks very well too but I cook more with my Lodge cast iron cookware than anything else. Nothing beats well seasoned cast iron IMO

I have both an all-clad 12" skillet and a calphalon commercial hard-anodized 12" skillet.

I virtually never use the calphalon. It's not a bad pan, better than what most people have in their kitchen, probably, but it just doesn't compare to the all clad, for me. The calphalon seems to not release food as well, and seems to have slightly less even heating. It's also quite a bit heavier than the all clad, and takes longer to respond when you drop down the heat on your stovetop.

The dark finish also makes it more difficult to deglaze and clean after cooking.

I gather some of the other pans in the line, like the saucepans, are quite good. I've never used 'em.

The Commercial line seems to be on sale for like 80%+ off at Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004 ... e&n=284507
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005 ... &n=1055398

Tnx tem--

Can't believe that! Did I jump on it? Best believe I did...

Geo

glad I could help. All of them weren't that cheap but the prices didn't seem to bad otherwise.

I'm less concerned about the All-Clad vs. Calphalon debate and more troubled that you bought cookware at Williams-Sonoma.

_____William-Sonoma is not that bad, my man “johnny”. I’ve bought a few items and had a few gifts from there, no worries. Frankly my kitchen is made up of Caphalon One & Emeril’s All Clad. I’ve been using these for five years and have had no problem with either one.
_____I would agree that stainless-steel by All-Clad will last forever, but it is damn expensive (thank God for wedding registry and family support). Frankly when you finally get:

 All-Clad pots & pans
 Good Knives (Wustof in my kitchen)
 a Kitchen-Aid mixer
 & a solid food processor (Cuisinart or Kitchen-Aid)

you’re set for almost any dish.

Zin wrote:_____William-Sonoma is not that bad, my man “johnny”. I’ve bought a few items and had a few gifts from there, no worries.

No worries - I was engaging you in some good-natured "ball breaking".
I too, enjoy browsing through William-Sonoma and drooling over all of the shiny gadgets. However, I'm sure we can both agree their prices are definitely on the high end. I usually just browse for ideas and then buy online.

johnny wrote:No worries - I was engaging you in some good-natured "ball breaking".

I'm always okay with a little smack talk.

johnny wrote:I'm sure we can both agree their prices are definitely on the high end. I usually just browse for ideas and then buy online.

Word.

Z