All-Clad 3-ply sale?

[Paul Tepper]

Hi folks,

With the new 5-ply All Clad cookware being sold, is anyone discounting the old 3-ply stuff?

Thanks.

Paul

[jk1002]

I picked up a ton for 40 to 50% off at williams and sonoma outlets. That was 2 or 3 month ago, they expected to have itnuntil end of the year or so.

[slkinsey]

What do you see as the 3-ply and 5-ply lines?

We need to understand two things about layers in cookware:

1. More layers doesn't necessarily equal better. In many cases, it is actually worse because the extra layers may have inferior thermal properties.

2. The number of layers has become a marketing gimmick (because people don't understand #1 above). Most of the time, they're counting things like infinitesimally thin layers of bonding material as a "layer." For example, the typical "5-ply" construction goes something like this: 1. external layer of stainless steel, 2. thinner-than-paper layer of pure aluminum for bonding, 3. aluminum alloy layer that serves as the thermal layer; 4. thinner-than-paper layer of pure aluminum for bonding; 5. internal layer of stainless steel. Meanwhile, your typical "3-ply" construction is probably exactly the same but simply does not "count" the bonding layers. But supposing it is only three layers with no extra bonding material, it would go something like this: 1. external layer of stainless steel, 2. aluminum layer that serves as the thermal layer; 3. internal layer of stainless steel. If the two pans have the same overall thickness and have the same thickness in the stainless layers, it would be almost impossible to detect any difference in performance. And yet, how much do you want to bet that the one marketed as having 5 layers costs a lot more?

[Mottmott]

I've had great luck buying 3 ply All Clad at an outlet that sells 2nds at deeply discounted prices. Most times I can't see any difference at all and even use http://www.cookwarenmore.com/ to buy presents. Twice a year they add a 20% discount, one of them in the fall (just before Thanksgiving as I recall).

[Michael-hb]

For those that can get to (or happen to be) Western PA near Pittsburgh on Dec 3rd & 4th at Washington County Fair All-Clad will hold their semi-annual Factory Sale. Slight blemishes/large discounts.

Michael