Mauviel 150s vs. All-Clad D5

[andrew420]

Looking at the aforementioned sets but am reading that the 1.5mm copper is really not that great. The Mauviel I can get at a very good price point, but still about $4-500 more than the All-Clad.

Any thoughts on this? Will the 1.5mm provide a sub-par experience?

 

Thanks!

[gfweb]

I cannot address copper, having no experience.  All Clad D5 is fine, but probably not worth the money.

 

I have a bunch of AC (original) Master Chef pans I got cheap on eBay which are pretty and cook great, but I honestly can't say they work any better than some old commercial kitchen pans I have (Lincoln Wearever).

 

In fact I have a couple Calphalon pans that are fine too.

[andrew420]

Thank you. I'm wondering if there is really that much of a difference to justify the cost. 

[Dr. Teeth]

For me it depends on the piece.   I think all clads frying pans (own 1) and sauté pans (don’t own) are acceptable medium quality pans with annoying handles.   Probably not the best use of your money, but ok.   Everything comparable I have that I think was better quality I spent more on.  Obviously carbon steel and cast iron are less expensive, but I consider them a different type of pan.

 

Their saucepan (own1) are really not great.   Thin bases, handle is really annoying in a full pan.  I have a fair number of pans I spent less on and like a good deal more.

 

As with everything YMMV.

 

 

[weinoo]

2 hours ago, gfweb said:

I have a bunch of AC (original) Master Chef pans I got cheap on eBay which are pretty and cook great, but I honestly can't say they work any better than some old commercial kitchen pans I have (Lincoln Wearever).

 

As we've discussed before, the original AC MC (Made in Mechanicsburg, PA) are, in my opinion, excellent cookware.  Whether they work better than, let's say, Lincoln Wearever (which is a Vollrath company), is certainly something which might be argued; neither pan takes a beating in a home kitchen like it might take in a commercial environment. I'll say this about my original AC MC- it's all in pretty much perfect condtion. The pieces which weren't (2 nonstick pans from that original line), were replaced at no charge, 25 years into their lives, by All Clad.

 

Back to the original question about Mauviel and its 150 line. My guess is that they wanted to compete with the likes of All Clad, at around that price point. I also have some "professional" Mauviel copper pots and pans (some even tin-lined) mostly purchased at DeHellerin -  and it get used regularly. It's awesome stuff and it's what Mauviel made its name doing. Now they pretty much make it all.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

1 hour ago, Dr. Teeth said:

For me it depends on the piece.   I think all clads frying pans (own 1) and sauté pans (don’t own) are acceptable medium quality pans with annoying handles.   Probably not the best use of your money, but ok.   Everything comparable I have that I think was better quality I spent more on.  Obviously carbon steel and cast iron are less expensive, but I consider them a different type of pan.

 

Their saucepan (own1) are really not great.   Thin bases, handle is really annoying in a full pan.  I have a fair number of pans I spent less on and like a good deal more.

 

As with everything YMMV.

 

 

What problems are you having with the AC handles?    

[gfweb]

19 minutes ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

What problems are you having with the AC handles?    

 

The newer ones don't fit my hand

[Joe Blowe]

A must read for the OP:

https://forums.egullet.org/topic/25717-understanding-stovetop-cookware/

 

[andrew420]

FYI. I'm new here. Thanks for all the great posts!

[weinoo]

3 hours ago, gfweb said:

The newer ones don't fit my hand

 

The handles on the new stuff are not good.

 

But I really think that any buyer of stovetop cookware ought to at least try out a few handles in a store, to see what feels good in the buyer's hands.

[btbyrd]

I think the handles are fine. I have three skillets, three saucepans, an 8 qt "stock pot" and an actual stock pot and I don't have any issues with any of them (except maybe that the big stock pot isn't induction compatible for some reason). It's mostly D3 with one piece of Copper Core and one D7. I'd like to add a copper core saute pan at some point. If you shop around, there are deals to be had.

 

Whether or not the Mauviel is worth the additional charge is debatable. What kind of heat source are you using? I think the benefits of a lot of high end cookware are lost when used with crappy ranges, low-end induction burners, and the like.

[weinoo]

20 minutes ago, btbyrd said:

I think the handles are fine. I

 

This is why people need to feel the cookware out for themselves.  I've got a few of the new pieces (MC on the underside), and they seem to have changed the angle/size/material of the handle, which for me is problematic; not that I don't use them, they're just not as comfortable as the Master Chef stuff I have.

[dans]

 I have quite a collection of copper cookware. Mostly Dehillerin and Mauviel (maker of the former).  The only pans I have in 1.5mm are the ones that can be used for serving. The 2.5mm are great all-purpose cooking vessels. I love using them. If you have the choice get bronze handles unless cast iron it the only option.

 

I have no experience with the D5.

 

 

[paulraphael]

On 1/19/2022 at 9:33 AM, andrew420 said:

Looking at the aforementioned sets but am reading that the 1.5mm copper is really not that great. The Mauviel I can get at a very good price point, but still about $4-500 more than the All-Clad.

Any thoughts on this? Will the 1.5mm provide a sub-par experience?

 

Thanks!

 

I wouldn't bother. The copper cookware that works well is ~2.5mm thick. The thin stuff is considered "tourist copper." It looks nice. It's often used at restaurants for bringing sauces to the table. But it's not restaurant cookware.

 

I'd think twice about buying any heavy copper cookware today. Cooking on fire is in its twilight period. The day is coming when serious cooks will have to use induction, unless they're in an old building that's getting grandfathered in to gas use. 

 

If you're sold on copper, consider getting just the pieces where it will make the most difference, like a medium-sized saucepan that you can use for things that need the most precise heat control.

 

As far as handles ... I disagree with the bronze handle recommendation. Cast iron will conduct heat more slowly, and is more badass. 

 

Also don't just look at Mauviel. Consider Falk. They actually make the laminated material used by Mauviel and Bourgeat, so the equivalent pieces are usually a bit cheaper. Bourgeat for some reason is a bit more expensive. 

 

Edited: I wrote "...think twice about buying any heavy cookware ..."  Meant to write "heavy copper cookware."

Edited January 20, 2022 by paulraphael
mistake (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

2 hours ago, paulraphael said:

 

I wouldn't bother. The copper cookware that works well is ~2.5mm thick. The thin stuff is considered "tourist copper." It looks nice. It's often used at restaurants for bringing sauces to the table. But it's not restaurant cookware.

 

I'd think twice about buying any heavy cookware today. Cooking on fire is in its twilight period. The day is coming when serious cooks will have to use induction, unless they're in an old building that's getting grandfathered in to gas use. 

 

If you're sold on copper, consider getting just the pieces where it will make the most difference, like a medium-sized saucepan that you can use for things that need the most precise heat control.

 

As far as handles ... I disagree with the bronze handle recommendation. Cast iron will conduct heat more slowly, and is more badass. 

 

Also don't just look at Mauviel. Consider Falk. They actually make the laminated material used by Mauviel and Bourgeat, so the equivalent pieces are usually a bit cheaper. Bourgeat for some reason is a bit more expensive. 

 

 

Most of my battery of Falk are the classic line, with the iron handles.  They are beautiful and lovely.  However these days I employ them pretty much only for Hollandaise and when I need my largest frying pan.  I am spoiled by my Paragons and induction.  Thankfully I have a couple pieces of Falk's induction line.  The only real disadvantage is they are not yet offered in the largest sizes.  Mitigated by the fact that any heavier and I could not lift them.

 

[Dr. Teeth]

Not to hijack the thread.   Demeyere is running a very nice sale at the moment.    As I alluded to earlier, I own a fair number of frying pans.   The demeyere I have is probably the best of them.   

I would advise the OP to take a look at them.   They are, in my opinion, better than all clad by a wide margin.   They are cheaper and less work to take care of than copper.

 

The other advise I might give the OP is that sets are rarely the way you want to go.   I would spend the majority of my funds if starting over on one large high quality frying pan and a medium sized 3-4 quart (keep in mind I cook for a family of five) saucepan.   For a stockpot cheap is fine, you don’t need super heat conduction to boiled a pot of pasta water.   Non stick frying pans, I keep a small cheap one for eggs.

 

But it’s your money.

[weinoo]

10 hours ago, paulraphael said:

I'd think twice about buying any heavy cookware today. Cooking on fire is in its twilight period. The day is coming when serious cooks will have to use induction, unless they're in an old building that's getting grandfathered in to gas use. 

 

 

(Jason Charfield in The New Yorker).

[weinoo]

7 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Most of my battery of Falk are the classic line, with the iron handles.  They are beautiful and lovely. 

 

I have 3 or 4 Falk pieces with these handles.  The sauciers get used daily. But my favorite is probably this one...

 

3+ quart rondeau.  (with cover).

[rotuts]

I have two sets of cooper pans from France :

 

all from Dehillerin.

 

the heaviest has no lip on the edge , and was standard 

 

high end French cookware : restaurants of a certain type , and 

 

homes of similar type.   the set that  still thick but a bir thinner

 

has the lip :  the lip helps a lot w spills down the side , thus clean up.

 

I throughly enjoyed the heaviest  for a long time .

 

I did resist getting the ' Chef ' checked pants that are said to go 

 

w them (  )

 

in the end both sets worked just as well for me

 

and I do agree that cast iron handles are superior to  the bronze-ish ones

 

and I do agree Fire is on the way out.

 

some time ago I was thinking of replacing my gas oven / stove top

 

w induction .  never got around to it as I was waiting for

 

Miele to include a combi oven in its 30 " model

 

however , I did get one Demeyere saucier  

 

( on sale of course ! ) and its a mighty fine pan

 

and its induction ready.

 

Id say move past copper if you can stand it 

 

and go with Demeyere .

 

or try one of each

 

and indeed avoid sets . there will be a pan or two you will never use.

 

 

[andrew420]

16 hours ago, btbyrd said:

I think the handles are fine. I have three skillets, three saucepans, an 8 qt "stock pot" and an actual stock pot and I don't have any issues with any of them (except maybe that the big stock pot isn't induction compatible for some reason). It's mostly D3 with one piece of Copper Core and one D7. I'd like to add a copper core saute pan at some point. If you shop around, there are deals to be had.

 

Whether or not the Mauviel is worth the additional charge is debatable. What kind of heat source are you using? I think the benefits of a lot of high end cookware are lost when used with crappy ranges, low-end induction burners, and the like.

Currently on an old Kitcehn Aid Superba glasstop electric but moving to a gas range shortly. 

[andrew420]

3 hours ago, Dr. Teeth said:

Demeyere is running a very nice sale at the moment.  

Good advice on avoiding the set. Do you have a link to that sale?

[rotuts]

Google Demeyere sale

 

https://www.target.com/c/kitchen-dining-sale/demeyere/-/N-4xvq7Z71j4d?Nao=0

 

be carefulob these sales.  they seem to run all the time. 

[SLB]

3 hours ago, weinoo said:

But my favorite is probably this one...

 

@weinoo, how come?  

 

Whatever the reason, it sure is beautiful.  

[weinoo]

36 minutes ago, SLB said:

 

@weinoo, how come?  

 

Whatever the reason, it sure is beautiful.  

 

Its beauty is one reason; but, what some people here seem to forget with certain choices (ranges, cooktops, hoods, cookware, etc. etc.) is that in addition to their practical uses, there are aesthetic reasons as well as psychological ones which inform our choices.

 

Now, back to that Falk rondeau.  It's the perfect size for much of the cooking I do - for two people, sometimes 3 or 4. It will hold, for example, a whole cut-up chicken for a simple sauté or braise. And it's gorgeous to bring to the table.  

[paulraphael]

2 hours ago, rotuts said:

I have two sets of cooper pans from France :

 

all from Dehillerin.

 

Those may well be Mauviel. Theyy often let cookware stores sell under the store brand. A few of my Mauviel pans are stamped "Zabar's" after the NYC store where I got them. Only one pan that I got years later has the actual maker's name on it.