All-Clad vs Calphalon

[may_hsu]

Hi;

I am planning to buy a good set of cookware but don't know if All clads is better or calphalon is better? I am interested in Non-stick cookware, I am thinking to go with Calphalon NonStick Pro II set but then my co-worker say I should look in All clads too. So, now i don't know what I should buy. Please help.

[Suzanne F]

Oh, gosh, we've had so many discussions of this -- I guess since you're new, you just didn't know where to look. Check out the eGullet Culinary Institute lesson on stovetop cookware; and do a search on this board and on the General Food Topics board, using AllClad as the search word, and "Any date or newer" for the posting time. The answers for you are here; just dig around a bit and you'll find them.

And Welcome

[Mayhaw Man]

Welcome to egullet.

I am sure that you will find lots of help here, but you might be interested in this instructional class concerning stovetop cookware.

[Dave the Cook]

Welcome, may_hsu!

Yes, read the eGCI course and the follow-up Q&A session, and yes, do the searches; we talk about this stuff a lot.

You're going to find many opinions. Mine is that it is very hard to justify the price of All-Clad for non-stick cookware. Whatever else can be said about All-Clad, it is built to last. Unfortunately, non-stick surfaces don't. In a few years, you're likely to be left with a set of expensive, nicely made, formerly non-stick cookware.

Again my opinion: Calphalon non-stick cookware is an excellent value (I wouldn't say the same for their hard-anodized line). You'll get your money's worth out of it, and it's not so expensive that you'll be upset when you have to replace a piece or two.

One unsolicted piece of advice: don't buy a set of any cookware unless you're sure you'll use all the pieces. Calphalon non-stick is on sale often enough that you won't have to wait too long to assemble a good batterie at exellent prices, and you won't have expensive but useless pots and pans cluttering up your cabinets.

Oops, one more thing: if you decide on the Calphalon, look at both the Professional and the Commercial lines. The Professional has more comfortable handles (once more, my opinion), but the Commercial has a superior non-stick coating (a demonstrable fact).

[Mottmott]

When you go over all that's been said in the past, you'll find a recurrent theme is that most people who do more than occasional cooking are unenthusiastic about "sets." Different materials have different properties. No material has everything the adventurous cook needs. I second the suggestion that you begin with the eGCI segment on cookware, then check previous threads.

[may_hsu]

Thank you very much for the informatoin!

[hannahcooks]

I just heard that Calphalon's discontinuing their hard anodized line and replacing it with a new line- One something? Anyone know anything about this?

[slkinsey]

I haven't seen anything to that effect, and would be very surprized if it were true. They have built their core business and image on anodized aluminum.

[hannahcooks]

Here's the email I got from C& B today:

Dear Registrant,

Your Gift Registry shows that you have registered for Calphalon® Commercial Hard-Anodized cookware. This message is to inform you that Calphalon is now discontinuing the Hard-Anodized and is introducing a new and improved line called Calphalon One Infused Anodized cookware.

Calphalon One Infused Anodized cookware, available in our stores and online beginning January 2004, is a revolutionary hybrid cookware that combines the best of both traditional metal and non-stick cooking surfaces. Its unique surface sears, releases and deglazes beautifully. And cleanup is a snap.

If you wish to complete the Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized cookware you are currently registered for,you only have a limited time to do so. It’s available in limited quantities—and on sale—in our stores and online now through the end of this year.

[slkinsey]

Well... it sounds like they are still going to be selling anodized aluminum cookware, just with some kind of schlocky nonstick surface treatment and a new brand name.

I hope they don't sell all their stuff with a nonstick coating. Am I the only one who really doesn't like nonstick?

I have always wondered why Calphalon didn't make a line that was anodized aluminum on the outside with an inner lining of stainless steel. If you look at this image on their site, the sauté pan looks like exactly that, but I can find no line that looks like that.

[joiei]

All-clad's LTD line is anodized exterior with the stainless steel cooking surface. Very pretty to look at but my pocket book can only afford the masterchef series. I get the same cooking properties as the more expensive LTD for much less bucks. And I did not buy in a set, i picked up pieces as I needed them. I do have two 10inch frypans. Calphalon is just not my bag. I have never cared for how the all aluminum stuff cooks. And after use, that pretty dark coating starts to wear off. At least my sisters stuff did. Not so pretty anymore.

[hannahcooks]

I hope they don't sell all their stuff with a nonstick coating. Am I the only one who really doesn't like nonstick?

Nope. That's why we registered for the 12" frypan in the hard anodized aluminum!

[slkinsey]

Quick... register with Falk Culinair instead!

[babyluck]

I had a hunch when I saw the ridiculously low prices for the hard anodized on Amazon just now. Almost all of them are at least 75% off.

Do I complete my collection now, ask for them for Christmas, or drop them entirely? I still like them, but the skillet has been retired in favor of cast iron (maybe that's why they mention "searing" and "releasing" specifically in the letter above), and the difficult-to-clean sticky goo bothers me a little.

And no, hannah, I hate nonstick too. All the fuss about not using metal utensils--and it seemed silly to me to register for cookware that had a limited lifespan. Nonstick will eventually deteriorate. I was pissed, though, when I got my hard anodized and saw that technically you're not supposed to use metal on them either.

[Toliver]

hannahcooks was quite correct in her post.

It looks like Calphalon is closing out their Hard-Anodized line in anticipation of the introduction of their new line of anodized cookware.

Here's the link on Amazon (through eGullet) that will take you to the clearance sale:

Clickety

Some of the prices are astoundingly low. Scroll down on the linked page to see the Top Sellers.

Also, as a reminder...Hard-Anodized is not Non-stick.

[Chad]

Definitely read Sam's Understanding Stovetop Cookware class and the attendant Q&A. He covers the topic brilliantly.

You'll also want to see this growing discussion of Indespensible Kitchen Equipment for a good idea of what a lot of us find to be the most important pieces of kitchen gear. There's also a brief conversation about my Calphalon troubles that might be helpful.

Oh, and welcome to eGullet!

Chad

[babyluck]

Anyone read the 2 reviews on this amazon page about the Calphalon Windsor pan being too thin & not up to Calphalon quality? It makes me nervous about all the closeout stuff. Any truth to it?

[AlexP]

I purchased this pan and so far it has performed well. I ordered four pieces and three of them were packed on Calphalon boxes and made in the Ohio. They appear to be the same quality than any regular Calphalon pan of either the Commercial or the Professional (I just do not remember which pan was which line right now).

Anyway, the fourth purchase was this pan. It came in a generic box without any names. The pan was made in China and the handle is not similar to the other pans. I did not return it or make any comments on Amazon, I can put it to use and it was not that expensive ($19.99). You can see that somebody described the pan quite well in the comments.

Based on the information, if you are going to order some items, I would contact Amazon to be sure that any Calphalon purchases are from Ohio.

Also, you might want to check the discussion on the Cuisinart line also on sale on this board if you have not done that yet.

Hope this helps

Alex

(sorry, edit because link problems, hopefully this works)

Edited January 12, 2004 by AlexP (log)

[babyluck]

Hope this helps

If you mean "helps" in the sense that immediately after scanning your post I went to amazon & bought both of the pans I wanted, came back here to report, and then read the important line where you suggest that I contact them first to find out where they're made, then yes, it helps.

I got the 8 1/2 qt saucier & the Windsor Pan. The Windsor & my other purchase should arrive Jan 21 with free shipping. The saucier, marked "ships in 1-2 weeks," is due to arrive on Jan 20--of the year 2005.

Like you said, the price is right.

[babyluck]

Just received the Windsor pan & it is the genuine article.

I'm still curious about what's going on: is Calphalon pushing off "seconds," samples from another manufacturer, perhaps, or is a counterfeit operation selling merchandise through Amazon under an existing product description? I've seen it happen with bootleg DVDs, where the description is for the real thing but customers receive the bootleg. In that case, though, it was through the link "Buy new or used"--where you buy from another consumer, not from Amazon.

I also found out that my office is moving this spring so I won't be able to just sit back & see if my other package arrives next year!