Calphalon One

[Fat Guy]

Anybody know what this is about? Not sure the link will work for you, so go to Williams-Sonoma.com directly and look for the product line if you can't follow that link.

I got a mailing from Williams-Sonoma this morning with the following:

You are invited to purchase the innovative new Calphalon One cookware at Williams-Sonoma before it is available anywhere else.

Calphalon One features a proprietary sear-and-release technology known as infused anodized aluminum. Foods sear perfectly and release with ease—not to mention that deglazing is simple and cleanup is easy.

Whatever.

[hwilson41]

FG; My gut reaction is that anything that is being touted for its non-stick qualities probably won't produce anything worth deglazing.

THW

[slkinsey]

On their web site they say:

Calphalon® One is a revolutionary hybrid cookware that combines the best qualities of both traditional metal and nonstick cooking surfaces. Calphalon One lets you sear, sauce and cook exactly the way you want without being at the mercy of sticking, staining or tough clean-up.

What sets this cookware apart is its unique infused anodized cooking surface. By means of an exclusive, breakthrough anodization process (patent pending), interior and exterior surfaces of the pans are infused with an advanced release polymer. Unlike nonstick coatings that simply sit on top of metal, this material actually penetrates below the surface, into the pores of the metal. The infused anodized surface offers superb durability and versatility in the kitchen.

Doesn't sound too promising to me, but you never know...

[Dave the Cook]

I am dubious. They can add all the coatings they want, but if they haven't done something to prevent warping, it doesn't matter how much they mess around with the surface.

I suppose one of us will have to try this out and report.

[Jensen]

I'm always a little suspicious of "exclusive" marketing. If the technology is so revolutionary and fabulous, why limit themselves to selling only through W-S?

Edited to fix stupid typo.

Edited December 22, 2003 by Jensen (log)

[Dave the Cook]

1) On Calphalon's part, it makes some sense, if they're trying to establish "One" as a high-end brand. A lot of their marketing lately has focused on their budget brands sold at Target.

2) It might be at Williams-Sonoma's request, in return for maintaining a high price. If this is the case, W-S got screwed, IMO. Calphalon should have been pushing this for the holiday season long before Christmas week.

[gabe]

I'm always a little suspicious of "exclusive" marketing. If the technology is so revolutionary and fabulous, why limit themselves to selling only through W-S?

According to the Calphalon website, it's "Exclusively @ Williams-Sonoma Through January 2004." Just a deal W-S cut with Calphalon -- W-S gets the latestandgreatest thing first and Calphalon gets a halo effect from the exclusivity of their latest (wouldn't be quite the same if it were available "Exclusively @ Target")...

My guess on these pans is that at best, they'll be like nonstick-coated pans where the coating is more durable (since it's "inside" the surface rather than on top).

Edit -- whoa, cross post and we both mentioned Target. Spooky.

Edited December 22, 2003 by gabe (log)

[Dave the Cook]

-- whoa, cross post and we both mentioned Target. Spooky.

. . . shows that they've been effective, I suppose.

[gabe]

Another possibility is that the "polymer infusion" is actually CK One cologne, hence the name and upmarket price.

[fifi]

There are parallels to this concept if I understand their description. There are PTFE "composites" out there where, if you think at the microscopic level, a tougher polymer or ceramic type matrix holds finely divided PTFE in order to provide a structural framework for the relatively fragile PTFE. Xylan polyamide/PTFE coatings for fasteners that are inserted with power tools comes to mind, developed for the automotive industry. Also, bearings and such where there is a mocosite of ceramic or graphite. I can see how an anodizing coating structure, basically a type of ceramic, could be developed to include PTFE. If that is what it is. How durable would that actually be? Who knows. Would it really allow for development of fond? Who knows.

[Bartman]

There is a website up one for Calphalon One. Strangely enough, it is calphalonone.com.

http://www.calphalonone.com

[chefrodrigo]

There are parallels to this concept if I understand their description. There are PTFE "composites" out there where, if you think at the microscopic level, a tougher polymer or ceramic type matrix holds finely divided PTFE in order to provide a structural framework for the relatively fragile PTFE. Xylan polyamide/PTFE coatings for fasteners that are inserted with power tools comes to mind, developed for the automotive industry. Also, bearings and such where there is a mocosite of ceramic or graphite. I can see how an anodizing coating structure, basically a type of ceramic, could be developed to include PTFE. If that is what it is. How durable would that actually be? Who knows. Would it really allow for development of fond? Who knows.

Yeah,

What fifi said.

rodney

[markf424]

I meant to start an identical thread a few weeks ago. I was in Williams-Sonoma and they were handing out little flyers that revealed just enough to be mysterious. "Nonstick but perfect for deglazing", "Nonstick surface doesn't scratch", "Pan hovers in mid air when simmering to avoid hot flames", "Omelet pan cooks breakfast before you awaken", etc.

I'm not buying it (literally and figuratively) - at least not until I hear a few thousand professional chefs tout the product as revolutionary. Besides, what would I do with this kitchen full of All-Clad?

[Katherine]

I'm always a little suspicious of "exclusive" marketing. If the technology is so revolutionary and fabulous, why limit themselves to selling only through W-S?

According to the Calphalon website, it's "Exclusively @ Williams-Sonoma Through January 2004." Just a deal W-S cut with Calphalon -- W-S gets the latestandgreatest thing first and Calphalon gets a halo effect from the exclusivity of their latest (wouldn't be quite the same if it were available "Exclusively @ Target")...

If it's "Exclusively @ Williams-Sonoma Through January 2004", you should probably wait until February, when you can find it somewhere else for less.

[Toliver]

C'mon guys! Can't somebody give in and take one for the team!?

Maybe we can get them to donate a pan to eGullet for analysis and review.

Yeah, that's the ticket. Let SLKinsey take one for a ride.

[Bux]

"Pan hovers in mid air when simmering to avoid hot flames"

I loved that. I would have stopped there. It's almost a good enough idea to start someone on development. I suppose it would work best on electric ranges. I can almost see it on late night TV. The George Jetson hoverpan.

[Bux]

You are invited to purchase...

You know it's pricey when you're invited to purchase. It's like being an American Express member. I agree that offering WS a short term exclusive is a reasonable marketing ploy, but what I'd be looking for from a truly functional and innovative product would be the reviews by professionals. If I had a hot product that could really perform, I'd have one in the hands of every cooking journal and newspaper with a food section. There may a group of consumers eager to be the first on the block with the new technology that is larger than the group of skeptics I represent. There's a good reason I'm not in sales or marketing. I look to Barnum and Menken for warning not inspiration.

[markf424]

I agree that offering WS a short term exclusive is a reasonable marketing ploy, but what I'd be looking for from a truly functional and innovative product would be the reviews by professionals. If I had a hot product that could really perform, I'd have one in the hands of every cooking journal and newspaper with a food section. There may a group of consumers eager to be the first on the block with the new technology that is larger than the group of skeptics I represent. There's a good reason I'm not in sales or marketing. I look to Barnum and Menken for warning not inspiration.

I think you've hit upon something here. If the product was truly as innovative as Calphalon (and, of course WS) would have us believe, then they very well may have put them in the hands of every professional gourmet publication. However, when you give a product to critics, you might get some criticism. Hand the product to WS, and you give consumers the feeling of exclusivity without the luxury of looking up the horrific reviews online. Of course, maybe I'm wrong and I'll be cooking with Calphalon One this time next year - I'll just feel better hearing how well it works from people I trust.

[Dave the Cook]

On December 22, I wrote to Calphalon regarding the product line. In the past they've been quite responsive, but given the season, they're probably lagging on non-holiday queries. I'll give them a couple more days, then ring the doorbell again.

[lorea]

I admit I was intrigued when I went to Williams Sonoma in January and saw the Calphalon One line. Sear and deglaze? Resists sticking when you want it to? Oil doesn't pool like nonsticks do?

So yesterday, I bought myself the 7qt. Sauteuse to replace a 6qt. nonstick saute pan I use just for making potstickers. Reason? The terrible warping has started to make an uneven crust on my beautiful handmade potstickers, and after all the work I put into them, I want them to come out perfectly!

First, I tried out a piece of chicken...it seared fine, but I couldn't get as nice of a crust on the chicken as I can with my Calphalon Tri-ply copper (which I REALLY like, btw! I think it's heavier than the other stainless tri-ply line too.). There was fond! Deglazing went fine, and my cats had a nice meal.

Next, I started making dinner...potstickers. I put the oil in the pan, put the potstickers in, and fried the bottoms. The heat didn't seem to be very even, as I could feel different heat variations with my hand over different parts of the pan, and my potstickers browned unevenly. But, onwards...I poured a glass of lukewarm broth into the pan to steam the potstickers and the pan warped! Argh....And just to be sure, I tried to spin the pan around on a few different surfaces, and it spun like a top. To test if the surface was warped, I spun different pots (including a wide 24qt. stockpot) and none of them were warped.

After only 2 uses, my brand new Calphalon One pan warped under normal usage. So today, it went back to the store.

I want to love it, but I can't.

[Toliver]

Thanks for posting your experience and taking a bullet for the eGullet Team!

[slkinsey]

Yep. That's the problem with Calphalon. Notorious warpers. You should be able to have the pan replaced for free, and I encourage you to do so.

[lorea]

Yep. That's the problem with Calphalon. Notorious warpers. You should be able to have the pan replaced for free, and I encourage you to do so.

Yeah, I had heard about the warping problem, but I just wanted to test it out myself!

I'd rather not have a pan prone to warping, so I completely returned it.

[slkinsey]

You know, I don't understand why Calphalon doesn't deal with that problem by going to a thicker gauge (aluminum is cheap, after all) or some kind of cladding (either internal or external).

[lorea]

You know, I don't understand why Calphalon doesn't deal with that problem by going to a thicker gauge (aluminum is cheap, after all) or some kind of cladding (either internal or external).

Actually, I think Calphalon had it internally clad at one point....it looks like the Commercial Stainless line was internally clad. If you look around in Amazon, there are a bunch of these products still online that are no longer available.

Maybe they discontinued it due to production issues?