Cookware Reviews

From the minute you pick this marvelous pan, you will know that you will never go back to a flimsy run of the mill pan. I have used this pan for cooking things as simple as eggs over easy to finishing salmon in the oven. The pan is simply a wonder to use.

I have to say I was blown away by this pan the first time I used it...for eggs fried over easy, no less. I had expected to have some sticking but, to my complete amazement, there was ZERO sticking and ZERO effort in clean-up. It worked like non-stick in my opinion. The eggs just slid off the surface and onto the plate like magic. Over the years (when I was still a novice in the kitchen), I always bought and used non-stick cookware from another brand. After a while, they all had sticking and warping problems, stains, scratches and I had to throw them away and (duh) replaced them with another set of non-stick. I had misgivings about my first purchase of Calphalon Hard-anodized (since it wasn't non-stick per se) but once I got it home and used it, I've never gone back. Thanks to great Gold Box deals from Amazon.com, I now have almost all my old stuff replaced by Calphalon pieces which are virtually indestructible and will outlast anything I've ever owned before. I've had the same success with each piece I've purchased. If you treat it the way it's supposed to be treated (read those instructions, people), it will blow you away as well. No more ruined manicures for me!

If I hadn't done it myself, I'd never have believed it. The omlette does not stick, even though it's not your traditional "nonstick" pan. It flipped beautifully. Also, the pan is gorgeous, I love the curve of the handle (it really does stay cool!) The aluminum heats up quickly, and the heat distribution is very even. The only drawback is that the pan (and handle) are a little on the heavy side. So this pan is not something I'd want to lug around with me for long. I've also found that when I use it on the smaller burners on my stove, the handle is actually so heavy that it tilts the pan. Other than that, it works like a charm, and I'm very pleased with it.

I got this pan as a Christmas present when I was in a paella "phase." The
"phase" has passed, and I still use this pan at least twice a week, if not more! I cook turkeys and capons in it on the oven, and then use the drippings to make gravy on the stove. Great for sautéing and searing. Also makes wonderful paellas. I've had it for two years now and it shows no signs of wear. Keep in mind, though, this is not for non-fat cooking, as you need some kind of fat to start with.

I LOVE this pan. It's perfect for a tasty 7-bone pot roast with potatoes braised on the stovetop, or for a pork loin roast done in the oven. I've used it to fry chicken, to sear and roast filet mignons...and the pan is great for deglazing afterward. It's just the right size for a one-pan meal. It's durable and the cleanup is a breeze. One of the most versatile pieces of Calphalon I own!

I use this pan frequently (though I have yet to make paella with it!) as it is large enough to contain my family's meal and is very easy to clean. My Calphalon collection is over ten years old and still looks great. Highly recommended!

I have no complaints about this saucepan! I think this is one of the most frequently used pots in my kitchen. It is sturdy, the handle stays cool, can be used in the oven or on the stovetop, promotes even heating, and is non-stick / easy to clean.

A quick tip: to remove any heat-induced discoloration, use Dormond cleaner. However, I find that I don't need to use this stuff very often. :)

I purchased this pan about 3 weeks ago and have used it almost daily. Whether you have a large or small family, I find this size pan the most frequently used. It heats evenly, the handle does not get hot and it is quite attractive looking on the stove. Calphalon hard anodized is definitely high quality, no nonsense cookware. After years of mismatched dept store pots and pans, I have built up a collection of Calphalon. I did a lot of shopping around before buying and I am absolutely thrilled with my collection. ...

Calphalon's Commercial hard-anodized line of cookware is great! I love the stainless steel handles that match the handles on their Commercial nonstick cookware and stainless steel utensils. These cool-V handles, unlike the chrome-plated, cast iron handles of their Professional hard-anodized line, stay much cooler to the touch. So I don't have to bother any more with buying the correct-sized rubber cool-grips or using the suede panhandler. The stainless steel handles on the lids have been redesigned to allow for easier lifting, too.

My 2 1/2-quart sauce pan is used daily. It's a perfect size for cooking couscous and rice pilaf. By adding a steamer insert, fresh vegetables can be cooked so quickly.

If the pan has any sticky residue or discoloration, I find that Dormond cleaner, Bon Ami, or Soft Scrub will remove it easily. I don't put any of my Calphalon pots or pans in the dishwasher.

This is my choice pan when I am cooking on the stove, lots of room in it to avoid making a mess. The Calphalon commercial and professional pots and pans are deffinately not "non-stick" and since they are what make up my collection of my pots and pans they are a bit hard to clean up if you dont take extra care, so that is why I always use this casserole for everything putting it in a place all by itself. I belief you can get this pan in non-stick, but I prefer mine just the way it is, as if it gets really messy I use a brillo pad and doesn't look any worse for wear. As far as cooking I use it for lots of frozen bags of veggies over the stove, reducing, meats, ect.

I love the look of this pot! It is a workhorse, big enough to roast a small chicken or loin of pork. I first used it to braise a pork loin with rosemary and sage which was supposed to take two hours, because of the even heat and the high conductivity of the anodized aluminum, the loin was done in about 2/3 the time. Then I browned the roast in the pan with garlic and olive oil till it stuck to the pan. I figured clean up was going to be a nightmare! I de-glazed the pan with a mouthful of red wine then soaked it while we ate the most delicious pork we have ever had, tender and succulent. After dinner, the pan cleaned up with soap and hot water and just a minimum scrub with Bon Ami. All the Calphalon lids seem to be interchangeable. Now that I have a drawer full of lids, I have trouble remembering which is which..this dome shaped lid can be substituted on the other pans with flat lids and vice versa. I'm a firm believer in this product. My wife now says I only cook so I can use these pans... Do you think two people really NEED a 12 qt. stock pot??? I do!
Update: Herself wanted "comfort food" one night. I made a quick chicken pot pie using leftovers and a from the grocery store pie crust, put it in this pan and popped it in the oven. Best we've ever had. Because of the shortening in the pie crust, no sticking at all, rinsed the pan with warm water and put it away. ( I know, I know, next time I'll use some soap)

This is the most versatile and useful item in the set. I have two and it is rare that I will cook a meal with out using one or both.
They can be used as a smaller stock-pot, a sauce pan, or a great alternative to a wok. I use mine to make soups, stir-frys, saute's, and just about anything else. The cooking surface is great, easy to clean, and heats evenly.
They are not "non-stick"in the way teflon coated pans are, but its a small concession since you'll never have to worry about the surface "peeling" like teflon.

I recently purchased a Calphalon 12-Quart Stock Pot from Amazon.com about a month ago. I received the pot and when I opened the box the pot was bent.. I sent it back and a few days later it was here. I took it inside, opened it and this pot was bent worse than the first one. I sent customer service another note telling them this one was bent also. I got an email the next day stating the following

Thank you for writing back to us at Amazon.com.
I apologize for the delay in responding to your e-mail message.
Please be assured that all of us here are working very hard to
provide a thorough, personal answer to each of our customers as
quickly as possible.
I have reviewed our previous correspondence and your order. I
sympathize with your frustration in this matter. However, please understand that the information provided in our last message correctly represents our policy at this time. As per our policy, we are unable to replace the item again. I would
request you to return the defective item. Once we receive your
return, we will issue the full refund and send you an e-mail
confirming the refund amount.

Please use the return mailing label you printed from our web site.

We always appreciate customer input on how we can improve our store,
and I have passed your message along to our shipping department.

The packaging methods we use have been proven to protect a variety
of items effectively. However, the occasional problem is inevitable,

and we take full responsibility for the safe delivery of your order.

Again, please accept our sincere apologies for this inconvenience.

Thank you for your understanding. We hope to see you again at
Amazon.com.

Until this problem came along I had placed Amazon.com a "cut-above" in pleasing the customer. To me that means their whole staff sells by the "value added" concept. Now it's just another company that will just take an order instead of selling the Company's reputation by standing behind an order. It's much easier to avoid the problem rather than finding a suitable solution. I kept the last one delivered and used three huge C-Clamps, towels to keep them from scratching the outer portion and a T-Square to measure the diameters. After 4 days it was round once again. I'm sorry but the only way to get the attenion of a large business is to discontinue purchases from Amazon.com. It's a shame that it came to an end because of a couple of people that didn't want to find a solution because it's easier to just say go away.

I purchased this pot mainly for making soups and chilis. It is undoubtedly the best large pot that I have used. You can simmer foods in this for hours without worrying about anything burning on. Highly recommended.

A stockpot with a nonstick finish will prevent items sticking to the base when cooking soups or pasta. This size is perfect for boiling pasta, potatoes or any large vegetables. The nonstick finish helps to prevent items sticking to the base of the pot and burning. Perfect for a large pot of soup.

This is a fantastic cookware set, and a great bargain!! I love my new pots and pans, and have used so many different brands both commercial and industrial. Nothing has ever come close to these! Clean up is a dream, they heat and cook evenly, and the handles are balanced with the pot/pan so they are not awkward to hold/use. I am 110% pleased with this set. If you're looking to upgrade or just starting out, this is the set for you!!.

I'm a housewife who had back surgy. Heavy Pots and pans are out of the question. I purchased a set of Calphon. They are light weight with a easy to clean non stick surface. I have a ten lb. wieight restriction. The Calhahon are light enough so that when you add what ever food. they are still light enough to pick up.
they have an even heat distrabution. So they cook even,and no matter how messy. They clean up in no time. Got to love em.

Think low fat cooking! This cookware set is wonderful, food cooks evenly and does NOT stick! Perfect for people like me who want easy clean, and the ability to cook with no oil at all if I desire. The Calphalon web site is a good place to start if you are not sure which of their sets is right for you; they have a "quiz" you can take and they recommend cookware based on your cooking preferences.

I just love this pot. It is great for melting butter, heating milk for Cocoa and for making cream sauces. The notched sides are simply wonderful, how come the 'better' brands could not think of that. The notches are sheer genius, I hate pouring out something burning hot and struggling to try not to spill it. The price is pretty good too. I am only upset I no longer have ownership of my saucepan. When I was moving there were a couple of boxes that dissappeared, and this was in one of those vanished boxes. I have another on my wishlist.

Not too big, spouts on both sides and hard anodized- just perfect. What more can be said? I Love it!!

This Calphalon Commercial Nonstick 3/4-quart Mini Sauce Pan is so handy. I keep mine hanging on the wall near my cooktop. It will hold up to 3 cups of milk for scalding or for making a white sauce, but I usually only fill it half full. Mostly I use this small pan for melting a stick or two of butter for popcorn made in our Whirley Pop, or for making clarified butter to serve with boiled lobster or crab. I like the two pouring spouts; it has two so that it's convenient for either a right-handed or left-handed person to use. Because the pan is nonstick, clean-up is a breeze. I always hand wash it, as I do all my Calphalon cookware. If there's ever any discoloration or residue on the anodized-aluminum exterior of this pan, I recommend using some Dormond cleaner, Bon Ami, or Soft Scrub to make it look like new again. I really love the cool-V handle - a classic sculpted stainless steel design, which has a hole for hanging in its end. The handle matches the Calphalon stainless steel utensils, so you can hang them together on a Calphalon straight wall rack as practical but stylish accessories for your kitchen.

Our former pan went AWOL during our move--we repurchased immediately for the holidays. This pan has a rack, an excellent feature, good high handles and non-stick finish on the rack. This is a sturdy standby -- a must in any kitchen.

The only negative about a non-stick roasting pan is that the carmelization process of drippings does not work on a non-stick surface as it does on a plain surface. The fat seems to bead up and prevent the formation of that lovely dark stuff on the bottom of the pan that you boil up with stock to make a rick, dark gravy. HOWEVER, my workaround is to roast the neck and gizzard in the pan next to the bird. If you use a fresh turkey and NOT one pre-basted, there will be enough juice to make a dark gravy that can be skimmed after cooling. The neck and gizzard add gelatin from the bones and cartilage and a dark color as they roast. (If you use prebasted turkeys, the oil will dilute the juice, and frozen birds often release a lot of water.)

It was with a little trepidation that I purchased the Calphalon Commercial Non-Stick 16 1/2" Roasting pan as I have been using a beat up old aluminum roaster since I was in the Catering business 15 years ago. But it was time for a change when I found myself, once again taking the old roaster outside and spraying it with a hose and using a heavy duty commercial SOS pad to clean away the gunk after a birthday party where I needed to roast 4 chickens and make gravy. And once again, like a bugle call to arms, the neighborhoods dogs came-a-running to lick the greasy water as it flowed down my driveway. I realized it was time for a change even without the neighborhood busy-bodies informing me that the greasy water would eventually flow into our town water source. Of course they were correct and not wanting to be arrested for pollution I bought the Calphalon roasting pan. I recently used my new roaster to cook a turkey and I have to say I was immensely pleased with it's performance especially in regards to the even heat distribution and especially the relative ease of cleanup. You can also use this pan to roast several chickens and most large cuts of beef like a standing rib or filet mignon roasts for example. Unfortunately, the neighborhood dogs pass by wimpering an awful lot lately and look forlornly at me while I'm watering the lawn or taking out the trash.

This Calphalon Commercial Nonstick Collector's Edition 16 1/2-Inch Roasting Pan with Nonstick Rack is a perfect set to add to your Calphalon collection. You can roast everything in it, except for a very large (25 lb.) turkey (for which you would need an 18-Inch roaster). The raised handles on this roaster are large enough to use with thick potholders, so it can be easily lifted out of the oven. The roasting rack is nonstick, too, so roasted meat, poultry, or game can be gently loosened from it without tearing the crisped skin. The roaster is heavy duty, with a hard anodized aluminum alloy exterior and Calphalon Commercial nonstick interior, so it does not buckle in a hot oven (up to 450 degrees). For making gravy, I put it across two burners on the stove top, making sure to keep the temperature at medium-high and using nylon or wooden utensils. I wash this nonstick roaster and rack by hand with care, and I store them by hanging them on my pot rack. This set is a great buy and would make a wonderful wedding gift for someone, too.

The Calphalon Contemporary Nonstick 11-Inch Square Griddle is a heavy well made griddle, one note: it is made in China not the USA.

I have a cheap griddle same size, and now have this Calphalon one. BIG difference. Much better heat distribution, better teflon = easier clean. Handy for bacon (may need to pour of drippings if a lot of bacon), grilled sandwiches, pancakes, eggs.

It's heavy and dead-flat. What can you say about a griddle except that it does exactly what you wish a griddle would do. There are no hot-spots, and the handle stays cool. (The Calphalon Contemporary handles are big, and may get in the way occasionally -- but they stay very cool.)

One thing, though -- the non-stick surface is *really* non stick. Make an omlette and it'll spread over just about the whole bottom of the pan in no-time-flat -- which is just great, so long as you like really thin omlettes. Over-easy eggs can be a bit tricky because it's so slippery -- it's not that easy to get the spatula underneath! (Part of that's because plastic and coated spatulas are thicker than metal ones.) One time I almost pushed an egg right off the griddle and onto the stovetop. But anyone who's ever had something stick to a griddle will not complain that nothing can stick.

Cleanup is strange. It just doesn't get dirty. I've only had this awhile, but I've used it twenty times, and the nonstick is not only still in perfect condition, it doesn't even show the "bright spots" that, with high-quality non-stick cookware, indicates some mechanical burnishing. I think this will last forever.

We are an Asian-White couple, who cook both Asian and western food. This is the best pan we have ever owned. We use it for everything, vegetables, stir fries, heating soup. You name it, this pan can do it. Better than non-stick, because it getsd really hot. And, if you heat it up first, and add the tiniest bit of oil (one teaspoon), nothing will stick. This pan is so worth the money!

This is a basic piece in the kitchen if you like to cook.You can stir fry with ease and the clean up,well if you own Calaphon you know.I just started buying it and am so please.I like the 12 inch Wok,I looked around and decieded on this one,great deal good addition to our kitchen.

I bought the 10" version 10 years ago, with a wooden handle for about $45. It's still my favorite pan. Sure it has nicks on it, but it cleans up easy, I can use metal utensils, and I can polish it up using the special cleanser available at dept stores.

I have never cared for other brand nonstick pans, since they get old and ugly (read sticky) after a couple of years. I just got a nonstick calphalon skillet this past christmas, so I hope it holds up as well as my hard-annodized one has. Also, the difference between the professional hard annodized and the regular hard annodized pans is the handles. The pro's handles don't heat up and don't require usage of handle covers. When you add the cost of the handle covers to the regular line, you've almost paid for the professional version. I paid extra for my nonstick pro skillet just to avoid dealing with the handle covers.

Another tip, if you get the special polish and use it regularly, the hard annodized calphalons are just as non-stick as the coated ones. The polish runs about $15 in dept stores.