Cookware Reviews

I love this pan! I know it is an omelette pan, but I use it for a frying pan. It holds so much that it cuts my cooking time in half. Instead of frying in "batches" I can fry about two pounds worth of meatballs all at once. It cooks very evenly, and cleanup is a snap. If anything sticks, I just use a little Comet and off it comes.

Calphalon has redesigned their 14-Inch Omelette Pan to include a helper handle on the opposite side from the "cool V" stainless steel handle. This new feature is very useful because this pan can get heavy to lift when full. I use my 14-Inch pan when I make poultry stuffing for a large turkey. When not in use, I hang this pan on a pot rack. I love the Commercial Hard Anodized line because the pots and pans are almost nonstick and can take a high heat without burning anything. The stainless handle is cool to the touch, too.

I just purchased this skillet and started using it. It works great. It's very versatile and can be used for many things. It's big enough to be used as a wok. The curved sides make it easy to stir and cook everything evenly.

This Calphalon Commercial Hard Anodized 6-Quart Chef's Pan with Lid is a 'collector's edition' pan from the newer line of Calphalon's Hard Anodized cookware. Thus, it's made from the same alloy aluminum as pots and pans from their older 'Professional' line, but its handles are 'stay-cool' sculpted stainless steel, rather than chrome-plated iron handles that can get very hot to the touch. The riveted 'helper handle' on the side of this pan is a great feature; it makes lifting and carrying a filled pan much easier.

I always look for these 'collector's edition' pans, either to add to my own Calphalon collection or to keep on hand for gift-giving. This large chef's pan has a rounded shape, so I use it for making chilis, soups, stews, and sauces--anything that needs some stirring. It works well on either gas or electric burners. This pan is very heavy-duty and will conduct heat evenly. Its domed lid prevents evaporation so that almost no additional liquid needs to be added during the cooking time. It can also go in the oven, so I like to use it for making casseroles.

The hard anodized finish of this chef's pan makes it virtually nonstick. Using a pan spray is not a good idea because it can leave behind a sticky residue. Hand-washing it is recommended, with use of Bon Ami, Soft Scrub, or Dormond cleaner for any stubborn stains.

I recieved this item as a wedding gift, and have found it to be the greatest stockpot in the world for so many things: from huge batches of pasta to ham-hock soup to turning my tomato harvest into several gallons of sauce, this pot has never let me down. Why? the thick, anodized aluminum ensures even heat. It stands up to all day slow cooking of highly acidic tomatoes without staining. The handles are large and sturdy enough even for my huge, sometimes clumsy hands to grip. The lid stays on but allows steam to vent; I never have to worry about a kitchen "explosion" onto the stove. And the whole thing is so sturdy it stands up any abuse I dish out: dropping, stabbing, three day soaks, without a stain, dent or complaint. I highly reccomend this product for anyone from beginning cooks to experienced chefs.

This stockpot is the last one you'll ever buy. It is so well-constructed, so solid, and so well crafted it will last for generations. The cooking performance is superb. It conducts heat well (it's made of aluminum) and distributes it evenly to ensure good results even on high heat. I've used it for soups, stews, cassoulets, and canning and in every instance it outperforms every other pot of its kind I've ever tried.

People may question the price, but trust me, the four other stockpots I've owned collectively cost a lot more and did a lot less. Spend the money and get yourself a once-in-a-lifetime pot that will serve your needs for good. This is a true bargain in every regard.

I have been slowly adding pieces to my collection of cookware and I suppose I could have purchased an entire set of some lessor brand but Calphalon is my cookware of choice. Unfortunately the pieces that I want to add are simply too costly just to go buy at once. Although I did get a nice starter set on sale to get me going.

This particular pot was one that I wanted for soups and sauces like my family popular Spaghetti sauce. The size of the pot is perfect for a family of two to three, otherwise I would suggest a larger stock pot by Calphalon.

The reason I choose Calphalon Hard-Anodized is because of the even heating while cooking. No need to worry about uneven cooking again with these products. You also have no worries when it comes to food sticking to the pot. For example, with other pots you might have to soak them overnight after making a creme sauce but not with the Calphalon. It is easy cleanup.

The handles although made of stainless steel are cool to the touch so they won't heat up while you cook. Now Calphalon does state that the surface of these pots are scratch resistant but I have not tested this claim and use only plastic cooking utensils with my cookware.

What do I like best about my cookware? The lifetime guarantee that comes with this style of Calphalon. I can rest easy spending the money on this cookware because I know that Calphalon has excellent customer service and they stand behind their products without question.

You won't be sorry if you spend the extra money to purchase cookware that will last. Calphalon will give you many years of enjoyment.

Calphalon Commercial hard anodized has the same durable surface as the Professional line, but with stay-cool handles and a better handle on the lid. I found this on a sale table at Marshall Field ... and have found that I often use it instead of my 8 quart stock pot. It's great for boiling potatoes, small quantities of pasta, poaching chicken breasts for use in other recipes, and many other common cooking tasks. I had never had a sauce pan larger than 3 1/2 quarts before, but can't imagine not having the 4 1/2 quart size now.

While the interior is not non-stick, it's about as close as you can get, with a non-porous surface that easily cleans up. With no plastic knobs or handles, you can use this cookware in the oven as well. Excellent quality, and good balance and design.

Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 6-Quart Chef's Skillet with Lid
A Chef's-Skillet ... A Frying-Pan ... A Shallow WOK-Pan ... A Paella-Pan ... A Casserole-Pan
It's all of those and more. Usefulness, Quality, Uniqueness and Weightiness makes this Skillet a must have, for those cooks, who are serious about his/her cooking plus it includes a domed-lid to boost.
If you only ever used a 10" frying-pan or skillet ... YES ... this is a large skillet, but you will quickly discover, the 'Helper-Handle' diminishes any awkward handling problems, you might be concerned about.
The 'domed' lid serves two purposes ... It returns evaporation liquids right back onto the food ... PLUS ... If some of your foodstuff is slightly higher than the rim of the skillet, it's not a problem.
Yes ... I too, gave it much thought, before purchasing the Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 6-Quart Chef's Skillet with Lid from Amazon. My only concern was the physical dimensions of this skillet. Then, as I started to think back, on how many times, wishing I had a large skillet, the choice was clear.
I have always savored the concept of a dual-cooking method, meaning 'start it on the stove top and finish in the oven' or in reverse, depending of the dish in preparation. With the un-coated all-metal Calphalon cookware that is never a problem as they will tolerate temperatures up to 700-F (371.11-C), even though most home ovens do not exceed 550-F (287.79-C)
Useful dimensions of this skillet not including the lid:
Inside Diameter: 13" ... Inside Skillet Depth: 3" ... Flat bottom cooking surface: 8-5/8".
It must be kept in mind, in the case of the thick-walled Calphalon cookware, the complete inside surface of their cookware becomes part of the useful cooking-surface.
KHS Tip: Always use heat-resistant nylon cooking utensils in any of the Calphalon cookware and follow Calphalon's recommended cleaning methods
Always Remember ...
The magic outcome of great cooking, is a combination of your passion and skills, infused and centralized with the tools you use, to achieve the end result. KHS
KHS 'The Old Stove' & 'Saucier'

I bought this skillet a while ago and use it all the time. It's great for large amounts or will also work for small amounts. It's been easy to keep clean so far. The only thing that some people may not like but that I don't mind is that it is quite heavy. The only part that is sometimes difficult to clean are the rivets on the inside of the pan. I sometimes have to scrub these more than the bottom of the pan.

Cooking is my hobby and fine cookware is a joy to use. I have this pan. It is superb. I buy nothing but the best cookware and this is the best I've ever found. I have other brands and other Calphalon, nothing else is this good. Leave it dirty on the stove a day crusted from frying, put it under a faucet, it will wipe clean with a sponge. You might buy cheaper, but you won't buy better. This is an investment for a lifetime. Don't abuse it and it will last that long. this isn't the only Commercial nonstick I have. I have several others. They all have the same quality. Professional nonstick is not the same.

CALPHALON COMMERCIAL NONSTICK ARE THE ONLY POTS AND PANS I OWN. I WAS AMAZED TO FIND OUT HOW EASILY THEY CLEANED UP. YOU CAN LITTERALLY WIPE THEM CLEAN WITH A PAPER TOWEL. THE 14 INCH PAELLA PAN IS THE PERFECT SIZE FOR JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING. I NO LONGER MIND MY TEENAGERS COOKING AND LEAVING ME THE PANS TO CLEAN UP.

For years I've wanted a good fry pan that could cook up chicken, hash browns, and Hamburger Helper. Most fry pans are shallow, and when filled with large pieces or high volumes will splatter and spill. This pan, while officially considered a saute pan, is perfect for doing those kind of dishes.

Given the weight of the pan, it has a carry handle in addition to the long pan handle. The pan handle does not heat up at all, but the carry handle will get a bit hot from heat coming from underneath the burner. It comes with a dome shaped, highly polished steel lid making it an even better value. If you are elderly, and lack arm strength stay away from the larger (and even some of the smaller) Celphalon cookware. Celphalon is very thick and heavy to manipulate. You will think you're cooking with an old fashioned iron spider skillet based on the weight.

This is the fourth Celphalon pot I've purchaced off Amazon.com and they are all excellent pieces. The list price is high or down right ridiculous on many of their pieces, but often they end up with major discounts on select pieces. I've bought all my pieces between [$$$]...

Three out of the four pieces I've bought including this one have been of the Commercial Nonstick. It is a high quality coating that seems hard to scratch even if you grab an old metal spatula by mistake. The pieces take a little more time to heat up due to the coating but seem to brown and cook just fine. I got one Hard Anodized pan without the non-stick coating and Commercial or not it seemed a little lower in quality. The handle and the lid were both inferior to all the Commercial Non-stick pieces I've bought.

These become gold box specials often so keep and eye out for the good closeouts. You can get a really exceptional cookware set by buying one inexpensive piece at a time. Once you fill your kitchen with these things, you'll take all your old cookware and put it with the camping gear.

This is the very capable and a bit more manageable little sister to the 5 quart Commerical Nonstick Saute Pan. For smaller jobs and just about anything else from frying bacon to poaching eggs, this is the pan I reach for the most. Don't put this in the dishwasher (you'll void the warranty), but cleanup is an absolute breeze with the nonstick surface and besides, you're not going to want it out of action for long!

This is definitely the most heavily used pan in our kitchen. Part wok, part sauce pan, part saute pan - there's so many different things you can do with it. We upgraded from a cheaper pan that was wider and not as deep, and we thought we might not like the depth of this pan, but it's great because food doesn't spill out as easily when you're cooking.

Also, it heats evenly and the nonstick coating is amazing. The only disadvantage we've heard about Calphalon is that the hard anodized outer coating tends to scratch over time. We've only had this pan (and a couple others) for about 3 months, but we have noticed a couple of small scratches. One way to help avoid this is to get a pot rack which we're about to do. We have this pan and 2 other Calphalon nonstick fry pans. If you want nonstick and/or you're buying a set, this Calphalon commercial nonstick stuff is awesome. One other brand to consider though is All-Clad (if you can afford it). We've got a few All-Clad sauce pans and the quality is outstanding (plus they're beautiful). You can find factory seconds of All-Clad and Calphalon occasionally at discount stores like TJ Maxx. Then the prices are generally 50% off retail, but you've got to be real careful that the items aren't damaged.

I was skeptical at first of this heavy cookware, but after asking around decided to purchase 1 piece. Now I'm saving for a whole set!! It's amazing. The food almost cooks itself. It heats up quickly (which is great when your short on time like I am), it cooks evenly, and NONSTICK? . . . they should call it WON'T STICK EVEN IF YOU TRIED!! Clean up is a snap, since NOTHING STICKS!! It should not go into the dishwasher, but as I said cleaning it is easy. I've never owned a pan like this, but I plan to purchase nothing but this from here on in!! It makes cooking fun again. On top of all that, it's beautiful. It's so pretty,I refuse to put it away and hide it. It's at the top of my Christmas list this year (to be given as gifts, and to be received)!

This is the most versatile piece of cookware I have ever seen. I gave my 25-year-old wok away; this thing does stir-fry better than any wok (for heat sources available to most americans)and it is far easier to clean. It is a fantastic risotto pot, and is great for all kinds of sauces and even soups. It fries, it sautés, it braises, and it cooks almost anything that can be cooked on top of a stove. Just like the sink, this thing has become indispensable in my kitchen.

Recently, I purchased this and a 2.5 quart version. They have quickly become my pans of choice. I've used Calphalon for some time now but this shape is new for me, and I love it. it cleans quickly and easily, no fuss - no muss. If it "stains" use a shot of Ajax or Bon Ami and a scrungie and the stains are gone leaving the pan like new.

I believe that this is Calphalon's best line of cookware. I like the stainless steel interior, the tempered glass lid so you can see what is going on inside and the lip around the edge of the pan so you can pour the contents out without losing a drop and no mess on the side of the pan.

Great size pan too! I use it more than I expected to.

Calphalon continues to improve their quality cookware. This Calphalon Commercial Stainless Collector's Edition 2-Quart Chef's Pan with Glass Lid is from their newest line which combines the dark grey hard anodized exterior with a heavy guage stainless steel interior, similar to All-Clad's excellent LTD line. This pan is a very practical size, as it can be used both as saucepan and as saucier. I like the glass lid, so I can watch the progess of rice dishes especially. To avoid scratching the stainless interior, I use Le Creuset spatulas or wooden spoons. Also, I hand wash and dry Calphalon pans. Here is another "collector's edition" pan for the Calphalon addict!