Cookware Reviews

Wonderful -- great conductivity of heat and most easy to clean. Perfect for soup after cooking a capon, goose or turkey -- or a few chickens for that matter. Freeze the bones and enjoy this perfect pot.

For 32 years I had been buying, and throwing away, pots and pans which had been purchased on sale. It was what I thought I could afford. Why spend money on "good" housewares? It was only for cooking, right? Wrong...

I sigh when I think of the dinners spoiled because the pots didn't heat evenly or burned the food, as well as the hours wasted cleaning charred food from the bottom of once-shiny metal pots. The $ spent on the discards could have bought one piece of quality cookware which I would probably still own today. They were no bargain if I had to throw them away.

Such waste could have been avoided had someone told me about All Clad. This particular pot is used every night of the week. It heats evenly, food doesn't stick to it, and looks brand new after cleaning. An important factor is that the product is made in the USA, and not in China. American companies need our support so I am willing to pay a higher price for quality. My wish list for any occasion includes only a piece of All Clad.

If you haven't used All-Clad pans, you've missed a cooking experience. The thick aluminum core gives unmatched even heating, while the stainless steel cooking surface provides a worry-free cooking surface. Though the brushed aluminum outer surface can stain somewhat (the LTD line avoids this), All-Clad's Master Chef is the most cost effective way to enjoy the All-Clad cooking experience.

When I saw the size of this pan, I wondered if it could possibly work well on a conventional-sized gas burner. Or would it just heat the center of the pan with the outer areas relatively cool? The clerk at the store assured me that it would heat evenly because it has an inner core of pure aluminum besides the exterior of brushed aluminum to help it conduct heat all the way up the sides, too. I took a chance and purchased this pan. It is great! I cooked one of my favorite recipes--chicken marsala--in it and it performed flawlessly. The bottom of the pan heats evenly with no hot or cold spots. It is heavy enough that you can use high heat with no fear of the pan warping. You can cook at low temperatures and feel confident that the pure aluminum core will spread that gentle heat evenly all across the bottom and up the sides of the pan. It browns beautifully and the mirror-smooth stainless interior is easy to clean. The lid fits snugly and keeps those precious juices in your food.

For those who have never tried one of All-Clad's fine pans, here are a few tips. To prevent meats from sticking be sure to preheat the pan properly for at least a few minutes and do this on the same heat setting that you intend to use while browning your meat. Add the cooking oil (not a cooking spray) after the pan has heated. Use an oil that has a high smoking point like vegetable oil, peanut oil, or even light olive oil. Extra Virgin olive oil has too low a smoking point to be used for pan searing meats. Don't put cold meat in a hot pan for searing or it will stick. Let the meat sit out at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before you begin to sear it. Pat it dry with paper towels to be sure it is not wet (that causes sticking, too). The pan should be hot enough that you hear a nice, loud sizzle when the meat is placed into the hot oil. Leave some space around individual pieces of meat to allow moisture to evaporate. If you crowd the pan, your meat will stew, not brown, and it will be tough. Don't poke or move the meat around once you have put it into the pan or it will not properly sear. Right after you place the meat in the pan, you may notice that it is sticking to the bottom of the pan. Don't panic! That is how the meat surface becomes properly carmelized (browned). The meat will tell you when it is properly seared because it will "release" from the bottom of the pan and can be easly moved and turned over. Repeat this searing process on the other side.

DEGLAZE! This is an important next step: remove the browned meat from your pan, pour off any excess oil that is left in the bottom. If you see a hardened brown crust on your beautiful pan, no worry. Just deglaze the pan by adding some wine, stock, even plain water, and stirring over medium heat to loosen those crusty patches. This process only takes a couple of minutes. Keep stirring to loosen anything that is stuck on the bottom of the pan, then you can add extra ingredients, return your meat to the pan, cover with the snug-fitting lid and braise or simmer to delightful tenderness.

With its all-metal construction, this pan is oven ready and can go right from stove top into the oven to finish your cooking. They are virtually indestructable, too, with a lifetime guarantee from All-Clad. They may be pricey but you can count on them as a lifetime investment and can even pass them on to your kids. You won't believe what a difference real quality cookware will be until you try it for yourself.

When it's time to wash the pan, hot sudsy water and a little Barkeeper's Friend scouring powder will restore the pan to like-new brilliance.

The only down side to this pan is that its slim handles make it difficult to manipulate. And you will need a pot holder or oven mitt to protect your hands from the "helper handle" (which does get hot) and the handle on the lid. The long, stay-cool handle will be just fine for stove-top use unless you put the pan in the oven.

I thought I couldn't cook -- until I started using All-Clad. I kept scorching the pudding and didn't realize it was my old, thin stainless steel pans with the copper bottoms that was the problem. (You know the ones I mean.)

All-clad pans are wonderful. They conduct heat well, clean easily, and are heavy enough to avoid scorching problems. I recommend them to everyone. I have an assortment from the 2 qt. copper saucier for delicate sauces to this useful aluminum exterior clad 6 qt. pot that I use for absolutely everything, from spaghetti sauces to chili to pot roasts.

This 6 quart beauty is the first piece of All-clad that I purchased over 10 years ago. It is also the pot I use most often and I have no trouble keeping the aluminum clad exterior clean enough to hang on the wall.

Furthermore, I know from first hand experience that the All-clad company stands behind their product and will replace them if there is a problem. The only exterior that I don't have much experience with is the LTD. I bought one of the 1 qt. bargains -- and so far it has not scratched although my use has been very light. (I find it a little too small to be really useful.)

Though this is a significant investment, these pots will last you a lifetime. I am just so happy with these pots and use them almost daily.

All-Clad pans are always well made, and this pan is no exception. A couple things to keep in mind with this particular pan:

1) Master Chef 2 finish - I love the brushed aluminum finish, which should age well, but for now, not everything is available in this finish, though the selection is pretty good.

2) This is an 8" pan, which I find a nice size for a lot of stuff, but it is "small" (of course, there is a 7", if you like tiny pans :^)

3) This is the stainless steel interior, not non-stick. While All-Clad guarantees their non-stick interiors, I love the stainless, no worries about scratching, you can get in there and scrape away when making sauces. But you will want to use a bit of olive oil or other fat whenever cooking; but then again, why wouldn't you.

I have a set of the All Clad Master Chef cookware --including the non-stick fry pan. I *LOVE* them. The provide superior heat conduction and are very durable. Cleanup is a breeze so I use this pan almost every day.

Highly recommend!

Thsi pot is the ideal size for boiling up to a pound of pasta, making soups, casseroles, or anything that needs to start on the stove and go into the oven. I use it at least once a week. It only measures 8" wide so it takes up very little shelf space. A great piece of equipment, in my opinion.

This sauce pan heats quickly and allows you to heat things using low heat. The advantage is that gravies and such don't burn. Somethings this item can be had for 20 bucks without the lid. If you find such a deal, don't pass it up.