Cookware Reviews

This is a great utility griddle. It has even temperature spread, is large enough for 8 good sized pancakes and cleans up great. I have small children that like to help and the cool edge is a big plus! I have used this for 4 years and just broke off the leg when I slammed it agaisnt the refrigerator. Under normal wear and tear, it holds up great. As proof of its worth I might add that all 4 of my sisters have the same griddle! We love it!

This is the best pan I own. It cooks evenly, with no hot spots, it is big - a full 12 inches across! It is useful as a frying pan and as a saute. And to clean it, I just deglaze and then wash. To keep it shiny, I use Barkeepers Friend and a sponge. I am very glad I made the investment!

This is the greatest saucier around. I know it's expensive, but in this particular case, you get what you pay for. Even heating, perfect control, easy clean. This is exactly what you want in this type of pan. Buy it. Really.

Viking is excellent cookware (I own a piece already). I might have been interested in this set except AMAZON DOES NOT SAY WHAT IS IN THE SET(!) How can one buy something not knowing what they are getting? I was not able to post this note without a star, so I gave it five since I am sure the individual pieces are excellent. Whatever they are.

This popper is great. If your family likes popcorn like my family likes popcorn, you'll love it. It is easy to use and easy to clean. (Good for busy moms).

I received this skillet as a birthday present and absolutely love it! I had been looking to replace my old skillet for a long time but couldn't exactly find what I was looking for, which was a sturdy, compact, well constructed skillet with a metal, not plastic lid. This skillet really fits the bill. Sleek, compact design, aluminum lid, high quality, non-stick finish and vented lid, that can also prop up with an extremely easy to read temperature dial. I have been using this skillet extensively. It is great for eggs, french toast, pancakes, browing meat, making a small roast and veggies, etc. The uses are endless. You will find yourself using this very versatile pan often. If you are looking for a high quality skillet for a great value, you can't go wrong with this one. I would highly recommend it!

I own the smaller Electric d'Expert skillet by Zojirushi and I like it so much I've ordered the larger Sizzler and started using it too. It's got a larger surface and the sides aren't as deep so it's easier to get a spatula into. Also it goes to 480F (call the Fire Department, yee hah). The design is different, but it's a great pan too.

If you enjoy stews, I can think of no better pot. Calphalon heats up quickly and browns better than anything I have seen. This pot has a large surface area, so it rarely requires a second round in the browning stage. That great browning translates into a wonderful deglaze. It is shallow enough that you can easily work the base with tongs, but tall enough to handle everything without causing a mess. It's more than happy to go into the oven/broiler.
It's rare to see a pot this size at such a low price. Even rarer is to see it come with a lid, a lifetime guarantee and a reputation as solid as that of Calphalon.

For most of my adult life, I wondered why anyone would spend hundreds of dollars on Calphalon cookware. My Farberware--which I've had for twenty years--was perfectly serviceable. But a co-worker who has actually been to cooking school raved about her hard-anodized pots, so when Amazon began offering such bargains, they were worth a try.
Amazing!! No hot spots, no sticking (without scary plastic coatings), and the ability to move from stovetop to oven without a second thought.
What I find this best for is the cooking of vegetables (spinach, broccoli rabe) which take up a lot of space to start. They can easily be moved around for the saute without pieces ending up on the stove, counter, and floor.
The weight, which makes this pot versatile and a good conductor of heat, is its one downside--you should never, ever put these pots in the dishwasher, and washing, although they clean easily, can be a chore.

For years I have been making soups and stews in my Farberware pots and pans (given as a gift to me in 1968). I cannot say that I was disappointed until I cooked the same foods in my new Calphalon. I have an electric stove and always got frustrated because it takes so long to heat things. I blamed the stove when in reality it was the pots. Recently, I made a huge pot of lentil soup.My garlic and onions sauteed quickly; the broth came to a boil fast, and the whole thing actually took less time than usual. My husband commented on the fact that it was the best I had ever made. Is this a coincidence? I don't think so. The even heating of this heavy pot is the difference. I didn't have to stir constantly, as I usually do with soups, stews and sauces. Just remember to keep the burner at a slighly lower setting than usual. Reheating was also amazingly fast. Usually, I use the microwave because I get bored waiting for things to reheat on the stove. No more! My husband commented on the clean appearance of the pot also. I am thrilled with my new purchase and can't wait to try the rest of the line, many of which are now in my cabinet waiting their turn!

I like this pan a lot, because it heats up faster than the non-stick type, and lets me cook stuff that doesn't do well in the microwave. Especially good for making hot cereals, boiling eggs, and fixing packaged, mashed potatoes. This pan does all the little stovetop jobs fast. The lid is, unfortunately flat, and has a cast steel, grip handle on it. The main pan has a cast steel handle, which does not stay as cool, as the higher grade, stainless steel, found on the Commercial Non-Stick variety. Still since I don't use it for extended boiling or even need the lid much these are small complaints.

I use a cooking spray to coat the bottom of the pan. This works to prevent sticking, when preparing foods without a lot of water. It only sticks if you forget to stir the food, and leave it too long over the heat. Before the days of the microwave, the most frequent pans in our kitchen were the small saucepan, and the medium fry pan. Your canned soups, beans, vegetables, hash, and most of your basic serving items were all designed for a pan of this size. If you want something you'll get a lot of use out of, get this pan you'll never regret it!

I recently ordered this based on my appreciation for Calphalon products and the great price. This is a fantastic saucepan that can practically double as a saute pan. It is surprisingly large and roomy, and the extra diameter gives it plenty of room for fitting in two or three chicken breasts, a modest steak, or a handful of veggies. I love it for making coq au vin since it isn't too large and goes right in the oven.

Nothing sticks to this pan if you add just a dab of butter or oil, and it heats up and cools quickly. One great feature of pure aluminum cookware is the fact that aluminum dissipates heat quickly, so pulling the pan off the heat is a great way to regulate the temperature when making a sauce. This is a great product and a wonderful addition to my Calphalon cookware collection.

I bought this pot when I replaced my stove recently. Most of my old cookware wasn't flat enough on the bottom to conduct heat well on the ceramic surface. I bought it because it was cheap and I liked the small Caphalon omelette pan I bought a few years ago. Suffice it to say, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Caphalon pan...larger for soups and stews, etc.

It's a pot the great architects could respect: beautiful, versatile, and functional.

Have you tried this yet? I was amused by this pop corn popper because it looked like something my great grandma might have used to make pop corn back in the cart and buggy day. I was amazed at how great this pop corn popper really works! I must say that I have pop corn at least 2 nights a week, and from here on, all my popcorn is going to be popped in this machine. And not only is it cute, but the pop corn tastes better. More corn taste. Just melt a little bit of butter, maybe add some shredded cheese or some peppers and spices or just eat it fresh from the stove. Its great!

My best friend fell in love with this and passed one along to me for my birthday. My husband and I think that it is the best thing to come along since movie night.

First of all it pops perfectly. There is not a SINGLE kernel left unpopped. It is quick (5 minutes MAX). There are plenty of great tasting, easy recipes in the instruction manual. The results are soft, tender pieces of popcorn. Plus it is so much fun! I hardly ever get to crank the handle of the popper because my gadget crazy husband won't let me.

It could easily be turned into it's own little gift basket. Just add a bag of kernels, a jar of some seasoning, a movie and some shrink wrap and a bow and you have a perfect gift! (at least I hope that's a perfect gift because it is what everyone in my family is getting for Christmas this year!)

I'm finally forced to replace the Whirley Popper I've loved for nearly eight years (the fasteners that hold the top on wore out), and I've made at least one batch of delicious popcorn every week during that time, so it's been extremely durable. The popper requires little oil, and it probably averages about two unpopped kernels per batch. You don't have to crank the handle the entire time; I've found that just a few cranks to coat the kernels in oil as the pan is heating followed by about 30 seconds of cranking after the popping starts yields excellent results. The only downsides are that it takes about 2 more minutes to prepare than microwave corn, clean-up isn't quite as quick, and you have to be careful not to burn yourself when removing the top after popping. But the excellent results more than make up for the extra few minutes it takes. Use your microwave to melt the butter, and let the Whirley Popper do the rest! It's delicious!