Cookware Reviews

I purchased this cookware set as a Christmas gift to myself in 2002. I was initially very pleased and enjoyed the durability and ease with which items could be cooked. But now after a year and a half I'm very disappointed in the skillets. They are hard to clean and even with a good cleaning food is sticking to the nonstick surface. I would expect this from a lower quality product from a warehouse store but these carrry Emeril's name. Also, I watch, "Emeril Live" frequently and he doesn't appear to be using this cookware set as much as his stainless.

I needed new pots and pans, so I started looking around and everyone I new was getting or already had Calphalon. I came on Amazon to figure out what kind of Calphalon to buy....like the professional or the cheap kind like at Target. After reading the reviews, I decided to give the Emerilware a try since everyone raved about them. If you notice the Emerilware reviewers have given it five stars! And now, it's been three months that I've been using my Emerilware and I just wanted to thank the other reviewers for pointing me in the right direction! I love this cookware. This is truely a sturdy, quality product and my cooking even tastes better. You can't put these in the dishwaher, but you don't need to...one little wipe with the sponge cleans them right up! So for all you brides out there or people like me who've worn out their pots....don't take the easy way out and get what everyone else has.......get the Emerilware!

Emerilware by All-Clad has a sturdiness to it that shouts quality the first time you pick it up.
*The heavyweight thickness of the aluminum retains heat well and distributes heat flawlessly so there are no hot or cool spots.
*The quality of the multilayer nonstick material is comparable to Calphalon Commercial Nonstick, which is very, very similar although perhaps a little lighter in weight.
*The price for this set on Amazon can't be beat! It's priced the same here as the substandard lines of cookware available at [local store]!
*Lifetime warranty by a quality company means you can buy with confidence.
*Stay-cool, sturdy metal handles can go into the oven and have a handy and comfortable notch for your thumb.
*The combination of matte grey anodized aluminum bottoms and stainless lids and handles make a stunning design statement for your kitchen.

Folks concerned about the heavyness of the Emeril pans should check them out in the store, and compare to the Calphalon Commercial products, which also carry a lifetime warranty and have excellent cooking characteristics.

This particular set would be an excellent starter for a couple. Families and entertainers will need to add at a minimum a 12-inch frypan and an 8-quart stockpot, also available here at Amazon.

Enjoy!

Excellent set, easy to use and will last beyond its ten year guarantee. I use the pressure frypan to cook macrobiotic rice or oatmeal. After 50 minutes of high pressure cooking, I get perfect brown rice or oatmeal(no sticking or burning). Once you know the stove setting required to maintain pressure, you can almost forget it. However, as with any cooking device, I monitor it periodically. The pressure pot and frypan have flat bottoms which makes food preparation and cleaning a breeze. The glass lid was a major selling point, as it enables conventional use of both pots.

My wife makes succulent turkey drumsticks in only eight minutes of cooking time.

None of the other brands, we previewed, appeared to be constructed as well as the Kuhn Rikon models.

Needless to say, our family considers this set a great value. More important,we use it almost daily.

I learned about Duromatic Pressure Cookers while visiting Switzerland. The home kitchens I visited had two or three sizes of Duromatic (Kuhn Rikon) pressure cookers, even though kitchens and stoves are smaller than the average U.S. kitchen.
It is all about energy savings and speed for efficiency minded Swiss households.
It makes so much sense for our family when we come home late and want to have good food fast, instead of "fast food". Main courses like stew and split pea soup are possible in minutes instead of hours. Artichokes cook faster this way than any other.
Besides being an energy-efficient way to cook fast and well, these pots are great just used in the conventional way. The interchangeable glass lid allows you to boil pasta in one pot while pressure cooking the meat or sauce in the other, using the pressure lid.
We have had the old type American aluminum pressure cookers with the noisy and scary sounding pressure relief system. We have all heard stories of exploding pressure cookers, but this problem has been overcome years ago with the new safe systems invented by the Swiss. This Duromatic is the new age of safety and convenience and it is super quiet...
At this price it is a bargain and if you added an inexpensive non-stick omelette pan you would have all the cookware needed.

I received a 5-liter Duromatic pressure cooker as a gift 7 years ago, and wondered, "What on earth will I do with it?" Now I use it almost every time I cook. It is well-constructed and lives up to every promise they advertise: fast, healthful cooking has never been easier. If you love beans, there's no better way to cook them--dinner's ready in half an hour or less. Steam vegetables in 1 minute, cook a whole chicken in 19 minutes,or make perfect risotto with NO stirring in under 10 minutes from start to finish! You can make wonderful puddings and cheesecakes, too, with a little practice.

I ordered the "Duo" set to get the glass lid and the smaller cooker. Though I didn't need another 5L, it is quite handy to have two (I use it without pressure for cooking pasta or some soups.) The smaller (2L)size is wonderful for quickly cooking cereals, small quantities for babies or kids, or side dishes.

The recipe book provided with this set is extremely helpful and detailed, so don't be put off by having to learn the cooking techniques (Note to Kuhn-Rikon: a video or CD-ROM would be wonderful! I received a marketing CD-ROM a few years ago but IMO it should be in the box.) It can be tricky to convert recipes, the book contains thorough charts with cooking times for most foods, and once you get the basics down you'll be ready to start experimenting with your favorites. If you would like to cook with more whole grains and beans, this is a must-have. If you want that slow-cooked tenderness, but not the boring taste of Crock Pot cooking, pressure cooking is for you. Unlike the Crock Pot, the PC allows you to start with a saute', use the pressure to speed up your cooking time, and then add more delicate ingredients at the end so they stay crisp and colorful. Also, on a hot day like today, I appreciate that the shorter cooking time uses less energy and doesn't heat up the kitchen!

At first I had a hard time finding good PC recipes, but lately there seem to be more cookbooks coming out as the PC seems to be enjoying a bit of a revival. I just ordered Rick Rodgers' "Pressure Cooking for Everyone" and am happy to see more recipes for "gourmet" foods as well as everyday meals.

My only complaint, and it's a small one, is that I wish they sold custom cooking inserts for puddings and cheesecakes. The standard method is to cover your springform pan with foil and make a "harness" from foil to lift your pan in and out. You end up wasting a lot of foil, and it is easy to accidentally dump your dish on the way out. It would be great if they made an insert with a lid and handles to make this easier.

It would be hard to find a more versatile cooking tool, and I'm newly in love with my Duromatic(s) again after receiving my new set. BTW, the 7-year-old set is still perfect, not even the gasket has worn out, although it looks a bit shabby compared to the new styling and shiny finish of the new set. I can't say enough good things about Kuhn-Rikon or Duromatic. Give it a try! Here's to healthier, faster cooking in your home!

I bought this set over a year ago. Although it is on the smaller side, I have to say it is probably the second most used pot in our household (the first being the 2 1/2 qt shallow commercial anodized sauce pan!). It works well for meals for my family of four. I routinely boil 1 pound of pasta or approx. 5 lbs of cubed potatoes for mashed potatoes. I have made soup, chili and spaghetti sauce in the pot as well. It's the right size for enough of these dishes for my family, plus some leftovers to freeze for another full meal. I don't find it as "narrow" or difficult to use as my 8 qt stock pot - the height seems perfect for the width of this pot.

One of the best things about this pasta set was being able to throw away my plastic colander. This was worth its weight in gold from the day I brought this home. Pasta cooks very nicely in this combination, as does steamed vegetables. It's particularly helpful when boiling crab legs- much easier to simply lift out the insert than to take all those pesky legs and put them in a colander. This is also great for making pot roasts that could be made in a stockpot or crockpot- the strainer makes it very easy to separate the stock for making gravy. So many uses, so little time!

This Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 6 1/2-Quart Saucepot with Pasta Insert and Lid is a "pasta pentola set" from the newer line of Calphalon's Hard Anodized cookware. Because the handles of this saucepot, pasta insert, and lid are made from stainless steel, they stay cool to the touch. The pasta insert is made from heavy duty 18/10 stainless steel.

I have found that the cooking times for different kinds of pasta are consistent when I cook them with this pot and insert, so I can set my kitchen timer for a minute or so before the time I need for al dente. When the pasta is done, I remove the insert, let the water drain off into the pan, and put the cooked pasta into a large bowl and sauce it.

The sauce pan can be used to make large quanties of sauce, stew, chili, or soup. It heats up to a medium-high setting in a short amount of time. The Commercial hard anodized finish is almost nonstick. I don't use any pan cooking spray on these hard anodized pans because it causes a sticky residue to be built up. I hand wash my Calphalon pots and pans and use Bon Ami or Dormond cleaner for any stains or discoloration.

All of the Calphalon "Collector's Edition" "specials" are great buys, and this pasta pentola set is perfect for a couple or a small family to add to their collection of quality cookware.

If you have not tried Calphalon commercial nonstick this pan is highly recommended. The domed lid is more than beautiful, it truly seals in all moisture. The pan literally rinses clean - never needs soaking, and the nonstick finish is very durable. The handle rarely gets uncomfortably hot, but the handle on the lid gets hot. One minor annoyance is that handle is a little too heavy so the pan tends to tip when nearly empty. On the plus side, the light pan is a nice design for stir fry. It is true that it is great for stirfry, but look at the size - and don't expect this size will stirfry more than a small side dish.

This Calphalon Commercial Nonstick 2-Quart Chef's Pan with Lid is a "collector's item" from the newer line of Calphalon's nonstick cookware. Thus, it has the same alloy aluminum pan as the older "Professional nonstick" line, but its interior has the superior Commercial nonstick coating. Its handle is "stay-cool" sculpted stainless steel, instead of an older chrome-covered iron handle that can get very hot to the touch. The 9-Inch bottom of this chef's pan is slightly smaller than that of the 3-Quart Sauté pan, which is another useful pan that usually comes with a Calphalon starter set.

This pan is a real bargain. Since Calphalon rarely offers such deep discounts, especially on their newest nonstick line of cookware, it seems worthwhile to add it to one's collection. If you have not tried a Commercial nonstick pan, I recommend this one as a test pan. The Commercial nonstick omelet pans are excellent, but one can get them in a starter set at a good price, too.

Because this chef's pan has the rounded shape, I use it for stir-frying, reducing sauces, and making demi-glace. I have two flat-bottomed woks (Joyce Chen and Calphalon), but they do not work that well on an electric range, and they are not nonstick. This chef's pot is useful for a small-to-medium stir fry on either a gas or electric burner. When the stir fry is done, I use a Calphalon nylon scoop to remove the cooked food, then reduce the sauce.

Since this pot is nonstick, clean-up will be easy. Any residue can be removed with a nylon scrubber and Soft Scrub. Hand-washing is recommended by Calphalon. I have had some of these Commercial nonstick pans for four years, and they still look like new.

An excellent little pan. I was ambivalent at first, not particularly interested in having any non-stick cookware.

Main drawback? The pan's smallish size. But we can hardly blame the pan, can we? I have still crammed a lot of food into this tiny thing...great for wilting a bag of spinach, great size for making sauces and personal stir-frys.

The nonstick surface is excellent. A few roommates have abused it in my absence and it still works great. I use it for pancakes, etc., since I lack any other skillet or omelette pan. The steep sides make flipping with a spatula a little work. However, the shape of the pan makes hand-flipping quite simple.

I have not had trouble with the pan's balance when empty, however I have dealt with much worse at work and so maybe calphalon's relative excellence had spoiled me. Nor have I had particular trouble with the handle getting hot, but again I'm used to everything being hot.

The lid is great, both because it is domed and it forms a good seal when liquid is present. It also allows the pan to be used for many other purposes to which it would not otherwise be suited (e.g. simmering messy sauces, wilting leafy vegetables)

Final thoughts: this attractive little pan is shaped thoughtfully, comes with a lid, comes clean very easily thanks to excellent non-stick, and can be used for just about anything (I have steamed, boiled, fried, roasted, sauteed...). Don't expect it to feed a family. It's ideal for one or two people, and for larger groups it will be a favorite for side-dishes, tapas, etc. Goes right in the oven.

This skillet is an excellent tool that if given a chance will be useful every day. As long as you don't expect something from it that its size simply cannot deliver, it has earned all five stars.

I just bought three more Calphalon pans (commercial hard-anodized) and expect as much from them.

This fabulous All Clad LTD griddle has become a weekend morning staple in our kitchen. We prepare "big" family breakfasts on the weekends and with this griddle we cook bacon, sausage, pancakes, eggs, hash browns...the works...all together. It fits such large portions, that we can serve hot food all together. It is wonderful!
We have a gas stove top and we find that this griddle cooks evenly across the entire surface. There are no "primary hot zones".

Great cookware. Like all other reviews, I too love this item. It makes cooking breakfast a lot faster and easier. You could make all the pancakes at once, cook eggs and bacons the same time. I really recommend this cookware if you have been thinking about buying a griddle. Forget about buying one single griddle, you need a double griddle (makes cooking a lot faster). Easy to clean also. I normally buy Calphalon's products, but this griddle which is made by Al-Clad is far heavier in weight and nicer design also.

Amazing pretty much says it all for this griddle. I cook everything from pancakes to grilled cheese to crepes to cheesesteaks. Works great for bacon, all of the grease collects on the sides and then easily pours out. Would recommend All-clad products for everyone. The best thing is that at the end of the cooking, all you do is rinse it in the sink, and everything comes off. No awful scrubbing.

Hi, I have received this pasta pot last year for Christmas. It is my favorite pot in my kitchen! It saves me the hassle of having to clean a colander. It cleans up easily. It is not only great with pasta but excellent when hard boiling eggs, cooking vegetable or browning ground beef! I did try another pasta pot, but found the lid way too hard to work with! This is much easier and faster!

Finally we have a product that creates less work and fewer dirty dishes. My favorite thing. This pot works great and cleans like a charm. I have used the pasta pot to not only drain my pasta but to finish my alfredo sauce. Quick clean up in dish washer. I tried to buy one for a friend for Christmas and went to 3 Targets, all sold out. Word must be spreading fast. If you find one buy two, your friend will love you.

6 Months ago I gave this as a gift to my daughter with 3 young kids. She makes big meals. Decided it looked made of better quality than the TV ad pots. She loves it! And it gets used for a lot more than pasta. Another son has used hers and now wants one of his own from Santa this year. And he is a professional bakery. Which is great since I can buy and ship On-line with no hassles. From much use, the family recommends this one. (Santa asked the kids for one this year too.)

It is incredible!!! How did I manage to do without this pan for years??? It is now the most used pan in my set. I reach for it more often then any other pan. It is so versatile to use - from boiling to sauteing, to frying, to slow cooking, it does it all. It is capacious, but not too deep so it is perfect for most daily cooking jobs. It is oh so easy to clean, nothing sticks to it like all the ads say (all cooking disasters are easily hidden from family view with one flip into the garbage disposal :-). I would recommend it to all serious and not-so-serious aspiring Julia Child in the kitchen.

We recently purchased this pan along with an 8-piece cookware set. This was a great addition. Quality pan, excellent non-stick, good appearance, and great "feel". The glass lid makes it easy to keep an eye on things however the lid handle does get hot. We use this pan for cooking chicken, taco meat, and other things constantly. It doesn't have a long handle, which may make dishing up a challenge sometimes, but not having a long handle makes putting it on the back burner and leaving it to simmer a breeze!!! I highly recommend this pan! It truly was a great addition!

This pan, for me, is truly an *everyday* pan. I love Calphalon cookware, and own many pieces... but this is the one pan that seems to always be on the stove, in the oven, or in the sink. Thanks to the heavy aluminum foundation, the pan heats evenly, and holds the heat well. The non-stick cooking surface is remarkable, and very durable. I've owned this pan for about 2 years now, use it all the time, and the surface still looks almost new! Plus, the ability to simply toss it in the over is a great help with lots of complex dishes. It's great to not have to transfer something from a stove-top pan, into an oven-safe dish...

The glas lid is also great, allowing you to keep an eye on the pan's contents.

If I had to find a flaw in the pan... it might be the handles. Sure, it's super to have handles that are oven safe... but it would be remarkable if they could make oven safe handles that would stay cool when the pan is used on the stove top. Regardless, the only suitable rating for this pan is 5 stars!

I had been looking to replace my nonstick cookware and saw this Analon Professional set (made in Thailand) here for what seemed to be a good price. The cookware arrived and I thought it was just beautiful. The only thing I was worried about was that the glass lids would break easily. Well, so far I've only used the pans twice - on medium heat or lower as the directions state - and one of them already shows discoloration on the outside and slight scratching on the bottom inside. I've had nonstick pots & pans before so I know all the common sense rules of usage such as NO metal utensils, use lower heat, no extreme temperature changes, etc. I tried to contact "consumer relations" and after being on hold listening to a recording for about 5-7 minutes I got to talk to someone who had no idea why my cookware is showing these problems. Her only suggestion for me: try using lower heat (after I already informed her that I didn't go above medium). I just wanted to warn everybody out there that if you see a "deal" on these - DON'T FALL FOR IT. Buy some better quality cookware elsewhere. Unfortunately, there were no reviews for this set at the time I purchased it.

I wanted to buy my wife a great set of cookware for Christmas because she is a fantastic cook and was using old pots and pans and I thought it was time she had some professional cookware like the great chefs use on the Food Network. I spent hours researching cookware, and was all set to order her a set of Calphalon. I thought it would be wise to let her approve the set before spending all that money, and to my surprise, she said she didn't want them. So I showed her the Anolon Professional 10-Piece Nonstick Cookware set, and she said she would rather have that set because it had the right sizes for her, and she liked the glass lids. I was cool with that since the Anolon set was quite a bit cheaper (guys, how often does that happen? Sweet!).

When the set arrived, she was thrilled. She absolutely LOVES the cookware! We both read the instructions before using any of the cookware, and followed the directions to the letter. Initially, she wasn't too happy that the cookware has to be handwashed, however, they clean up so fast and easy that I usually do it (now she REALLY loves them).

She never has to cook anything on high (we have an electric stove), the pans retain their heat for an incredibly long time, the pans heat very evenly, and the food cooks faster than normal. Several times she has told me that dinner would be ready in an hour only to have the food ready much earlier. Imagine that, lower heat, faster cooking times, cleanup so easy that your husband will do it. Is there a woman in America that doesn't dream of these things?!

The pans have a nice solid weight and feel to them, the handles don't get hot, and the non-stick surface means you never have to worry about anything sticking (even if you cook as bad as me). The glass lids are a very nice feature. And I figured if anything does go wrong with the cookware or the lids break, they carry a lifetime warranty.

We have been so pleased that I have been scouring the internet looking for additional pieces. We have since ordered several other pieces and expanded our collection. I'm sure that this cookware will last many, many years.

If you can't cook, the next best thing is to look like you can, and with this set in your kitchen you will look like a professional without spending a huge amount of dough.

I have spent thousands of dollar's, On Meyers cookware everthing from KitchenAid, Anolon, Prestige, Faberware, & Circulan, just to name a few. Though Meyers does manufacture very high quality pots & pans and I would recommend them to anyone it's just sad that if you have any problem with them, under warranty, you have to go throught the chain of command, that never gets you anywhere, even if you want to speak with upper management about the rudeness of the customer service department. Their customer service department employees are always very rude and snotty and they act like they are doing you a favor to even talk to you about their products. Don't get me wrong they do make good cookware, probably the best, but you as the consumer are at the mercy of their customer service and their descision or your fait on wheather your life time warranty is honored or not.