Aug 02
The Calphalon Tri-Ply Stainless 13 Piece set is hard to beat with all factors considered. Price, performance, aesthetics, ease of clean-up etc. etc. Never having been fans of stainless cookware in the past, we have been absolutely taken, so far, with this set. We were both brought up by parents who suffered through the hard times of the Great Depression and WWII. Accordingly they developed a high sense of frugality which was in-turn instilled in us. “Why buy a new pan when you can have this one I no longer use?” So we ended up with an ever evolving set of hand-me-downs that one might see in a yard sale and our cookware cupboard looked like something Andy Warhol might like to paint/photograph. The one absolute requirement,from both mothers, was that for certain cooking, properly seasoned/maintained cast iron skillets and dutch-ovens had no peers. A principle to which we both still subscribe and have self-proven. The “coated” aluminum pans eventually lose their non-stick coat, pure aluminum is a reactive metal and may pose health risks, plain stainless steel can be unforgiving depending on thickness etc. So, after 44 years together, through “our” tough times and “our” good times, we made a well researched decision finally bought a complete set of cookware, And, so far, we are delighted that it has performed as proclaimed. The full tri-ply sandwich does the trick. Even cooking at all points on the geometry. We have noted that the handles on the skillets/fry/omelet/saute pans do remain cool, the handles on the pots get a bit warmer, and the handles on the covers get warmer still. But, then, mitts should be used anyway. (Ever pick up a hot, camp-fire coffee pot before?)
We are happy and highly recommend Calphalon and in particular this set.
J&G in Maine
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August 2nd, 2009 at 3:41 am
I honestly can’t get past all the positive reviews on this, maybe all 13 pieces of mine were defective, but regardless after months of trying unsuccessfully to cook and clean with these pots, I exchanged them for the Calphalon One Infused Anodized 10-piece set (and bought a 5Qt pan separately to complete it). Now before this I had some $50 generic non-stick set from Target for 9 years without a single issue (still had all its non-stick Teflon coating and I cook daily). So imagine how surprised I am when I get something 7x more expensive but is 100x more difficult to use.
So here’s my problems with Tri-ply:
1) Everything sticks (and I mean EVERYTHING). Pasta sauce, noodles, ground beef, heck I could of sworn water was sticking to it. I was constantly playing with the temperatures of the stove to figure this thing out. One pan was practically ruined by heating a tortilla on it under lowest heat…it practically bonded with the metal. And forget about cooking eggs, they never came out right.
2) The handles and the cover handles get HOTT!! You cook something for fifteen minutes on the stove, you better grab an oven mitt because you’re going to burn your hand touching the handles… nice design there.
3) They never look as good as the day you pull them out of the box, use once and they look used from then on.
4) Cleaning is the worst!! This was the straw that made me finally say enough was enough, I’m not living with these anymore. I used to spend a few minutes maybe max cleaning my old $50 nonstick set, but I found myself repeatedly having to reclean each pot because the stuff wouldn’t come off. These are horrible to clean. I heard about Bar Keeper’s Friend and I used that and it did help (I truly don’t believe its possible to clean these w/o that product), but that stuff does a number on your hands too so I chose not to spend every night wearing latex gloves and scrubbing for several more minutes per pan than I used too. Before barkeeper’s friend, I was at a point where I was ready to just throw all of these in the garbage.
Now the infused Anodized product, much better. Still not as fast to clean as non-stick, but pretty close. Cooks great, no handle heat issues, but still doesn’t cook eggs well, so we bought some $5 nonstick frying pan that works perfectly (go figure… the cheapest product is the only one that works how its supposed too).
Anyways, stay away from Tri-Ply unless you just want to take it out of the box and hang it up on hooks to show off.
August 3rd, 2009 at 3:39 am
I just got these pans a little less than a week ago as a gift at my wedding shower, and I absolutely love them. They are so easy to cook with and more importantly they’re easy to clean too. Even to make eggs is a breeze. All the bad reviews you read about these pans are from those who do not know how to cook with stainless steel. There is a very precise way of doing so and it you follow it you won’t be let down.
August 4th, 2009 at 2:53 am
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R215Y5I41RTI2E I researched other high-end stainless cookware (All-Clad, Cuisinart MultiClad) before settling on this Calphalon Tri-Ply set. In the end, I decided against the All-Clad because of uncomfortable handles, much higher price, and inability to stick in the dishwasher. That left Calphalon and Cuisinart. In this video, I give a “tour” of the Calphalon set, from lids to handles, as well as compare it to a Cuisinart Multiclad Pro Stainless 1-1/2-Quart Saucepan with Cover and to a bottom-clad Rohe pot. Yes, these Calphalon pots are both dishwasher- and oven-safe. Note: the coppery color on the pots is a reflection of the hardwood floors and NOT actual copper. The exterior is 100% stainless steel.
–Debbie Lee Wesselmann
August 5th, 2009 at 3:35 am
The Calphalon Tri-Ply Stainless 13 Piece set is hard to beat with all factors considered. Price, performance, aesthetics, ease of clean-up etc. etc. Never having been fans of stainless cookware in the past, we have been absolutely taken, so far, with this set. We were both brought up by parents who suffered through the hard times of the Great Depression and WWII. Accordingly they developed a high sense of frugality which was in-turn instilled in us. “Why buy a new pan when you can have this one I no longer use?” So we ended up with an ever evolving set of hand-me-downs that one might see in a yard sale and our cookware cupboard looked like something Andy Warhol might like to paint/photograph. The one absolute requirement,from both mothers, was that for certain cooking, properly seasoned/maintained cast iron skillets and dutch-ovens had no peers. A principle to which we both still subscribe and have self-proven. The “coated” aluminum pans eventually lose their non-stick coat, pure aluminum is a reactive metal and may pose health risks, plain stainless steel can be unforgiving depending on thickness etc. So, after 44 years together, through “our” tough times and “our” good times, we made a well researched decision finally bought a complete set of cookware, And, so far, we are delighted that it has performed as proclaimed. The full tri-ply sandwich does the trick. Even cooking at all points on the geometry. We have noted that the handles on the skillets/fry/omelet/saute pans do remain cool, the handles on the pots get a bit warmer, and the handles on the covers get warmer still. But, then, mitts should be used anyway. (Ever pick up a hot, camp-fire coffee pot before?)
We are happy and highly recommend Calphalon and in particular this set.
J&G in Maine
August 6th, 2009 at 3:11 am
I bought these pots about 3 weeks ago and have used the 1 1/2 qt. sized one practically every day since then, and I’m very pleased so far. My daughter-in-law has All-Clad, and I can’t tell the difference between those and these, except price-wise. I love the glass covers! The handles are solid, and bolted on forever it seems like, and they stay nice and cool. So far, the pot I’ve been using has stayed shiny bright–I hand wash and dry, always have; the dishwasher can discolor pots and often doesn’t get them clean enough for my taste. I haven’t had a problem with marks, staining or water spots at all. Yes, I can see a few tiny scratches on the bottoms and inside, but these are pots, not fine crystal!
You need to experiment a bit with these if you’ve been using something very different. (For years (30+) I used the old Revereware copper bottoms but they started to look a little worse for the wear so I upgraded.) My experience so far is that they heat up a little more slowly than what I’m used to, but be careful, because once they get hot they’re really hot! They heat uniformly and are quite sensitive to adjustments in the burners on your stove. (I use gas.) You really don’t need to set the burners any higher than medium. If you do, food will burn easily.
Be aware that these pots are heavy–I’m fine with that, but an older person might find them too much to handle. The larger sizes have a very convenient extra handle, but I found those can get hot on higher heat settings.
All in all, I’m really pleased with this purchase. I’ve heard through the grapevine that Consumer Reports gave them the highest rating, and I can see why. Highly recommended.