Cookware - questions, comments and information about cookware

[guzziguy]

I'm looking to replace my PTFE (i.e. Teflon) non-stick fry/sautee pan and my abused (by houseguests) fry/sautee pans with an inexpensive set on non-sticks.  My requirements are:

 

Non-PFTE non-stick

OK to put in oven and broiler (up to 450 degrees or so)

Less that $100 for 2.  I'm willing to go over $100 if you can convince me.

 

Here are some examples of what I'm looking at:

 

All-Clad B3 2 Piece Fry set

 

Calphalon Contemporary Non-Stick 10" and 12" Omelette Pans

 

Calphalon Unison Non-Stick 10" and 12" Omelette Pans

 

I've found all of these at Bed, Bath and Beyond.  I like shopping there as I have a -20% coupon.  I'm not tied to BBB.

 

I'm leaning to the All-Clad as I know that Jacob really likes All-Clad products.  But I am still undecided and would love to hear your recommendations.

Edited January 7, 2013 by guzziguy

[Pars]

I'm not anywhere near the chef that Reks is, but we have had Calphalon for quite awhile and have been satisfied with it. When the non-stick starts screwing up, back to Calphalon for replacement (lifetime). We have a 14" everyday pan with lid that gets heavy use in our home. Note that these are not dishwasher safe, and you have to use nylon or other non-steel implements with them. The newer ones may be different though.

Edited January 6, 2013 by Pars

[Augsburger]

Ken, if you have a TJ Maxx near you stop in there,  occaisionally they have Calphalon pans on sale.

[Augsburger]

I'm not anywhere near the chef that Reks is, but we have had Calphalon for quite awhile and have been satisfied with it. When the non-stick starts screwing up, back to Calphalon for replacement (lifetime). We have a 14" everyday pan with lid that gets heavy use in our home. Note that these are not dishwasher safe, and you have to use nylon or other non-steel implements with them. The newer ones may be different though.

How do you get Calphalon to resurface a old non-stick pan under warranty?  the Calphalon website references only-----" Calphalon will replace any item found defective in material or workmanship when put to normal household use and cared for according to the instructions. Minor imperfections, surface markings as a result of shipping, and slight color variations are normal. This excludes damage from misuse or abuse, such as improper cleaning, neglect, accident, alteration, fire, theft, or use in a commercial establishment"

 

When my Calphalon pans lose their nonstick surfaces we just throw them out, been doing this for years. 

[Augsburger]

But only under the "defective workmanship" definition correct?  They have lots of wiggle room there with that definition and I am pretty sure my daily cooking wear and tear will not qualify for a replacement.  Oh if only I could.

[Pars]

We've had 3 pans replaced, and never had a problem with them (Calphalon). They just send us a new one of similar lineage from their current models as what we sent in. We just tell them the non-stick is failing and that we've always followed instructions (hand wash, no steel or metal implements). Just starting to think about sending another one in in the next year

[acidbasement]

Have you thought about going with cast iron pans? Once seasoned, they are effectively nonstick, and they take a lot of heat and disperse it evenly over the pan surface. They take abuse well, too. Definitely well within your price range, unless you want them to look more expensive, in which case they become more expensive.

[Absorbine_Sr]

Have you thought about going with cast iron pans? Once seasoned, they are effectively nonstick, and they take a lot of heat and disperse it evenly over the pan surface. They take abuse well, too. Definitely well within your price range, unless you want them to look more expensive, in which case they become more expensive.

 

I agree. We are using mostly cast iron - two plain cast iron skillets and two enameled cast iron dutch ovens. As mentioned above, the heat dispersion is excellent and they go from stovetop to oven with no problem. And cleanup is easier than I ever expected it to be.

[guzziguy]

I'm not anywhere near the chef that Reks is, but we have had Calphalon for quite awhile and have been satisfied with it. When the non-stick starts screwing up, back to Calphalon for replacement (lifetime). We have a 14" everyday pan with lid that gets heavy use in our home. Note that these are not dishwasher safe, and you have to use nylon or other non-steel implements with them. The newer ones may be different though.

 

Actually, the beat up pans I have are Calphalon.  I've had them for at least 30 years.  I like them.  The frying pans were very non-stick after I seasoned them and then maintained the season.  However, after enough people using them and wash them in soap, they just won't hold a season anymore.  Plus, I'm tired of the maintenance of seasoning them.  I do have a good opinion of Calphalon though.

 

Ken, if you have a TJ Maxx near you stop in there,  occaisionally they have Calphalon pans on sale.

 

No TJ Maxx near me.  The nearest one is in Oxnard, about 40 miles away.  Any savings I might get is more than eaten up by the cost of getting there and back.

 

Have you thought about going with cast iron pans? Once seasoned, they are effectively nonstick, and they take a lot of heat and disperse it evenly over the pan surface. They take abuse well, too. Definitely well within your price range, unless you want them to look more expensive, in which case they become more expensive.

 

 

I agree. We are using mostly cast iron - two plain cast iron skillets and two enameled cast iron dutch ovens. As mentioned above, the heat dispersion is excellent and they go from stovetop to oven with no problem. And cleanup is easier than I ever expected it to be.

 

While I like cast iron pans and have 3 Le Creuset dutch ovens that I regularly use, I really don't want the maintenance of non-enameled cast iron.

 

So after checking everything out in person, I did buy the All-Clad B3 8"/10" set.  With the -20% coupon, the price out the door for the set was just over $51.   I'll prepare the pans as directed and then cook fried eggs tomorrow.  Then I'll report back.

 

Thanks again for all the suggestions.

[Voltron]

Good pickup, Ken.  We have All-Clad stainless and a large non-stick griddle pan but usually do not buy All-Clad non-stick fry pans because this type of pan always wears out relatively quickly.  I need some non-stick stuff myself and when I went to look for your combo, I also found the Emeril by All-Clad set on Amazon, 8" and 12" on sale for $39.99.  It is hard anodized aluminum like the B3 and has the same All-Clad handle even though it says Emeril on it.  Anyone know if this Emeril stuff is crappy or otherwise any different than the set Ken got from BB&B?

[Augsburger]

Ken, when we have our lunch with Steve there is a TJ Maxx five minutes from my office.

 

I will try sending in my Calphlon for a warranty replacement, wouldn't hurt to try. 

[guzziguy]

I didn't check out the Emeril stuff.  I know it's made by All-Clad, but all the celebrity equipment I've checked out so far has been inferior to the regular stuff.  Tomorrow I'll go by the BB&B and compare the two.

 

Edited January 9, 2013 by guzziguy

[Pars]

Here's the letter I sent to Calphalon with my last replacement pan in 2010. Check the address on their site to confirm it is still valid. I'm not sure which one they replaced it with, but I like it better than the original pan

 

Calphalon Consumer Relations

315 Matzinger Rd. Building C

Toledo, OH 43612

 

 

Hello,

 

I am returning a Calphalon nonstick 10” frypan for replacement. We got this as part of a set, and the nonstick coating is failing. We have always cared for this according to the instructions, and only handwash it and we use Calphalon nylon utensils with these for cooking.

 

Since these were the premium Calphalon nonstick products at the time, we would request that it be replaced with Calphalon One or Unison.

 

Best regards,

 

Chris Young

[Voltron]

I didn't check out the Emeril stuff.  I know it's made by All-Clad, but all the celebrity equipment I've checked out so far has been inferior to the regular stuff.  Tomorrow I'll go by the BB&B and compare the two.

 

Thanks for checking it out, Ken!

[guzziguy]

It turns out I can't do a direct comparison as BB&B doesn't carry the Emeril set (at least not on their website) and the All-Clad B3 set I bought is a BB&B exclusive.  I read up on them a bit and the major difference right off is the size of the pans.  The All-Clad has 8" and 10" pans, whereas the Emeril has 8" and 12" pans.  Twelve inches was too big a pan for me.  If you need the larger pan, then your choice is easy.

 

I also noticed that the Emeril set has a 5lbs shipping weight.  I weighed my 2 pans and they are between 5-6 lbs.  Considering that one Emeril pan is larger than mine, I appears that Jacob is correct and that the Emeril pans may be thinner.  The All-Clad pans were noticeably heavier than the competing Calphalon set that was $10 more.

 

Sorry I can't do any better than this, Al.  I doubt that you can go wrong on either set.  Oh yeah, the Emeril pans are less expensive.

[falkon]

Just FYI:

Almost all non-stick coatings use PTFE (Teflon) including all hard anodized cookware.  Aluminum is a wonderful metal that has a unique advantage.  It has a native oxide that prevents it from further corrosion.  When pure aluminum is exposed to air, a thin layer of oxide (rust) forms on it.  It prevents any oxygen and moisture from penetrating into the aluminum and further oxidizing it.  However, when this natural aluminum is placed on high heat, and especially if exposed to acids (such as those in tomatoes or citrus), aluminum can leech out and cause dangerous health complications. Hard anodization is a process in which aluminum is placed in an acid bath and high voltage is applied.  This forces the aluminum to 'anodize' or form a thick oxide layer, a layer that is much thicker than the one that naturally forms on aluminum.  This layer does a much better job of sealing the aluminum at high temps and in acidic or alkaline environments.  In addition, it provides an ideal surface to which PTFE can strongly bind.  Hard anodized non-stick cookware is simply PTFE coated on anodized aluminum.  The adhesion is much stronger than on conventional surfaces and thereby, these pans can retain their non-stick characters for much longer.

 

I was on a similar hunt for pans recently.  Through a lot of research, this is what I found:

 

Through personal experience I know that everything Tools of the Trade makes is crap EXCEPT the Belgique line.  I have a Belgique 12" chef's pan and it's held out well for a year now.  The pan is very cheap and well made with one small design flaw: the handle will burn you because it's not two pronged.  The lid is light unlike other brands' glass lids.  I have a feeling the nonstick may not last quite as long as the 'premier' brands but I'm definitely happy for what I payed for it (~$20) and it is only rated for 350F.  Regardless of the rating though, I never use nonstick in the oven.

 

Circulon and Anolon are both made by the Meyer Corporation.  Their nonstick is all Dupont Autograph or Autograph 2 which are essentially the same.  It's the best nonstick surface and is very comparable to Calphalon.  Circulon has ridges on the bottom which is very hard to clean so I avoid them like the plague.  The Anolon Advanced line is great.  My parents uses it every single day for very heavy cooking and they get 1.5-2 years out of each pan.  This is very reasonable considering that you can get them for $35 or so at Macy's.  The fit and finish is good but not perfect and they solve the hot handle problem with a cheap solution: rubber on the grips.  My parents really love it but I guess I'm a little crazy and find them annoying because it feels greasy/sticky even when perfectly clean.  They are rated for 450F but again, I never put nonstick in the oven.

 

Calphalon makes the best of the best nonstick.  I think they have their own patented nonstick and does not use Dupont but I'm not sure.  However, I don't feel the quality difference justifies their price.  The Calphalon Contemporary line fit and finish is about the same as Anolon Advanced and the nonstick surface is about the same if not inferior.  The best part about it is the two pronged handle design which stay mostly cool. The Unison line has a very interesting back story.  This line has 2 nonstick coatings: sear and slide.  Slide is hard-anodized coating that we all know.  The sear coating has an interesting back story.  Calphalon formerly released line called Calphalon ONE.  This line utilized a coating in which the nonstick layer is partially infused into the oxide layer, creating a surface that was presumably more durable.  This layer had 2 main differences to the traditional hard-anodized nonstick coating.  Firstly, it was less non-stick than the traditional coating.  Some more sticky foods such as cheese, milk, and eggs would stick slightly. Secondly, it was rougher.  These received VERY polarized reviews from customers.  Most customers had a negative reaction because the line was LESS nonstick than other brands and lines.  Some, however, loved them for their durability and ability to form a fond and therefore, be deglazed.  Calphalon quickly discontinued the ONE line and incorporated the coating into their Unison line as the sear coating.  I personally love this coating because it makes sauces very easy and the pan very versatile.  It is still nonstick enough for daily use, much like cast iron and it has a surface texture like cast iron.  It's up to you to decide whether the additional 50-100% cost (even at TJ Maxx) is worth it for the Calphalon cookware.

 

 

P.S.  I picked up a 10' Emeril frying pan from Macy's on super clearance/open box and it's awesome.  I think fit/finish is just as good as All-Clad.

[guzziguy]

P.S.  I picked up a 10' Emeril frying pan from Macy's on super clearance/open box and it's awesome.  I think fit/finish is just as good as All-Clad.

 

It should be as it's made by All-Clad

 

and what "dangerous health complications" of aluminum are you talking about? everything i've seen, except for sporadic in-vivo problems involving huge doses over long periods in people with reduced kidney function, disappears with meta-analysis.

 

I've heard it said that aluminum is one cause of Alzheimer's.  Snope's seems to disagree as this is what came up when searching for "aluminum causes alzheimer's":

 

1. snopes.com: Rudolph Valentino •••

Was Rudolph Valentino poisoned by food prepared in aluminum cookware?

  ...Claim: Rudolph Valentino died from eating food prepared in aluminum cookware. Origins: Some things never change. In the 1920s, as now, people spread...

  ...as inducing nearly every ailment known to man, so in the 1920s aluminum was blamed for causing infantile paralysis, cancer, acute indigestion, gastritis,...

  ...these old aluminum rumors can still be found in the current common belief that Alzheimer's disease is caused or exacerbated by exposure to aluminum...

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 20:31:38 GMT http://www.snopes.com/movies/actors/valentino.asp

[Nebby]

I'm looking to replace my Costco special pan that's starting to lose it's non-stick properties. Should I go for the All-clad linked in this thread or is there some sort of affordable cast-iron option that I might have missed? I did a search on the forums and wasn't able to find too much info.

[Nebby]

I honestly had no idea they were that cheap! It's good to know it doesn't make much of a difference, but I'll take your advice and see what I can find in the thrift stores. Is there anything in particular I should watch out for? Thanks for the heads up, I appreciate the info.

 

cast iron is pretty cheap.  the new made stuff is kinda rough, but in most circumstances it doesn't make too much of a difference.  honestly, thrift stores would be where i would go.

[guzziguy]

A quick report back.  I've used both new pans, the small one to fry eggs and the large one for an omelet.  In both cases I used a little butter to coat the pan.  In both cases the eggs cooked nicely and there was absolutely no sticking.  They are a large improvement over the non-stick pan they replaced.  I'm happy with their performance.

 

I've done some research and it does appear that these pans do contain PTFE.  So I'm only going to use them for low to medium heat cooking.  I'll keep my old Calphalon pans for the high heat stuff.  Non-stick won't be needed there anyway.

[atothex]

Funny thing, I recently got myself an Emeril set by All-Clad, and it's noticeably cheaper/worse than the regular All-Clad pan that I already had. Not that either are bad, of course.

[Dusty Chalk]

Does anyone use the Hexclad stuff?