Cooking Reviews

I tried a traditional wok on my non-professional gas stove--no good. I ended up doing stir-fry (and anything else that required me to toss ingredients around--which I tend to do even when not necessary!) in a tall-sided stock pot because regular pans just didn't hold the food in. Then my husband (who earned TONS of karma points for it) bought me this for a gift.

I LOVE IT. I don't have to do my onions in batches for chili or Indian food to avoid boiling them, because I can spread them out over the pan. It heats evenly and well (they tell you not to heat it on high, and I've found they're right--it's not necessary). The high, but not too high, sides means my rather aggressive (a.k.a. messy) cooking style doesn't end up creating a huge mess on the stovetop. It can go in the oven, which I always wanted to do for my frittate but couldn't before. And although it is heavy, the two-handled style means I can pour the contents of this pan into a colander with far more control than I could with any of my other pots.

I do everything in this pan--pasta, stir-fry, stew, you name it. (It's really nice to be able to drain the pasta and then put it back in the pan with the just-created sauce to heat it all together!)

And if things get stuck to the bottom, you can be pretty aggressive about scrubbing them off. Very cool.

I could go on, but I won't. Just buy this pan. You won't regret it.

I wanted one of these little pans for a long time and now that I have one I find it to be very useful. At 3/4 quarts, it looks extremely small but I find myself reaching for it more and more. It is ideal for heating up 1-2 servings of soup, or for warming butter or sauces. I especially like the easy pour spout formed into each side of the rim, making it easy to pour slowly and without drips. The construction of this pan is up to Calphalon standards, with the usual heavy aluminum walls and bottom. The stay cool handle is also a great asset, because the diameter of the pan itself is less than even the smallest burner on my stove! By following the Calphalon "do and don't" instructions for cleaning, I have had no problems washing this pan with minimal effort.

I highly recommend this purchase to all those who love to cook!

I have been slowly adding pieces to my collection of cookware and I suppose I could have purchased an entire set of some lessor brand but Calphalon is my cookware of choice. Unfortunately the pieces that I want to add are simply too costly just to go buy at once. Although I did get a nice starter set on sale to get me going.

This particular pot was one that I wanted for soups and sauces like my family popular Spaghetti sauce. The size of the pot is perfect for a family of two to three, otherwise I would suggest a larger stock pot by Calphalon.

The reason I choose Calphalon Hard-Anodized is because of the even heating while cooking. No need to worry about uneven cooking again with these products. You also have no worries when it comes to food sticking to the pot. For example, with other pots you might have to soak them overnight after making a creme sauce but not with the Calphalon. It is easy cleanup.

The handles although made of stainless steel are cool to the touch so they won't heat up while you cook. Now Calphalon does state that the surface of these pots are scratch resistant but I have not tested this claim and use only plastic cooking utensils with my cookware.

What do I like best about my cookware? The lifetime guarantee that comes with this style of Calphalon. I can rest easy spending the money on this cookware because I know that Calphalon has excellent customer service and they stand behind their products without question.

You won't be sorry if you spend the extra money to purchase cookware that will last. Calphalon will give you many years of enjoyment.

Calphalon Commercial hard anodized has the same durable surface as the Professional line, but with stay-cool handles and a better handle on the lid. I found this on a sale table at Marshall Field ... and have found that I often use it instead of my 8 quart stock pot. It's great for boiling potatoes, small quantities of pasta, poaching chicken breasts for use in other recipes, and many other common cooking tasks. I had never had a sauce pan larger than 3 1/2 quarts before, but can't imagine not having the 4 1/2 quart size now.

While the interior is not non-stick, it's about as close as you can get, with a non-porous surface that easily cleans up. With no plastic knobs or handles, you can use this cookware in the oven as well. Excellent quality, and good balance and design.

This pan is incredible -- it is always the one I reach for when I'm trying to decide WHAT and HOW I'm going to make dinner. It distributes the heat evenly and smoothly, even on my cranky stove. I've boiled, baked, braised, fried and done anything else you can imagine in this pan. It is very easy to clean BUT MAKE SURE YOU NEVER PUT IT IN THE DISHWASHER. It will ruin the anodized coating and void the warranty. It must be hand-washed. I've had another Calphalon product which was accidentally put in the dishwasher and the finish hasn't been the same. But don't worry -- this pan is NOT a problem to hand wash; the finish lets food come right up. A must buy!

This pan is by far the most useful and versatile I have ever had. You can cook rice in it and it does not stick. I have many pieces of Calphalon, both Commercial hard-anodized and Professional nonstick~ and this pan gets the most use and admiration. I have two of these, and many times I have wished I had just one more! The 4 quart capacity is a must. It is roomy enough to cook an entire package of spaghetti noodles without boiling over. If I could only have 1 pan- this would be the one.

I received this pan as a gift in 2000. I find it to be one of the most useful pans I have. I have an entire set of Calphalon pans and love the way they heat/cook evenly. I would compare them to an iron skillet, except Calphalon is easier to clean.

This stock pot came as part of a larger set that we received as a wedding gift in 2001. It is by far one of the most frequently used pieces of the set. It is a great size for bulk cooking, but is not TOO large to the point of being overly cumbersome. My only complaint is that it is hard for me to wash this in my sink because of it's weight. However, that said, nothing sticks to this, so clean up is easy with the exception of occasionally knocking into my faucet. Overall, this would make an excellent addition to your kitchen.

The Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 8-Quart Stock Pot with Lid is almost constantly in use in my kitchen. I love to cook pasta by using this pot with the 8-quart pasta insert (see my review of this item). Once you have cooked pasta by using an 8-quart stockpot and insert, you will never want to cook pasta in any other way. At first, if you are not used to it, the stockpots when filled with boiling water may seem very heavy, but after a little while you will become very adept at handling them. The only difference between this stockpot and the Commercial nonstick one (much better than Calphalon's Professional line) is the inside coating and that the lid is stainless steel, instead of hard-anodized aluminum. I have not had much of a problem with cleaning up (by hand always) my hard-anodized stockpot, except for when I add Parmigiano Reggiano to my minestrone. So you may want to even purchase both 8-quart stockpots. Then you can make a soup or stew and noodles or pasta or fresh corn, at the same time. You will love this stockpot--and don't forget to buy the matching insert!

What more can you say about this brand and there product line. The "COMMERCIAL" style are top quality and Amazon.Com prices are unbeatable.

I own a few Calphalon pans from the different lines and I've decided that in the future I will only buy the hard-anodized finish rather than any of the nonstick lines because it performs better. In my experience, food does not stick to these pans if you are controlling the heat. You can use the same minimum amount of oil or other fat that you use when cooking with a nonstick pan and you get better browning, which always improves flavor.

However, hard-anodized surface can pit and discolor if you cook with foods that are high in acids (vinegar, wine, tomatoes, berries, citrus). This is a reactive surface. Calphalon says in its literature that you can use any utensils on these pans but I try to stick with wood or nylon because the surfaces can scratch. Not as easily as a nonstick pan but it happens. Also, Calphalon does not recommend putting the pans in the dishwasher.

The plus that the new Commercial line offers over the older Professional line is the cool handles. If you've ever gotten a "contact burn" from one of the pan handles while reaching over it, you will appreciate the stay cool handles. The handles on the professional line are lethal! Of course, you still need a pot holder for safety. The new handles are a great improvement.

This is the seventh Calphalon Commercial Hard-Annodized pan that I have purchased in the past year, and I love it. It has all of the usual attributes that I find worthy of this cookware line:

1. Extremely hard cooking surface that food rarely sticks to,
2. Fast, even heating,
3. Excellent browning abilities,
4. Stay-cool handle,
5. All metal, commercial construction to last a lifetime
6. Comfortable and efficient handle design,
7. A lid!
8. Easy clean-up!

In addition to the qualities of the cooking surface, I really love the size and feel of this pan. At three quarts, I am able to brown four large chicken breasts at once, deglaze, put the lid on, and then pop the whole pan into the oven to finish what becomes an incredibly tender chicken meal.

I highly recommend this line of cookware for its performance, and this particular pan for its useful size and features!

This is far and away my favorite piece of cookware. It is perfect for sauteing - the hard-anodized aluminum browns food wonderfully, conducts heat quickly and evenly, and stands up to punishment. This pan is roomy enough to make a nice stew, or saute a steak and then make a reduction sauce, and it is deep enough to fry potatoes or chicken.

Tha handle stays cool even when the pan is searing hot, and the whole pan can go in the oven if need be. The pan is heavy, as it is pure aluminum and rather thick, but the balance is nice and it isn't too much of a problem, especially with the helper handle. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in a good multi-use pan than will stand up to steady repeat use.

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.

This was my first Calphalon purchase, and my first ever commercial anodized aluminum pan. I am extremely pleased with the quality of this pan's construction - this pan is HEAVY duty. The first night I had it I tried the chicken recipe that came with the pan and it blew my family away! If there is a downside to this pan it is its size. At 2 1/2 quarts, its small size would not hold 3 raw split chicken breasts, so I had to brown 2, set them aside, brown the third, and then add the first two back in. On the upside, this cooking surface has unbelievable abilities to brown meat at a fairly low burner setting, it deglazes beautifully, goes right into the oven without worry, and as long as you follow the "rules" for cooking with this type of surface (which are included), it cleans fairly easily. I highly recommend this pan and predict that I will be buying many more pans in this product line in the future.

This 8 1/2" pan cooks exceedingly well, heating evenly and quickly at a medium setting, but one must turn the temperature control down very soon, or it will over heat. The bottom is absolutely flat (very important for the "smooth-top" radiant heat electric ranges) and a perfect size for the 8" cooking unit. It is not easy to find pans that mate so well with these smooth top electric ranges.
This pan is great to saute chicken breasts, or fish, cook vegetables with minimum oil or water, or prepare stews or chowders. I have not had any problems with food sticking, using very little oil; but, I suspect that those who have complained, have not realized how quickly this aluminum pan conducts heat. One must avoiding making it much too hot: set the temperature control lower than used with other types of saute pans. This one cleans easily with a little light detergent and a sponge or quick nylon scrub. The lid is lightweight and fits well; but, if it were glass, one could monitor the cooking more easily. Really, a Best Buy.

Addendum May 29, 2002: ... I still find this pan to be a great performer, and emphasize that it remains perfectly flat, and heats well on the smooth-glass-top electric ranges. [The good looking Revereware copper bottom pans have warped and are no longer optimal for use on the smooth-top electric range].
Highly recommended, especially so for those who cook on the smooth-top ranges.

My first Calphalon item, a 1-quart sauté pan w/cover, was a housewarming gift from a French friend. Next, I bought a starter set with assorted pieces. Since then, I have never used any other brand of cookware because the Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized pots and pans are so wonderful for cooking. I have added many pieces over the years, including the newer Calphalon Commercial nonstick brand (which I prefer for omelet/fry pans).

This Calphalon Hard-Anodized set is a perfect starter set and is a good value. I use my 2-1/2-quart saucepan more than any other pan. (Later, you may wish to add the Calphalon double boiler insert and/or universal steamer insert for use in this pan.) The 10-inch omelet/fry pan is a good size for two-to-three servings of eggs. The 8-quart stockpot is great for cooking pasta (and you will want to buy the Calphalon 8-quart pasta insert), boiling corn, simmering stock, or making soup. The 4-quart chef's pan with lid (which I do not use that often) would make a good casserole pan. This set is a good way to begin your own Calphalon collection or to give as a gift.

I had forgotten how much difference good cookware makes when I was rudely reminded having to use cheap non-stick pans at a vacation rental house. I burnt food and got uneven results doing things I would never have even thought about using Calphalon. Hints: 1) Use melamine utensils and you absolutely will not scratch the pans. 2) When Calphalon says you don't need high heat, they mean it. Keeping the heat down to medium on most stoves keeps almost anything from sticking. 3) Clean thoroughly - any oily 'varnish' will just build up and make your life difficult. 4) And finally, never, ever use the dishwasher. I rescued a Calphalon saucepan from a local thrift store that had been through the dishwasher. After very thorough going over with their special cleanser, I was able to salvage a usable if still discolored pan.

Having used Calphalon pots and pans in our kitchen 20 years or so, and my wife and I both being avid cooks, and having raised four children in the process, I feel I can give some pretty good advice here.

Some reviewers contend that you can't wash these pots in the dishwasher, you can't use brillo, or that the anodized coating will wear off, or that the handles get hot.

Yep, all true, But, errr, so what?

I have purchased Calphalon for my family many times, and most recently for my recently wedded son in law and his bride.

What I figure about Calphalon is this:

You got two choices with it:

A. You can use brillo, toss it in the dishwasher and don't worry about it, OR

B. Take very good care of it, meaning don't put it in the dishwasher and don't use brillo.

Now in comparison, All Clad Stainless steel can be put in the dishwasher, but you're now using a stainless steel pot around an aluminum core, and I think Calphalon on a gas burner is the cat's meow as far as I'm concerned cooking. Copper pots are pretty, super expensive, but they are a REAL pain to keep pretty. (My wife snorts reading this...you DON'T know, she says. I guess she does clean our copper pots and I don't.)

What I like about Calphalon is that you CAN toss them in the dishwasher over and over. (By the way it's the harsh dishwasher detergent that causes the problem of metal discoloration.) And I do use brillo. YES, eventually some of the anodized coating wears off (on the inside) and this way of cleaning them results in metal discolorations over a period of months or years.

So what, I ask? They're just POTS, for gosh sakes. We don't need to mystify them. I still use the original pots I bought 20 years ago, and like the ONE RING, I don't think you can destroy these pots. I've dropped them on concrete floors, left them on burners and in the oven.

And yes the handles get a bit hot. Use a hot pad. With metal handles you can toss the whole thing in the oven at any time.

And I like the metal lids over the glass. They don't break. I can take off a lid to look inside the pot if I need to.

I'm not trying to be smart alecky, it just seems to me that if you want eternal pots and don't EXPECT them to look brand new ten years down the road, you can clean these pots anyway you want to and they'll remain completely functional for YOUR lifetime, at least.

If you're THAT picky about looks, you can get copper and work yourself to death using copper polisher, and alternatively brillo will still scratch All Clad in stainless steel (even though you CAN toss those in the dishwasher without discoloring the finish). So since no pots are PERFECT, then the PERFECT, but expensive solution will be to buy pretty copper pots to hang up and display above your stove (but don't actually use THEM), and buy the Calphalon to use, take shortcuts, be lazy, abuse the heck out of them and store them in the cabinet...

But I just buy the Calphalon (and a couple of copper pots and cast iron items for other things), and the copper pots aren't looking so swift either cause we (errr...she) got tired or cleaning them meticulously years ago.

Pax,

Chris

1 star was generous! Cooking an omelette in this terrible pan is a frustrating experience. The egg sticks to the bottom of the pan. I also bought a sauce pan with the same hard anodized surface. It is great for a sauce pan! I contacted Calphalon about returning the omelette pan and was told that they have no provisions for refunds. I sent a reply which was deleted by their customer service person before it was read. Fortunately Amazon.com provides great service and is processing a return. Based on bad experience from Calphalon Customer Service, I will never buy another product with their name on it.

As good as a cook as I am, I have no skills in the field of Omelets. My 13 year old is more adept than I am. I like this pan for making hashbrowns, quesadillas, french toast and other eggy dishes. The sides are angled nicely so you can 'stir' while you cook This is also an excellent pan to sautee with, I love Garlic with just about everything and I wonder if the smell of garlic is seered into the pan, something else this pan is useful for. I have bought a couple of 'higher end' Omelett pans, but prefer this one. The eggs do not stick, nor does the garlic. And it is a snap to clean.

we have been using this pan for 5-6 years. This pan unlike my other Calphalon looks like I have been using it 5-6 years. I think it is because we fry our tacos in it, and the pan is kept very hot with oil in it for up to 45 min. at a time. I use this pan to carmalize veggies, cook eggs, brown meats, fry susage, make breakfast for two etc. The pan has a tough anodized surface that has took a real beating in our kitchen, and still cooks like the day I bought it. The handle can get pretty hot depending on how long you use it and what you use it for, so use caution. the pan cooks very even and responds to heat very well. Despite frying at high temps. for long periods of time the pan has not warped at all. I do not understand why some people have such trouble with sticking. I heat my pans, then pour oil or add butter, wait for the oil or butter to heat, then add food, no sweat, its that simple. This heavy duty pan with riveted handle will last at least a lifetime.

I am a GUY learning to cook on his own. I have gotten hooked on Calphalon, and I have bought them all on Amazon.com. I feel strange describing a pot as "fun", but I love this pot. It is easier to use than several others, and the rounded bottom is great for just about everything. It does feel somewhat light, but isn't that a good thing?(I am too much of a novice to know what I am supposed to like or dislike). I marked it down one star because it does stain somewhat and occasionally takes some scrubbing. This is not a big criticsm from a fellow who is 6 months out from eating canned tuna fish with a fork from the can. Now I make curried tuna, among other things, in this baby. The way to collect Calphalon is slowly, one at a time, on Amazon. If you are very patient, you can get many of these with your Gold Box, but the regular Amazon price on this pot is so cheap it's not worth waiting.

This Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 2-Quart Chef's Pan with Lid is a "collector's item" from the newer line of Calphalon's Hard-Anodized cookware. Thus, it is the same alloy aluminum type pan as in the older "Professional" line, but its handle is "stay-cool" sculpted stainless steel, instead of an older chrome-covered iron handle, which could 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, another useful pan that usually comes with a Calphalon starter set.

This pan is a bargain. Since Calphalon rarely offers such deep discounts, it seems worthwhile to add it to one's collection. Because it has the rounded chef's shape, I would 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. This chef's pot works well for a small-to-medium stir fry on either gas or electric burners. When the stir fry is done, I use a Calphalon nylon scoop to remove the cooked food, then I reduce the sauce.

The hard anodized finish of this chef's pot makes it virtually non-stick. Using a pan spray is not a good idea because it can leave behind a sticky residue. Hand-washing is recommended, with use of Bon Ami or Dormond cleaner for any stubborn stains.

I use both the Calphalon Commercial Nonstick and Calphalon Commercial Hard Anodized in my kitchen. Of the high end cookware I've explored Calphalon Commercial is my favorite line. Both the hard anodized and non stick variety are very easy to clean. Even burnt on messes clean up relatively easily. These pans are nearly industructable too. You can even place the hard anodized line in the oven at reasonably high temperatures according to the manual. For most work I prefer the hard anodized line although for items such as crepes or frying the non stick variety might be better.
The pan advertised here "Calphalon Commercial Hard Anodized Collector's Edition 9-Inch, 2-Quart Chef's Skillet with lid" is my favorite pan. I use it all the time. The flat bottom wok description is excellent. I use this pan for so many cooking tasks. The pan is not nonstick and is safe for all types of cooking utensils. The pan is very easy to clean and tough messes can be soaked and then cleaned easily with a green pad. Since this is my favorite pan I must give it a five star rating. I'd buy another at this price but I may be dead from old age before this pan wears out.