Cooking Reviews

The Calphalon Commercial (not Professional) Nonstick pots and pans are wonderful. Their exteriors are a heavyweight anodized aluminum, and their interiors have a durable nonstick coating. The 7-quart casserole pan with lid is an essential addition to a Calphalon starter set because it is so versatile. You can use it to cook large recipes of homemade soups, stews, and casseroles. These pots can go from stovetop to table to refrigerator to freezer (although I rarely use them for freezer storage--I prefer plastic containers or ziplock bags.) I find they work well on both electric and gas ranges, too. The nonstick coating makes clean-up a breeze, but you must remember to always use plastic kitchen utensils and serving spoons with these pots. Calphalon makes many plastic kitchen utensils which are quite nice, or you can use wooden cooking spoons, too. I wash all my Calphalon pots and pans by hand and never put them in the dishwasher. I like the Calphalon Commercial nonstick coating because I can saute my mirepoix so easily, and use a bit less oil (either olive or grapeseed), and I can add Parmigiano Reggiano to my minestrone and not worry about the cheese sticking to the bottom of the pot.

The Calphalon Commercial Nonstick 11-Inch Square Griddle
Calphalon is a great choice for those who like to cook pancakes, french toast, bacaon, and sausage. The griddle heats evenly allowing for even cooking of all items. A great product at a great price.

Calphalon Commercial Nonstick 11-Inch Square Griddle
Long before the modern cooking stove, there were the hearth followed by wood burning stoves.
Out of them the griddle derived its roots, perhaps a distant descendent of the flat heated stone.
But, which ever way culinary history may have evolved the griddle is as practical as a spoon.
You might just associate griddles with pancakes, yet, a griddle is a very useful cooking pan, for
preparing many foods.
One would not think that a plain square piece of metal with a handle could be such a great
cooking tool. But Calphalon did it again. This 11 inch, Commercial Nonstick square stove
top griddle will become a very handy part of your cooking pan collection. It's weighty, well
made and unquestionably worth the ... price that Amazon has put on it. It will comfortably
make four Grilled-Cheese sandwiches or four French-Toast at a time. With proven culinary
practices, with a medium/low flame, heat the griddle first, then start cooking. When done
wipe surface with a paper towel but do NOT wash until completely cooled off ...
KHS The Old Stove' & 'Saucier'

This is the second Calphalon product we have owned (mother-in-law gave us the wok for Christmas). This one stays true to the Calphalon name and tradition. The quality is quite evident. It heats evenly and is very easy to clean. The handle is not too close to the griddle itself, making quick saves painless. Given our success rate with Calphalon cookware, we will purchase more in the future.

I have upgraded my rating after using the pan every day for a month. I am giving it five stars because it is a tremendous value. I was too critical in my initial review.

This is my first Calphalon pan. I purchased it primarily to use as an egg and breakfast fare pan. I wanted a good non-stick pan, because most of my other pans are stainless steel.

I consider it a very good buy for the price. It has a very attractive design and the interior non-stick cooking surface appears to be very durable. However, the pan is slightly heavy and slow to reach the proper temperature compared to stainless steel. The manufacturer's enclosed brochure says the slow warm-up is due to the non-stick surface (true of most non-stick pans). Once it arrives at the required temperature, it performs very well. This aluminum pan is the equivalent of a permanently seasoned cast iron griddle. It produces foolproof omelets and the food never sticks. I use it to warmup chicken breasts and make grilled sandwiches too. It is the most used pan in the house, because of my passion for eggs.

This product, like a few other Calphalon products I have examined, slipped past the quality control inspector. On my pan there is an interior area, smaller than a grain of rice, that was not sprayed with the non-stick coating. It is high enough on the pan where no one will ever cook on that spot, but it is there in plain sight. The lack of quality control may have something to do with the Calphalon pans being manufactured in third world countries - no offense intended. This pan is made in China. You would probably not have any trouble forgiving the stray blemish. Especially, when you consider this pan's beauty, functionality, and price.

Here is my list of PROS and CONS for this purchase.

PROS:
- Good price.
- Excellent non-stick surface - appears to be very durable too.
- Excellent stain resistant exterior.
- Cool & comfortable handle.
- Attractive appearance.
- Lifetime warranty.

CONS:
- Slow to warm up, because of the non-stick surface.
- Fairly heavy pan - you won't flip anything without a spatula - think griddle.
- Quality control at Calphalon could be better.
- The handle is beautiful, but the finish on the handle and rivets are not as refined as some of the more expensive cookware brands. However, it has no impact on the cooking.

Conclusion: Excellent pan for the price.

This is one of the best pans you could own. First, there is no higher quality, heavy duty pan out there. Second, it is surprisingly cheap for such a high quality pan. Third, I have never tackled a project with this pan that has not come out a success. It is truly professional grade for the home. Even if you are not a professional chef or a food enthusiast, this pan makes building a great dish easy. You don't have to worry about those non-stick coatings that peel off but you also don't have to worry about your food sticking to the surface. Ignore the fact that it is more expensive than K-Mart Brand Pan--It is worth the extra cost! Food always cooks evenly and always seems to do so effortlessly. It is the perfect size for a family of four or five and can be used for just about any situation when you don't have the proper pan (although you should really go and check out all of Calphalon's other pans too).

I can't believe I'm writing my first review about a piece of cookware...

...but that's how much I like this pan. Best pan in the house-- and there's A LOT of them! I'm almost tempted to buy another, especially at such an incredible price.

I've never made crepes, but I do make several European-style "pancakes" which have a very thin batter and can be tricky to get just right. With this pan I get fantastic results every time...and its so easy!

The pan does heat up slowly, but once its at the desired temperature, the heat is very even and well-distributed. No fumbling with the burner knob, no under- or over-cooking, no food waste. Simply a joy to use.

I find myself reaching for this pan when making omelettes, grilled sandwiches, quesadillas and much more. Its hard to resist "easy to use, perfect results, simple to clean!"

This pan is an awesome value as the quality is very high. The heating is even the entire cooking surface of the pan. I definitely recommend it.

Received this two days ago and have prepared two meals. Don't know why anyone would say there is a problem with clean-up. All I did was a short soak and used a scrubby and it was good as new. The feature I like best is that although the diameter of the pan is much larger than my gas burner it does heat evenly. I usually have to rotate the food to the center of the pan for cooking but not with this pan - that is a real timesaver. I also like the depth of this pan - deep enough to prepare one dish meals. Being five quarts it can easily make a one dish meal for 4-6 (with some stirring room) and I almost wish I got a little larger pan for my family of five. This pan will definitely be the most used in the kitchen given its handy size.

Remember to check out some of the similar products for the best price although I bought this with a gold box coupon for about 20 less. There is a 99 set with a stock pot, 5 qt and an omelette pan that seems like a better deal and a less expensive 12 inch everyday pan that is awfully similar (except for the straight sides).

This product met my expectations and more. I'm adding more Calphalon to my wishlist and will definitely be collecting more of their products.

I purchased my first Calphalon saucepan 15 years ago, when I went off to college. It was from the Professional Hard Anondized line. I had become interested in cooking, and found myself frustrated with low-quality cookware that did not heat evenly or consistently, and bought the Calphalon saucepan at the suggestion of a friend. I still have that first saucepan, as well as numerous other pans from both the Professional Hard Anondized and the Commercial Hard Anondized lines. Every single piece has performed flawlessly hundreds of times, and each looks as fabulous as the day I bought it.

I have never experimented with Calphalon's other, less durable lines (e.g., Simply Calphalon, etc.), but I can vouch for the incredible performance and durability of both hard-anondized lines. Cleaning Calphalon is simple: handwash with warm water, a sponge and a scouring cleanser such as Ajax. With proper care, your Calphalon pans will last for generations.

This is the best nonstick pan in the world, and here's why:
1) The nonstick surface is superior to anything else you will ever use, and it's guaranteed forever. The Commercial line has the far better LRS3 nonstick material than the less expensive LRS material in the Calphalon Professional Nonstick II line. I have had both for several years and I can not recommend the Professional line because the surface becomes sticky over time, while the Commercial Nonstick surface is as slippery as the day I bought it.
2) The handle stays cool.
3) The pan is stunningly gorgeous, with its matte black anodized aluminum underside and its polished chrome handle.
4) You can even finish items in the oven at 350 degrees or so without damaging the nonstick surface...
5) The weight and balance of the pan are excellent; extremely sturdy yet not unwieldy.

One caveat: You can not put Calphalon products in the dishwasher. It will cause discolorations and pits, and void the warranty to boot! But that is not a big deal because the superior nonstick surface is a breeze to clean.

Enjoy!

I like non-stick pans for ease in cleaning and the option of lower-fat cooking, but I'd long ago resigned myself to the idea that no non-stick surface could last very long and that I'd have to buy a replacement every year or so. Given that, I'd always bought fairly cheap pans.

I was lured into checking out Calphalon during a serious sale, and that was when I discovered the lifetime warranty. If you're good to this pan (i.e. no use of metal utensils and no rides in the dishwasher,) they'll guarantee it for life. Wow. (Be sure to complete & send in the form that comes with the pan.)

I use this pan for general purpose stove-top cooking and I love it. I like the weight - heavy enough to hold heat well, but not so heavy that it can't be easily moved around. (It's a little lighter than my old cast iron skillet.) It has great heat distribution (no hot or cool spots,) and takes about 2 minutes to heat thoroughly. The surface is rated for oven use up to 450 degrees, though it can't be used under the broiler. The metal handle is sturdy and stays cool throughout the cooking process.

The rim of the pan has a curved lip, with the non-stick surface continuing right to the edge. The result of this is that I'm leery of using any of my metal lids or spatter guards for fear of scratching the surface. (A lid was not included with the pan.) This is the only drawback I have encountered, but I consider it minor. I suspect that with a little looking I'll be able to find an acceptable lid.

I use this pan for everything but omelets. It is a great size and the nonstick coating is perfect. It cleans up very easily despite my attempts to burn things into the surface.

I have a number of the commercial nonstick pans. If you're patient you can assemble a good set when the individual pans become discounted. This pan is the same as the rest - great quality and great looks. It cooks and cleans easily. My only complaint is that it is too small to be used very often. I have the larger version as well and I use it all the time.

This was my second Calphalon purchase and the first non-stick. I'm not a big fan of non-stick, but this is great. Use it almost everyday. We have a Vegetarian Communist in our house and sometimes it is necessary to cook the same thing in two different pans...this comes in really handy when I want to leave something cooking while I concentrate on real food. Never had anything stick to this or burn, looks great too, have actually brought it to the table and served from it. Makes a great frittata, but be careful if you use it in the oven, not for use under the broiler. The handles get VERY hot. I knew that when I bought it, but just last night I picked it up without a pot holder and have the blisters to prove it. I can't believe I went all these years cooking without Calphalon, it's the best. Cleans up without any effort, a swish of the sponge and it's clean, or you could let the cat lick it out, nothing sticks to it. If you want what you're cooking to brown, this is not the pan to use, grab the hard-anodized for browning to perfection. Ciao!

I felt that I needed to write a review to correct another reviewer. One review says that Calphalon no longer seems to making their cookware in the United States, however this is untrue. The Calphalon Commercial Nonstick line is made right here in the good old USA. This is the line I own, and I LOVE it. I will never puchase anything else. Calphalon does make a (much) cheaper line of products that they sell in stores like Target that you can get for about a third the cost of the Calphalon Commercial Non-stick line, and I believe that those are made overseas. I have owned a cheap set of Calphalon from Target, and I must say, it was bad cookware. But the high quality stuff is well worth the cost. Calphalon Commercial Non-stick is the best- it really is nonstick, the clean up is a breeze, and the coating doesn't come off after heavy usage. They also have a lifetime guarantee, so if you happen to get a piece that missed quality control, they will replace it. I must say that if you enjoy cooking, this is the set for you. I consider the higher cost an investment, because before I bought this cookware, I would go through the cheaper cookware pretty fast. This line will last you a lifetime, and Calphalon will be the last brand of cookware you will ever own.

Cooking with Calphalon Commercial is a pleasure. Even heat distribution and effortless non-stick cooking are just two of the practical facets of these beautiful pans. My only complaint with these pieces is that the elegant handle is too thin for the weight of the pan- especially when full of food. This would be a significant obstacle for the elderly or someone else with gripping problems. Barring that, these are a joy with which to cook.

If you are looking for a good, multi-purpose nonstick pan, look no further. It cooks food up nicely, with no grease necessary at all if you want low-fat food. I use other pans when I want a deep brown glaze for a reduction sauce, but for a quick veggie stir-fry or eggs (of course), nothing beats this pan.

Size and weight are perfect. It makes 2- or 3-egg omelettes without a fuss. It heats quickly and evenly, and even over a high flame the handle stays cool to the touch. I find the balance is almost perfect, although when full this pan can be a little front-heavy. But the handle is sturdy and one never feels as though the handle is about the snap. Clean-up is almost absurdly simple, with only a touch of soap necessary, and a pass with a damp cloth (never anything harsh). And of course I only use wood utensils with this pan, for the sake of the nonstick finish.

This has become, for me, the nonstick pan to replace all nonstick pans. I used to go through generic nonstick pans like dishtowels, but this one is going to last me a good long while. And Calphalon's lifetime warranty makes me feel that much better about this investment in my cookware.

I've used this pan an average of 3-4 times a week for the past three years. All the positives of a typical Calphalon pan are there: even heating, excellent heat retention (definitely important on electric stoves), and especially durability - I've had a few non-stick pans destroyed by regular use in previous years, but this one has survived quite well.

I've occasionally used it for high-heat applications (mostly searing meat/seafoods), and that more than anything has probably contributed to the non-stick surface being somewhat visually deteriorated - it looks "thinner" than before. I haven't noticed any significant decrease in performance, however - it seems to perform as "non-stickily" as ever, and still a snap to clean. Like most non-sticks, this pan is mostly intended for lower-heat foods like omelettes, pancakes, etc. and certainly should not go in the oven for pan-roasting (even though it's advertised as "oven-safe up to 450 degrees"). It still performs well at higher temperatures, but hard-anodized or stainless steel are really better suited for searing, sautéing, etc. - you can get them as hot as you want, they can go in the oven, and they'll produce better fond (would recommend All-Clad or Calphalon's hard-anodized or Tri-Ply lines).

That said, I think I've used this pan more frequently than any other over the past few years. This was my first "serious" pan and, like most buyers, I was somewhat worried about the price at first, but it has been well worth it. Take care of it and it should last a long time.

I bought this set over a year ago, and I was very happy with it at first. After a year of everyday cooking, I'm far from happy.
The problem in one word: CLEANING!

I've eventually used my pots & pans for sautee and deep fry and --of course- oil spills on the sides of a pot when you do that, and with the heat it sticks to the bottom and sides of the pan/pot.

I've tried every single cleaning product recommended by Calphalon, and I'm still not able to clean the oil marks, and they keep building up. I have them hanging from the ceiling on a pot rack and now I have to hang them inside out because the bottoms look disgusting. Not a decorating set anymore!

Don't get me wrong, when it comes to cooking with them they are awesome, everything cooks nice and even.But when it comes to wear and tear, the outside of the pan, they just scratch way too easily and for the price I just expected better than that.

I have owned and used this set for the past few years. It has been and continues to be perfect. The pans all cook evenly and perfectly. The handles stay fairly cool. The nonstick coating works perfectly making both cooking and cleanup a snap. Nonstick is perfect for all types of cooking and is key to low fat food prep. This is the perfect addition to any kitchen.

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.

The lid is not the same as shown. The lid is made of anodized aluminum. The ad shows a stainless steel lid.

I own 17 pieces of this cookware. I started with a small 8 piece starter set and have purchased open stock pieces one-by-one since. It is easy cleaning, heats evenly, and looks great. I thought about going to an all stainless with copper core set, but one of my friends who is a chef advised against it unless I want to spend all of my time polishing my cookware. I think this is the best cookware on the market for the money.