Cooking Reviews

For years I've wanted a good fry pan that could cook up chicken, hash browns, and Hamburger Helper. Most fry pans are shallow, and when filled with large pieces or high volumes will splatter and spill. This pan, while officially considered a saute pan, is perfect for doing those kind of dishes.

Given the weight of the pan, it has a carry handle in addition to the long pan handle. The pan handle does not heat up at all, but the carry handle will get a bit hot from heat coming from underneath the burner. It comes with a dome shaped, highly polished steel lid making it an even better value. If you are elderly, and lack arm strength stay away from the larger (and even some of the smaller) Celphalon cookware. Celphalon is very thick and heavy to manipulate. You will think you're cooking with an old fashioned iron spider skillet based on the weight.

This is the fourth Celphalon pot I've purchaced off Amazon.com and they are all excellent pieces. The list price is high or down right ridiculous on many of their pieces, but often they end up with major discounts on select pieces. I've bought all my pieces between [$$$]...

Three out of the four pieces I've bought including this one have been of the Commercial Nonstick. It is a high quality coating that seems hard to scratch even if you grab an old metal spatula by mistake. The pieces take a little more time to heat up due to the coating but seem to brown and cook just fine. I got one Hard Anodized pan without the non-stick coating and Commercial or not it seemed a little lower in quality. The handle and the lid were both inferior to all the Commercial Non-stick pieces I've bought.

These become gold box specials often so keep and eye out for the good closeouts. You can get a really exceptional cookware set by buying one inexpensive piece at a time. Once you fill your kitchen with these things, you'll take all your old cookware and put it with the camping gear.

This is the very capable and a bit more manageable little sister to the 5 quart Commerical Nonstick Saute Pan. For smaller jobs and just about anything else from frying bacon to poaching eggs, this is the pan I reach for the most. Don't put this in the dishwasher (you'll void the warranty), but cleanup is an absolute breeze with the nonstick surface and besides, you're not going to want it out of action for long!

I bought this wonderful pan as a replacement for an ancient electric wok that finally wore out. I was hesitant at first because I purchased a set of hard anodized Calphalon pans about 14 years ago and didn't really like them. This pan is like night and day compared to those. Most noticeable is that it is so easy to care for this pan, washing is a breeze, and special detergents or scrubs are not needed. I've used it to stir fry, saute, and even deep fry and it handled each job with ease. The well fitting cover lets you saute then simmer, one after the other. The nonstick surface gives you the flexibility of using one pan to cook various types of foods without problems. The handle stays cool and feels nice in the hand unlike some pans that cut into your palm or allow the pan to twist when you lift it. Yes, the pan is heavy but not too much to handle, tossing food is easy and it stays in the pan. It seems to take a little while to heat the pan to the desired cooking temperature and it seems to take a little more heat to saute than a regular pan (much more than stainless with an aluminum core) but it cooks evenly. I've experienced no problems at all with this pan. If you regularly cook for a crowd, like to stir fry, and don't like the cleaning effort of many "specialty" pans this one's for you. I've found myself reaching for this pan more often than all of my stainless steel pans.......I hope the nonstick surface lasts. I actually look forward to being able to use this pan because it makes the cooking process more enjoyable!

I just love this pot. It is great for melting butter, heating milk for Cocoa and for making cream sauces. The notched sides are simply wonderful, how come the 'better' brands could not think of that. The notches are sheer genius, I hate pouring out something burning hot and struggling to try not to spill it. The price is pretty good too. I am only upset I no longer have ownership of my saucepan. When I was moving there were a couple of boxes that dissappeared, and this was in one of those vanished boxes. I have another on my wishlist.

Not too big, spouts on both sides and hard anodized- just perfect. What more can be said? I Love it!!

This Calphalon Commercial Nonstick 3/4-quart Mini Sauce Pan is so handy. I keep mine hanging on the wall near my cooktop. It will hold up to 3 cups of milk for scalding or for making a white sauce, but I usually only fill it half full. Mostly I use this small pan for melting a stick or two of butter for popcorn made in our Whirley Pop, or for making clarified butter to serve with boiled lobster or crab. I like the two pouring spouts; it has two so that it's convenient for either a right-handed or left-handed person to use. Because the pan is nonstick, clean-up is a breeze. I always hand wash it, as I do all my Calphalon cookware. If there's ever any discoloration or residue on the anodized-aluminum exterior of this pan, I recommend using some Dormond cleaner, Bon Ami, or Soft Scrub to make it look like new again. I really love the cool-V handle - a classic sculpted stainless steel design, which has a hole for hanging in its end. The handle matches the Calphalon stainless steel utensils, so you can hang them together on a Calphalon straight wall rack as practical but stylish accessories for your kitchen.

The Calphalon Commercial Nonstick 8-Quart Stock Pot with Stainless Steel Lid will be one of your most used items for cooking. (The other items are the 2 1/2-quart sauce pan, and the 10-inch or 12-inch omelet/frying pan, and the 3-quart sauteuse.) Use this 8-quart stockpot with its matching stainless steel 8-quart insert (see my review of this item for more detail). You will love to see how easily the pasta cooks to "al dente." The 8-quart size is perfect for cooking a pound (or more or less) of dried pasta because the pasta cooks best in a large amount of boiling water. This stock pot is also wonderful for simmering homemade stocks and soups. You won't have to worry about anything sticking to the bottom of the pan or that you will have to stir it a lot. It is difficult to describe how the lidded Calphalon pots work, but you will find that your cooking will improve, and that you will enjoy it more! Be careful to use only nylon or wooden utensils in this pan because of the nonstick coating. Also, be sure to hand wash it. This pan will give you more than a lifetime of wonderful cooking.

This is a great starter set, with two exceptions: 1) each pot has a different sized lid so you end up with clutter and 2) why did Caphalon include a large crepe pan when what you really need is a skillet? You will need to get a shallow spatula if you make omelettes in the crepe pan. Still, it's a pleasure to cook with equipment that heats fast, cooks evenly and cleans up nicely.

I purchased this set last year at Christmas time, and have used it constantly throughout the year. This could be the last set of cookware you may ever buy. I have seen almost no wear, the non-stick surfaces still look unused, the heat is evenly distributed, the weight of the cookware is more light than heavy, and the metal handles are well designed to stay cool to the touch.

This is a wonderful cookware set. These pans heat up very quickly and cook food evenly. Very easy to clean! They are nice and heavy. After the research I did before buying these (reviews I read on the internet) and now using them myself, I highly recommend.

These are 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 nearly 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!

The Calphalon Omelet pans and skillets are essential for the busy chef. To get both the 8" and 10" for under $50 is a fantastic deal!

The 8" is my ideal 2-egg omelet pan. The small size keeps the eggs fluffy, and no-spatula flips are easy (and quite impressive). You can keep the heat nice and high - I've never had one burn on me yet.

The 10" is great for fritattas and Denver omelets. The non-stick surface is a godsend when cooking eggs and breaded meats, and it really does clean up easily.

Neither pan will last forever, particularly if you use them as frequently as I do (or if you occasionally poke them with a metal spatula). But for this value, you can't go wrong. There are surely more expensive non-stick pans out there, but for the price, these'll absolutely get the job done.

I absolutely love Calphalon, my pans were made in Toledo, which made it even better. They are long lasting, a cinch to clean and look great.

I bought a second set for those days when I'm cooking and need a particular sized pan for two different dishes, now I can cook everything at once!!!

The saucepan is a little on the small side, but the steamer (which also fits larger saucepans) is great. The quality is excellent

It is great! This does have the cool-v handles, they are just the short ones. It is a pot, not a pan! Anyway, the steamer is wonderful too! Broccoli never tasted so good! The nice thing is that the steamer also fits other Calphalon saucepans making it versitle. You won't regret purchasing this set! Enjoy!

I have several pieces of the commercial nonstick, and this is a terrific addition to the collection. I frequently need smaller pots, and this one is a perfect complement to the smaller long-handled sauce pans in the collection. The steamer (which sits snugly atop the saucepan) is lovely and very functional. The set comes with a polished steel lid for the pot and a beautiful glass lid for the steamer.

I got this omelette pan and the instructional video entitled, "The Frugal Gourmet - Cheese & Eggs - The Classic Omelet" (also available on Amazon). The result is that I've been able to make much better omelettes than I normally get at restaurants.

It's actually not that hard to make a good omelette. One key thing is a good non-stick omelette pan, such as this one. I tried making them in a cast-iron pan and the results were mediocre (rarely did the omelette come out looking like an omelette, for example).

The above video lays out 4 basic rules, and then demonstrates the technique quite clearly. The Calphalon omelette pan has lived up to its end of the bargain; it's remained non-stick, seems to cook the egg quite evenly (no hot spots), and is lightweight.

One tip: I've found that this pan (or any 8" omelette pan) should only be used to make a 2-egg omelette. If you want to make a 3-egg omelette, get a 10" pan. If you use too small a pan the egg won't be dispersed thinly enough and will cook too slowly. Surprsingly, the books I've read have all given conflicting advice on this subject.

The pan is everything I wanted it to be. The non-stick is excellent. It is durable and heats evenly as advertised.

My only regret is that it did not come with a lid. To remedy this I went to the calphalon web site and found a matching lid (even though it was not specifically designed for this pan it is compatible with it). I was able to buy the lid through Amazon as well.

Oh yeah, the pan was a good price as well. I would make the purchase again.

I've been using this pan for about a year. We've been doing the Atkins diet & I make an omelette every morning to take to work. It's fast, easy and the pan cleans great. I bought it when it was on sale which makes it even better.

The muffin pan and cake pan work beautifully, but the jelly roll pan does warp slightly in the oven. I thought I had a defective pan, but a friend of mine purchased the exact same pan at a local home store, and hers did the same thing (she returned it). The jelly roll pan does seem to cook just fine, though. These pans are made in China, not Ohio, and do not have the Calphalon stamp on the bottom. Overall, I like the set considering the price.

I got this set 3 months ago, and really like it. After using stuff like Ecko Bakers Secret for years (and replacing it every 2 or 3 years), it is really a treat to have quality bakeware like this. These are made really nice, and have a definite weight to them. I've had no problems with warping at all. The non-stick coating is great. I've even made brownies in the 8x8 pan without greasing it, and they popped right out. Be aware that you should not use these under the broiler though because of the non-stick coating. I bought two set of these. I stack mine with old dishtowels in between them to protect them from scratches.

These are not dishwasher safe. However, they wash up in a few seconds due to the non-stick coating.

The Calphalon Commercial Nonstick Bakeware collection is excellent. I recommend them without reservation. This is a great starter set. Once you use this set you are going to want the whole collection!

One note: you may want to check on your baked goods a couple of minutes early. I have noticed that cakes are done a little quicker in pans with a dark finish. Many newer recipes will indicate the timing for dark finish bakeware. These pans are also a breeze to clean, just a little soap and water and you are done. Wonderful Pans! Highly recommended!

Also, read the Calphalon brochure in the box, if you plan to nest this pan with others make sure to put a paper towel between them to prevent any damage to the nonstick coating. And, this pan is not dishwasher safe.

I wouldn't even trade my Calphalon Nonstick Bakeware for an All Clad bakeware, all my cookware is All Clad and I love it but nothing beats high quality, heavy duty Nonstick bakeware!

I'm shocked at the reviews that I've read and the number of people who have thrown the roaster away. Did any of you think to contact Calphalon about the Life Time Warranty instead of just throwing the roaster away? I own several pieces of Calphalon and love them all; however I have not bought the roaster. After reading the reviews I won't by the roaster; however if I ever have any problems with the pieces that I own I WILL call Calphalon about the life time warranty. I recommend that everyone use the life time warranty. If Calphalon is not aware of the problem with the roaster how do they know to fix the problem?

The roaster looks like a cheap imitation of my other Calphalon Commercial NonStick cookware. I have about 20 pieces and I have been very happy with everything until now. The roaster itself is very thin and light--not heavy gauge like normal Calphalon Commercial NonStick. The handles are flimsy and the rivets are not of the same quality I am used to. The pan will actually flex under light pressure. The rack is not nonstick and I imagine it's a nightmare to clean. The "lifters" are very cheap construction and don't look like they can lift a chicken, much less a turkey. The baster/injection needle is fair. Overall, I am very disappointed in this purchase and I would advise anyone interested in it to look at it in a retail store before you buy.

Despite the hefty price, this is a lightweight pan. The non-stick surface makes it a poor choice for dishes where you want to make gravy, since it does not develop "fond" (the tasty, crispy bits that contain most of the flavor in pan juices). Since it is so light, contents tend to burn easily. And somehow it doesn't clean as easily as most non-sticks, so there's no upside! I agree with the prior reviewer who advised sticking to All-Clad. I have had one other equally unsatisfactory Calphalon pan (which I donated to charity) and I will not buy another.