Cookware Reviews

This pan is truly awesome. It heats up very quickly and completely evenly - absolutely no hot spots. It retains heat excellently - you only need to use low to medium heat. And cleanup is so easy. The stainless steel surface is like no other - it is almost impossible to get something to stick, and once it is clean it is as shiny as the day you brought it home.

The shape of this pan is extremely versatile. Saying it is "wok-like" does it no justice. This is the pan I reach for most of the time. It is great for risotto, sautes, egg dishes, paella - you name it.

Yes, it is pricy, but this pan (and any All-Clad LTD pan) will serve you for a lifetime. And on the question of anodized vs. copper - I see no reason to spend even more on copper unless you are an avid saucier. This line heats and cooks very comparably to copper.

This is certainly a nicely made stockpot, but it's not clear how it cooks things any better than, say, a solid stainless steel pot that cost half as much would--or 1/7 as much for that matter (cf. the 12-qt. stockpot by Farberware). The outer 'layer' of the LTD line seems much less like a layer than like a coating; it may make the stockpot less prone to scratches, but it does not make impervious to them as mine can attest. One concern with a large stockpot is that it will not transfer heat well enough to get the liquid to boil when it is near-full; this product will achieve boiling, but not appreciably better than other, far cheaper stockpots I've used.

Unlike the reviewer below, I think this is an excellent pot - all you need to do is pick it up and compare it to the cheaper versions. Much more sturdy and hefty!!

There are many reasons why you might consider paying top dollar for an All-Clad LTD vs. a cheaper brand - first, the construction is much more solid, and the All-Clads have much more even heating across the surface of the pot. Yes, maybe the lightweight pots can boil water almost as quickly, but I typically make a roux in the stockpot first, and it can easily burn in a cheap pot due to uneven heating. Also, All-Clad pot retains heat much better, important for simmering without overcooking!

Finally, durability of the pot is a major factor. If you are an avid cook, I guarantee you will still be using your All-Clad pot 35 years from now. On the other hand, I've never had a Farberware last more than 2 or 3 years - they get coated with crap, and no longer heat quickly or evenly, and in general get too dinged up to use. If you are just a casual cook or maybe a single guy, don't spend your money on a pot of this quality. But if you are starting a household, maybe just got married, it is well worth the extra money now (save you from buying replacement cheap pots over the rest of your life!).