Cookware Reviews

If you must have the best, this is it. I have yet to see a set of outdoor cooking tools that can beat the quality of this one. The tools have a solid feel to them, and a nice shape with all rounded edges. The stainless steel is polished to a mirror finish. The one piece solid steel construction makes these sure to last a lifetime. I challenge anyone who can locate a better set of tools to post the link in a review below.

Heavy cast or rolled aluminum is the optimum material for pots and pans. Based on this fact, Magnalite cast aluminum gourmet cookware was the best you could get from about the 1950's through the '70's. However, there are some problems with aluminum as a cooking surface. Some foods react with it and cause discoloration; it's hard to clean, a fact that became glaringly obvious with the advent of non-stick surfaces. And there have been reported health issues related to cooking food in contact with aluminum (experts currently assess the risks as insignificant).

All-Clad is the heir apparent to the position of "creme de la creme" among cookware. The inner layer of metal is aluminum to evenly conduct heat throughout the pan. The cooking surface is stainless steel, the ideal surface because it is non-reactive, easy cleaning, and more durable than nonstick compounds. All Clad offers a variety of exterior finishes to suit your taste. Finally, this line is WELL BUILT. It will outlast anything else in the kitchen.

This may be the most expensive cookware but it's also the best. For a person who doesn't have the physical strength to handle very heavy cookware, this may not be a good choice. For anyone else who is willing to pay for it, this is what you want to cook with.

This 4 quart saucepan is really a must! Perfect for a pound of pasta, boiling veggies, a small batch of sauce, the list is endless. It is also great if you don't feel like pulling out a stock pot or if you are trying to save space on your stove. I love All Clad in general but this one is one of the best. The handle is perfect, the lid is great, it is just an all around great pan and super easy to clean. All Clad quality can't be beat. Once you try one piece you will be hooked too (that is if you are not already :). All Clad offers a lifetime warranty and each piece is superb quality and very well made. There is nothing like top quality stainless steel.

Cleaning Tip: If you should get something stuck to the stainless steel use a product called "Bar Keepers Friend" to clean it. Most supermarkets have it and Kitchen Etc. and Bed, Bath and Beyond carry it too. The container (like a Comet can) is gold with blue and white writing. All Clad recommends it for cleaning stainless steel and it works like a dream and is very inexpensive.

Highly recommended! A+++!

It's good enough for Mom's Christmas Custard. Need I say more? A little expensive, but it cooks Mom's custard in style with the double boiler insert (purchased separately)

This is a must have pot for any cooking enthusiast that is planning on owning All-Clad's stainless line. The size is versatile, large enough to boil pasta, small enough to make sauces or puddings. I just purchased mine and love it. It cooks evenly and washes up nicely and it's beautiful to look at. I don't think this size comes in any of the sets. You must buy it separately. This comes with a lid already and has a nice grip handle that is easy to hold with one hand, while you are stirring or cooking in the pot. I prefer this one to the 4-quart pot with the two handles as this one is easier to manage at times, when stirring, etc. or when you need your other hand, as I find sometimes in a busy kitchen. If you're thinking of buying a few items of All-Clad, (since they are pricey), this is a must.

I investigated all the mixing bowls at local stores and on-line, and the All Clad ones are the best. 1.) Many other bowls roll the top lip over to increase strength. Unfortunately (as with my old bowls), water and other grime collects or dribbles in the rolled lip. All Clad bolws have an edge that is flat and doesn't do this. They use thicker material for strength. 2.) The All Clad bowls have a handle attached. This is so much better for beating, whisking, etc., since you get a good grip on the bowl. 3.) The All Clad bowls are highly polished which makes them easier to clean, and you could even serve in them since they look nice. 4.) The All Clad bowls have a nice shape. Others are too shallow so stuff slops out when mixing or are too conical not allowing you to mix. These bowls are nicely shaped like a half-circle.

So why only only 4 stars? Look at the price. For the price of one All Clad bowl, you can buy a whole set (or two) of other brands. I plan on giving these to my grandchildren.

The 5Qt is big enough to use for any kind of batter/pastry and wide-enough at the bottom for French toast. Finally, it doesn't look like they do, but they do stack/nest just like other bowls despite the handles.

These are the best mixing bowls I have every used! I use at least one or two every day. They have a nice handle so you can get a good grip on it. The polished stainless steel is so beautiful you could definitely use them to serve as well. I find I use the 1.5 quart for mixing sauces or beating eggs and the 3 & 5 quart sizes for cake mixes and fillings. I also have the 7 quart that is a must have for making meatballs. They do not have any rubber on the bottom and I prefer them this way. I think the rubber bottoms are bacteria collectors and shorten the lifetime of the bowl. I have an oxo rubber bottom mixing bowl that I never use, I actually store my hand mixer and attachments in it.
The bases of the All Clad mixing bowls are a good size and there is no danger that anything could tip over, that is unless you tip it over yourself! They are also very, very easy to clean and they nest together perfectly to save space. I am also planning to add the 1-quart size to my collection soon. Top quality and excellent design! Once you use these bowls you will not want to use any others! If you are considering this bowl, check out the 3-bowl set, it is a great value! Highly recommended!

All clad pans are great, with one caveat. This line doesn't have a rolled lip so that pouring is more difficult than it should be. Of course with a 4qt pan that usually isn't an issue.

If you are strong enough to lift a 4qt pan by the long handle don't get this version, get the one without the lip. Why? Because the loop handle prevents both the steamer and the double boiler inserts from seating firmly. They work, but it isn't as good as the non loop version. Now admitly using a 4qt pan for steaming is overkill, but if the 3qt version is in use, or you didn't buy that one too, you will wish you had the non loop version.

These pans are heavy, (Although not as heavy as pure copper pans)and a gallon of fluid is too, so that if you are small the extra loop would be beneficial for moving the pot from stove to sink, so like everything its a tradeoff.

I've never liked my All-clad 3qt saute because it's too shallow. The 4qt seemed deeper so I bought one however when I got it home it appeared only slightly taller than my 3qt. The 4qt should measure 3 1/4in, according to All-Clad, but the one I bought was 2 7/8. I tried to exchange it but all 5 in stock measured the same so I ended up returning it. By my calculation, this is a 3.5 quart pan. If you have a 3qt, this isn't worth spending your money on.

I own the 3-Quart version of this pan, purchased in a set before I knew better, and have used this 4-Quart. I prefer this one because its taller sides make doing a true sauté (which means "jump" in French) of the ingredients a bit easier. Taller sides like this are what are found in most European sauté pans. The previous review is inaccurate in that both the 3-Quart and 4-Quart All-Clad pans are identical in diameter, which can be verified at All-Clad's web site.

Per All-Clad, the LTD and Master Chef lines use thicker aluminum so if you don't need the ease of maintenence and durability that comes with a stainless-steel exterior, I would suggest you consider these other lines for their more even (i.e. better) heating performance.

Also, there are higher-end cookware lines out there than All-Clad. Don't think that All-Clad is the "best" available. Brands such as Demeyere and Bourgeat have features such as more durable exterior finishes (Demeyere Atlantis, etc.), thicker aluminum cores, more comfortable handles (an All-Clad weakness), and even full copper (more conductive than aluminum). These come at a higher price than All-Clad. On the other hand, there are less-expensive product lines such as Calphalon Commercial (often cheap on Amazon.com!) and brands used in commercial kitchens like Sitram.

Still, this is a nice pan and I don't think you can really go wrong with All-Clad. It's the best commonly available at consumer kitchen shops and easy to order on Amazon.com.

I purchased the 4-quart saute pan a few months ago, and I have used it at least 3 times a week since then. I agree with the other reviewers that the taller sides are a big advantage over the 3-quart pan. This allows you to toss your cooked pasta into the sauce, poach meats and do various other tasks without worrying about the liquid spilling over, which is what concerned me about the 3-quart pan. I found that the 6-quart pan was far too large for my burners. I have cooked pasta sauces, chicken breasts, chicken thighs, meatballs, poached chicken, you name it, in this pan. It is extremely versatile and worth the price and the amount of space it takes up in the cabinet. If you have limited kitchen cabinet space, as I do, I think that this saute pan, a large non-stick skillet (All-Clad has a great one in its stainless collection), the 3- or 4-quart sauce pan and a large Le Creuset french oven is all you need for most stovetop cooking jobs.

I own this pan it appears to be a chefs pan so I bought it. Too bad I bought from a rival company called henckels clad cookware that looks exactly like this one but costs 10 times less money...

All-clad is fantastic. I own some cheaper brands, and I promise they don't compare. If you are a serious cook, you'll be able to tell a big difference in the heat distribution over a gas or electric burner. You can heat milk on medium high and it won't burn! You won't regret it. Try the 1-quart sauce pan ... you'll be hooked.