Saladmaster cookware...worth the price?
Dave Ritter
hasn't been previously discussed to the point of tedium. Specifically,
I'm looking for some persons who have had experience with saladmaster
cookware or who are knowledgeable about cookware in general to
comment on the quality of saladmaster cookware and whether it is
really worth the price.
For the benifit of those who have not heard of saladmaster let me
give you a brief summary. Saladmaster, out of Dallas, makes numerous
pieces of cookware from pots and pans to electric skillets to grinders
and knives. Their big selling features are the TP304 surgical quality
stainless steel (which doesn't release harmful metal particles into
the food and is therefore healthier than other cookware) and the five
inner layers of aluminum alloys which give uniform heat. The electric
skillet also has a liquid inner core which eliminates "hot spots".
As far as I can tell the cookware is excellent quality and I would even
consider getting a set if it weren't for two problems. The first is
that it is not sold in stores but by sales people who operate "house
parties". The house parties consist of the host couple inviting over
a number of couples(4-8 depending on how many your dining room table
can hold) for a free meal put on by the saladmaster representative.
The salesperson cooks the meal infront of you all the while discussing
the merits of saladmaster over other cookware. Their big emphasis is
on health and they perform various "experiments" to prove that this
cookware doesn't hold food particles from previous use and doesn't
release harmful metal particles into the food (such as teflon pots
can). At the end of the meal they have each couple choose the pieces
they would get if they could and then proceed to try to sell them
one of various packages. It is really a high pressure sales pitch
and customers are told that the special deals are only good for
that night and if they wait until the next day they won't get the
same deal, etc, etc. The host couple gets a free gift for having
the party and I believe another gift for each of the couples who
actually purchase a set.
The second problem is the price. These are not cheap and bought
individually are *very* expensive. Their aim is to sell packages
which start at about $2200.00 (Can, includes taxes) for a 15
piece set to about $5000.00 for the largest set. While 15 pieces
sounds like a lot they count each pot and lid seperately. Also,
in each set they include little used items such as an egg poacher
which includes the base and four egg holders each counting as a
seperate piece. They also give you free gifts from a given list
for buying that evening, but again the offer is only good that
evening.
So the question that begs to be asked is whether or not the saladmaster
cookware is worth the money. I tend not to think so, but I'm not
an expert on cookware and may be overly skeptical. Also, what type
of cookware do professional cooks use and what is the price range?
Thanks in advance for you responses.
David Ritter
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, British Columbia
Canada
Margaret Woo
David,
You'd be better off spending your money on widely available commercial
cookware either from a restaurant supply house or through retail channels.
For aluminum encased in stainless steel, All Clad and Chantal both have
very good offerings. For copper encased in stainless steel, Cuisinart
also has a great set of pots and pans. You can often buy these in sets,
but open stock is available. I like open stock because you can purchase
only the pieces you need.
IMHO, $5000 is an insane amount to spend on cookware. You can get a
commercial stove for that much! Spend your money on a reputable company
with quality products. Don't go for a pressure sell--you'll most likely
end up a loser.
Margaret
John Reece
> Stuff about high-pressure, in-home cookware sales pitch deleted.
David,
I've been through this sort of pitch once before, when a salesman
tried to convince a neighbor he needed one of their $100 smoke detectors in
each room and hallway of his house.
You can be sure they are trying to sell you several times more stuff than
you need at several times what it's worth. Comparable or superior cookware
can be found in any department or restaurant supply store. In particular a
single guy doesn't need that much to start getting serious about cooking,
unless he's planning to throw some very large dinner parties.
The same goes for those gadgets you see on TV infomercials
--
John Reece | -- You are in a maze of twisty
Not an Intel spokesman | little logging roads, all alike --