Another All-clad question
Dan Sherman
In article <> gmau...@idt.net (Geoffrey Maugham) writes:
>18/10 is the highest quality of stainless steel available anywhere. That
>said, I do not find All-Clad's SS surface to be even slightly stick resistant.
>My All-Clad fry pan is the last one I take out of the cupboard to use,
>usually. However, I am a big fan of Calphalon and find their regular finish to
>be reasonably stick resistant.
>
Like the original poster, I am also trying to decide between All-Clad and
Calphalon. I would be interested in hearing from more people about their
experiences with either or both of these brands. Which did you decide to
buy? Why? Are you happy with your decision? What are the pluses/minuses
of the cookware you decided on?
Thanks!
Dan Sherman
dshe...@ucsd.edu
p.s. I apologize if this has been covered recently, as I have only just
started following this newsgroup.
SABATINO C
Well something I actually know about.
Cookware is made of stainless steel is not stick resistent.
Stainless sticks, and has terrible heat distribution, but it does look
wonderful and in the case of Allclad there is another material
incorporated in the pan within the base to help with heat distribution.
That is why aluminum is used in 98% percent of all restaurants. The other
2% have chef's that are crazed. Aluminum has great heat distribution and
also sticks, but the new versions of Teflon in the market are highly
scratch resistent.
Calphalon is anodized aluminium, this finish in stick resistence is
between that of plain aluminum/stainless steel and teflon. If you cut a
Calphalon pan in 1/2, you will see that the core is still shiney aluminium
the finish goes through the metal about 1/3 of the way, it also has
fantastic heat distribution so much so that they do not make cookie sheets
because, the bottoms will burn before the tops cook.
I have not sold any Calphalon in many years do to their distribution
policies, and my information is all 3 years old. But of the chefs I know
they generally love it, but do not buy it for their restaurants because it
is cost prohibitive.
Geoffery why do you say that aluminum cannot be used in high heat
situations ??
Carmelo Sabatino
Harriet Sellnau
Folks, don't get romanced with shiny, matched sets of cookware and
confuse form for function. Go to a restaurant supply house and buy
heavy aluminum with equally heavy teflon interiors. This stuff is sold
to restaurants for a reason. It works and it lasts.
Phillip Waters
FWIW, I have just gotten my first All-Clad fry pan (8 inch) and just love it.
I have cooked some things in it (Chicken was the last the latest) that I
thought never would come out but found that it did come clean almost
instantly. The key to cooking in this pan is to make sure ther pan is hot
before adding the food.
Jordan Zimmerman
In article <5dgbk8$6...@sdcc12.ucsd.edu>, dshe...@jeeves.ucsd.edu (Dan
Sherman) wrote:
> Like the original poster, I am also trying to decide between All-Clad and
> Calphalon. I would be interested in hearing from more people about their
> experiences with either or both of these brands.
I am in the process of converting all my pans from Calphalon/Analon to
All-Clad. For years, I've always bought non-stick pans because I thought
that the other kind were too hard to clean. Then, I bought an All-Clad 10"
saute. W O W ! ! What an incredible pan. It got _much_ hotter than my
Calphalons; and it was very easy to clean. I'm hooked.
--
Jordan Zimmerman
Altura Software, Inc.
home page: http://www.altura.com/jordanz
Don't blame me, I voted for Harry Browne!
http://www.harrybrowne96.org 1 (800) 682 1776
Mike McIntyre
My experience is "NO", you can't just scratch and expose. But if if you
gouge the surface with the tip of a metal spoon or fork, you will expose
the sub surface al. Several of my pots have these little nicks, with no
consequence, and my saute pans are unaffected by the metal
spatula's...however, I do have two pots I'll be sending back, I believe the
surface may have been degraded, over time, by hard water. My calphalon is
mostly 10 - 15 years old.
Oh yeah - saturday I picked up a 2qt. chefs pan for $29,Bloomingdales 1 day
sale. The also had Le Crueset, All-clad, Circulon, and analon, all on
sale...especially the unusual pieces.
mkary <mk...@odyssee.remove-this.net> wrote in article
<mkary-09029...@pool22-3.odyssee.net>...
> In article <19970208135...@ladder01.news.aol.com>,
> saba...@aol.com (SABATINO C) wrote:
>... the core is still shiney aluminium
> > the finish goes through the metal about 1/3 of the way, it also has
>
> Normally, an anodized surface is microscopically thin... to just
> scratch Calphalon to the point of exposing the aluminum?
>
SABATINO C
ok so I exagerated it it more then microscopic and yes you can scratch the
pan
at least on old calphalon
Ilvbakin
I purchased the 9 piece set of Calphalon about a year ago. I personally
love to cook in it. But I have an 8 inch, 10 inch and a small griddle
type pan that I have used for frying. They look AWFUL! I contacted the
company via e-mail and they responded quickly. However, they could not
tell me how to get this oil inside and outside off. I have tried
everything. It is a yellow tacky film. Has anyone else experienced
this???? By the way the company finally told me on my last e-mail they
sent me, if I feel they are defective that I should take them back. No, I
don't feel they are defective. Just because they do not come clean and
look GROSS! I had someone reply from another cooking newsgroup tell me
that they worked at Williams Sonoma and to send them back to them, they
would take them back. (I purchased these at Dillard's) So please e-mail
or reply to group for any wonderful ideas!
Thank You,
Patty
Nancy Dooley
On 14 Feb 1997 18:18:51 GMT, ilvb...@aol.com (Ilvbakin) wrote:
>I purchased the 9 piece set of Calphalon about a year ago. I personally
>love to cook in it. But I have an 8 inch, 10 inch and a small griddle
>type pan that I have used for frying. They look AWFUL! I contacted the
>company via e-mail and they responded quickly. However, they could not
>tell me how to get this oil inside and outside off. I have tried
>everything. It is a yellow tacky film. Has anyone else experienced
There's a product called "Sokoff" which works wonders with that baked
on caramel-colored stuff. The Colonial Kitchen Gardens catalog has it
- don't have the number here, but I can get it.
(Sorry, my e-mail isn't working today.)
Nancy.
"Get your facts first, and then you can
distort 'em as much as you please." (Samuel Clemens)
Peter Marvit
Please note that Calphalon (and most of the other "big names") have
lifetime guarantees. I had a 4 qt saucepan (Calphalon) in which the
interior had slowly given out (dishwasher? acid foods? too much
cooking?). It had acquired a shiny aluminum sheen in bottom. Probably 15
years old or so.
Recently, I brought it to a local kitchen supply house (Kitchen Kapers)
and they immediately replaced it! I don't know if they'd do the same with
a nicked surface, but it can't hurt to try. I was very pleased (plus the
new one had an additional small handle which makes carrying a laden pot
much easier!).
BTW, I tend to use teflon *frying* pans and am seriously considering
getting one of the All-Clad ones. Cost is a bit (!) of a factor alas. I
can buy 2-4 heavy Wearever for the price of a single All-Clad. On the
other hand, the same guarantee about the teflon surface apparanetly
applies so it's a long-term investment. No matter what I do, my calphalon
fruing pans *always* stick when cooking eggs or egg-like things; *they*
are the last frying pans off my shelf.
One last data point. I have a 14-inch straight sided All-Clad frying pan
(saute pan?). While the bottom seems to stick with some things, it
deglazes very easily and I can use metal implements with impunity. I
really like it!
-Peter "hungry now" Marvit
: Peter Marvit <mar...@psych.upenn.edu>, Psychology Dept, Univ. of Penn :
: 3815 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19104 w:215/573-3991 fax:215/898-7301 :
Geoffrey Maugham
In article <m6867zu...@cattell.psych.upenn.edu>, mar...@cattell.psych.upenn.edu (Peter Marvit)
<19970212024...@ladder01.news.aol.com> wrote:
>Please note that Calphalon (and most of the other "big names") have
>lifetime guarantees. I had a 4 qt saucepan (Calphalon) in which the
>interior had slowly given out (dishwasher? acid foods? too much
>cooking?). It had acquired a shiny aluminum sheen in bottom. Probably 15
>years old or so.
>
Hard water can be very rough on Calphalon. Also, you should NEVER put
Calphalon in the dishwasher! The only other cleaning item that can't be used
is a steel wool pad which has the soap in it. Plain steel wool is okay. (On
non-stick Calphalon, you can't use steel wool at all.)
>Recently, I brought it to a local kitchen supply house (Kitchen Kapers)
>and they immediately replaced it! I don't know if they'd do the same with
>a nicked surface, but it can't hurt to try. I was very pleased (plus the
>new one had an additional small handle which makes carrying a laden pot
>much easier!).
>
A nicked surphace is due to the use of metal forks and knives and is not a
defect, which means that the stores may not exchange them.
>BTW, I tend to use teflon *frying* pans and am seriously considering
>getting one of the All-Clad ones. Cost is a bit (!) of a factor alas. I
>can buy 2-4 heavy Wearever for the price of a single All-Clad. On the
>other hand, the same guarantee about the teflon surface apparanetly
>applies so it's a long-term investment. No matter what I do, my calphalon
>fruing pans *always* stick when cooking eggs or egg-like things; *they*
>are the last frying pans off my shelf.
Calphalon now has two lines of non-stick cookware--Professional and Commercial
non-stick. The Commercial is brand new and may only, at the moment, be
available at Williams-Sonoma. Check these out also.
>
>One last data point. I have a 14-inch straight sided All-Clad frying pan
>(saute pan?). While the bottom seems to stick with some things, it
>deglazes very easily and I can use metal implements with impunity. I
>really like it!
This is a saute pan. You cannot deglaze a non-stick pan, which is why
deglazing works so well in your All-Clad pan.
>
> -Peter "hungry now" Marvit
>
>
>: Peter Marvit <mar...@psych.upenn.edu>, Psychology Dept, Univ. of Penn :
>: 3815 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19104 w:215/573-3991 fax:215/898-7301 :
Geoffrey Maugham
I don't work for Calphalon, but do work for Williams-Sonoma
gmau...@ari.net
Patricia A. Swan
nancy-...@uiowa.edu (Nancy Dooley) wrote:
>On 14 Feb 1997 18:18:51 GMT, ilvb...@aol.com (Ilvbakin) wrote:
>
>>I purchased the 9 piece set of Calphalon about a year ago. I personally
>>love to cook in it. But I have an 8 inch, 10 inch and a small griddle
>>type pan that I have used for frying. They look AWFUL! I contacted the
>>company via e-mail and they responded quickly. However, they could not
>>tell me how to get this oil inside and outside off. I have tried
>>everything. It is a yellow tacky film. Has anyone else experienced
>
>There's a product called "Sokoff" which works wonders with that baked
>on caramel-colored stuff. The Colonial Kitchen Gardens catalog has it
>- don't have the number here, but I can get it.
>>(Sorry, my e-mail isn't working today.)
>Nancy.
I can get Soak-off at Asheville Showcase, which is my sort-of
local restraunt supply wholesale house, so try your local
restraunt supply houses and see if they have it. It even works
on aluminium which many other degreasing products won't. (You
should have seen what McDonald's degreaser did to my aluminum
biscuit pans when the weekend biscuitmaker's dishwashing person
would wash them in degreaser. Oy vay. It would take me *days*
(even with single 0 steel wool) to get the splotchy black-grey
discoloration scrubbed off.)
Pat Swan
--
*Patricia A. Swan, moderator, rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated*
* newsgroup submission address: ras...@solon.com *
* moderator contact address: rastb5-...@solon.com *
* personal contact address: zaf...@cygnus-wnc.com *
Patricia A. Swan
If you want good non-stick that heats beautifully and can even
survive *me*, go look at T-Fal. You can always find it in stock
on QVC's webpage http://www.qvc.com
I have literally burned rice, beans, and spagettii to a crunchy
crisp when they've been forgotten on the range while I'm on the
computer, and as soon as the pan cooled a bit, the whole mess
peeled right out. My original set was their Ultrabase, and all
my newer pieces are their Resistal with anti-warp bottom. The
next level up is Armoral with a more stick resistant, wear
resistant interior and a steel disk in the center of an anti-warp
base like the Resistal. Their new top of the line (which I can't
remember the name of) has a solid steel base and metal handles
and is the first T-Fal that can be used with induction elements
and in the oven above 350F. (The other sets have phenolic
handles.)
I've also burned stuff in my one Duralon piece and it cleaned out
nicely.
And none of these pieces have ever had any oil put on them to
season them since I am *extremely* allergic to just about every
oil there is, and butter and canola oil both make me
extraordinarily sick. And the the pans dry saute with no
difficulties, and release any kind of mess I manage to generate.
Pat Swan
gmau...@idt.net (Geoffrey Maugham) wrote:
>18/10 is the highest quality of stainless steel available anywhere. That
>said, I do not find All-Clad's SS surface to be even slightly stick resistant.
>My All-Clad fry pan is the last one I take out of the cupboard to use,
>usually. However, I am a big fan of Calphalon and find their regular finish to
>be reasonably stick resistant.
>
>As far as replacement, I know that there is a lifetime warranty and that if
>purchased at Williams-Sonoma, it will be taken back. The fact remains, that if
>YOU screw it up, you should be willing to take responsibility for it and BUY a
>new one. Remember that both of these cookwares are, to different degrees,
>aluminum based and, therefore, conduct heat very well. Unless you're searing
>something or boiling water, nothing higher than medium-high heat should be
>used with them.
>
>Geoffrey
>
>In article <32F7E4...@cco.caltech.edu>, William Royea
><bl...@cco.caltech.edu> wrote:
>>Can someone please tell me how stick resistant the stainless steel
>>surface in the All-clad really is? I've burned some food in some cheapo
>>18/10 stainless-steel pots so bad that I've had to throw them out,
>>because no amount of scrubbing would get it out. Does the mirror polish
>>really make a difference as far as stick resistance goes? If I do screw
>>it up beyond repair, will all-clad repair/replace it?
>>
>>Also- same question for the calphalon (regular stuff - not nonstick).
>>How stick resistant is it?
>>
>>By the way, all-clad now has a web page: http://www.allclad.com
>>
>>Thanks for your input.
>>
>>William
>>ro...@cco.caltech.edu
Andy Perry
>Like the original poster, I am also trying to decide between All-Clad and
>Calphalon. I would be interested in hearing from more people about their
>experiences with either or both of these brands. Which did you decide to
>buy? Why? Are you happy with your decision? What are the pluses/minuses
>of the cookware you decided on?
I think the correct answer to this question is: don't decide between
All-Clad and Calphalon! At least, don't commit to having only one type of
pot in your kitchen. Aesthetic considerations aside, that's just silly.
If you want to brown things and then deglaze, you need All-Clad saute
pans, because stainless steel is just better than anodized aluminum for
that purpose. On the other hand, if you own an immersion blender and you
want to make pureed soups or sauces right in the pot, you'd be much better
off using Calphalon for that, since it's harder to scratch or damage than
stainless will ever be. (You still need to be careful though: rumors to
the contrary Calphalon ain't indestructable).
Summary: choose EACH POT for its best qualities, not a whole line. Like I
said, I'd go with All-Clad for saute pans. The Calphalon 4 qt chef's pan,
on the other hand, is virtually a must: it's incredibly useful. I love
it, because I make lots of pasta, and it's big enough that one can make
sauce in it, then add the drained pasta directly to the pan and sauce it
on the stove. No mixing bowl necessary.
--
Andy Perry We search before and after,
Brown University We pine for what is not.
English Department Our sincerest laughter
Andrew...@brown.edu OR With some pain is fraught.
st00...@brownvm.bitnet -- Shelley, d'apres Horace Rumpole
O. Andrew Locke
mar...@cattell.psych.upenn.edu (Peter Marvit) wrote:
<snip>
>BTW, I tend to use teflon *frying* pans and am seriously considering
>getting one of the All-Clad ones. Cost is a bit (!) of a factor alas. I
>can buy 2-4 heavy Wearever for the price of a single All-Clad. On the
>other hand, the same guarantee about the teflon surface apparanetly
>applies so it's a long-term investment.
Buy the wearever. As you said, you could replace the pan 4 times
before you'd make up the cost of buying one All-Clad nonstick. And
it'll last a LONG time. I've got a couple of them which I use VERY
heavily. One of them has a tiny nick in the surface, but the coating
isn't flaking around it. I'm not at all worried about it. There was a
discussion a while back about bacteria forming under the teflon if you
nicked it, but I'd like to see a bacteria that could survive even 10
seconds at saute temperatures.
>One last data point. I have a 14-inch straight sided All-Clad frying pan
>(saute pan?). While the bottom seems to stick with some things, it
>deglazes very easily and I can use metal implements with impunity. I
>really like it!
I've got one of these as well, and I, too, love it. One thing to try
(if you're not doing this already) is 1) use enough oil and 2) only
put it in once the pan is hot. Its amazing what a difference this will
make.
> -Peter "hungry now" Marvit
Andrew Locke
alocke"at"seanet"dot"com
Arthur A. Simon, Jr.
Mike McIntyre wrote:
> and analon, all on
Um, Mike, you *did* mean anOlon, didn't you? Or is it that bad? ;-)
Art
--
Eschew obfuscation.
---- Anonymous