Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)My wife and I now enjoy cooking with fewer concerns and better cooked food while using attractive cookware.We were extremely disappointed in our Caphalon hard anodized pans that we purchased about 4 years ago and soured on non-stick/hard anodized from the experience.I also read on Consumer Reports that fumes from an overheated non-stick pan can kill pet birds, so for peace of mind, we decided against replacing our set with another non-stick set.We firmly set out to purchase a stainless steel set that we felt was a fair value, but would also last us a great deal longer than 4 years.
We had narrowed our choices down to the Emerilware from All-Clad, the Caphalon Tri-Ply, and the Cuisinart Multiclad.We eliminated the real, Made in USA All-Clad because of price.I don't consider pans to be family heirlooms and thus don't need them to last so long that I can hand them down to my grandchildren.A set of All-Clad's would've cost nearly 4 times as much as my budget would allow.I also eliminated the Cuisinart Chef's Classic because we didn't feel like it would last us as long as we wanted.I did recommend that set to my single sister however and she's very happy with it thus far.
Both the Cuisinart Multiclad and the Caphalon Tri-Ply are entirely wrapped in an aluminum core between two layers of stainless steel (Tri-Ply).However, the Emirilware only has aluminum disks on the bottom of the pans.We eventually eliminated the Emirilware for this reason.The Caphalon and Cuisinart have mostly similar pieces in the set.There are two main differences between them.The Caphalon has the pasta insert while the Cuisinart has the steamer insert.I personally prefer the steamer insert over the pasta insert.The other difference is in the covers.The Caphalon has glass covers while the Cuisinart is all stainless steel.My preference here is glass covers.
Our final choice was the Caphalon set because I actually got to look at them and was able to use a 20% off coupon at a local retailer.Though they also sold the Cuisinart Multiclad, I had to order it and they did not have it on display.I honestly think I would have been happy with either set.They both met my price point, quality requirements, included the pieces I wanted (the saute pan was a must!), and were high grade stainless steel.My only real concern at this point, was how to use and care for stainless steel pans in general.
After reviewing care and use instructions from All-Clad, Caphalon, Cuisinart and other internet sites, I wrote up a little document for myself as reference.Some of my notes may seem obvious to some, but they weren't to me since I was neither an avid cooker nor experienced using anything but non-stick pans.I have included the notes below to share with everyone.If anyone has anything to add or corrections, please feel free to comment.
Stainless Steel Care and Use
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USAGE:
· High heat only when boiling water or reducing liquids.
· Medium heat for sautéing, frying, or stir frying.
· Low heat for warming or simmering.
· Every oven is different so test the heat settings to determine correct cooking temperatures, starting with lower heat.
· Preheat the pan 1-2 minutes on low before cooking or to the temperature you intend to cook at. Never preheat on high to heat faster.
· Bring liquids to a boil first before adding salt to prevent salt pits and spots.
· Use oils or butter to prevent sticking, such as when frying.
· NEVER use aerosol cooking sprays. They leave a gummy residue that is difficult to remove completely, causing food to stick.
· NEVER store food in pans after cooking.
WASHING:
· Let pan cool before washing to prevent warping.
· Hand washing after soaking is preferable using a soft cloth or a clean Dobie pad and dish soap, drying immediately.
· Never use oven cleaner, baking powder, chlorine bleach, ammonia-based cleaners or other abrasive or caustic cleaning agents.
STAIN REMOVAL:
· Hard water can leave white or chalky spots/residue. Take 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water and reach a boil. Remove from heat and let cool then wash normally with a cloth or clean Dobie pad and dry.
· To remove burned on food stains, soak enough warm soapy water to cover the stain for 1 hour. Boil the soapy water for 10-15 minutes. Let water cool to the touch and scrub with clean Dobie pad. Wash again with soapy water, rinse, and dry. Repeat for stubborn residue.
· Barkeeper's Friend or Bon Ami can be used as well by first immersing the pan in warm water. Follow directions from cleanser. Rub in circular motion from the center outward. Wash in hot soapy water and dry immediately.
· Exterior can be cleaned using Barkeeper's Friend or Bon Ami and a soft cloth or clean Dobie pad then rinsing in lukewarm water.
· Clean diligently after each use and before reusing as stains or stuck on foods can be more difficult to remove upon reheating.
After a few weeks of use and care, here are some of my observations.After the first use, stainless steel will NEVER, EVER look like they are new.I don't care what anybody says.They begin to show wear almost immediately.I believe that the Dobie pad has actually caused tiny little scratches on the bottom of the interior and exterior of the pans, sort of like the tiny swirls in the paint job you see after washing a car.Cooking is much faster than non-stick pans and requires much less heat.The pans also seem to cool faster.I burned my food the first couple of times while finding the right cooking temperature.Food definitely sticks to the pans far more than non-stick, BUT, if you soak it for a little while, it is rediculously easy to clean.Barkeeper's Friend is a savior and will clean off almost anything off the pans.Rainbowing, is a part of life with stainless steel cookware.If you cannot deal with it (and I wouldn't blame you) then you may want to look at other types of cookware.I know I probably couldn't convince my parents to give up their non-stick T-Fal set.
In summary, I don't think that you can really go wrong with the Caphalon Tri-Ply or the Cuisinart Multiclad.At this point, it would come down to whether you prefer a pasta or steamer insert or glass or steel covers.With promos and coupons, I only paid about $30 more for the Caphalon over the Cuisinart set.If you're like me, you may also want to actually look at the cookware in person.As a first-time stainless steel cookware owner, I had to learn and re-learn a lot of things about using and caring for them.Thus far, it has been worth it.I feel like I'm almost a semi-expert on stainless steel by now.I find myself also thumbing through our cookbooks for the first time, wondering which pans I can use to try cooking new meals.
** UPDATE 01/04/2010 **
It's been nearly 2 years and our pans are going strong.I'm still on the same can of Barkeeper's Friend, which really helps keep the pans clean.With a reasonable amount of soaking, even eggs come off very easily.I'm still satisfied with the pans but I did have a bad experience with their support in regards to a Calphalon non-slotted turner that became defective.For that reason alone, I might urge shoppers to look more seriously at the Cuisinart set.
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Calphalon LS13 Tri-Ply Stainless-Steel 13-Piece Cookware SetProduct Description: This Calphalon 13-piece set consists of 8- and 10-inch omelet pans, 1-1/2-, 2-1/2-, and 4-1/2-quart saucepans with lids, 3-quart saute pan with lid, and a 6-quart stockpot with lid and pasta insert. With aluminum cores sandwiched by stainless-steel layers, Calphalon's Tri-Ply pots and pans deliver the attributes of both metals. The aluminum cores conduct heat quickly and uniformly across the pots and pans' bottoms and all the way up their sides. The durable, 18/10 stainless-steel interiors and exteriors are easy to clean, resist scratching, denting, warping, and corrosion, and are nonreactive to acidic food. Domed, glass lids permit cooking to be monitored without releasing heat and are oven-safe to 450 degrees F. Riveted, stainless-steel handles stay cool on the stovetop and have hanging holes. Rims are flared to facilitate dripless pouring. Tri-Ply cookware is polished to a mirror finish outside for beauty and wears a satin finish inside to conceal inevitable utensil marks. Everything goes safely into the dishwasher, although hand washing better preserves the mirror finish. Tri-Ply cookware carries a lifetime warranty against defects. --Fred Brack
What's in the Box 8- and 10-inch omelet pans, 1-1/2-, 2-1/2-, and 4-1/2-quart saucepans with lids, 3-quart saute pan with lid, 6-quart stockpot with lid and pasta insert
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