quote:

Originally posted by MikeC:
I picked up a two-pack of Calphalon pans at Bed, Bath & Beyond with a 20% coupon for like $35. These bad boys rock! I use them for everything and I cook every day. They will go into the oven, clean up very easily, and they're solid. Aside from them, the only others I use are cast and nothing holds heat better.

That set is a great buy. Got one of those sets last Christmas. I added a set of lids to mine great non-sticks that can go in the oven (not teflon). I really like the handles. And they throw really nice. It's 10" and a 12" in the set.

Won't replace my old CI's though.

I've heard tell that aluminum has been attributed to Alzheimer's disease.

I know, I know........ EVERYTHING will kill you!
http://alzheimers.org.uk/factsheet/406
http://www.webmd.com/alzheimer...-claims-risk-factors
http://www.rense.com/general37/alum.htm

Smoked foods give you cancer too...

I ain't giving that up either.

quote:

I've heard tell that aluminum has been attributed to Alzheimer's disease.

thats why its usually clad in stainless steel or anodize it to limit its reactivity with the cooking food.

quote:

Originally posted by Robert Black:
I've heard tell that aluminum has been attributed to Alzheimer's disease.

That has never been proven.

My kids gave me a Calphalon anodized aluminum skillet for Christmas. The first time on the stove the bottom started warping. It formed the typical high spot in the middle of the pan, raising the rest off the stove. I took it back, went to the restaurant supply, and bought another Wearever. If they are gonna rise up, it may as well be a cheap one.

As advised above, my pots'n pans are all rest. supply.

quote:

Originally posted by Howard Barlow:
My kids gave me a Calphalon anodized aluminum skillet for Christmas. The first time on the stove the bottom started warping. It formed the typical high spot in the middle of the pan, raising the rest off the stove. I took it back, went to the restaurant supply, and bought another Wearever. If they are gonna rise up, it may as well be a cheap one.

As advised above, my pots'n pans are all rest. supply.

That's because you had too much heat on an empty pan never more than medium fire until you get some food in it!

quote:

Originally posted by Howard Barlow:
My kids gave me a Calphalon anodized aluminum skillet for Christmas. The first time on the stove the bottom started warping. It formed the typical high spot in the middle of the pan, raising the rest off the stove. I took it back, went to the restaurant supply, and bought another Wearever. If they are gonna rise up, it may as well be a cheap one.

As advised above, my pots'n pans are all rest. supply.

I have several Calphalon anodized aluminum Non-Stick skillets and never had that problem, and I use mine in the oven as well. I love these pans and they are the best I have ever used/owned. They are so thick, not sure how you could warp one other than very high heat and an empty pan as noted above. I have plans to buy several more pans and pots from Calphalon, great cookware IMO.

I picked up one of the Debuyer blue steel pans about 6 months ago. Wow, what a unit, love it. Cooks great, very even heat and is almost non-stick once seasoned. Caution, you do need to season it, use it and let it heat up first. Like cast iron, the more you use it, the better it works. They run about $60 for 12". I recommend you take a flyer, try it and see what you think. I have a gas range, so not sure how it might work on electric or induction.

OK,

Now I'm as confused as ever - there doesn't seem to be much "consensus" here.

We have really hard water here in SE Wisconsin (our water passes through the Niagra Escarpment - a HUGE mass of limestone). In light of this, I had one pan with a black anodized exterior - where the anodizing magically "went-away" after only about a month. (Granted, this was the cheaper Calphalon line, from that trusted French supplier - Tar-Jey).

My wife's old Revere Ware seems to do a really great job of burning stuff to the bottom. (Thinnish Stainless with Copper disk on bottoms).

For non-stick, I kinda' like T-fal - it's nice, heavy-guage aluminum and holds up for quite a few years, but not too expensive to replace when they start to go.

My Grandfather was a Pattern Maker for Mirro in their heyday - Mom still has some of their pans that were hand-made as "market / production feasibility samples". One particular pan that never made it to market, and works great was thick plain aluminum on the outside, bonded to stainless on the inside - result, great heat conduction with an inside that is still pristine after 50 years of use!

This is making me think that the "lower-end" of some of the better lines (All-Clad, etc.) may be a good choice.

Just got the latest W-S catalog, and amazed at how many different products are available from All-Clad and Calphalon. Some of the A-C has about 6 layers! (If you know anything about metal-working, you can appreciate why some of this stuff is so expensive - getting dissimilar metals, which have different rates of expansion etc, and which may also present galvanic reactions, to bond together properly - is no simple manner. (Although, at some point, I question the usefulness of doing so for a fry pan.)

My conclusions:

NON-STICK - get something decent, but not too pricey, and expect to replace every few years.
Like rounded sides for "flipping" / tossing.

ANODIZED - can work well, but probably not the best for places with really hard water like we have.

BROWNING / SAUTEE - aluminum outside or core (the thicker the better), with a stainless inside. I would think that beyond 2 or 3 layers, it becomes "Marketing Hype" designed to attract mucho dinero from those who view their kitchens as showpieces, but dine-out all the time.

Anyone care to refute or reinforce these conclusions?

quote:

Originally posted by Ron G.:
OK,

Now I'm as confused as ever - there doesn't seem to be much "consensus" here.

We have really hard water here in SE Wisconsin (our water passes through the Niagra Escarpment - a HUGE mass of limestone). In light of this, I had one pan with a black anodized exterior - where the anodizing magically "went-away" after only about a month. (Granted, this was the cheaper Calphalon line, from that trusted French supplier - Tar-Jey).


My conclusions:

NON-STICK - get something decent, but not too pricey, and expect to replace every few years.
Like rounded sides for "flipping" / tossing.

ANODIZED - can work well, but probably not the best for places with really hard water like we have.

BROWNING / SAUTEE - aluminum outside or core (the thicker the better), with a stainless inside. I would think that beyond 2 or 3 layers, it becomes "Marketing Hype" designed to attract mucho dinero from those who view their kitchens as showpieces, but dine-out all the time.

Anyone care to refute or reinforce these conclusions?

They seem like reasonable conclussions as for your hard water and anodized pans as I noted further up thread Calphalon has replace my anodized stock pot twice due to hard water removing the anodizing, no questions asked. my solution to that was to get a Stainless stock pot speficaly for cooking in boiling water. I use the anodized one for soups and chili.

We have several Lodge cast iron pans as well as a dutch oven. Buy their seasoned stuff - I bought a couple of unseasoned items that were a pain to season up (I'm not even sure if they still offer unseasoned Lodgeware). The pre-seasoned ones are great, but one warning... beware of "tomato" type dishes. We had to re-season our dutch oven after making a large batch of chili. Seems the acid in the tomatoes takes a toll on the finish....

Other than that, the Lodge stuff is great!

quote:

Originally posted by Konrad Haskins:
Back in the day there were a ton of foundries turning out quality cast iron, Sears even had their own brand. It was thinner than anything cast today because back then it was cast by hand not machine. Nothing beats scoring a quality classic for a few bucks at a rummage sale. Just be warned it can get addictive.

Once you cooked with a quality cast iron skillet nothing at any prices available today compares. It will with care work for centuries as many pieces still in use today have done.

For deglazing working I use copy of allclad that is no longer available from Costco.

Sears and Montgomery Ward cast iron back then was made by Griswold. At least the skillets were.

If you are looking for quality US made cast iron the looks to be another source for polished "old style" cast iron. This company is part of the long line that ended up with the Griswold and Wagner rights. I use all vintage cast iron, but if you a are looking for new and want something US made and of higher quality this may warrant a consideration:


American Culinary Company

Haven't tried any, but it looks like it's made from Wagner molds and nicely polished/ground. You would need to understand how to properly season and maintain them like any other cast iron. They are also making Magnalite and other aluminum cookware that doesn't look too bad either.

quote:

Originally posted by Bryan S:

quote:

Originally posted by Howard Barlow:
My kids gave me a Calphalon anodized aluminum skillet for Christmas. The first time on the stove the bottom started warping. It formed the typical high spot in the middle of the pan, raising the rest off the stove. I took it back, went to the restaurant supply, and bought another Wearever. If they are gonna rise up, it may as well be a cheap one.

As advised above, my pots'n pans are all rest. supply.

I have several Calphalon anodized aluminum Non-Stick skillets and never had that problem, and I use mine in the oven as well. I love these pans and they are the best I have ever used/owned. They are so thick, not sure how you could warp one other than very high heat and an empty pan as noted above. I have plans to buy several more pans and pots from Calphalon, great cookware IMO.

I have had similar experience with Calphalon non stick and All Clad non stick cookware. I have the 10 and 12 Calphalon skillets since last Christmas and a 14" All Clad for several years. The non-stick surfaces on these pans shold not be confused with Teflon, it's a proprietary sprayed metal coating and is guaranteed along with the pan. You can use them in the oven. I typically use my cast iron for that though. All Clad limits it to 400 degrees, but I don't believe Calphalon does. I like the handles on the Calphalon better.