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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program This Kitchen Aid cookware set (manufactured by Meyer) comes with the "gourmet" tag because of the windsor style shaping of the two saucepans and the stockpot. Windsor indicates that the sides are very tall and straight until they reach the top when there is a slight flare. This configuration facilitates faster evaporation of liquids and shortens the time for reduction of sauces. In the case of the stockpot, by placing the lid on the pot you will capture all the liquids and have them return to the broth you are making. The hard-anodized outer layer over aluminum is a very easy surface to work with. I have other pieces with this finish and find it holds up wonderfully. I do not, however, put any of my cookware in the dishwasher regardless of what a manufacturer may say.
I always like to make sure of what is meant by measurements given by a manufacturer. In this case an 8 quart stockpot held eight measured quarts of water, but there was only about 3/4 inch of room left to the top of the pot. I would never fill the pot that much because of the danger of boil-over during the cooking period. I placed a five pound whole chicken and the vegetables I like to use for stock in the pot and then added 4 quarts of water. This filled the pot to within 1.5 inches of the top. By keeping the glass lid on the entire time I ended up with a very good stock and chicken cooked to perfection. I have used the 3 quart sauté pan to prepare a one-dish entrée. I really like this pan because of the unusually tall sides (which are a full 3 inches tall and have no flare) because that seemed to reduce the spatter when I was sautéing the beef for my dish. So far I have only scrambled eggs in the 8.5 inch skillet, but both saucepans have also been used. Clean-up has been a real breeze, even for the sauté pan which was not washed for several hours.
One of the things I particularly like about this set is the design of the handles. There is a combination of stainless steel on top and a silicone material on the bottom for comfort when gripping the handles. These are oven safe to 350 or 400 degrees I've seen conflicting information about that. The handle joins the pan in a "Y" configuration which gives a really good, sturdy feel to the saucepan or skillet when it has food in it plus the handles are a little shorter than I'm used to. These handles are 8 inches long, compared to 8.75 inches for another cookware set I own. There is no accidental twisting of the pan because it is out of balance.
This set is suitable for cooking on solid plate, radiant ring, ceramic, halogen or gas stoves. My commercial gas range matches up very well with each of the pans in this set that I've used so far. The only negative comment I have is that I would have liked some kind of small pamphlet or brochure describing this set to be included with it. What I got was a business size white envelope with some sheets inside giving me the information about the set. Certainly not very inspirational! Despite that small quibble, I am looking forward to many years of cooking with this very attractive set of cookware.
*****EDIT***** March 19, 2011 Just a short addition to say how much I am enjoying using this cookware set. The non-stick coating is the best of any of the pans I own. It has a very smooth feel to it and I haven't found anything which can't be cleaned up easily. The silicone padding on the underside of the handles is absolutely wonderful. Even though it is always a good idea to use a potholder, these handles do actually stay cooler to the touch than any of my other pans. The stockpot is so tall and narrow that it takes a little longer for water in it to come to the boil, but once it is boiling the cooking process goes very quickly. I'm speaking specifically of cooking pasta in this instance. All in all simply a wonderful set that is going to be used all the time.
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I am so pleased with this cookware set! My old non-stick cookware by Mirro was looking pretty haggard after 10 years of dutiful service, and with our baby daughter starting to eat real solid foods, I knew we needed to replace the whole lot so bits of the flaking Teflon wouldn't find its way into the food.DESIGN AND EASE OF USE:
The design of the cookware is a "windsor" style with the sides being at a slight angle going up and out, instead of the usual 90 degree vertical. They are also narrower at the base and taller than most regular shaped cookware. I didn't think much the design benefits until I used the pans, I LOVE WINDSOR STYLE! It lets me have a pan on each burner with lots of room around each pan since they are not low and wide like my old set of nonstick cookware. If you only have 4 burners on your stovetop like I do, this is a huge boon in maneuverability while you cook. Last night I had pasta going in the large stockpot, sausages sizzling in the saute pan, and sauce bubbling away in the 3 qt. sauce pan without feeling jammed like I usually do if I have more than 2 pans going at once.
SIDE NOTE: The 8 qt. stockpot is as tall as my old 10 qt. pot, this means spaghetti noodles still fit inside perfectly but you have 2 quarts less water to boil, so you can get them in the pot much faster -SO NICE!
SET USABILITY:
This set has exactly what I need and nothing I don't. Some cookware sets are inflated with pieces you rarely ever use and just clutter up your cupboards. The largest skillet in this set is a 10" skillet, not a 12" like I had before, but cooking for 2 adults and a baby I find 10" to be plenty of room since the skillet sides go almost vertical, you have a lot of cooking surface -some 12" skillets have sides so banked you only get 10" of cooking surface anyway. If you do a lot of entertaining and need a larger cook surface, you may want to add a covered everyday pan to your arsenal; I already have a 12" everyday pan I break out when doing a double batch of sautéed chicken or cooking for a large crowd (I have been using the Cuisinart Chef's Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 12-Inch Everyday Pan with Medium Dome Cover since 2006 and it still looks new).
The silicon under the handles is a very nice feature that protects your hands, especially if you are like me and try to lift pot lids to add a bit of something without hunting down a potholder first. I have pretty heat-tolerant hands, but now I don't have to test that theory.
The interior rivets from the handles are not non-stick and there may be a bit of food stickage there, I fixed that with a short hit of olive oil spray before I add the food, no sticking after that.
The pans themselves are very light in weight, making it much easier to flip and omelet sans turner, or dump 8 qts of pasta water into the sink without straining your wrists. This is a nice feature to know about if you have limited arm/wrist/hand mobility and am looking for lightweight cookware. The lids are heavier because they are thick glass and stainless steel, but you can remove them before transporting the full pot.
CARE:
I hand wash these and have not attempted to put them in the dishwasher, mainly because I don't need to at all and need the space in the DW for other stuff. They are so non-stick that I just turn the tap to super hot and rinse the gunk out -even if I left the dirty pan out overnight, running hot water gets most of it off. I just add a bit of Dawn to a nylon brush scrubber and sweep the inside to finish off the grime. They are super easy to clean and then I can fit more dishes in the dishwasher instead of taking up space with big pots and pans. I also anticipate that this method of cleaning will greatly prolong their life.
APPEARANCE:
These pots and pans are very sharp looking. The pots are dark and smooth, they look like a quality-made set. The tempered glass lids have SS polished rims and riveted handles that shine nicely and match the handles. There are holes at the end of each handle, so if you hang your pots from a rack, these will be an easy addition.
SIDE NOTE: I sometimes use the hole at the end of the handle to hold the shaft of a silicon spoonula, it keeps it off the counter or stovetop while I cook if these is already another utensil in the spoon rest.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
In addition to all the wonderful ways this cookware makes cooking so much easier, the lifetime guarantee and excellent craftsmanship of this set is impressive. I feel like this will be a great set for many many years to come; I will probably be teaching my baby girl how to cook someday with these pans, we will see if she gets them when she goes off to college :)
2 YEAR UPDATE:
After another baby and even less time to keep house I found myself putting these pots and pans in the dishwasher, cringe I know. The manual clearly states it will discolor the exterior and void the warranty. That said, and although the exterior does get lightened, the interior looks brand new after daily use and I still love these pans. I give their exterior a quick swipe with a bit of oil (coconut oil) and they are dark and even-toned again. I have been doing this for 20 months and it works great; do not do that with veg oil or it will leave a disgusting sticky film, coconut oil does not leave a film. If you care about the warrantee do not do this, but I thought you'd like to know what would happen.
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program This cook set has the look of professional cookware, but it is clearly made for the home market and somewhat casual use at that.Pros:
1. Looks nice. Has that classic dark anodized coating and heavy duty feel.
2. Cooks evenly due to sufficiently heavy bottoms.
3. Comfortable handles.
4. Stock pot has good capacity.
5. Frying pan non-stick coating is really non-stick. I cooked various cheese and other dishes without issue.
Cons:
1. No volume markers on the inside of any of the set. My Pyrex brand non-coated set has both cup and metric markers on the inside. These lack any markers at all.
2. The frying pan is not wide enough for me, and the sides are steep enough that you can't "cheat" on the width by using the sides a bit.
3. The teflon coating on the inside is only rated for "medium" heat. Other teflon pans I've had would allow medium high. I think this is a disadvantage.
Summary:
This is not a bad set at all. If you don't care about the lack of measurement markings and if you don't need high heat to fry with, you'll think it's super.
Honest reviews on KitchenAid Gourmet Hard Anodized Nonstick 10-Piece Cookware Set
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program The quality of manufacture of this cookware is generally very good. The metal is thick and heavy enough to hold heat well and the non-stick coating is truly non-stick, smoothly applied, and seems quite durable. The set doesn't include any odd pieces that will end up orphaned in the back of the kitchen cabinet or any tiny pieces that aren't very versatile.I had been using the orginal anodized aluminum Calphalon which is similar to this set except without the non-stick coating, glass lids, or silicone grips. I really like the clear glass lids that seal so tightly, the non-stick coating which really makes a difference not just while cooking but also when washing up, the large handles on the lids, and the silicone pads on the handles which make them so comfortable to grasp.
The only concerns I have are that some of the handles have some slightly rough edges on the underside (not to the point of being dangerous) and the handles could also be slightly longer on the smaller pieces.
If you are not used to non-stick cookware, you should carefully read the included precautions to take to avoid damaging the coating.
In addition to the KitchenAid mark, Meyer Corporation brands cookware under names such as Analon, BonJour, Circulon, Paula Deen, Rachel Ray, Farberware, and Silverstone.
I think this set is an excellent value. Highly recommended.
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program My wife and I are trying to become better cooks. If you're like us you probably have a metric ton of hand-me-down pots and pans that are warped, distorted, and in need of replacement. This set from KitchenAid provides "one stop shopping" for all of your aspiring culinary needs. We get overwhelmed walking through our local kitchen store and have a ton of complicated time saving kitchen gadgets that we've never used. So we went back to basics and started our culinary mission by focusing on the food. The hardware can come later.This set provides everything you need in a single box. The components are well constructed and have held up well despite some near disastrous kitchen experiments. The lids are durable and seal tightly, and each of the components in the package spread heat evenly while cooking on our gas stove.
I'm sure there are more foodie-certified higherend sets for the food network stars. But if you're just looking to make a quick and healthy meal, you can't go wrong with ordering this set. Just be sure to pay it forward and pass those hand-me-downs to a younger family member.
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