Best Calphalon Contemporary Stainless 8-qt. Multi Pot Deals

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List Price: $180.00
Sale Price: $84.99
Today's Bonus: 53% Off

The reviews here have some that say, "Wonderful tri-ply construction" (like Amazon's description as of Nov 2012) and a couple that dispute it. Well three days before Black Friday I emailed Calphalon customer service to get an answer whether this was the same stockpot that they sell separately as the Contemporary Stainless 8qt stockpot. Their email back on Black Friday itself said only, "They have different model numbers." That was helpful! I stared at the pictures on-line and noticed that the base of this one was obscured in the photo. So I took a chance with a great Black Friday coupon and bought this. I feel ripped off. I am staring at the box itself of the multipot next to the boxes from others in this line. The other boxes say tri-ply and this one only says "aluminum bottom" -yes, it's a cheapo stockpot with a disc bottom, like the 20 dollar stockpots. It is not like the triply stockpot sold without the inserts. I cannot return it because it would invalidate the terms of the coupon and the bonus set -I would be charged more to return it than it costs.

It is a low quality pot. Avoid it.

FOLLOWUP:

Having now bought individually the 8qt stockpot (which is also the one that comes in the sets) that comes without the inserts, I am sorry to find that the steamer and pasta inserts of the multipot do NOT fit the standard 8 qt stockpot of this line. Thought others would want to know that.

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With a budget of only $100, I was torn between getting a 12-qt. Cuisinart or this 8-qt. Calphalon. I first went with the Cuisinart but returned it because the strainer had black metal residues within the holes, and felt flimsy. I tried to wash the residues out but didn't want the chance of it coming back during cooking.

My purchase of the Calphalon Contemporary was immediately met with amazement because of its beauty. It looks and feels so much sturdier than the Cuisinart, and the 8-qt. fits my cooking needs. We only cook a 1-pound package of spaghetti each time, so this is the perfect size. The 12-qt. could have easily cooked 2 packages at a time, but how many times are we going to cook for a party of 10? Hardly. By the way, the spaghetti package directs us to use 4 qts of water per package.

Lastly, I believe that everyone who owns stainless steel ccokware needs to always have some BARKEEPER'S FRIEND cleanser and polisher in their immediate vicinity. Amazon sells it, but holds it hostage unless you pay an additional $5 for shipping. I found mine for $1.50 at Wal-Mart, right next to the Ajax and Comet products. BF is going to get all the stains out and keep your cookware looking clean as new. I have saved my mom's beyond-burnt pot with BF. (Be sure to coat the stained area with a mix of water and BF for about an hour ahead of time for better results). Oh, and of course, stay away from the metal utensils and harsh brillo pads too.

Overall, the other reviewers have pointed out that this is a bottom-only aluminum construction. Yes, and that's why you won't be paying $300-plus. But I would like to mention also, that the encapsulated aluminum bottom is on the outside. I was concerned that the "seam" would somehow leak later, but that's not the case here. The pot itself is a one-piece. So for the price, I give this a 5-star rating for it's perfect size and sturdy construction.

Best Deals for Calphalon Contemporary Stainless 8-qt. Multi Pot

This is pretty but not well made. The biggest complaint is that the rivets are corroding on the inside. You shouldn't have to worry about that in an "all stainless steel" pot, but the rivets aren't made of stainless steel, so you get galvanic corrosion (dissolving) and consequently who-knows-what kind of metal in your food.

Honest reviews on Calphalon Contemporary Stainless 8-qt. Multi Pot

I thought that being Calphalon and costing $93, I would get a quality product. Not even close! The two perforated containers that sit inside are tinny and both stained after the very first use. They are discolored and look terrible. While the pot and lid seemed to be of good quality, the pot did not hold up past the second use. It has stains inside from where the water level was even after I scrubbed it with cleanser. There are also white spots on the bottom of the pan that look like calcification, but can't be scrubbed off; they may even be corrosion in the pot itself considering how hard I've tried to get them off. Then to top it all off....after about four uses cooking artichokes, the entire inside of the pot is tinted green. Also, in case anyone is wondering, I've never let the water boil down very far and have been very careful with how I care for the pot.

The only good thing is that it is a nice looking pot from the outside.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Calphalon Contemporary Stainless 8-qt. Multi Pot

This 8-Quart pan is a very nice. I used to have a "non-stick / 99 year warantee" stock pot of the same size, but the coating came off into my cooking -ick! This stainless cleans up easily, is dishwasher safe, and fits into the dishwasher. The tri-ply technology (aluminum inside, going up the sides) really does seem to help. I've found this pan better than the non-stick coating pans for not sticking, as long as you (1) let food warm to room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes or by warming in water, and (2) pre-heat the pan according to the manufacturor's directions. Though, sticking is seldom problematic for soup. Perfect size for a batch of vegetable soup or chicken stock. Comes with two free inserts, one for pasta and the other smaller, perhaps for use as a strainer. The shape & handles are elegant, and the glass lid really helpful for glancing over to make sure your stock/soup doesn't simmer dry. Highly recommended.