All-Clad 10-Piece Stainless Gourmet Cookware Set Review

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I own practically everything this company has ever made, even some pieces that haven't been made in years. I have cookware, utensils, canisters, you name it. I generally don't buy designer items, but I try to buy quality. This line has been one of the best investments in my home I've ever made.

Just a couple of months ago, after having a conversation asking if they'd examine some of my cookware (the bottoms on those pieces were not flat enough to use on my glass top range without spinning around), I mailed off 4 of my larger pieces.

Thanks to All Clad, I have brand new, non-spinning cookware items3 qt and 6 qt saute pans, an 8 qt stockpot, and a 12" frypan.

I found them to be very kind, and when it was all said and done, they replaced every piece from the over 17-year old set that I sent them without question or hesitation. They even included brand new lids for the 3 items I sent that use them without requesting the lids from my old cookware.

By that same token, I will continue to support All Clad, and just like they did for me, it will be without question or hesitation.

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I am no one special. I'm just your average guy who really likes to cook and eat. I've gotten very good at it after a lot of practice. And if I can, anyone can. Good cookware can be a huge component of this, and I am about to urge you to spend more money on a set like All-Clad, which I believe is as good as cooking gets. No one likes having his or her food come out burnt on the outside and undercooked on the inside, or one side being more cooked than the other due to burner `hot spotting'. Good quality cookware with a more even heating transfer is one of the easiest ways to avoid this. But "good quality cookware"...what is that? You can spend under $10 or over $5,000 PER-PIECE...there is a ton of variety and so many different materials it gets confusing fast. So here is what I have learned from my humble experience...

When friends see I have a very large collection of All-Clad Cookware, they often ask be who these things are made for? Professional chefs? Rich yuppies? Good ole boys who appreciate a good meal? I would say essentially anyone and everyone. Yes, they are stupid expensive...but think of it this way. If you enjoy cooking and you cook better, chances are you are going to cook for yourself more than eating out. It also presents an opportunity to eat healthier food as well. $1,000 on a set of standard All-Clads, a few niche pots for your favorite food types with a steamer, and a nice cutlery set (Shun or Mosimoto, for example) is something that will last decades where as spending $10 a day on lunch doesn't last long at all, but it sure adds up fast. The durability of these over the models costing ¼ to ½ the price is also pretty substantial. The lifetime guarantee is a plus, because this is the set you will have for life. And if you move to a place with a different stove, you can take comfort in knowing that All-Clad cookware excels with gas, electric, induction, side-heat, and open pit cooking. Buy it once, and enjoy it for life.

All-Clad makes a variety of different cookware lines. The standard lines, the Stainless and MC (Master Chef) are the least expensive. The Stainless is what All-Clad is most known for, as it is a timeless and iconic look that has been imitated by many. The Stainless and MC2 are traditional clad, which is a 3-ply construction of aluminum between American-made 18-10 stainless, which is a very beefy steel. You will notice that the most obvious different of the Stainless and MC is that the Stainless has a high-polish outer finish on the cookware and lids, where as the MC is brushed. Having used both, I can say both are very durable and easy to upkeep. They also have higher end models using 5+ ply clad and more cosmetic embellishments. For most users, the Stainless and MC will offer the best blend of value, performance, and durability. Mine are all from the Stainless series.

Is a clad cookware set right for you? It's very possible given how versatile they are. It is important to understand clad and its purpose. Clad is literally a compromise of multiple traditional pan types because some guy was unhappy with the limitations existing pans and decided to combine multiple elements into a single cookware build. Iron is inexpensive, heats evenly, and is durable...but it is heavy as hell, easily rusts, takes a lot of care (season it), and takes forever to heat up. Aluminum is an amazing heat conductor but weak...aluminum pans dent easily and do not hold up. Stainless is durable but a crappy heat conductor and heats unevenly. Exotic cookware such as enameled iron, carbon steel, carbon fiber, ceramic, and organic materials all have some positives, but weaknesses at the points of either costs, durability, heat conductivity, upkeep, or a combination of the above...and these issues are enough to exclude these from fitting the needs of most people. Additionally, most cookware types are best suited for only one or two of the following cooking types: gas, electric, induction, or open flame.

Enter clad, the great compromise. Stainless on the outside, aluminum on the inside (and with All-Clad's higher end models, add copper and multiple cores). The aluminum betters the heat transfer, and the thick stainless encases the aluminum. Ideally, the stainless is high chromium with nickel to add to the `stainless' abilities of steel. Also, ideally, the stainless is hardened to point to give good impact resistance from things like dents, but is hard enough to resist scratching and warping. When done right, you are left with a pot that heats faster than iron, has the even heat transfer of aluminum, and has the durability of stainless. Not surprisingly, clad has established itself as a staple in a chef's cookware arsenal.

What are the biggest downsides? Weight and price, mainly. While not as heavy as iron, the best clad cookware is going to still be pretty heavy...and you will pay well over twice that of iron, if comparing the best iron to the best clad. The cost of making the sandwiched ply layers is a lot more than casting a 1-piece. Also, many people note that the rivets on the handle of All-Clad makes cleaning in the area somewhat difficult...and I agree. However, I do not think this is a downside because these oversized rivets are what gives structural durability. The rivets are massive and as soon as you pick up a pot and run your finger over them, you will see they are heavy duty. The little extra cleaning effort is worth this level of durability as those rivets will give decades of great usage.

There are at least five top-end makers of clad cookware. All-Clad is most certainly one, and probably the best known. You pay a premium for the name, but they are fantastic. Their hardening is perfect, the stainless is durable American 18-10 and it is very corrosion resistant. The thick plates allow the cleaning with a use of an abrasive such as Bar Keeper's Friend. The stainless also responds very well to polishing. As others have noted, after use they will not look 100% new unless you use a high quality wading cloth, but there really is no reason for this. A 30 second clean with Bar Keeper's Friend will make them looking consistently good with minimal effort. If they show a few scratches, who cares?...it's a device used to make food, not an art museum display.

A lot of people consider anti-stick pans with coatings. I don't like these, and if you spend a lot on cookware, I would advise NOT buying anything that is labeled as non-stick and a coating is what is used to give non-stick properties. Why? Primarily, coatings wear off and leave a pan of little value. You cannot use stainless utensils, you cannot clean them with steel wool or wading cloth, and you cannot clean them with abrasives. If you are thinking about clad, get the stainless surfaces as it will be easier to maintain, last longer, and can withstand incredible abuse. Also, cooking practice makes it easier to reduce sticking with stainless cookware...for example, something like olive oil and slightly lower heat does wonders.

So now you must be thinking, "why the hell did I read this bloody long review?"...if so, I apologize for the length. I hope my experience can help you in your decision. If you do go All-Clad, I promise you that you will not regret it. They are a great investment.

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Since i bought this All Clad set i feel that i am cooking with tools rather than pots and pans. They are wonderful. I have learned to cook on medium rather than high heats (recommended), this has improved the quality of the food i cook.

Certainly an investment, but worth it for sure. No more teflon bits in your food...

Also, because they are expensive and it is not recommended they sit in water for too long, it makes me clean my kitchen more quickly! Bonus.

UPDATE 09.01.12 -

I've had these pots and pans for several years now and i love them more today than i did when i first bought them. Taking care of them over the years (giving them an occasional scrub down with a choreboy) has kept them looking just like new! Absolutely the best cookware around. If you never want to buy pots and pans again, buy All-Clad. These things are built to last!

Honest reviews on All-Clad 10-Piece Stainless Gourmet Cookware Set

Just bought the 10 piece All Clad set for my husband who wanted All Clad stainless fry and saute pans. I had resisted buying All Clad because I have been very pleased with the various pieces of Le Creuset stainless sauce pans and Staub saute and fry pans that we have purchased over the last couple years. When shopping, I found the All Clad handles to be ridiculously uncomfortable. It is a turn off to me that All Clad advertises its brand to be made in the US when, in fact, quite a few pieces are made in China. My husband is very thorough at researching before purchasing anything so after pricing the several pieces of All Clad that we wanted, we decided that the 10 piece set was actually a better deal. After using Le Creuset stainless for more than a year and using All Clad stainless for less than two weeks, it is very clear that we'll be using a lot of Bar Keeper's Friend to try to keep the All Clad looking as good as the Le Creuset. After ONE use, the All Clad pans show streaks on the inside and show wear on the outside bottom. More importantly to me, as much as the handles are uncomfortable when empty, with the added weight of food in them, they are actually painful to handle. MOST IMPORTANTLY, at least, what I think would be most important to any consumer, All Clad cooks as well as, but NOT better than other high end cookware but at a much higher premium price. (Triple the price we paid for Le Creuset stainless.) So, before you plunk down a whole lot of money, take a few minutes to shop around a bit. You may very well decide on All Clad stainless but before you do, check out your other options.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for All-Clad 10-Piece Stainless Gourmet Cookware Set

I like to cook and had All-Clad cookware in the past, so I was familiar with the quality. Very solidly built, and will last a lifetime if you take care of them. They are not non-stick, but still clean up nicely, especially since they work well with low heat.