Reviews of Culinary Institute of America Masters Collection 8-Quart Stock Pot

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List Price: $370.00
Sale Price: $289.95
Today's Bonus: 22% Off

Very nice. Even heat transfer. Nice workmanship but falls a bit short on craftsmanship with rim finishing and lid fitting. Still it is a good value. This is a Viking knockoff, Viking being a 10 this being a 9. I'm a professional chef and the CIA has a solid reputation for culinary knowledge. Viking has a great reputation for making the worlds best cookware. Save your money until you get enough for the original Viking version which will be painfully expensive.

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Best Pillivuyt Quartet 1 quart Square Bowl; White Deals

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French porcelain really is the best, and Pillivuyt tends to be a little more stylish, less of simply a sturdy workhorse than Apilco, which I love, too. I've found that over time, this Pillivuyt bowl has performed very well. It goes in the dishwasher with no yellowing/discoloring, hasn't crazed at all (those little cracks in the finish), and has a little weight to it in the hand. It isn't as thin as non-French porcelain. Intensely colored items like beets and broccoli look great in it (it's a bright, glossy white without being too bright), though I've put everything from soup to salad to chips in the bowl and everything seems to look terrific. The squareness might seem odd, but it really works. This bowl looks and performs very well, and I'm sure it will for years. Usually buying these items through Amazon all but guarantees that you're getting a good deal on it. I only wish Amazon carried more Pillivuyt. It isn't quite as large as I expected, maybe about 8" square at the top and 4" or 5" at the bottom, roughly (I can't seem to find my measuring tape). Great product.

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Buy Concept Housewares Stir Fry Pans with Silicone Handles

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The wok works very well EXCEPT the handle has a defect. It spins and is not anchored to the base. I bought one for someone else and they had the same problem. It's a manufacturer's defect. Too bad, cause the wok is very good. The handle isn't a problem until you wash pan in sink. They when you try to hold the handle firm so you can wipe wok with sponge, it turns and turns.

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The price is very reasonable, I wasn't expecting the quality to be this good. The silicone covered handles are a nice feature.

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perfect blend of materials and engineering. It is just the right thickness on the pan itself, heats quickly, and if the included directions are followed EXACTLY, it is non-stick when seasoned. I've used it for about a month now (30-35 times) and it is exactly what it is supposed to be. I like the handle, and have no experience of it being loose at all. Great value for what you get--highly recommended

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Bought about a year ago, used about 50 times.

the non-stick well, does not last forever. I use about once/week, maybe more than others will, and when I go to replace will go with the stainless unit instead.

however, the weight of this wok is excellent, nice and heavy, the candles are comfortable and secure. holds up great after cooking and washing.

good quality all around, nice size as well.

I use on electric cook-top, with the element exposed. heats evenly and about 2 inches up the sides, perfect for wok cooking.

only after about 35 40 washes, the non-stick is, well, sticking now. So I use a bit more coconut oil, will likely last me several more years.

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I love my wok. This cooks evenly and I have never had a problem with it. Clean up is quick, fill with hot water, let it sit for a few minutes, wipe out, heat it on stove, and re-oil. I won't do without one in the house.

Best Update International RTC-8 Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Roll Top Deals

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List Price: $254.63
Sale Price: $131.74
Today's Bonus: 48% Off

Really Great!!! I don't care the box, but really an excellent product!! I really recommend this company and want one more of this.

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Bought as gift for my son who likes to cook and entertain guests. He loves it and when I received it and repackaged it prior to giving it to him I could tell it was heavy duty, stylish and of high quality.

Review of Le Creuset Stainless Steel Large Replacement Knob

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I use them to replace all my phenolic knobs on my LeCreuset cookware, so they can all be oven proof to 450 degrees and higher

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bought to replace plastic knob on a new pot. Perfect fit , looks great, no worry about high heat. Came fast and well packed

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I bought these Le Creuset replacement knobs for each of my two large and medium sized Chasseur cast iron casserole dishes/dutch ovens after the plastic ones failed and cracked in a hot oven. I couldn't find genuine Chasseur ones to replace them, so gave these a go and they work brilliantly. Perfect fit through the existing hole in the cast iron lid and fastened with a steel screw, and means that the dutch ovens are now able to be used in very hot ovens without worrying about the handles. The heat transfers through the knob more than the plastic ones obviously, so you need to use a mitt or tea towel to take the lid off, but they serve their purpose very well.

The knobs should now last as long as my cast iron dutch ovens will.

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I've replaced all my Le Creuset knobs with these. Why they didn't use these to begin with is a mystery to me. Added plus: they look a lot better than the originals. Only caution: make sure you get the right size. There are 3 that I'm aware of and at the time when I ordered mine I hadn't found the largest one yet. Consequently, had to order more Le Creuset pots and bakeware to match the medium knobs!

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Really like the stainless knob. Replaced black knob that came on my Le Creuset roasting pan. It is very useful.

Reviews of Swiss Diamond Nonstick Double-Burner Griddle

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List Price: $290.00
Sale Price: $179.95
Today's Bonus: 38% Off

I have looked for a double burner griddle for a long time. I researched many of the other brands, Le Creuset, All Clad, Caphalon to name a few. I needed one to work on my glass top electric bridge element. I took a chance on this one, although very expensive, I doubt I will be throwing it out any time soon. I cooked for a crowd at Christmas and made, bacon, eggs, pancakes, sausage, grill cheese, paninis and more. Loved it. Only used a medium to med high temp. Cooked great, cleaned up great. Did not warp and stayed very flat. I even used it as a cookie sheet and baked scones, sausage balls, cookies...I dont always go for the most expensive stuff, but this is worth the money. Perhaps if you have a gas stove you could use another brand, but for those with smooth glass top electric with a bridge element, this is the one.

Oh btw, I did not see any black stuff when I washed. Wash by hand with soapy warm water. No complaints about clean up. And didnt really need too much effort to clean. Just a wet towel would have sufficed but I like to use dish soap.

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This is a non-stick PFOC free griddle you don't need to season it in fact, you really can't. My pancakes were golden. My bacon crisp. My eggs came off without any scraping. Wiped the surface clean. Super.

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I wrote the Swiss Diamond company and asked for an explanation of what the nano-composite material was made of.

After a week or so, I received a polite reply from Allan Wolk, an employee in the U.S. His email informed me that, "Our patented nonstick surface uses a nano-composite of real diamond crystals and PTFE; it is applied using a computer controlled plasma gun at very high temperatures."

Naturally, my attention was immediately drawn to the PTFE. The acronym sounded familiar. What was PTFE?

A quick search of Wikipedia provided the answer: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PTFE)

As Wikipedia explains:

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a fluoropolymer discovered by Roy J. Plunkett (1910-1994) of DuPont in 1938. It was introduced as a commercial product in 1946 and is generally known to the public by DuPont's brand name Teflon®.

Huh? Teflon? Wait a minute. Didn't the Swiss Diamond website just claim that the product contained no Teflon?

If you look back at the Swiss Diamond website screen capture, the careful wording of their answer now becomes clear. It states, "The Swiss Diamond coating does not contain any Teflon taking into consideration that "Teflon" is a trade mark, made and owned by DUPONT."

So the pans don't contain Teflon, they just contain the chemical called Teflon. It's like saying a nuclear warhead doesn't contain any plutonium, it only contains nuclear fissionable material.

For the manufacturer to insist the Swiss Diamond pans contain no Teflon whatsoever when it is made primarily from polytetrafluoroethylene, the chemical widely known as Teflon, is extremely deceptive. In fact, the intent of the Swiss Diamond company seems to be to deceive consumers by omission of the facts. The FAQ document on the Swiss Diamond website, for example, does not bother to say something like, "But our pans do contain PTFE, the chemical known as Teflon." It simply insists they contain no Teflon and moves on to the next question.

It seems that Swiss Diamond goes out of its way to give the impression that this product is free of Teflon chemicals and is surfaced primarily with diamonds. That's the impression I got, anyway, and I read the promotional materials several times before purchasing the pan.

Consumers have been hoodwinked yet again, in the name of BIG MONEY and corporate interests, PUT AHEAD of human beings, health, and safety.

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Although this griddle costs a pretty penny, it's really worth the expense. Clean up is a breeze, I've been washing mine by hand and it cleans up quick and easy. Very heavy pan so be careful when moving it. When I win the lottery I plan on buying one for everyone I know :).

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I love this griddle. Wash's up great. The instructions say NOT to season it. I've cook pancakes and bacon so far and no stick at all what so ever. Hope to buy more pieces of this cookwear.

Nordic Ware Multi Pot-Color May Vary Review

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I just bought one of these less than a week ago, and it is already the most used (and most often fought-over) piece of cookware in my kitchen!

AWESOME little microwave pot with reversible lid can use the lid upright to cover whatever you're cooking it is vented so steam can escape while cooking, but still protects your microwave from splatters (and using a lid helps speed cooking time), AND when your item is done cooking, you can use the vented lid either way (reversible) to drain extra liquid. PERFECT for Raamen noodles, pasta, rice, etc.

The non-stick surface is very easy to clean even when you make microwave eggs (often hard to clean up!) And the handle doesn't seem to get overly hot, so the cooker is easy to handle even right out of the microwave.

After my teen-age son used this the first time, to make TWO packs of Raamen noodles at once, it has been in nearly-constant use ever since, and he said "We need another one of these!" (and he's right I'm glad it's inexpensive so I can grab another one!) He often makes up to 6 eggs at a time, and this is the only container I've found that is absolutely IDEAL for that. (I bought the NordicWare microwave egg/omelet cooker this one: Nordic Ware Microwave Omelet Pan -which is nice for 2 or maybe 3 eggs, but it is not big enough for his 5-6 eggs... he's into weight-lifting/body-building and can eat a LOT!)

Holds up to 5.5 cups, but I don't usually put much more than about 4 cups in there, to prevent boiling over.

Seriously one of the best investments in cookware I've ever made! (and the price is great for such a versatile little pot!) And yes, I will be buying another one very soon. :)

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I use this pot to microwave canned veggies (corn, green beans, etc), to cook Malto-Meal and oatmeal and to steam stuff like Brocolli, Cauliflower (cut up, of course) carrots, etc. It's also great for heating soups and sauces.

What surprised me is just how convenient the slotted lid is. I no longer have to put wax paper over my pot to steam stuff in the microwave or to keep stuff from exploding and showering the inside of my microwave with food. The lid also doubles as a strainer and can be used upside down, or upside right... whatever suits the pot's contents best.

The pot cleans up easily and we haven't had anything stain it yet. I recommend it to friends and I bought a second one to keep in our travel trailer.

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I've owned this microwave multi-pot for about a year now. I picked it up at the local big-box store because I can't cook rice on the stove to save my life. This pot cooks rice PERFECTLY. It can't do brown rice, just white rice.

My only issue is the lid pops off in the microwave and the water (or chicken broth) bubbles over. I assume its the pressure inside that pops the lid off, even though its vented. I've made sure its on firmly, but it's always hanging off the edge by the time the rice is done.

I've only used it for rice, and oatmeal. The oatmeal wasn't as pretty, thankfully I can cook that on to stove just fine though.

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I bought this to microwave food in, since my everyday dishes get so hot when I put them in the microwave. I love it! I've heated up soup, spaghetti, frozen vegetables, casseroles and more. It does NOT turn orange from the spaghetti sauce and the handle stays cool to the touch. I want more Nordic Ware dishes.

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Mine came in red. A nice color. Works very well in my microwave for anything I would normally have to use a small pan on my stove for. Cleans easily. Not extremely hot to touch but just to be safe you should use gloves or potholder when you first move it.

12" COMMERCIAL ALUMINUM FRY FRYING PAN - NSF GRADE Review

Customer Ratings:

We had originally ordered a smaller version of this item and were very pleased. But, it was not large enough for creating dishes for company. This size is just fine and heats up well on the larger, standard burner on a home range. I am not sure I would want to try a larger one unless I had special burners.

Clean up has been easier than I thought, too.

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I brought this but gave away to my relative because she lost everything in a house fire. I like it.

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It does what it is supposed to do just like most other such pans. No reason not to like it.

Honest reviews on 12" COMMERCIAL ALUMINUM FRY FRYING PAN - NSF GRADE

First aluminum frying pan I've bought online, if I'd seen this in a store I would not have bought this one.

The pan I received had a rougher interior than I am used to--the "spin" marks from machining the aluminum were very pronounced. I haven't seen them this rough on aluminum pans that are in stores. Now I know to buy a pan only with "mirror finish" interior that has been polished smooth; they don't cost that much more.

The bottom of the pan was not flat--placing it on a flat glass/ceramic cooktop, it would "rock" which isn't very useful for getting the pan to heat evenly. I gave it away to someone with gas burners where a flat bottom isn't as critical. Other aluminum frying pans I've bought from stores were flat-bottomed.

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I like aluminum pans because they spread the heat more evenly. I bought this one for making large tortillas, and it works fine for that. It is NOT nonstick, so if you are needing something to fry eggs or the like, this in not the pan. However, if you need a pan for lite sauteing or making sauces, this works quite nicely.

Buy Pillivuyt Eden Round Gratin Dish Large, 9 Inches, 2 Quart Capacity

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List Price: $56.00
Sale Price: $54.22
Today's Bonus: 3% Off

My dearest husband started collecting a range of dishes while living in Denmark. When we got married we expanded on his collection, adding the larger pieces. This bowl is so practical. For roasting veg I can pull this out of the oven and put it right down on the dinner table. I have also cooked smaller meat joints, fish and even shepherds pie in it! The best part about this dish is that it can hold up to six servings of veg in it. We have other oven to table dishes but this one is much lighter and the handles make it easier to hold. For some reason it's also easier to clean. I guess it is something to do with the glaze.

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I wanted a gratin dish that was right-sized for two to four people. There were great items in places like Williams Sonoma (honestly one of my favorite stores) that had designs on them that would not have worked with my china, and were seriously overpriced. The reviews I read on this product and on all Pillivuyt stoneware were good, so I tried it.

Wonderful. Works perfectly, looks great on the table, easy to clean. I plan to buy more pieces (now there is the perfect measure of "liking"). Very well priced not the cheapest, but not ridiculous either.

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Besides being a beautiful work of art, this baking dish does a great job...the edge of my cakes are soft and not crusty....no more baking strips around metal pans! The size works perfectly for round cake layers.

Not to mention, cleaning porcelain is so quick and easy.

Breville BPR600XL Fast-Slow Cooker Review

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List Price: $249.99
Sale Price: $179.95
Today's Bonus: 28% Off

I am not sure what happened with the other reviewer butI love this appliance. I have used it multiple times since it's arrival-even though I am new to pressure cooking. I cook all of our meals due to living in a very remote area. And, as I was getting tired of the crockpot (using it 3 to 4 times a week), I decided to give this a whirl after a friend bought a similar product off of a shopping network and raved about it. I feel the one star review is not justified. This machine pressure cooks well and safelyI have used the pressure cooking to make pasta, roasted chicken and a beef roast as well as a steamer for steamed veggies. I plan on trying the rice pressure cooking soon. I have used it as a slow cooker for 2 dishes, with the same success I have with my regular crockpot. I look at the 6 hours a a 'high' setting and 8 as more of a low,even though there is no heat adjustment.

PROS:

Excellent results with pressure cooking

Love that I can sear or brown ground beef in this and then not dirty yet another pan and have the mess on the stove

Also love that you can remove the meat and reduce the sauce right in the unit

It is very VERY easy to clean

It has a steamer basket and rack insert (to keep meat from being submerged in liquid if you want to dry roast a cut of meat

Flexibility of cooking quickly (my pasta dish was done in FIVE minutes) or using a slow cooker method

Timer on pressure cooker does not start until proper pressure is reachedeliminating the worry of timing

If food is not donesimply close the lid and pressure cook a bit more

CONS:

I cook apple butter and spaghetti sauce in my crock and most likely won't be able to do this in this pressure cooker.

Maybe the price, but this seems to be the 'going rate' for these products.

I HIGHLY recommend this appliance to busy household without hesitation!

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I have used Pressure Cookers over the years, but never tried an electric model such as this. I have discovered that with this cooker you can cook ANY slow cooker recipe in a fraction of the time (besides conventional Pressure Cooker recipes). Although it only draws 2kW, in the Saute mode there is so much heat delivered to the cooking insert you have to be attentive to avoid burninglike a frying pan on high heat! The safety of this unit is unmatched, and the controls and other features extremely well thought out. I'll probably buy a couple more of these to offer is presents to my grown kids.

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We live at 8,500 ft above sea level. Beans normally take 1.5 days or more in a crock or longer on the stove and they cook uneven here, making the beans a bit toothy/hard in spots. This Breville is amazing in that it takes 15 minutes to cook thicker beans like kidneys. If you are a beginner to pressure cookers, I'm offering a tip. Remember that the 15 minutes they specify is for "pressure cooking". That means, the pressure has to reach the amount required to start cooking. Total time (minus soaking, which I do overnight) is 45 minutes to 1 hour. At first try, I thought something was wrong with our Breville's timer/count down because I set it to our kitchen timer and count down took a while to start. For higher altitude, the times allotted in the book are right on the money. No additional cooking time is necessary. I highly recommend this product but be aware that the timer doesn't start until the correct amount of pressure is reached.

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I'm expecting my first kid in just a few short weeks. So are some other ladies I know. I've been getting tired of seeing "my perfect pregnancy" status updates for some lucky ones who have a mom nearby who will bring them food for weeks after birth, or who will fill their freezer with months of pre-cooked meals. I guess it's good planning, but it also sounded like something else B-O-R-I-N-G. I love to cook and I know time will be limited for oh, say, the next 18 years. So I bought this instead of resigning myself to re-heated lasagna forever. It's the best of both worlds I'm still allowed some choice when it comes to meal planning, and yet I still won't have to... well, "babysit" dinner prep.

The Breville fast/slow cooker is awesome. I have used all of the settings and features except for the high setting for the pressure cooker. I think the medium is more than adequate for now. I made ropa vieja this weekend and the sear function worked perfectly! Two minutes on each side and the juice and flavors were sealed right in. I used the slow cooker function that day to make that dish. Delicious! I've used the pressure cooker to make corned beef and tonight I made a pork roast that turned out moist, juicy and very very tasty. Prep time? 10 minutes. Dinner was on the table in just over an hour, of which only 15 minutes (including the prep time) were spent working in the kitchen.

I really had no idea how to use a pressure cooker, but the learning curve on this is pretty much nonexistent, if you have a little bit of spidey-sense in the kitchen. I used one recipe and the rest I've been eyeballing and so far so good. Now I've been wondering where this has been all my life.

Yes, some have said there are fewer available settings for the slow cooker. I've actually replaced my much more advanced slow cooker with this one already. So far I haven't noticed any loss of function. I can handle turning off the cooker at 7 hours if I just can't stand to choose between 6 and 8. Its just that so far everything I've put into it on slow cooker function has come out delicious. So, in my mind, there has been absolutely no loss of function.

I did take off one star because it can be a bit tough to clean off if you slop anything over the edge of the cooking bowl. Also, the non-stick bowl seems appealing but I'm worried I may have to replace it relatively soon because of how thin it feels. However, if it remains an essential part of my meal making in a few months, I'm sure I'll be back to update this review and put the 5th star on there.

This is the third Breville product we've purchased in as many years. We own a juicer, the food processor (another amazing appliance), and now this lovely gadget.

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This cooker has opened up new meal options for our household. The ability to determine at 5 pm that we would like to serve tacos made with fresh refried beans rather than planning that the night before is liberating! No more overnight bean-soaking! Lentils and quinoa in a couple of minutes? No problem. We are trying to avoid eating anything that comes from a can, and this machine has enabled us to completely give up canned beans. We have become addicted to a healthy, 30-min black bean soup that I make by tossing a chopped onion and a few cloves of garlic, along with a generous sprinkle of cumin, into the cooker with the beans for 25 min, then puree with a bit of Sriracha and salt/pepper to taste when it's done. Sprinkle with chopped green onion and a crumble of goat cheese, and it's gorgeous and delicious.

The machine is beautiful and looks great on the counter with our other stainless appliances, which is good because we have been using it nearly daily. I'm a little bit accident-prone, and the safety features of this machine give me a very high comfort level. I have had a bit of a learning curve because I've never used a pressure cooker before, and this one cooks much faster than the standard stove-top models, so online time estimates for various foods that refer to standard pots don't apply. The process of learning how to cook in this pot has been minimal, though, and I've only screwed up one food: artichokes, which I've found cook in 3 minutes in this pot. I cooked them for 8 minutes and they turned to mush :) If you cook beans for too long, they are unaffected. For those who end up buying this cooker, I've found that lentils take 8 min, black or pinto beans 22 or so, but I usually do 25 to be safe. I typically let the machine cool and depressurize on its own, but you can release the steam through a valve if you're in a hurry.

I'm so glad we made the investment in this cooker, which I expect to use for many years of healthful cooking I love it!

Farberware Classic Stainless Steel 15-Piece Cookware Set Reviews

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List Price: $421.00
Sale Price: $89.99
Today's Bonus: 79% Off

I am reviewing this cookware set having owned & used it for ~6 months. At first glance, this set seems to be very well reviewed; however if you read the reviews closely, it will become apparent that many of them are for older versions of Farberware sets (e.g. "I've owned mine for 27 years...", etc. (!)) Such reviews are very helpful in giving us a concept of the quality of Farberware from 1980, but they are unfortunately irrelevant to the quality of this set. I bought this set aware of said discrepancy, but was hoping that quality had been maintained, a good manufacturer in the past probably being a good one now, etc. etc. This was an error. As it has been noted, the pans' bases are not stainless steel, but rather aluminum that is quite far from stainless. The nonstick coating on said pans is beginning to separate from the pan in several small but spreading points (as I only use plastic spatulas/spoons/etc. to cook with, this is not an issue of user error). I have no complaint with the pots, but at the current rate I will require new pans after about one year of ownership. Whether such an investment is wise I leave as an exercise for the reader, but in my opinion it would be better to spend more initial money on a better quality, wholly stainless steel cookware set.

On another note, I would implore Amazon reviewers to refrain from writing nostalgic reviews of archaic versions of current products.

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We're happy with our 20-year-old Farberware stainless steel cookware, pre-dating the stainless steel capped base. The interiors are still like new. The lids are shiny and dent-free. The handles are faded, but remain tight with an occasional turn of a screw. We use it everyday.

We are equally pleased with the newer "Classic" pieces, especially with the added weight and improved appearance of the capped bases. We bought the 15-piece set, giving us some redundant pieces but at a better price than buying fewer pieces individually.

We like stainless steel for several reasons: It cooks well. We can use metal utensils. It lasts for decades. It's dishwasher safe without consequence. It looks good. It's heavy enough. It cleans up easily. (For occasional stuck on food, we simply blot out what's loose, add water, and bring to a boil. After a few seconds, the stuck on food wipes off easily.)

There's pricier cookware available, some with aluminum cores that extend up the sides of the pan, some with copper clad bases, some with handles rated to 500 degrees, some made of anodized aluminum, and some so heavy you can use it as part of your fitness program. After years of no-complaints with our Farberware Classic stainless steel, we can't see paying the premium prices for anything else. We don't use our cookware in the oven, so we're okay with our 350-degree handles.

One complaint with the set: The non-stick skillets are 100% ALUMINUM with a PLAIN exterior and NO heavy base cap. Per Farberware's own website (caps added for emphasis): "Aluminum stains easily and reacts with certain foods. A nonstick interior and PORCELAIN OR NONSTICK EXTERIOR prevents staining and food reaction. Nonstick aluminum is dishwasher safe. A PLAIN AUMINUM EXTERIOR may discolor in the dishwasher."

We use stainless steel for most of our cooking, but still prefer non-stick skillets for some things. We'd like the skillets in this set better if they at least had an exterior finish on them.

Follow-up: We gave away the aluminum skillets from this set and bought a set of Cuisinart stainless steel non-stick skillets to use alongside our collection of Farberware stainless steel.

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Farberware classic is great -an inexpensive yet equally functional alternative to the very expensive pots & pans. Note: recently Farberware reduced its quality, in that older Farberware pots & pans had their thick aluminum base completely encased within a stainless steel shell. The newer pots & pans have the aluminum base attached to the bottom, but not encased within a stainless steel bottom. So, their quality is less than it was; most people who "grew up with Farberware" may not realize this. Farberware used to hold the patent on the technique of having the aluminum base CURVE up the side of the pan -they no longer do this, and are the same as many other manufacturers.

Honest reviews on Farberware Classic Stainless Steel 15-Piece Cookware Set

This set gets a single star rating because it is the lowest allowed not because it is THAT good!

I purchased this set from Kohl's and returned it after realizing that the interior bottom of the 4 qt. saucepot was pitting and staining after 3 uses. I began to make soup and the pot seemed to react to boiling some kale very peculiar for stainless (?) steel cookware. Have never had a problem with my "Made in the USA" Farberware which is why I purchased this set without hesitation. I notice that a couple other reviewers have had the same or similar problems.

Luckily I still have my old pieces and I will try to find the additional sizes that I need either used or new that are made in this country. I am really disgusted that Farberware is now made in China! I understand that companies do this because it labor cheaper, but that doesn't seem to translate into lower consumer prices go figure! Perhaps if more of us bought US Made whenever possible, we would see some changes and better quality.

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I had waited so long to be able to replace my old set of pots and pans with new one's. My husband found this set and ordered them for me for Christmas....I am SO disappointed not at all the nice heavy duty faberware I had dreamed of. They burn easily, already the handles are loose and just very un-happy with this whole set....I wish I wouldn't have thrown out my old set, they were better than these..!!!!!

Review of Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Cookware Set

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List Price: $970.00
Sale Price: $467.49
Today's Bonus: 52% Off

Calphalon Contemporary is as good as All Clad or any other cookware line on the market, and better than most.

Great heat distribution and extremely high efficiency. You actually have to learn to cook with less power than what you're used to.

Can be used with any cooktop, electric coil, flat electric, gas and induction. (These are downright amazing with induction!)

Doesn't scratch or lose its surface like any non-stick will do

Can use metal or nylon utensils

Non-stick results if used according to directions.

Easy to clean if you use Barkeeper's Friend.

Will be the last cookware you'll have to buy.

I also got the wok, and am thinking about getting another. With two of these woks, I could cook anything and rule the world.

Unfortunately, Amazon is currently out of the woks, so I have to wait for them to restock.

Unfortunately right now Amazon is not the price leader. They often have a $30-$50 discount from the retail $499, but as I write the review the price is back up to list.

Other sources also offer additional free pieces, gift cards, etc. You'll have to weigh that against Amazon's no sales tax.

If you shop hard, you can usually find a 20% coupon elsewhere, plus extra items. I hope Amazon sharpens their pencils soon.

Also, a lot of the Amazon listings under Calphalon Contemporary are for external vendors, so if you see above-list prices, keep on scrolling down to find the Amazon entry.

By the way, even if you don't get these from Amazon, avoid Macy's, who lists this set at $549 plus tax.

Notes after ten months of use (December 28, 2011):

If you can't tell, I really like this stuff, so I got the 8 quart dutch oven for Christmas 2011. I cooked a beef roast and roasted vegetables for Christmas dinner with excellent results.

So in addition to all the cook tops that it works with, add "oven".

You can cook eggs without sticking. Make sure you use PAM or butter and remember that these pans need lower heat than you're used to with aluminum or whatever you've been using.

To remove stains and anything you've managed to "bake on", use stainless steel scrub buds (not steel wool, which scratches!) and Barkeeper's Friend. Most heat discoloration can also be removed with distilled vinegar and a scrub sponge.

Amazon's price is still at list, but they have listings from Amazon store front vendors fulfilled by Amazon at significant discounts, so you can get a good price, no tax, and Super Saver and Prime shipping are applicable.

Notes after about 20 months of use:

Nothing bad to report, still works great, no damage or wear. I'm still cleaning with stainless steel scrub buds and BKF and there is no visible scratching. Have had some of the pots dry out and food burn and blacken when I or my wife have gotten distracted when there was something cooking. An overnight soaking followed by a liberal application of elbow grease have gotten them 100% clean. A pot with a nonstick coating would have been ruined.

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We all have had kitchen mishaps/nightmares that we chuckle about, and rarely do we let anyone outside the home know about them, but here goes.

I received this set of pots one year ago, and I have put them through a testing regime that even Calphalon would cringe at and would rightly void any warranty on. Before I start this story you should know I have a Wolf stove restaurant grade, so it puts our more heat than the normal home stove and has an extreme ventilation system (thank goodness).

First disaster One dinner I placed some sauce in a pot to thicken and then we had a crisis happened at the back of our property that made us rush out of the house to address forgetting the pots on the stove. Six hours later we returned home the sauce was gone and charcoal remained at the bottom of the pan. I thought the pot was shot. A little Bar Keepers and elbow grease and (to my amazement) the pot was as good as new.

Second disaster both my hubby and I were exhausted from work and put some food on to boil (I use a Foodsaver so it's the ol' `boil in a bag' meal bag in those instances), but we both fell asleep waiting for dinner. At 3AM when I woke up (Hubby still snoring) the water was long gone in the pan and the bag had turned to charcoal way beyond the melted bag stage try `fused to the pan' stage. OK, the pot is a goner nope, with elbow grease and Bar Keepers as good as new.

Third disaster dinner's back on the stove and one of our horses went down at the back of the property. Back out the door we went forgetting the pots. When we returned to the house we were so exhausted we went to bed forgetting about dinner. In the morning (approx 8AM) we went out to the kitchen for breakfast finding our stove still on and the pots had all turned to a tan color. OK, now the bottoms have to melted out of them and they have to be shot. Nope, a little more Bar Keepers and they all were just like new.

You all have to be thinking at this point why hasn't this person burned down the house yet...I'm asking the same question...I'm lobbying for an in-home cook now, but Hubby isn't hearing of it (chuckle). In over 30 years of cooking I've never had disasters like this, but I'm amazed these pots have handled it.

All the above stories my family is chuckling around the table about these days but it's the reason I'm writing this review. Over the years I've cooked with Teflon, cast iron, copper, etc and this cookware is the best I've ever used. Teflon flakes, cast iron needs caution handling (plus it's heavy), copper needs `babying' to keep it looking good this product is bullet-proof. Through all my abuse it hasn't warped, tarnished, and so on. This product is truly AMAZING and well worth the money. The thing that still amazes me is through all my disasters this year I was still able to pick up the pans without a pot holder the handles were cool to the touch. All I did was place the pot off to the side (away from the heat) until it cooled down, then added water and heated it again, and finally scrub it with Bar Keepers and they all went back to their new shiny pot-state AMAZING! So, I'm hoping for no more disasters like these in 2012 (more than I've ever had in my entire life). If you are looking for the `Sherman Tank' of cookware that you don't have to baby this is it! I'm now a die-hard Calphalon fan. I hope you all get a good chuckle out of my `disasters' I (and my family) swear they are all true (to my embracement which is now out there for everyone to see).

PS Before we purchased this set we read all the reviews and I wasn't sure if this was what we should buy. I was nervous that they may need special care, some unique needs for cooking in, etc. Heck, from the reviews you should be able to tell they are a beautiful cookware set that can be hung up for everyone to see but from my experience you can determine they can handle everyday use (no babying) and end up being a 'hand-me-down' for generations to come. If they survived me this last year they'll probably be around for generations to come kinda like the cast iron cookware from years gone by.

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I've been cooking quite a bit with this set and do recommend them to the casual cook and/or the professional.

The major thing I've noticed is the amazing heat distribution of these pans. I cooked at friends house a couple weeks ago on a crappy electric range and the tuna steak we were cooking turned out perfect like I was cooking at home on my gas range.

Also a notable achievement is the easy clean up of these pans. The smooth design seemed cosmetic at first but I've been grateful for the rounded interior edges, they've saved me hours of clean up.

Great investment! Lifetime warranty is no joke either. Worth the price.

Honest reviews on Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Cookware Set

We just bought and opened this cookware. It had received several positive ratings so we were pretty excited about it. Unfortunately, the lids have some manufacturing quality control problems. The lids are glass with a stainless steel border that goes all of the way around the edge of the lid. On three of the lids, the seams (where the edges of the border connect to each other)are messed up -not aligned, not quite finished or smooth, and in one case, the seam edge is rough -to where it could possible catch on a sponge or finger. Amazon is great -offered to replace or discount the set, and that's why we love Amazon. But, they couldn't just replace the couple of bad lids. Pack it all up and haul 28 pounds of cookware to UPS or settle with a discount? We're still trying to decide but are really disappointed in Calphalon's quality here.

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We've been quite pleased with this set. The construction is solid and it is quite attractive.

What I like best is the even heating. With previous cookware, to give one example, I've always had a hard time getting olive oil to distribute completely and evenly around a pan. That is no problem with the frying pans in this set. I'm able to actually use less olive oil and get a complete coating with no trouble whatsoever.

I also like the glass lids. It gives us the capability of keep an eye on what the status of simmering food is without constantly lifting the lid to check it. Very helpful.

Because of the multi-ply construction, food truly does cook just as well at lower temperature settings than we are used to using. I still use a high setting to bring something to a boil of course, but simmering and sauteing both happen very well with about two thirds of the heat setting we are used to cooking with. One advantage of this is there is a greater margin of error if you become distracted before something may start to burn, if it even would at all. We have yet to have anything burn or stick while using this set. I would stress that you should read the instructions and follow them to have the same experience. If you just throw food in one of these skillets on high heat and no light oil/butter coating distributed first, I'm sure you could have a bad experience very quickly. LOL So read the instructions and don't use the set incorrectly.

I'm going to make updates to this review as we use the various pieces for different cooking tasks:

* I just made a pot of chili using the stock pot. I've simmered the chili for three hours on low without the first bit of the chili having to be scraped off the bottom. I've never even had that happen with a pot we have which is coated with a supposed non-stick surface. Plus, I was able to fit a really large amount of ingredients in this pot with three inches to spare from the rim. And let me tell you, with the top on no steam at all escapes. The glass lids have a rubber seal around the edge that I assume gets the credit for this. The chili has just as much moisture left in it now as it did when I started simmering it. I'd have had to add water to our old pot a few times by now to keep it from getting too thick (and I'm sure this is a major reason that nothing is sticking to the bottom). I'm very happy with the stock pot and its performance.

This cookware is a good value at Amazon's price. We got it on one of the daily Lightening Deals, and that was an outstanding value for the money spent. The set will serve us well for the rest of our lives.

Highly recommended.

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Customer Ratings:

I do a lot of baking and have always had difficulty getting a nice, thin layer of flour on the surface if I needed to roll dough out or shape bread. When I saw the Calphalon Stainless Skimmer with its lifetime warranty I thought it might work for my purposes. What a wonderful find! I can put some flour onto the top of the skimmer and then gently tap its edge. The result is an even, light dusting of flour on my work surface and a lot less mess than using other methods.

Further, when I am done working on the surface I can use a scraper to gather up the excess flour. Then I put it on the skimmer again and gently sift out any dough scraps so that I can reuse the dusting flour when I need to flour another work surface. Although some may balk at my recycling flour, when the price got so high several years ago, I decided it wasn't economical to throw out the remaining dusting flour.

I also found this skimmer ideal for turning bagels during the boiling process. When both sides have gone through that process, I use this skimmer to remove them to the baking sheet. Because it is a fine mesh, the water drains completely and there is a lot less mess.

The Calphalon Stainless Skimmer is a well made, sturdy item that should last for many years. The edge finish is smooth, the mesh seems to have no loose ends, and the rubberized grip prevents the skimmer from slipping when my hand is wet or greasy. Although this fine utensil works very well for skimming soups, broths, and sauces, I urge you not to limit its functions to only those areas. You will find this is a great multi-purpose kitchen tool and well worth adding to your collection.

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If you make your own stocks, or home made soups, this item will save you time. Makes skimming stocks a breeze. The product is well made, the rubberized handle is great for tapping on the edge of the pot to get the liquid to pass though so it doesn't end up on the floor as you make your way to the sink. Should last for years and years with proper care.

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Fast, efficient and easy.

All a kitchen tool should be. Skimming is always a pain, untill you use this.

Honest reviews on Calphalon Stainless Utensils Skimmer

The skimmer works splendidly, lifting foam and even fat off of simmered liquids with its fine screen. I was hoping it would last indefinitely. I would give it five stars if the welds holding the handle to the screen mounting hadn't broken after three years (I tapped it on the side of the sink and the ring holding the mesh simply fell off). I would give it three stars if I weren't going to replace it with the same model.

It's the right size (about 3.5 inches) and is highly functional as skimmer and fine-mesh strainer. It has the second-finest mesh in my kitchen, being slightly finer than a single layer of cheesecloth. The handle is comfortable, if bulky (taking up room in the canister I use to store it). The handle's rubber grips your hand and also every other handle in the canister on my kitchen counter where I store it (a slight downside). If you store it in a drawer, that would be no problem. I want faster access to it. The angle between the handle and the screen is just right. Shame I have to buy it again, but I am buying it again.

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This skimmer is very well made, as are all the Calphalon products that I have purchased. It is a bit larger than I actually wanted,(the business end is about the size of a man's palm) but it works very well. I make home-made soups and stocks and need it often for the scum that first surfaces at the boil. Very reasonable price for such a well made tool.