This little pan makes eggs that fit perfectly on a slice of bread or an English muffin. The trick is to coat the inside of the pan with oil, and heat the egg on low so it doesn't bubble or spatter meaning you're just heating it, not frying it. I initially get it started on high heat, and when I see the egg starting to turn white at the bottom, I turn the heat down to low/warm. After about ten minutes, it should be done (times may vary depending on your stove) and you can just turn the pan over and the egg will fall out.
IMPORTANT: This is enamel ware. It should be treated like non-stick cookware. You should never clean it with steel wool or harsh abrasive pads (the yellow, non-metallic Chore Boy pads work great). It should also be properly seasoned before use. To season, coat the sides and fill with just enough olive oil to cover bottom of pan, and heat as hot as possible without making the oil smoke or burn. Leave it at this temperature for about 10 minutes, and then turn the stove off and let the pan cool to room temperature. Pour out the excess oil and wipe down with a paper towel.
I would have given it four stars, but the manufacturer's label left a residue on the inside of the pan which was difficult to remove. But it did come off with a little elbow grease, and some rubbing alcohol.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Le Creuset Bistro Griddle Review
Customer Ratings: 
List Price: $155.00
Sale Price: $119.95
Today's Bonus: 23% Off

I had a smoky Sunday morning when I attempted to make pancakes for 5 people on a cast iron grill straddling two burners. Either the pancakes were too brown on one corner or undercooked. So, I went looking for a better pan, and this was the result. The Bistro Griddle works great as a pancake grill. I had considered buying one of the specific pancake pans, the ones with the depressions for making silver dollar pancakes. Those pans were cheaper, but, in the end I was drawn to this simpler solution. This pan is so elegantly pretty that I leave it on the top of my stove. In a small kitchen, it provides another surface. Although I've only used it for pancakes so far, I know that it works to grill more than pancakes. I can see 3 grilled cheese sandwiches browning all at once when the grandchildren are here. Meats would work, too. Very pleased.
Added on July 25, 2013:
I've been using this griddle for a little over a month now. I'm still pleased with it, but want to mention a couple of cons. This is not a completely non-stick pan. I do sprinkle with oil before adding the pancake batter. And, it does not distribute heat as well as I thought it would. That's easily fixed: I rotate the pan or move it a bit over the heat source.
I use the griddle every day, and would buy it again in a moment.
List Price: $155.00
Sale Price: $119.95
Today's Bonus: 23% Off
I had a smoky Sunday morning when I attempted to make pancakes for 5 people on a cast iron grill straddling two burners. Either the pancakes were too brown on one corner or undercooked. So, I went looking for a better pan, and this was the result. The Bistro Griddle works great as a pancake grill. I had considered buying one of the specific pancake pans, the ones with the depressions for making silver dollar pancakes. Those pans were cheaper, but, in the end I was drawn to this simpler solution. This pan is so elegantly pretty that I leave it on the top of my stove. In a small kitchen, it provides another surface. Although I've only used it for pancakes so far, I know that it works to grill more than pancakes. I can see 3 grilled cheese sandwiches browning all at once when the grandchildren are here. Meats would work, too. Very pleased.
Added on July 25, 2013:
I've been using this griddle for a little over a month now. I'm still pleased with it, but want to mention a couple of cons. This is not a completely non-stick pan. I do sprinkle with oil before adding the pancake batter. And, it does not distribute heat as well as I thought it would. That's easily fixed: I rotate the pan or move it a bit over the heat source.
I use the griddle every day, and would buy it again in a moment.
Discount Lodge L12CO3BS Boy Scouts of America Pre-Seasoned Camp Oven, 6-Quart
Customer Ratings: 
List Price: $79.00
Sale Price: $74.30
Today's Bonus: 6% Off

There is more than 1 seller with this at Amazon, a search led me to another page with the same oven for substantially less, but it changes often. Dutch ovens are a classic and versatile cooking tool that is used by cooks and outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds. There are several companies that still make cast-iron, and this model is made for one of the biggest groups of users, the Boy scouts, with the scout logo on the lid. My review is mostly limited to the outdoor uses, but I use one in my home oven as well. This model measures 12 inches in diameter at the top with a depth of 3. 75 inches, 6 quarts. It has the tripod legs and a recessed lid best suited for cooking in coals. Be aware that those legs make it harder to use in a conventional oven, you need to maneuver the legs if possible into your grill rack. They cast-iron manufacturers make a legless version with the domed lid for a home oven, and I have used it in a fire as well. On this 3 legged model, you can use the lid as a skillet in a pinch if you need to in camp. You can do it all with Dutch Ovens cobblers, stews, beans, roasts, dumplings, you name it. It is the ultimate "one pot" pan. I do have a Dutch Oven from a competing brand with an imprinted lid, this one is a Lewis & Clark Anniversary logo, and it does not affect the pot in any negative way except that the grooves take some extra work to dry when when washing. This model has a lower profile imprint that is easier to dry.
QUALITY & Durability of cast-iron: There is a reason you can find old cast-iron pans in antique stores, it lasts forever. I have quite a few pans inherited from family members and even some garage sale finds. Most do not have any brand name on them. I have found pans rusted and abused to where they would head for the trash bin if they were made of anything else, but you can bring cast iron back with some elbow grease and a re-seasoning or two. While my modern expensive non-stick cookware seems to last no more than a few years before replacement in my kitchen, but this stuff can easily last many decades of daily use. Lodge has a life time warranty! I love to cook with cast iron even at home, it is so durable, but I can take it camping too. Easy to clean up, the only drawback being it is heavy and hard on your wrists as you get older. Cast iron takes a bit longer to heat up, but the heat transfers very evenly without hot spots and it retains its heat for a long time. It can go from stovetop to oven with ease. Do not use it at temperatures higher than 500 degrees, as it can crack. People swear certain foods just taste better in cast iron, and I believe that cast iron only improves with use and proper care instead of wearing out like other pans. My oldest pans attest to that. As for Lodge, there really is a big difference in quality, their current pans are noticeably better than the other brands.
SEASONING FINISH: Seasoning of cast iron cookery does not refer to flavor, but the finish, a kind of glaze on the pan. I love old pans because they have the best seasoning, the older the better. I have inherited many old pans. The modern version sold here is "pre-seasoned" and is supposed to be ready to cook in, but the pre-seasoning could probably use a touch up and I will tell you how to do that. It needs to stay black and shiny inside to stay seasoned. If you do lose your seasoning due to rust or an overaggressive cleaning, simply wipe it with oil inside and out and place it in a 350 degree oven for an hour, upside down. Let it cool in the oven slowly and naturally to room temperature again. You can place foil in the bottom of your oven to catch any drips. It also helps to wipe it with a paper towel of oil after every cleaning, or spray it with cooking oil and wipe. If it gets rusty, re-season it, you can get it like new again. DO NOT cook on it without re-seasoning though, as the food will stick. A note on what type of oil to use for seasoning, if you can do so use bacon grease, lard or butter, vegetable oil can sometimes get a little sticky in the pan and does not seem to get enough glaze as the animal based fats in my experience.
CLEANING: There is a debate on the cleaning of cast-iron that is as old as the pans, as to whether to use soap or not and how that affects sanitation. The Lodge company recommends cleaning without soap, but some people do so under certain circumstances. To clean without soap wash it with hot water and scrub it with a long handle brush or plastic scrubber, but never a metal scrubber as you can scratch the seasoning glaze. If you made a big mess with a cobbler and it is baked on and you just can't get it off, try this. Fill the pan half way with water, and put it to boil. Turn of the heat, then using an oven mitt to protect yourself pour the water out to about 1/4 full, then use the long handle scrubber to get the gunk out, It works for me. If you do use soap, just dip your scrubber in the dishwater but don't immerse your pan in it or pour soap into the pan. Immediately drying the pan is critical to its care either way, as soon as you clean the pan hand dry it with a paper towel and re-oil the pan immediately. For the most part, cast iron is non-stick as long as it is seasoned. If you use the pan on a fire, you can get soot on the exterior. An old Boy Scout trick to keep the exterior clean of soot if used on a campfire, is to treat the pan prior to cooking in the following manner. First wipe the pan (exterior only!) with some wet soap or a wet SOS pad, then let it dry before using it on the fire. Then when you are ready for washing, the soap has laid a protective layer over the exterior surface and the soot just wipes right off when you clean up with water.
ACCESSORIES: There are plenty of terrific Dutch oven and cast iron cook books here at Amazon.com. You can also get videos/DVD on Dutch Oven cooking like the one with Cee Dub. You can get affordable accessories too such as a Dutch oven tote bag, tongs, scrub brush, lid lifter, lid stand, and gloves. To be safe if cooking on coals or fire, use the lid lifter accessory, it will keep you from getting burned and makes it easier to lift the pan from hot coals. I highly recommend this pan, and have decades of experience behind that statement, enjoy your cobbler!
If you've heard that recently, then consider this cast iron camp oven (smaller and larger available). It works in the oven, over a camp fire, with hot coals under and on top and in my case inside my "Big Green Egg" barbecue. I'm a baker and I've got a great, easy to make bread that bakes to perfection in the camp oven.
We've used it mostly over our own stove and camp stoves, rather than the more traditional coals. My wife has cooked stew and cobblers at home in the camp oven, and we then bring it along for camping trips and reheat over a camp stove (usually to feed 8-10 adult scout leaders). That has worked very well ... we never have the time in camp to start a meal like that from scratch.
You need to not use any significant amount of soap when cleaning, as it will mess up the seasoning. We've unfortunately done that in a couple of spots. Reseasoning is not hard, but it is easier to do over an open fire and we have not had one of those in a while.
List Price: $79.00
Sale Price: $74.30
Today's Bonus: 6% Off
There is more than 1 seller with this at Amazon, a search led me to another page with the same oven for substantially less, but it changes often. Dutch ovens are a classic and versatile cooking tool that is used by cooks and outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds. There are several companies that still make cast-iron, and this model is made for one of the biggest groups of users, the Boy scouts, with the scout logo on the lid. My review is mostly limited to the outdoor uses, but I use one in my home oven as well. This model measures 12 inches in diameter at the top with a depth of 3. 75 inches, 6 quarts. It has the tripod legs and a recessed lid best suited for cooking in coals. Be aware that those legs make it harder to use in a conventional oven, you need to maneuver the legs if possible into your grill rack. They cast-iron manufacturers make a legless version with the domed lid for a home oven, and I have used it in a fire as well. On this 3 legged model, you can use the lid as a skillet in a pinch if you need to in camp. You can do it all with Dutch Ovens cobblers, stews, beans, roasts, dumplings, you name it. It is the ultimate "one pot" pan. I do have a Dutch Oven from a competing brand with an imprinted lid, this one is a Lewis & Clark Anniversary logo, and it does not affect the pot in any negative way except that the grooves take some extra work to dry when when washing. This model has a lower profile imprint that is easier to dry.
QUALITY & Durability of cast-iron: There is a reason you can find old cast-iron pans in antique stores, it lasts forever. I have quite a few pans inherited from family members and even some garage sale finds. Most do not have any brand name on them. I have found pans rusted and abused to where they would head for the trash bin if they were made of anything else, but you can bring cast iron back with some elbow grease and a re-seasoning or two. While my modern expensive non-stick cookware seems to last no more than a few years before replacement in my kitchen, but this stuff can easily last many decades of daily use. Lodge has a life time warranty! I love to cook with cast iron even at home, it is so durable, but I can take it camping too. Easy to clean up, the only drawback being it is heavy and hard on your wrists as you get older. Cast iron takes a bit longer to heat up, but the heat transfers very evenly without hot spots and it retains its heat for a long time. It can go from stovetop to oven with ease. Do not use it at temperatures higher than 500 degrees, as it can crack. People swear certain foods just taste better in cast iron, and I believe that cast iron only improves with use and proper care instead of wearing out like other pans. My oldest pans attest to that. As for Lodge, there really is a big difference in quality, their current pans are noticeably better than the other brands.
SEASONING FINISH: Seasoning of cast iron cookery does not refer to flavor, but the finish, a kind of glaze on the pan. I love old pans because they have the best seasoning, the older the better. I have inherited many old pans. The modern version sold here is "pre-seasoned" and is supposed to be ready to cook in, but the pre-seasoning could probably use a touch up and I will tell you how to do that. It needs to stay black and shiny inside to stay seasoned. If you do lose your seasoning due to rust or an overaggressive cleaning, simply wipe it with oil inside and out and place it in a 350 degree oven for an hour, upside down. Let it cool in the oven slowly and naturally to room temperature again. You can place foil in the bottom of your oven to catch any drips. It also helps to wipe it with a paper towel of oil after every cleaning, or spray it with cooking oil and wipe. If it gets rusty, re-season it, you can get it like new again. DO NOT cook on it without re-seasoning though, as the food will stick. A note on what type of oil to use for seasoning, if you can do so use bacon grease, lard or butter, vegetable oil can sometimes get a little sticky in the pan and does not seem to get enough glaze as the animal based fats in my experience.
CLEANING: There is a debate on the cleaning of cast-iron that is as old as the pans, as to whether to use soap or not and how that affects sanitation. The Lodge company recommends cleaning without soap, but some people do so under certain circumstances. To clean without soap wash it with hot water and scrub it with a long handle brush or plastic scrubber, but never a metal scrubber as you can scratch the seasoning glaze. If you made a big mess with a cobbler and it is baked on and you just can't get it off, try this. Fill the pan half way with water, and put it to boil. Turn of the heat, then using an oven mitt to protect yourself pour the water out to about 1/4 full, then use the long handle scrubber to get the gunk out, It works for me. If you do use soap, just dip your scrubber in the dishwater but don't immerse your pan in it or pour soap into the pan. Immediately drying the pan is critical to its care either way, as soon as you clean the pan hand dry it with a paper towel and re-oil the pan immediately. For the most part, cast iron is non-stick as long as it is seasoned. If you use the pan on a fire, you can get soot on the exterior. An old Boy Scout trick to keep the exterior clean of soot if used on a campfire, is to treat the pan prior to cooking in the following manner. First wipe the pan (exterior only!) with some wet soap or a wet SOS pad, then let it dry before using it on the fire. Then when you are ready for washing, the soap has laid a protective layer over the exterior surface and the soot just wipes right off when you clean up with water.
ACCESSORIES: There are plenty of terrific Dutch oven and cast iron cook books here at Amazon.com. You can also get videos/DVD on Dutch Oven cooking like the one with Cee Dub. You can get affordable accessories too such as a Dutch oven tote bag, tongs, scrub brush, lid lifter, lid stand, and gloves. To be safe if cooking on coals or fire, use the lid lifter accessory, it will keep you from getting burned and makes it easier to lift the pan from hot coals. I highly recommend this pan, and have decades of experience behind that statement, enjoy your cobbler!
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I have quite a bit of cast iron--most of it off brand and I can tell you that from now on I will only buy lodge. We really like this dutch oven. We camp as scouts and as a family and plan on handing this down when we are too weak to pick it up. It sure is heavy. There is a difference in quality with lodge.Best Deals for Lodge L12CO3BS Boy Scouts of America Pre-Seasoned Camp Oven, 6-Quart
Wife say's "we need a second oven".If you've heard that recently, then consider this cast iron camp oven (smaller and larger available). It works in the oven, over a camp fire, with hot coals under and on top and in my case inside my "Big Green Egg" barbecue. I'm a baker and I've got a great, easy to make bread that bakes to perfection in the camp oven.
Honest reviews on Lodge L12CO3BS Boy Scouts of America Pre-Seasoned Camp Oven, 6-Quart
I saw one of these Lodge 6 qt. Boy Scout Dutch Ovens in one of the big sporting goods retails stores, and decided I had to have one. I did not buy it that day I saw it, but it stayed in the back of my mind. So I saved up some money and set it aside and waited for a sale on Amazon.com. I picked it up for $59 with free shipping. This year 2010, is the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts, and this dutch oven was made by Lodge to celebrate this anniversary. I was a boy scout back in the late 60's. I already own other Lodge camp dutch ovens and they are superior cooking vessels. I just wanted this one for the nostalgia value to me. Every time I cook in it it will remind me of my younger days as a scout. Now I mostly just cook in my back yard on the patio, but I still get a kick out of cooking meals in a cast iron dutch oven. I highly recommend any Lodge cast iron product. They are of proven quality, and their reputation speaks for itself. If you were ever a scout, or wished you were a scout, pick up one of these Lodge Boy Scout 6 qt. dutch ovens and be a boy scout once again, even if it just on your patio.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Lodge L12CO3BS Boy Scouts of America Pre-Seasoned Camp Oven, 6-Quart
Amazon had a sale on this about 8 or 9 months ago and I got it for less than $40 with free shipping. At that price you can't afford not to have one. The scout logo is nice (and we are involved with the BSA, so not inappropriate), but it was the price I went for.We've used it mostly over our own stove and camp stoves, rather than the more traditional coals. My wife has cooked stew and cobblers at home in the camp oven, and we then bring it along for camping trips and reheat over a camp stove (usually to feed 8-10 adult scout leaders). That has worked very well ... we never have the time in camp to start a meal like that from scratch.
You need to not use any significant amount of soap when cleaning, as it will mess up the seasoning. We've unfortunately done that in a couple of spots. Reseasoning is not hard, but it is easier to do over an open fire and we have not had one of those in a while.
Best Japanese Plastic Microwave Bowl Plate Holder Tray #3503 Deals
this turned out to be a tiny plate holder not a full size dinner plate size. the picture shows otherwise
''Good tool for the kitchen''(my wife's opinion).
Dislike---too small, 12 inches in diameter is a better option.
Shape and size of handles is perfect.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
Choose the rating because exceed my expectations.''Good tool for the kitchen''(my wife's opinion).
Dislike---too small, 12 inches in diameter is a better option.
Shape and size of handles is perfect.
Best Deals for Japanese Plastic Microwave Bowl Plate Holder Tray #3503
This tray is what I wanted, except for its size. It is very small. I either missed the measurements in the write up or they weren't there.Honest reviews on Japanese Plastic Microwave Bowl Plate Holder Tray #3503
Every bit large enough to handle the same amount as the rectangular, yet fits smaller and larger microwaves. Sturdier than old versions...NICE! Crispy bacon and easy to manage.Anolon Advanced Nonstick Fry Pan Reviews
I am a semi-professional chef, cooking a variety of gourmet meals at least 4 nights a week, so having the right kitchen pans is vitally important. I found this little Analon quite by accident, and now use it virtually every day for sauces, for single omelettes, and for anything that doesn't require a lot of volume/space. Non-stick works just as advertised, so you can't go wrong. I now own 3 of them, and they get used all the time.
I got a 12-inch pan because I've had 10 inch and 8 inch pans in the past and they get crowded very easily. Secondly, I wanted a pan w/ a riveted handle and a decent high temp oven performance. Also, I believe the true mark of a nonstick pan is the 'flip' performance-so, NO HELPER HANDLE IS THE WAY TO GO! That's just my opinion. I eventually narrowed by search to 3 brands: Caphalon, All Clad, and Analon. Caphalon because they had some interesting non-stick options, All Clad because it's just the best, and Analon because I currently use their stainless set and for the last 2 years I've been very happy.
So All Clad was knocked out of contention quickly for the simple reason that ALL NON-STICK PANS DEGRADE over time. And from what I've read, their best non-stick pan will loose it's luster in about 2 years. That's not to say that I think the pan would be completely crap after 2 years-just that i think the degradation curve would start to accelerate into the replacement zone. So why pay $130-190 for a pan over two years when you could use 2 average non-stick pans at the same price over two years and have more 'quality' non-stick time to boot?
With All Clad out of the way I turned my attention to Caphalon. I still didn't want a 'cheap' pan though... just not ridiculously over-priced one (although I would love to replace my analon ss set w/ an all-clad one in about 5 more years-saving those pennies...). Caphalon has 'professional', 'commercial', 'contemporary', and 'one' series pans. Professional pan reviews peg it as a loser. 'One' series pans are just a bad idea all around... why would anyone want a pan that's permanently sorta-non-stick-but-not-really? 'Contemporary' pissed me off (yes I was actually offended) with it's strange 'bulge flare' near the rim-you really have to see it to understand what I'm talking about. So I considered the commercial series.
Anolon was my last consideration. I looked at their titanium series in the past, but ultimately went with the SS set (glad I did). I was very concerned about the silicon handles. Mainly because it's a limiter to broiling temps, but I gotta say I've been pleasantly surprised. They do add a very good handling feel to the cookware and the silicon hasn't discoloured or peeled or scraped off anywhere. I totally expected the silicon to wear out and it hasn't. Also, their metal ply is just as even and weighted as the all clad stuff. Same thickness, very similar shape, and from the durability I've experienced I'd be surprised if all-clad is really all that much better... but from the looks of it I would have to comment on that about 7 years into ownership. So I was definitely going to consider Anolon.
Went to the store, felt the surface of the commercial caphalon and it was ROUGH. I know it's commercial and they say you can use metal utensils, but something is just counter-intuitive about a 'rough' non-stick surface. It was priced at $50. Then I checked the Anolon Advanced pan. Nice and smooth. Also it had the same handle as my Anolon SS set and the capholon had one of those slightly loose, thick silicon handle... uhhh... condoms. Also the packaging on the commercial pan is sparse-consisting of a strip of cardboard w/ logo and writing and the sides of the pan exposed to the elements. When they ship them they're stacked on top of each other and the Anodized aluminum bottom from one pan constantly rubs the top rim of the pan below. I couldn't find a single pan out of the 8 on the racks, that didn't have scuffing around the rim from distributor shipping. Needless to say the Caphalon Commercial pan was OUT and the individually completely boxed, wrapped in plastic, suspended in a cardboard brace Anolon Advance pan won the day.
I was very curios about this Dupont Autograph 2 thing. Aparently the Non-stick is on the inside of the pan and seamlessly wraps over the edge and all the way down the outside until the very bottom of the pan where the Anodized Aluminum bottom makes contact w/ the burner. I don't know if it actually does anything functional, but it's VERY easy to clean. I guess maybe it keeps food from 'catching' around the rim when stirring vigorously or 'flipping' veggies in a sauté. So far the non-stick surface is PERFECT. About 20 seconds of soap, sponge, and hot water is all that is need to clean inside and out (thank you to the wrap-around nonstick surface). It has a very good weight so the heat distribution is great even around the sides. I've become accustomed to 'flipping' with my stainless pans so when I first tried it with this pan I accidentally sky-rocketed the veggies into the ventilation hood. As with temperature and handling with all new pans, it's good to keep in mind 'baby-steps'.
The only problem we've had is that on a few of the pans the silicon part of the handle came loose. I submitted a request to their customer service department on the web and had brand new pans within a week at no cost to me.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I don't like non-stick. It's not as versatile as good 3-ply stainless steel and it doesn't last anywhere near as long. That said, I do like egg dishes and in the summer I like dishes w/ a lighter mouth-feel (not as much oil). So I set out for the best non-stick pan.I got a 12-inch pan because I've had 10 inch and 8 inch pans in the past and they get crowded very easily. Secondly, I wanted a pan w/ a riveted handle and a decent high temp oven performance. Also, I believe the true mark of a nonstick pan is the 'flip' performance-so, NO HELPER HANDLE IS THE WAY TO GO! That's just my opinion. I eventually narrowed by search to 3 brands: Caphalon, All Clad, and Analon. Caphalon because they had some interesting non-stick options, All Clad because it's just the best, and Analon because I currently use their stainless set and for the last 2 years I've been very happy.
So All Clad was knocked out of contention quickly for the simple reason that ALL NON-STICK PANS DEGRADE over time. And from what I've read, their best non-stick pan will loose it's luster in about 2 years. That's not to say that I think the pan would be completely crap after 2 years-just that i think the degradation curve would start to accelerate into the replacement zone. So why pay $130-190 for a pan over two years when you could use 2 average non-stick pans at the same price over two years and have more 'quality' non-stick time to boot?
With All Clad out of the way I turned my attention to Caphalon. I still didn't want a 'cheap' pan though... just not ridiculously over-priced one (although I would love to replace my analon ss set w/ an all-clad one in about 5 more years-saving those pennies...). Caphalon has 'professional', 'commercial', 'contemporary', and 'one' series pans. Professional pan reviews peg it as a loser. 'One' series pans are just a bad idea all around... why would anyone want a pan that's permanently sorta-non-stick-but-not-really? 'Contemporary' pissed me off (yes I was actually offended) with it's strange 'bulge flare' near the rim-you really have to see it to understand what I'm talking about. So I considered the commercial series.
Anolon was my last consideration. I looked at their titanium series in the past, but ultimately went with the SS set (glad I did). I was very concerned about the silicon handles. Mainly because it's a limiter to broiling temps, but I gotta say I've been pleasantly surprised. They do add a very good handling feel to the cookware and the silicon hasn't discoloured or peeled or scraped off anywhere. I totally expected the silicon to wear out and it hasn't. Also, their metal ply is just as even and weighted as the all clad stuff. Same thickness, very similar shape, and from the durability I've experienced I'd be surprised if all-clad is really all that much better... but from the looks of it I would have to comment on that about 7 years into ownership. So I was definitely going to consider Anolon.
Went to the store, felt the surface of the commercial caphalon and it was ROUGH. I know it's commercial and they say you can use metal utensils, but something is just counter-intuitive about a 'rough' non-stick surface. It was priced at $50. Then I checked the Anolon Advanced pan. Nice and smooth. Also it had the same handle as my Anolon SS set and the capholon had one of those slightly loose, thick silicon handle... uhhh... condoms. Also the packaging on the commercial pan is sparse-consisting of a strip of cardboard w/ logo and writing and the sides of the pan exposed to the elements. When they ship them they're stacked on top of each other and the Anodized aluminum bottom from one pan constantly rubs the top rim of the pan below. I couldn't find a single pan out of the 8 on the racks, that didn't have scuffing around the rim from distributor shipping. Needless to say the Caphalon Commercial pan was OUT and the individually completely boxed, wrapped in plastic, suspended in a cardboard brace Anolon Advance pan won the day.
I was very curios about this Dupont Autograph 2 thing. Aparently the Non-stick is on the inside of the pan and seamlessly wraps over the edge and all the way down the outside until the very bottom of the pan where the Anodized Aluminum bottom makes contact w/ the burner. I don't know if it actually does anything functional, but it's VERY easy to clean. I guess maybe it keeps food from 'catching' around the rim when stirring vigorously or 'flipping' veggies in a sauté. So far the non-stick surface is PERFECT. About 20 seconds of soap, sponge, and hot water is all that is need to clean inside and out (thank you to the wrap-around nonstick surface). It has a very good weight so the heat distribution is great even around the sides. I've become accustomed to 'flipping' with my stainless pans so when I first tried it with this pan I accidentally sky-rocketed the veggies into the ventilation hood. As with temperature and handling with all new pans, it's good to keep in mind 'baby-steps'.
Best Deals for Anolon Advanced Nonstick Fry Pan
This 8" open skillet is heavier than the 'commercial' Calphalon 12" covered pan, 10" open crepe pan and 2 1/2 Qt covered sauce pan (made in China). (It would be nice if Amazon identified the country of origin of all its cookware.) The easy-grip handle is great. I have ordered 2 more as gifts. Every kitchen should have at least 2 of these!Honest reviews on Anolon Advanced Nonstick Fry Pan
One of my hobbies is cooking, I love to cook and the Anolon Advanced is one of the best Skillets I have ever used. I have had AllClad Emerilwear, Calphalon, and others, I would trade them all for the Anolon cookwear. It's the greatest.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Anolon Advanced Nonstick Fry Pan
My wife and I received the pans in this set for our wedding over 3 years ago. They have been excellent despite very heavy use from us. The non-stick still doesn't stick and there is almost no discoloration. They are very easy to clean because the entire pan is non-stick, not just the inside. The silicon on the handle does an excellent job of protecting your hand from being burnt even at high temperatures.The only problem we've had is that on a few of the pans the silicon part of the handle came loose. I submitted a request to their customer service department on the web and had brand new pans within a week at no cost to me.
Buy All Clad Copper Core 7-Quart Pasta Pentola
Customer Ratings: 
List Price: $545.00
Sale Price: $544.95
Today's Bonus: $0.05 Off

As good as it gets. Just love it
Deep basket.lifts easily. Heats rapidly. I leave mine out on the stovetop.This completes my All-Clad collection. I bought it last year. It has appreciated in value by almost 100 dollars since I bought it. It is a great pot.
List Price: $545.00
Sale Price: $544.95
Today's Bonus: $0.05 Off
As good as it gets. Just love it
Deep basket.lifts easily. Heats rapidly. I leave mine out on the stovetop.This completes my All-Clad collection. I bought it last year. It has appreciated in value by almost 100 dollars since I bought it. It is a great pot.
Cuisinart BFP-603 SmartPower Deluxe Blender and Food Processor Review
Customer Ratings: 
List Price: $235.00
Sale Price: $113.89
Today's Bonus: 52% Off

After reading the negative reviews I was not feeling great about making the purchase but made it anyway because I needed a blender and processor. Here is my report. The blender is not made to process foods. Things like hummus and pesto must be processed. The processor works great for these items. The blender does make good smoothies, unless you are trying to liquify frozen stuff. It won't magically turn solids into liquids. You must use more liquid than solid, or you lose functionality. Before I figured this out, the motor would get stressed and make an unhappy smell. Once I figured out to cover the solid (frozen fruit) with liquid (almond milk) then the blender functioned perfectly for making smoothies. So, DON'T BLEND STUFF THAT ISN'T INTENDED ON BEING A LIQUID. When combining things in the blender, you need slightly more than 50% liquid when you start, otherwise the blender bogs down. If it does bog down, just add more liquid and voila!, blender happiness. Basically, you need to be smarter than the blender. If making frozen drinks, you must cover the ice with enough liquid so that the mass FLOWS while being blended, otherwise, the beverage would be to thick anyway. I strongly suspect that some of the dissatisfied customers were people who were not intuitive about what the blender was capable of doing. Good luck!
List Price: $235.00
Sale Price: $113.89
Today's Bonus: 52% Off
After reading the negative reviews I was not feeling great about making the purchase but made it anyway because I needed a blender and processor. Here is my report. The blender is not made to process foods. Things like hummus and pesto must be processed. The processor works great for these items. The blender does make good smoothies, unless you are trying to liquify frozen stuff. It won't magically turn solids into liquids. You must use more liquid than solid, or you lose functionality. Before I figured this out, the motor would get stressed and make an unhappy smell. Once I figured out to cover the solid (frozen fruit) with liquid (almond milk) then the blender functioned perfectly for making smoothies. So, DON'T BLEND STUFF THAT ISN'T INTENDED ON BEING A LIQUID. When combining things in the blender, you need slightly more than 50% liquid when you start, otherwise the blender bogs down. If it does bog down, just add more liquid and voila!, blender happiness. Basically, you need to be smarter than the blender. If making frozen drinks, you must cover the ice with enough liquid so that the mass FLOWS while being blended, otherwise, the beverage would be to thick anyway. I strongly suspect that some of the dissatisfied customers were people who were not intuitive about what the blender was capable of doing. Good luck!
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I have been looking for a dual-purpose blender/food processor for a while. Even though the Cuisinart BFP-603 SmartPower Deluxe only has a rather small food processor bowl, I have still decided to buy this model as it seemed the best currently available at this price level. I have so far only used the blender for making smoothies and blending soups, and I'm very satisfied. It's very powerful and I only need to blend for 10-20 seconds to achieve the desired result. The blender jar is thick glass, so ideal for blending soups (after leaving them to cool for a few minutes). The machine is very easy to use, and easy to assemble. It also looks great in the kitchen.Best Deals for Cuisinart BFP-603 SmartPower Deluxe Blender and Food Processor
This food processor is the perfect size for smaller jobs. With a family of 3, I frequently need only a few cloves of garlic or a cup of bread crumbs. This processor is perfect for the smaller jobs. All the parts are easy to clean, top rack of the dishwasher. Blender is easy to use and powerful enough to break up even large cubes of ice. We use it to make smoothies with frozen fruit, no problems! Sturdy base to handle the powerful motor. Easy to use & recipes included in instruction booklet.Honest reviews on Cuisinart BFP-603 SmartPower Deluxe Blender and Food Processor
After using a food processor/blender that lasted 20 years (not kidding!) I looked for a replacement because the plastic became cracked. I decided on this one. I recently got into making frozen fruit smoothies which prompted me to find a new appliance. I bought this one, and I think that it would work well for non-frozen ingredients fine but not frozen. The entire thing shakes around the table when I turn it on. The blender's blades weren't long enough to blend the fruit, so it took about 15 minutes of blending, using a fork to stir it up, blending again, etc. So I tried using the food processor for the smoothies...that lasted a little while until the mixture started leaking up out of the cap. The blender part seemed of high quality but the food processor's plastic body felt cheap. Overall, I would not recommend this product unless you don't plan on using frozen ingredients. I will be returning it, but I still have no idea what to replace it with that is in my budget...if anyone has any suggestions, please help!Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Cuisinart BFP-603 SmartPower Deluxe Blender and Food Processor
I got this for my parents for Christmas. They have been using it regularly for about a month intensively and it has worked beatifully. It is a high quality product, looks great, and takes up much less space than having two separate blender and food processor units.
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