We're looking for good quality cookware. Is Calphalon worth the price or are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of cookware really make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We just want skillets that last more than a year or two. Thanks for the input.
On Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:45:29 -0500, Marsha <m...@xeb.net> wrote: >We're looking for good quality cookware. Is Calphalon worth the price >or are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of cookware really >make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We just want skillets >that last more than a year or two. Thanks for the input.
As long as it's not too thin it doesn't make any difference. Keeping it frugal, you can often get good quality cookware second-hand. Wife's still using a skillet she bought for 4 bucks at a used store 12 years ago. Teflon still in good shape. She's a professional cook. Another way to save is pick up pieces individually instead of sets.
Marsha wrote: > We're looking for good quality cookware. Is Calphalon worth the price > or are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of cookware really > make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We just want skillets > that last more than a year or two. Thanks for the input.
My suggestion for skillets that will last a long time: Cast iron.
> We're looking for good quality cookware. Is Calphalon worth the price > or are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of cookware really > make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We just want skillets > that last more than a year or two. Thanks for the input.
> Marsha
I own a total of 4 Calphalon pieces (2 skillets and two lidded sauce pans) that I bought in separate sales at different locations, so they're not a set. They are easily the best quality cookware I've ever owned. But they're just not worth full retail. If I hadn't gotten them for 60% or more off of regular price they'd still be sitting on the shelf.
Marsha wrote: > We're looking for good quality cookware. Is Calphalon worth the price > or are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of cookware really > make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We just want skillets > that last more than a year or two. Thanks for the input.
Cal is nice but overpriced; folks that buy it on name only seem to either not use it (display only) or want it to act like teflon (which it's not, so it doesn't). Used Cal has often been abused by non-foodie heathens but you may find some in good condition in garage sales.
I like heavy, no-frills commercial gear from the local restaurant supply store. Oven-safe, tough, reasonably-priced. Only buy the pieces you need.
> Marsha wrote: >> We're looking for good quality cookware. Is Calphalon worth the price or >> are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of cookware really >> make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We just want skillets that >> last more than a year or two. Thanks for the input.
> Cal is nice but overpriced; folks that buy it on name only seem to either > not use it (display only) or want it to act like teflon (which it's not, > so it doesn't). Used Cal has often been abused by non-foodie heathens but > you may find some in good condition in garage sales.
> I like heavy, no-frills commercial gear from the local restaurant supply > store. Oven-safe, tough, reasonably-priced. Only buy the pieces you > need.
I concur. For pot roast I use an ancient dutch oven (big pot with a heavy lid) and for most meat we use a well-seasoned iron frying pan. All of that stuff is courtesy of my grandmother and circa 1940s. For pots we use the Revereware set I received as a college graduation gift 32 years ago. Since DH is quite the foodie and does most of the cooking we also have several skillets and some specialty gear he got from the commercial restaurant supply store. Restaurant supply stuff is really built to last.
> Marsha wrote: >> We're looking for good quality cookware. Is Calphalon worth the price >> or are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of cookware >> really make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We just want >> skillets that last more than a year or two. Thanks for the input.
> My suggestion for skillets that will last a long time: Cast iron.
I agree, and we have one, but use it just for steaks. For everything else, we'd like something that needs less maintenance.
BigDog1 wrote: > On Nov 18, 6:45 pm, Marsha <m...@xeb.net> wrote: >> We're looking for good quality cookware. Is Calphalon worth the price >> or are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of cookware really >> make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We just want skillets >> that last more than a year or two. Thanks for the input.
>> Marsha
> I own a total of 4 Calphalon pieces (2 skillets and two lidded sauce > pans) that I bought in separate sales at different locations, so > they're not a set. They are easily the best quality cookware I've > ever owned. But they're just not worth full retail. If I hadn't > gotten them for 60% or more off of regular price they'd still be > sitting on the shelf.
I have seen sets and pieces on Craigslist locally. It might be worth looking into.
Marsha wrote: > Samatha Hill -- take out TRASH to reply wrote: >> Marsha wrote: >>> We're looking for good quality cookware. Is Calphalon worth the price >>> or are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of cookware >>> really make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We just want >>> skillets that last more than a year or two. Thanks for the input.
>> My suggestion for skillets that will last a long time: Cast iron.
> I agree, and we have one, but use it just for steaks. For everything > else, we'd like something that needs less maintenance.
What maintenance? Once you get it burned black you can treat it like anything else, just don't soak it for a couple of days or it will find a spot to rust.
Stainless steel lasts forever, just make sure the handles are attached well. ALWAYS buy used unless it's an emergency. Non-stick coatings aren't all they're cracked up to be.
-- Cheers, Bev $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ "If you put the government in charge of the desert, there would be a sand shortage within ten years." -- M. Friedman (?)
frater mus wrote: > Marsha wrote: >> We're looking for good quality cookware. Is Calphalon worth the price >> or are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of cookware really >> make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We just want skillets >> that last more than a year or two. Thanks for the input.
> Cal is nice but overpriced; folks that buy it on name only seem to > either not use it (display only) or want it to act like teflon (which > it's not, so it doesn't). Used Cal has often been abused by non-foodie > heathens but you may find some in good condition in garage sales.
If you CAN abuse it it's not worth the price they ask. Pots are tools and should be able to stand up to whatever use they get without whining.
> I like heavy, no-frills commercial gear from the local restaurant supply > store. Oven-safe, tough, reasonably-priced. Only buy the pieces you need.
I would LOVE to have one of those 20-gallon aluminum stock pots. I have no idea what I'd do with it and no place to put it, but I WANT one!
-- Cheers, Bev ========================================================= "Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority." -- U.S. Supreme Court, McIntyre v Ohio Elections,1995
On Thu, 19 Nov 2009, The Real Bev wrote: > Stainless steel lasts forever, just make sure the handles are attached well. > ALWAYS buy used unless it's an emergency. Non-stick coatings aren't all > they're cracked up to be.
Definitely. I bought a non-stick frying pan years ago, and it took a lot less time than I would have expected for the coating to start coming off. I scrapped that, was given a new one for Christmas as a replacement, which didn't last any longer.
I came across a store that had stainless steel frying pans with a heavy (I guess aluminum) plate on the bottom and the price was low enough that I figured it was a clearance. I don't have problems with things sticking, but it sure lasts long, and no worry about damaging the coating.
It was either that store, or something similar, where I got a nice pot with a similar aluminum plate on the bottom, with a steamer insert, for an equally low price.
Buying bit by bit is definitely the way to go. Then you can look for clearance or used, but also you pick what you get, rather than having to live with a set that might have a good price if you could figure out a use for that tiny pot you never use.
>> Marsha wrote: >>> We're looking for good quality cookware. Is Calphalon worth the >>> price or are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of >>> cookware really make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We >>> just want skillets that last more than a year or two. Thanks for >>> the input.
>> Cal is nice but overpriced; folks that buy it on name only seem to >> either not use it (display only) or want it to act like teflon (which >> it's not, so it doesn't). Used Cal has often been abused by >> non-foodie heathens but you may find some in good condition in >> garage sales.
> If you CAN abuse it it's not worth the price they ask. Pots are > tools and should be able to stand up to whatever use they get without > whining. >> I like heavy, no-frills commercial gear from the local restaurant >> supply store. Oven-safe, tough, reasonably-priced. Only buy the >> pieces you need.
> I would LOVE to have one of those 20-gallon aluminum stock pots. I > have no idea what I'd do with it and no place to put it, but I WANT one!
Stainless is better, you cant do some stuff like marmalade in aluminum.
Rod Speed wrote: > The Real Bev wrote: >> frater mus wrote:
>>> Marsha wrote: >>>> We're looking for good quality cookware. Is Calphalon worth the >>>> price or are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of >>>> cookware really make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We >>>> just want skillets that last more than a year or two. Thanks for >>>> the input.
>>> Cal is nice but overpriced; folks that buy it on name only seem to >>> either not use it (display only) or want it to act like teflon (which >>> it's not, so it doesn't). Used Cal has often been abused by >>> non-foodie heathens but you may find some in good condition in >>> garage sales.
>> If you CAN abuse it it's not worth the price they ask. Pots are >> tools and should be able to stand up to whatever use they get without >> whining.
I wasn't clear. I meant if abuse HURTS the pot it's not worth the price... Carry on.
>>> I like heavy, no-frills commercial gear from the local restaurant >>> supply store. Oven-safe, tough, reasonably-priced. Only buy the >>> pieces you need.
>> I would LOVE to have one of those 20-gallon aluminum stock pots. I >> have no idea what I'd do with it and no place to put it, but I WANT one!
> Stainless is better, you cant do some stuff like marmalade in aluminum.
That's interesting. I've made my own lemon curd, but it had never occurred to me to make marmalade. Why won't aluminum work?
-- Cheers, Bev ------------------------------------------------------------------ Always carry a length of fiber-optic cable in your pocket. Should you be shipwrecked and find yourself stranded on a desert island, bury the cable in the sand. A few hours later, a guy driving a backhoe will be along to dig it up. Ask him to rescue you.
> Rod Speed wrote >> The Real Bev wrote >>> frater mus wrote >>>> Marsha wrote: >>>>> We're looking for good quality cookware. Is Calphalon worth the >>>>> price or are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of >>>>> cookware really make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We >>>>> just want skillets that last more than a year or two. Thanks for the input. >>>> Cal is nice but overpriced; folks that buy it on name only seem to >>>> either not use it (display only) or want it to act like teflon >>>> (which it's not, so it doesn't). Used Cal has often been abused by >>>> non-foodie heathens but you may find some in good condition in >>>> garage sales. >>> If you CAN abuse it it's not worth the price they ask. Pots are >>> tools and should be able to stand up to whatever use they get >>> without whining. > I wasn't clear. I meant if abuse HURTS the pot it's not worth the price... Carry on. >>>> I like heavy, no-frills commercial gear from the local restaurant >>>> supply store. Oven-safe, tough, reasonably-priced. Only buy the >>>> pieces you need. >>> I would LOVE to have one of those 20-gallon aluminum stock pots. I >>> have no idea what I'd do with it and no place to put it, but I WANT one! >> Stainless is better, you cant do some stuff like marmalade in aluminum. > That's interesting. I've made my own lemon curd, but it had never occurred to me to make marmalade.
I did that because the manufacturer of the lemon and lime marmalade I liked stopped making it and made lemon and lime and grapefruit instead, and I didnt like it anything like as much.
The Real Bev wrote: > I wasn't clear. I meant if abuse HURTS the pot it's not worth the > price... Carry on.
I think it was clear enough, although I might disagree with the point.
One has to treat teflon (or calphalon, or those hideous induction stovetops, or nice knives) specially to avoid damaging them but this is a consumer education issue and a personal choice.
Same with exotic sports cars; you can't drive them 30mph over speedbumps but they may still be worth 200k for their intended purpose and environment. Mishandling them may cause $$$ damage.
I have used one Cal saute pan in one commercial and liked it. I did not like it $80 worth (or whatever) or I would have bought one by now
> That's interesting. I've made my own lemon curd, but it had never > occurred to me to make marmalade. Why won't aluminum work?
I suspect it's a reference to the generic problem of reactivity when cooking acids in aluminum. Calphalon gets around that problem with anodizing (at least until somebody damages the surface, as discussed above).
>> I wasn't clear. I meant if abuse HURTS the pot it's not worth the >> price... Carry on.
> I think it was clear enough, although I might disagree with the point.
> One has to treat teflon (or calphalon, or those hideous induction > stovetops, or nice knives) specially to avoid damaging them but this > is a consumer education issue and a personal choice.
> Same with exotic sports cars; you can't drive them 30mph over > speedbumps but they may still be worth 200k for their intended purpose > and environment. Mishandling them may cause $$$ damage.
> I have used one Cal saute pan in one commercial and liked it. I did > not like it $80 worth (or whatever) or I would have bought one by now
>> That's interesting. I've made my own lemon curd, but it had never >> occurred to me to make marmalade. Why won't aluminum work? > I suspect it's a reference to the generic problem of reactivity when cooking acids in aluminum. Calphalon gets around > that problem with anodizing
"Dan Birchall" <nob...@imaginary-host.danbirchall.com> wrote in message > Been ages since I shopped for cookware, but names like "All-Clad" and > "Master Chef" and "Wear-Ever" come to mind as sturdy things with handles > that don't fall off (which is important to me, just in case the zombies > come...)
Or you cook heavy things in very large pots. Standing in the middle of the kitchen holding a handle in both hands while the pot hits the floor and splashes boiling tomato sauce all over the floor, cabinets, and your legs is not my idea of a great start to the evening. Been there, done that, which is why I love my old Revere Ware stuff. I'd put it up against zombies, too!
Dan Birchall wrote: > m...@xeb.net (Marsha) wrote: >> We're looking for good quality cookware. Is Calphalon worth the price >> or are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of cookware really >> make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We just want skillets >> that last more than a year or two. Thanks for the input.
> Been ages since I shopped for cookware, but names like "All-Clad" and > "Master Chef" and "Wear-Ever" come to mind as sturdy things with handles > that don't fall off (which is important to me, just in case the zombies > come...)
If zombies are in your future, I suggest cast iron with as long a handle as you can get. Leverage counts.
-- Cheers, Bev ================================================================= "No matter how cynical I get, it's just never enough to keep up." --Lily Tomlin
h wrote: > "Dan Birchall" <nob...@imaginary-host.danbirchall.com> wrote in message >> Been ages since I shopped for cookware, but names like "All-Clad" and >> "Master Chef" and "Wear-Ever" come to mind as sturdy things with handles >> that don't fall off (which is important to me, just in case the zombies >> come...)
> Or you cook heavy things in very large pots. Standing in the middle of the > kitchen holding a handle in both hands while the pot hits the floor and > splashes boiling tomato sauce all over the floor, cabinets, and your legs is > not my idea of a great start to the evening. Been there, done that, which is > why I love my old Revere Ware stuff. I'd put it up against zombies, too!
Guardianware is nice if you can find the detachable handles. Do they still make it? heavy aluminum with heavy glass lids. The bottoms warped, but if I'd really cared I could have taken them to an auto machine shop and have them ground flat.
-- Cheers, Bev ================================================================= "No matter how cynical I get, it's just never enough to keep up." --Lily Tomlin
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