CALPHALON POTS AND PANS

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I recieved this item as a wedding gift, and have found it to be the greatest stockpot in the world for so many things: from huge batches of pasta to ham-hock soup to turning my tomato harvest into several gallons of sauce, this pot has never let me down. Why? the thick, anodized aluminum ensures even heat. It stands up to all day slow cooking of highly acidic tomatoes without staining. The handles are large and sturdy enough even for my huge, sometimes clumsy hands to grip. The lid stays on but allows steam to vent; I never have to worry about a kitchen “explosion” onto the stove. And the whole thing is so sturdy it stands up any abuse I dish out: dropping, stabbing, three day soaks, without a stain, dent or complaint. I highly reccomend this product for anyone from beginning cooks to experienced chefs.

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This stockpot is the last one you’ll ever buy. It is so well-constructed, so solid, and so well crafted it will last for generations. The cooking performance is superb. It conducts heat well (it’s made of aluminum) and distributes it evenly to ensure good results even on high heat. I’ve used it for soups, stews, cassoulets, and canning and in every instance it outperforms every other pot of its kind I’ve ever tried.

People may question the price, but trust me, the four other stockpots I’ve owned collectively cost a lot more and did a lot less. Spend the money and get yourself a once-in-a-lifetime pot that will serve your needs for good. This is a true bargain in every regard.

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Perfect for making gobs of chili or soup for 20, this giant, ultra-sturdy stockpot stands up to abuse and has Calphalon’s quick, even heating thanks to its thick aluminum. Amazon currently has them for about two-thirds off, which is a good value, too.

Remember that you can not put Calphalon into the dishwasher — even if you could figure out a way with this pot — because it will leach out the anodized coating, leading to pits and discolorations and voiding the lifetime warranty.

Metal utensils are fine, and cleanup is relatively simple with a Scotchbrite pad and hot soapy water. Remember also to preheat the pan to help avoid sticking.

Enjoy!

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this is a great price on this stock pot. it’s a heavy duty anadized aluminum which heats evenly and quickly. because of the quality of the metal your stocks and soups will cook evenly all the way up the sides of the pan. the only draw back is that it’s incredibly larger and storage is at a premium in my apartment. still, it’s perfect for canning, apple sauce, and big batches of soup.

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I replaced my old beat up aluminum stockpot that I only used to cook crabs in with this pot. I made a big batch of Cioppino in the pot the first day that I got it and was really pleased with the results. I kept the basket that came with my other stockpot and used it in this one to deep fry a whole batch of chicken wings! The pot is heavy, it cooks evenly, it’s a thousand times better than the other stockpot that I owned, and it actually cost about the same. As an added bonus, the lid fits the 10″ skillets from the Commercial line, hard anodized and nonstick.

I rarely use the dishwasher so cleaning it by hand doesn’t bother me, and I find it easy to clean with a Scotchbrite pad and dishwashing liquid. It’s probably to big to fit in a regular dishwasher anyway. If you like the Calphalon Commercial Hard Anodized line, add this to your collection before they run out!

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I have owned this pot for over 6 years, er now over 9 years and it gets used all the time. Coming from a professional resturant family, I knew about the Calphalon Commercial Hard Anodized line we used in the resturant– and how they perform. So buying one for home use just meant saving up enough $$ to purchase it, but at this price I’m buying another one! They are well worth the money.

This pot is very user friendly as it can do everything from Soup, spagetti sauce to large batches of jelly and jam, or corn on the cob for a small army of diners. We’ve even used it to boil 2-3 small lobsters without a hitch.

THE FOLLOWING IS SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR CALPHALON’S HARD ANODIZED COOKWARE– Not the non-stick.

A few other reviewers have mentioned a couple things I’d like to set straight.

1. NEVER EVER put this pot in the dishwasher. It will void the warranty. Calphalon tells you wash it by hand in the sink with hot water. Calphalon tells you in the instructions you can use 3M Pot Scrubbers and Comet Cleanser on the pan. This will remove any and all food residue, in order to keep it from sticking. Clean or Treating it about every 3-4 washings with Dormond Cleanser is recommended by Calphalon to return the pan to it’s like new condition. Normally soaking the pot by filling it with dish soap and hot water releases most sticky food.

2. For those reviewers who commented about warped lids and problems, Calphalon does take their warranty seriously. Call the company (get the number off their website,) and tell them your problems and don’t take no for an answer. I do agree that since some Calphalon has been made overseas vs the old time stock out of Ohio, the quality has been spotty at times. But this is where you get the opportunity to speak up and tell them exactly what you think. (I personally have bought every piece of Ohio made Calphalon I can find, it is superior.) But I’ve returned a poorly made lid and other problems and never had a problem. If you first don’t like the answer you get, Write the CEO/President of the company a letter. It will get action if you explain your problem and tell them what you exspect of them to do make it right. They are used to dealing with the expections of professional chefs.

In our house we do not like the idea of using a non-stick pan and have never had a problem with these Hard Anodized pans and food sticking. The trick is getting the pan hot enough with the proper oil or liquid before you begin adding additional items to cook.

The major problem most people have is understanding HOW to cook with these pans. It really pays to read the instruction booklet that comes with the pans. It will save you countless grief and make you a much better cook/chef.

And we still love it and it’s twin that’s now going on 4 years old!

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I was lusting for this stock pot because I had bought three other Calphalon Commercial Hard Anodized pieces earlier in the year and just love them. This line of cookware is so tough, Calphalon actually recommends cleaning it with Comet! I was afraid Calphalon would discontinue this pot before I could afford to buy it…and then it went on sale. What joy!

I didn’t think I’d use this pot very much because I’m not much of a cook; that it would just sit around looking pretty as part of my set except during rare canning adventures. But the day it came, I tried using it to cook a whole meal (see below) using a stainless steel steamer insert from a cheap stock-pot/steamer set that fit well enough to get the job done. I’ve used it every other day or so ever since!

My first meal: I put some beans I’d soaked overnight in the bottom of the pot and brought them to a slow boil. After the beans had cooked a bit, I set two cups of rice (prepared as follows) in a Pyrex glass 7-cup storage bowl (sans lid) and set it into the stock pot. (Fabulous rice-cooking technique: Put twice-rinsed rice into a heat-proof bowl, pour HOT water over it so the water level is roughly 3/4″ higher than the rice, then steam approximately 20-25 minutes. It will hold longer without overcooking, hot and ready to serve.) When it was almost time for dinner, I went out to my garden, picked some summer squash, and cut it in half lengthwise; there was plenty of room to stick the squash around the edges of the rice bowl in the steamer. We had beans & rice and lovely steamed squash for dinner and it was marvelous!

The only thing that could make this stock pot better is if I could get my hands on a steamer basket that truly fits it. I’ve been trying to locate one made specifically for this pot but so far have not been successful. If somebody finds a good one, please let me know!

Rating

I’ve only had the chance to use it twice since I bought it, but both times were a great success. Nothing will burn on the bottom of this pot, which is the problem I’ve had with stockpots in the past. It is very heavy and huge, which makes it alittle difficult to wash in the sink. Thats a small price to pay for great cooking results. All in all I love my new stockpot.

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I’ve owned this pot for about nearly 10 years. It’s performed flawlessly. It conducts heat well with very even distribution, the handles remains cool while in use, food does not stick (it is NOT a non-stick finish) and it cleans up well with handwashing — never in the dishwasher. The construction quality is flawless. It still looks almost like new. I have more expensive stainless steel pots for the rest of my cooking, but this performs just as well and is a fraction of the cost.

Rating

As regards the price, I have purchased two of these 12Qt. pots, each on different Amazon Friday Sales, and each for a penny less than FIFTY DOLLARS. On a subsequent Friday Sale it was offered for a penny less than FORTY DOLLARS.

First, the only two negatives: 1) It does seem to scratch more easily than my Circulon Hard-Anodized Non-Stick Hi-Low System pots — a casual encounter with a faucet will disclose a fine, thin streak of aluminum; 2) I used the pot two or three times before obtaining Calphalon’s Dormond cleaner and wound up with black-on-black watermark type stains on the inside of the bottom and the inside of the lid. Subsequently, a half-dozen scrubbings with Dormond removed all the stains.

Now, the good part. I wanted a 12 qt stock pot and I like using this one. It seems to distribute heat well. The cover handle works well for me and never seems to get to warm for my bare hand. The side handles feel sturdy, well positioned, and enable me to heft the pot without strain. Even full, I feel I have good, adequate control when moving it about. The lid fits simply and well.

I favor it, now, over my clad, triple-ply 8 qt. stainless steel stockpot.

Lastly, I had occasion to telephone Calphalon customer service. My call was answered swiftly and the service was delivered pleasantly — something increasingly rare these days.