CALPHALON POTS AND PANS

Rating

I have read the complaints of condensate dripping on the stove top, and I agree that there is some of that, but then, it seems hard to avoid with a covered boiling pot. On the other hand, the set is built of heavy (real quality) stainless steel, and it has a very thick aluminum base. The thick base probably doesn’t do much for pasta cooking, but it really makes this set useful as a stockpot. The glass lid is also a nice asthetic touch, and works well for checking out what is happening inside without lifting the lid. I like it. I was also impressed when it arrived, as it is built to a far higher standard than one would expect for a multi pot. A good deal.

Rating

I’m glad I ignored the negative comments about this item. I just love this pot! It seems big for a single person, but its versatility makes up for the large size. Now I don’t need to have a stock pot and flimsy vegetable steamer insert to clutter my kitchen shelf and drawer.

I like its convenience of cooking pasta and steaming vegetables at the same time. Last night, I put the steamer on a plate when the vegetables were done. Then I took out the pasta insert and left it in the sink, emptied the steamer onto the plate, placed it back into the pot, and continued using the hot water again to steam FOUR artichokes.

Tips: Just be careful when you lift the inserts out while cooking. I lean the inserts to one side to drain the water into the pot on the stove before removing them. Use a large fork to grab the inside handles for the steamer. Also, you need to use a thick kitchen towel and/or pot holders for the handles and lid. I like using a towel because it protects my hands and arms from the hot steam.

Rating

I have used this pot for catering a friends party and i found it to be extremely useful. I boiled angel hair pasta with the deeper pasta insert and steamed asparagus that went over so well that when a child went to throw out half a spear, he was stoped and the valuable stalk was savored by a more appreciative adult. I cleaned this pot by hand afterwards and had no problems. Although i have washed dishes in a highly rated restaurant, i dont believe pot scrubing is a skill that is hard to acheive.

I encourage all to at least try this pot. Both inserts are excellent. I imagine the thick bottom would be great for simmering large quantities of sauces or stocks.

Please ignore negative reveiws for this item. The handles on the steamer insert could be slighty difficult to retreive for the lazy but for the rest of us, it is not exactly rocket science. One of the advantages of steaming food is that steam is hot and heat is what cooks food so dont be surprised is the insert gets hot as well.

Dont buy this if you cant take a few micro seconds to relize that fire makes things hot. Just get some mits or a side towel or two and get on with your life.

At the very low price offered, this pot is definitely worth a try.

Rating

When I was a new bride at age 17, I couldn’t afford good cookware. Now into my 40′s I am upgrading for the umpteenth time, but this time to cookware that will last forever. I have a few pieces of Calphalon and have been pleased with their performance, so when I saw this pot, it definately turned my head. I have not been disappointed.

My first impression was of how heavy this pot is. Heft is a sign of quality, and this pot and it’s inserts are hefty. I have owned entire pot sets that didn’t weigh as much as the steamer!

Upon first use I found the time it takes to boil water for pasta was noticably reduced. Just cover the pot to bring the water to a boil then remove the lid. In contrast to some other reviews, I found the insert adequate for pasta. Yes, you do need more water, but isn’t the idea to BOIL pasta, not STEAM it? Lifting the insert from the pot to drain the pasta is very convienent. Just lift it from the water to strain back into the pot and place it on a plate while you empty the pot. Keep your pasta hot by leaving a couple of inches of the hot water in the bottom, pasta in the insert, lid on.

I have made so much pasta sauce in this pot I had to can 5 quarts of leftovers. The heavy disk in the bottom of the pot allows not only for a quick boil, but also for long periods of simmering without scortching. The glass lid is great since you can peer inside without lifting the lid, and the stainless inside is bright so you can see.

I had concerns about the lid and spattering after reading the reviews. I can see where these people are coming from, but I think the problem is solved by using lower heat. The handle on the lid isn’t plastic and will get hot – eventually. It took a LONG time for it to get hot enough I couldn’t handle it bare-handed, but common sense will tell you to always check before touching anything that has been in contact with a heat source.

The handles on the steamer can get in the way but I don’t know that this is a real problem, and I don’t know how they could design it better. After all, you if you are using this insert you will need to retrieve it somehow.

Cleanup was no problem at all. Again, I believe a lot of the issues would be solved if lower heat was used. I usually wash the lid in the dishwasher and the pot by hand. The brushed stainless gives you the beautiful look of stainless without the hassle of “spit shining” it. Fingerprints and water spots aren’t quite as noticable.

Storing this big pot and all it’s accessories is not a problem since they all stack beautifully and require a much smaller footbrint than several separate pieces.

I love this pot so much I purchased one for each of my daughters as well. I don’t want them to have to wait 20+ years for quality cookware. Perhaps owning quality stuff will inspire them and they will enjoy their time in the kitchen – not struggle with it like I did for so long. I only wish I had this a LONG time ago!

Rating

This is a lovely set and a great value. It includes a colander insert for cooking pasta, and a steamer insert for steaming vegetables or what have you. And if you’re really into steaming, you can use both at once for 2-level steaming. The glass lid has a stainless metal rim which helps avoid breaking and chipping, and the handles are firmly and neatly riveted on. The only negative: The wire handles for the steamer insert rest sitting in the food you’re steaming unless you’re clever and take them out of the original holes and reposition them so they rest on the rim. This requires delicately bending the wires so that they move smoothly, but it’s worth it. Once you do that, this should be your pasta, steaming, lobster boiling, and soup and stew-pot for the rest of your life.

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As the owner of a full set of Calphalon Simply Stainless you may imagine that I’m a fan of this line, and you’d be right. As one reviewer suggested, please ignore the negative reviews by some customers. I am baffled by the fact that some folks never grasped that childhood lesson, HOT-HOT-DON’T TOUCH! I will also confess that I’m confused by one reviewer who said:

“To cook pasta or food, you need to add an additional 2 quarts of water (the amount needed to touch the bottom of the insert) making it more time consuming to use.”

O-K…I guess the logic there just escapes me. I’ve made tons of pasta, with great and effortless success. The steamer basket is terrific and holds a generous amount as does the pasta basket. This pot is very sturdy and although I like my LeCreuset 7qt dutch oven best for soups and stews, this is my second favorite.

For the price and the quality you can’t beat it.

Rating

I previously had a multi-pot cooker. The lid and inserts never seated properly and it was lightweight. I ordered the Calphalon to replace it and I love it! It seats beautifully and is heavy-duty stainless steel. I have used it every day since I received it and hope it lasts a lifetime! I would highly recommend it to anyone who uses this time of cooker.

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Very sturdy construction and I like the glass lid. The only problem I have is the lid has a VERY thin metal that is easily damaged. The pot is thick and the handles are riveted on and very solid. As long as you are careful with the lid, this steamer is awesome!

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I was a little worried when I read some of the other reviews but this product is very nice. It holds a lot more pasta than it looks like it would, I also used it to blanch vegetables from the garden. The heavy lid is excellent because it stays on even at a rapid boil. This is an excellent product. I just wish you could put it in the dishwasher

Rating

I bought this multi pot set because I knew that calphalon was a very good cooking brand. It cooks food perfectly. It does not burn food to the bottom of the pan and is easy to clean. It does not stain easily like most other stainless steel brands. I would highly recommend this product because it does a great job when cooking pasta and steamed vegetables.