Calphalon D87821/2P Commercial Hard-Anodized 2-1/2-Quart Shallow Saucepan with Lid
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Calphalon D87821/2P Commercial Hard-Anodized 2-1/2-Quart Shallow Saucepan with Lid
Customer Review: Excellent all-purpose pots
Summary: 4 Stars
It's very hard to find anything wrong with Calphalon pans when you can get them for the prices they usually appear for on Amazon. Not even a commercial kitchen supply shop stocks pans of this quality for the price as a rule.
Having said that, I do agree that the surface quality of the newer (Chinese made) Calphalon anodized pans is not the same as on my older Ohio made pans. I have some going back before they were "Calphalon" and were just "Commercial Cookware" of Ohio (and those are NSF stamped... because they really were commercial.) The grain on the older pans is much tighter and the surface smoother to a fingernail. Even those, however, are not nearly as smooth as the grain on the NEWEST "Calphalon One" series (which are being made - at great expense apparently - in Ohio... at least for now.) I think this stems from the forming of the stock aluminum itself, not the anodizing. The new pans feel just a little lighter (but don't appear thinner) so I'm betting that they are a slightly lower density alloy stock being used... which would explain the more open grain as well.
Having said THAT, it really doesn't seem to make any appreciable difference in use. I can feel the difference with my finger (or a tool) on the surface... but they seem to cook just fine - and don't forget that they are very reasonably priced.
Here's my system, take with it what you will. These are uncoated metal surfaces. Treat them as such. I season mine almost like I would a cast iron pan - oil/lard and lots of heat... allow to cool. Then wipe clean (but don't scub with soapy water). If you film the pan with fresh oil before cooking they can be nearly non-stick in some applications. On the other hand, I frequently am seeking fond, and non-stick is excactly what I'm trying to avoid. I want things to stick and cook... and then I'll clean them with the deglazing liquid. After that they get a quick swish of the brush and hot water (even soap if needs be) and a wipe of fresh oil (and usually a bit of heating). Store them with the thinnest film of oil and they will be as faithful (if not as heavy) as your great grandmother's cast iron skillet. (but don't expect them to be as effective for searing or against intruders).
I don't want to belittle anyone's cooking, but if you are having sticking problems with these pans, it's probably either that (A) you need a little more technique practice or B) you chose the wrong pan for the food. There is no one pan that does everything perfectly (or there would be a lot more space - and fewer pans - in my kitchen) and there are times you aren't going to be able to prevent a little sticking... and other times you WANT sticking. At the end of the day - even I own one non-stick "teflon" pan (shhhh... don't tell anyone).
This is still very good all-purpose cookware. Buy a kitchen full (unless you have an induction cooktop...) and use 'em up.
Customer Review: Heavy Duty Pot
Summary: 4 Stars
First off, this saucepan is perfect for my wife and me. We use the stove a lot and we like buying cookware that lasts. It's a nice size that fits almost all of our cooking, as it's not too big and not too small. We bought two about three years ago, and they still look brand new. We like them so much that I just ordered another one, and now we'll have three.
The best things about this saucepan:
* Very sturdy. Once you get used to it, you'll think every other pot is cutely shaped aluminum foil. It could almost be used effectively for self defense.
* Heats up very quickly. I had never used cookware like this before and always expected a pot to take a while to heat up. Not this one! As soon as your stove is hot, this saucepan is hot. It really caught me by surprise the first time.
* Will probably last forever. Like I said, they've been used heavily for three years now, and they are as good as new.
* Cheap! The price seems to fluctuate on Amazon a lot, but I bought all of mine for $20. That's incredibly cheap for what they are.
But, they're not perfect, and you might not like them for these reasons:
* Heavy. They're really heavy. If you have weak wrists or don't like lifting heavy stuff, you won't like them. However, my wife is petite and she handles them just fine.
* Not non-stick. If you cook stuff that can stick, then you won't be happy, because it will stick to this pot, and you'll have a lot of scrubing to do.
* Not dishwasher-safe. I can't remember the specifics of the warranty. I don't think it voids the warranty, but they don't recommend using the dishwasher. Either way, we chose to wash them by hand because we want to take care of them. We live in Arizona, the water is hard, and things rust very easily in the dishwasher. If you hate washing things by hand, this might not be the pot for you. But even though we use these a lot and wash them 3-4 times a day, it's really not that bad. Most things wash out really quickly.
So, if you want a sturdy, heavy, last-forever and heat-up-fast saucepan for a great price, this is it. If you want something light, dishwasher-safe, and non-stick, look elsewhere.
Customer Review: what a steal!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Ok, let me get this straight...Amazon has 2 different 2.5 quart Calphalon Commerical Hard-Anodized saucepans, the regular, and the shallow. Inspecting the technical details of the two pans, one quickly realizes that they are identical except for the diameter and the height of the pan. The shallow is, naturally, more shallow (3 in. compared to 3 7/8 in), and therefore wider (8 3/8 in compared to 7 in) to accomdodate the fact that they hold the same amount of volume. What does this mean? More SURFACE AREA. What does surface area do? Well, think about it for a second: more of the pan is in direct contact with the heat because of the larger bottom. As a result, more of the food is exposed to the heat. The result? Faster cooking!And this is a "sauce" pan after all. So what does this mean for sauce? Same thing as above, but remember, more of the sauce comes in contact with the air. More surface-to-air ratio = faster reducing times for sauces.
So we've established that from a technical standpoint, the shallow saucepan seems superior. It cooks faster because of a greater area for heat to contact food and for the surface of a sauce to contact the air. With that in mind, take a guess which one costs more. Surprsingly enough the pan with the lower amount of surface area costs at least %50 more than the more useful shallow saucepan.
So unless you are looking for a pan that reduces more slowly and has a much lower amount of versatility (try browning a couple of chicken breasts in the regulation sized saucepan...you'll have squished chicken), I recommend this pan whole-heartedly. The anodized aluminum does not react with acidic foods such as tomato sauces, looks really cool, heats quickly and evenly (aluminum is an incredible heat conductor), and won't bust your budget. This is the perfect way to own a piece of excellent cookware for a bargain basement price. Just remember, it is stick-resistant, not non-stick. This browns up much nicer than the Calphalon non-stick stuff, and you don't have to treat with kid gloves. About the only thing you can't do is throw it in the dishwasher (which you shouldn't do with any decent pot or pan) and use a knife or electric mixer in it (a hand blender is fine...the blades never touch the pot).
Customer Review: 2 1/2 Quart Calphalon sauce pan - another winner!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is pan number two in my new Calphalon collection and really compliments the Calphalon "Everyday" pan I purchased previously. This pan is also stamped "Toledo, Ohio" so no hint of overseas origin that I can detect unless they are fabricated overseas and stamped in Toledo. Incidentally, I also appreciate getting the lid included with each piece, rather than the "All Clad" way - a la carte.Now I can prepare soups etc. in quantities that are perfect for my bachelor needs! As mentioned in my other review I am a novice cook (definitely not a chef)and realized early on that the "Everyday" pan I purchased previously needed a "complementary friend" on the stovetop to add some additional versatility to my currently meager repertoire of culinary creations.
Heat control (even using an electric stove - gourmet chefs are gasping I am sure) is another plus for this heavy gauge cookware. The heavy aluminum core definitely helps to stabilize the pan temperature and this consistently yields uniformly prepared food, evenly cooked.
As you may have gathered I am definitely sold on Calphalon cookware which is more than adequate for my present culinary talent level. The Calphalon line of cookware makes cooking (and clean up)both pleasant experiences IMO. Amazon, through their great pricing have increased my enjoyment of cooking immeasurably by enabling me to own/use professional quality equipment that would otherwise be beyond my budget. I would never be able to purchase this cookware at the local store prices (even in the competitive Los Angeles retail scene).
Regarding clean up/use - no pan discoloration noted so far and clean up has not been a problem. The included Calphalon "Use and Care" brochure provides the answers for most user questions. I do use a "Dobie" pad and liquid dish soap plus warm water (after some soaking if required).
To sum it up - great, versatile pan which will enhance your culinary talents and enjoyment.
Enjoy!
Customer Review: more than a saucepan and worthy of 4½ stars
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this pan toserve mostly as a deep frypan(3 inch deep/8.375" diameter)whileI'vebeen using a 10"stainless steel/non stick double deep(4") frypan by Farbeware forsauteing and stir frying, but the nonstickinterior is unsuitablefor high temp cooking requiredfor proper Oriental cooking,;alo the stainless exterior is hard for me to keep brilliantlyimaculate(having onlyonefunctional arm)as mycookwarehangsfrom a wall mount Calphalon pot-hanger and brighten mytiny kitchenby reflecting 99.9% ofthe light andthisbrings meto mymain criticism of ALL hard anodized cookware; the matte black absorbs about 90% of the lightthat strikes it, thusreducing general visibility inthewhole kitchen and even more inside thepan where it hampers visibility ofwhat's cooking! Couldn't the cookware geniuses anodize a white insideor a stainless liner and a colorful external surface?I'd love a bright orangey red and brightstainless lidwith a red knob.I really wantedto rate this Calphalon 4½ stars but itis not possible.At the Amazon price hurry buy two, the secondfor you best friend(I can'tbelieve that amazon will keep this giveaway price forever and you'll love me forthesuggestion.the only alternate I'd consider is theCuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless 3-1/2-Quart Saute Pan with Helper Handle & Cover : another super bargain from Amazon, though 8 bucks more)bless their cotton-picking heart!)One moresuggestion:unless youhavethewrists of the great Alexeyev Olympic and world weight lifting record holder, stay away from "clad cookware in the home even ifthe outrageous prices don't deter you;muchtoo heavy and after all you won't live 200 years to benefit fromtheir extremelongevity and new technologies havealready appeared, merging the benefits of stainless, nonstick and hard anodized; still expensive but wait awhile: we're notamericans for nothing!)