Thursday, September 30, 2010
Berndes Tradition 11 Piece Cookware Set
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Circulon Infinite 10 Piece Set
Warblette Set
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
10pc Stainless Steel Stock Pots w/Heat Resistant Handle Cookware Set
Monday, September 27, 2010
Farberware Superior 12-Piece Cookware Set, Black
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Heuck 33062 Porcelain Enamel Cast Iron 3 Piece Skillet Set, Red
First, they are a great deal, and sturdy. I couldn't find any set of coated cast iron pans that came even close to this low price. I have read the other reviews about the pans exploding, etc, and I can say that with almost a year of daily use, we haven't had any problems.
Second, the coating does a decent job of reducing sticking. If you want a near-perfect non-stick coating, you will have to use Teflon, because any healthy alternative just won't perform as well. Nonetheless, if used properly, these are pretty nearly non-stick. The keys to success are to make sure you use enough oil, don't turn the heat up too high too soon, and give the food time to cook before disturbing or flipping it.
Third, this package is versatile. We primarily use the medium and large size pans. We cook 4-6 eggs each morning in the medium pan, and save the larger one for bigger dishes. We rarely use the smallest one. I should note that none of the pans is huge, and the smallest one is just big enough for a large hamburger patty.
One potential drawback is that the handles get very hot, and I have come close to burning my hand. I would suggest always using an oven mitt to handle them if they have been used for awhile. Another is that cleaning them can be difficult if food has stuck to them.
Overall, I highly recommend this set. It is worth repeating to anyone interested in buying this set that coated cast iron will never function as well as Teflon in terms of preventing sticking. Don't expect it to be as good as Teflon, or you will be disappointed. Nonetheless, given my health concerns with Teflon, I am very happy with the quality and appearance of this set.
Oil never purchase again! - M. depar - PA
Very happy to receive this set. Pans are 10", 8" and 7" in diameter. They went well, colorwise, with my caramel lodge cast iron pot. First thing I noticed was the uneven surface. With all of the enamel iron castware I have purchased, I never witnessed this. I figured its ok. @2nd thing and absolute disgrace was, using a light coat of oil just to heat up some food, and the enamel started chipping...I mean really chipping off. As one reviewer stated this is one layer enamel and a very poor quality, to boot. I have had my 1.5 quart Kinetic cast iron saucepan, that looks exactly the same style as these, for about 7 moinths now. I have fried in it plenty of times and its still going strong. Buy these if you only plan to boil water in them or heat up some food, without oil.
They DO explode -- very poor quality - R. Daly -
I bought these pans about two years ago for a very low price during one of Amazon's sales. I was skeptical of the reviews about exploding enamel and figured that the most likely explanation for that was simply user error. To those who warned me: I apologize! My neighbors bought these pans at about the same time. They lasted about a year and a half in both our households -- then the exploding began.
PROS:
1) They're cheap -- or they were. They now cost far more than what I paid for them.
2) They lasted about as long as I happened to need them -- but it looks like I was one of the lucky ones. As a temporary kitchen item, they worked out well for me.
3) They're pretty. They look nice as serving dishes, and I liked having a splash of red in my otherwise neutral-toned kitchen. I hung them on the wall as decoration when not in use.
4) They're heavy and hold heat well -- I'm not sure why one reviewer thought they weren't really solid cast iron. I think they might be thinner than Lodge's pans, or than the old cast iron pans that our parents and grandparents had, so maybe that's it.
5) The different sizes were very convenient -- I used these pans for pretty much everything except pasta.
CONS:
1) The enamel does in fact explode off of the pans -- sooner for some and later for others. I'd be interested to know if any customer who uses these regularly has escaped this problem. The enamel on mine began to craze shortly after I bought them -- a precursor, I suppose, to it flaking off.
2) These pans are made in China, and they are VERY poor quality. As several other reviewers have noted, the enamel coating is very thin, and you can see the imperfections in the iron beneath poking through. Perhaps the rough surface and uneven enamel contributes to the exploding problem -- I'm not sure.
3) The enamel gets discolored very quickly, and stays that way. You can get stains out of enamel with baking soda -- just rub it around the pan with a damp cloth. For tough stains, try adding a little lemon juice -- it will react with the baking soda and bubble. I couldn't get all the stains out of my pans, though, and there's other discoloration that seems to come with age and heat.
4) You have to treat these as if they were nonstick, but food does still stick in them, of course -- no metal tools, don't overheat, etc. Unless you are cooking acidic things -- tomato sauce and so forth -- you might want to get plain old cast iron without the enamel coating.
For those of you who are buying for permanence, I would recommend Lodge. They're quality pans, they're made in the USA, and they're not really that much more expensive. In retrospect, that is probably what I should have done myself -- then I would still have three cast iron pans. Cooking with cast iron takes a little getting used to, but if you do it right and keep the pans seasoned properly, they're almost as easy as non-stick, and you can brown food and cook at high heats and all kinds of things you can't do with other pans!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Swiss Diamond 6-Piece Cast-Aluminum Cookware Set
My older son is looking to buy his own appartment and I consider buying him SD cookware as part of the house warming gift, unless he asks for something specific.
*** If you are looking for the cookware that lasts forever, buy plain cast iron, or iron frying pans, cast iron or aluminum dutch ovens and stainless steel pots. However, be prepared to invest in cleaning and/or reseasoning them.
Just what we were looking for - N. Groch - Chicago, IL
This cookware seems very durable and well engineered. Sturdy handles, venting lids, solid and nice weight. Nothing seems to stick to it. In my opinion the value is much better than calphalon cookwares and will probably outlast all others that we have tried.
PLEASE READ BEFORE BUYING THIS PRODUCT!!!!!!!!!!! - NITEMARE -
Sorry folks but this is a real sham. They say it is a diamond coat with no Teflon. It is not teflon (which is DuPont trademark) but the chemical equivalent made by another company with a different name. Please read this article.
[...]
I'm surprised Amazon hasn't caught on to this.
Highbury Bahama Hurricanes Set of 2 Individual Pieces Cookware
Friday, September 24, 2010
Calphalon Triply Stainless Steel 8-Piece Cookware Set
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Bialetti Fusion 9-Piece Cookware Set, Black
Great price...poor craftsmanship - JSC -
We had heard good things about the Bialetti product...dishwasher safe, lightweight, teflon coating, good price...but the craftsmanship was substandard on what we received...even for the price. To start, handles were loose, efforts, even with power tools, to secure the handles did not work. The clincher though, when unpacking, 3/6 of the pans had inconsistent teflon coating and one pan was totally scratched up throughout the entire inside bottom. Initially thought that we had been sent used merchandise, but it appears in the assembly line that the inside bottoms were damaged. Two top edges of pans were poorly edged, rough, still sharp, appears there was a very defective run when these were made. Too bad...
terrible product! - Laria Saunders - California
Do not buy this product! Within just a couple of months the black non stick surface started peeling off the rims. Now 6 months later the entire rims are peeled off and much of the inside surface as well. From the very beginning we have stacked them carefully with paper or styrofoam in between each piece of cookware and still they are all peeled!
False and deceptive labelling on package - Kimba -
Bialetti Italian Ultimate 13-Piece Cookware Set
The package said "Dishwasher Safe" but the instructions said "not recommended" because dishashing will destroy the finish.
That is pure deceptive business practice.
I returned this junk the next day.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Le Creuset Tri-Ply Stainless Steel 12 piece cookware set
Yes, they are made in China. Only All Clad, which now makes their handles and lids off-shore too (they don't tell you where) and Vollrath are made in the US. All Clad is no better than Cuisinart (which would be my second choice, and a lot cheaper) or Calphalon, now discontinued, in the clad cookware category. And All Clad is ridiculously expensive, which in my opinion is completely unjustifiable, not to mention that their handles are as uncomfortable as they come.
If I didn't care about looks I would have gone with Vollrath, but the Le Creuset are very attractive (for pots and pans). The new handles are thick and easy to grasp. The finish is impeccable.
Highly recommended
Excellent High-end Cookware set - kathycooks - Fort Lauderdale, FL USA
I bought this set at a mall store at 1/2 price. I have to say it's a dream to cook with. In renovating our kitchen, one thing I definitely wanted was an induction cooktop so I needed new cookware that works with induction. I went to the store looking for All-Clad, but this caught my eye. I read some reviews, but it seemed everyone was hung up on the fact that it wasn't "All-Clad" - the be-all and end-all of cookware. In fact, most of the reviewers had never tried it or even seen it in a store, but that didn't stop them from writing negative reviews. Because of all the negatives, I was unsure until I actually cooked with this cookware but after I did, I was sold. The great thing about it is it isn't All-Clad so you can get a good price for it. Le Creuset is trying to compete with All-Clad and I'm convinced they have a product good enough to do it.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
6PC Cookware Set - John Pawson for Demeyere
Monday, September 20, 2010
Cuisinox Elite 1 Quart Covered Saucepan
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Kinetic Classicor 11-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set with Lids
overall a good set for the price
Not what I expected - M. Kawamoto - Seattle, WA
My friend has a set of Innova Cookware from a few years ago and I used them while cooking at her house. Her set was great. It cooked the food well and cleaned up very nicely. So I decided to buy a set of my own. This set is great with all the pieces and sizes for my cooking needs. However, on the first use of the 10" pan it burned what I was cooking and its been a little tough trying to get that off of the bottom. That must be because I'm use to cooking with non-stick which has a higher heat requirement. So I gave it another shot. It burns food very quickly if you don't watch it and the cover's handles are made of metal so it gets hot. I would not really recommend this set to anyone and if you're planning on buying it I would go with the 11 piece with non-stick coating. And make sure the covers do not have metal handles. Hope this helps.
Frying pans in this set are no good. - W. Hamilton - Chicago, IL
I got this, used it for 2 weeks and the copper bottoms on the frying pans popped off. Not good.
I'm okay with the pots and lids, but frying is what I love to do. I love eggs, sunny-side up. And now I have no frying pans. :(
Love this set! - C. Weeks - Williston, ND USA
I first used this set when I was managing (and cooking) a Bed and Breakfast. I made 3 meals a day on this set and LOVED it. After we left the B&B, I bought a set for my home! They are excellent, exactly what I was looking for.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Cuisinox Gourmet 7 Piece Cookware Set
Friday, September 17, 2010
Magefesa Olympus Stainless Steel 24 Piece, Cookware Set
Gourmet Chef 14 Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set
Thursday, September 16, 2010
NEW! Le Creuset 10-pc. Cookware Set
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Cook's Essentials Porcelain Enamel 8-piece Cookware Set
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Mirro Get A Grip Aluminum Nonstick 10-Piece Cookware Set, Red
Are you kidding me? - Kate Stokes - Atlanta, GA
After the very first use--the very first--the teflon coating is already peeling off exposing the steel below it. I made pasta in the pot and used a SOFT plastic spatula to gently stir it. After that there were already two spots where the coating had come completely off. Now I have used it about 5 times total and the coating looks like it has been scraped with a metal spatula hundreds of times. And no, I did not put it in the dishwasher. Not even once. I used a very soft plastic spatula and did not stir hard. I've had far better quality from an .99 pot purchased at a discount store. I seriously don't understand how the quality could be so poor and this company is still in business. Avoid this unless you want to eat teflon flakes with your pasta.
Will not last - S. Terry - OH CRAP.
I received this set as a gift four years ago, and am still using it until I decide which stainless steel set to invest in. I have no metal utensils and have handwashed all my dishes for the past eight years; however, the non-stick coating began to come off the smaller pots about two years ago -- one has no Teflon whatsoever at this point -- and they are now all in various stages of 'Teflon-shed.' The cookware isn't terrible, but I expected to use them for longer than four years. The likelihood that the peeling Teflon will be considered evidence of 'abuse' on my part and not a 'manufacturer's defect,' plus the cost of shipping it all back to Wearever, prevents me from returning this set under warranty. Purchase this set if you don't mind upgrading within a year or two to something more durable.
12 Piece Cookware Set in Stainless Steel
Concord 8 Piece Non-Stick Stock Pots Casserole Cookware Set
Damaged - Flower Fairy -
We were excited to finally have all the pot sizes we needed to cook our favorite meals. When we opened up the box, however, each pot was damaged. The rims and edges of each pot were pressed into the pot, as if someone had decided to hammer and chip away all along the edges. It looked pretty bad, and we wondered about the wisdom of cooking with such damaged pots. We returned the set and hope to find a similar set but from a different brand, since we read similar reviews by other customers reporting multiple instances of damaged products.
Happy but not overly excited - ashawn -
Was happy about the speed of receiving the product, but when I opened the box it seemed as if the box was already open...as if someone returned the product and I got there left overs. I like the pots but they were chipped in some areas. I believe the pots will do well but wished maybe the box was never opened and the pots were not chipped on the sides.
great set - aap -
This product works great for Indian cooking. the non-stick coating is great and the price was just awesome!!
Monday, September 13, 2010
T-Fal Elegance Stainless Steel 10-pc. Cookset
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
13 Piece Enameled Cast Iron Red Cookware Set
Friday, September 10, 2010
Wyndham House 12 Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set
A good buy - Shanthi - San Jose USA
update 1/29/09
I wish I could change the rating to a 4+. I was sceptical initially at not using non stick but this set has been really good to me for the last 6 months. I have been using it regulary and while a few scratches inside are inevitable, I have seen no dents and all the pots are in good shape. No burning, scorching the base either. In fact, I bought a second set as a gift to friend who also happens to love it! I am glad I got this set!
I am trying to be fair here, for a 12pc set under , it's not a bad deal!The shapes and sizes are varied which is convenient and they all have lids!
The quality is a different story, they're not very thick and have a tendency to dent & scratch easily and the base for all of them is not solid, it's encapsulated (and this is mentioned under product information). It works well under low to medium heat on the stove and I have used it for simmering soups, stews and other "wet" dishes. It works for stir fry and other dry dishes and if you are frequently stirring so you don't burn the base!
If you are used to non stick cookware(as I am)this takes a little longer to clean and a little soaking in warm soapy water helps!They do well in the dishwasher.
It just needs a little getting used to!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Calphalon Contemporary Stainless 8-Piece Cookware Set
All-Clad Masterchef 2 10-Piece Cookware Set
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The Culinary Institute of America Masters Collection 6 Qt Rondeau Individual Pieces Cookware
Todd English Hard Anodized by GreenPan™ Gourmet Surprise Cookware Set
THIS IS NOT A NON-STICKING PAN - fabiolino -
The eco-friendly is appealing, even fashionably correct for Earth's future. But don't be fooled by this pan. The project isn't good, probably it wasn't even complete when the manufacturer decided to register the GreenPan trademark and started to sell expensive so-called nature harmless products under this flag. THE BOTTOM LINE: THE NON-STICK SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK. It may work for a couple of weeks but that's all. I owned a frying pan and obeyed every single care and maintenance recommendation by the instruction manual but it wasn't enough. It became staining and sticking every single ingredient after a while even adding oil for cooking. Complained to the seller and they gave me another pan but that was pointless. Took even more care with the second one but it became sticking ingredients even sooner than the other one. And by sticking I mean you'll have a hard time even to scrap it off after it begins sticking. Became worse than the cheapest aluminum surface you've ever met. Now I have this expensive pan only for decoration of my kitchen. Do you want one? I give it to you, BUT PLEASE DON'T BUY THIS PRODUCT FOR THE LOVE OF YOUR MONEY'S SAKE AND FOR NOT BEING FOOLED BY UNACCOMPLISHED PROJECTS THAT USE EARTH'S CONSUMING DISASTER TO HIDE AN UNEFFECTIVE AND LYING FEATURE OF NON-STICKING SURFACE.
American Kitchen AK-110 10 pc. American Kitchen Cookware Set
If I had to buy again? ABSOULTELY!
Hamilton Beach 94311 Signature 8 Piece Cookware Set, Stainless Steel
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Highbury Venetzia Highball Set of 4 Cookware Sets
Monday, September 6, 2010
Le Creuset M9CSN7-67 7-Piece Advanced Cookware Set in Cherry
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Nordic Ware Restaurant 7-Piece Cookware Set
Very disapointed - R. Hartman - Seattle, WA
Thought this would be a good deal, 3 pots and 1 pan for . When they arrived, the pots were all mis-shaped, none of the lids fit, and the pan was well scratched. Clearly, this was not a good investment, and was returned as quickly as it was recieved.
Great starter set - T. Lovett -
Item is excellent for a starter set and it looks as if the non stick surface will not peel over time like some products.
American Steel - Tom Wolgat - redwood city, ca United States
I love this stuff. Lightweight and non-stick.I use the largest pot to make popcorn. I make popcorn with olive oil and the Teflon is so slick that I never have to wash the pot with soap. I just wipe it out with a paper towel. Great value and supports American labor. The more money we pour back into our communities, the better. The economy is like a river. The more tributaries that feed it, the stronger the river or vice verse.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Le Creuset Essential Enameled Cast-Iron 5-Piece Cookware Set, Flame
Almost forgot... the lid for the 3.5-qt round oven in this set fits nicely over the 9" skillet (except the pouring spouts will be exposed, but that's not a big deal), in case you're wondering what to use as a cover for it when the need arises.
I REGRET BUYING THE LE CREUSET STOCKPOT - J. Yaki -
I bought a Le Creuset stockpot for my wife. She used it a few times to cook rice, then noticed a big hole in the enamel in the bottom of the pot. The pot is not high quality like I thought it was.
The Cadillac of Pans - P. Rose - Oakland, CA
This set will fill your needs or just introduce you to the fine cookware that Le Creuset makes. Always a bit pricey, the durability and cookability of these pans is legendary. Remember to reduce the heat when cooking and allow for seasoning of the pan with use and it should provide many many years of service. Haven't had the enamel chip off yet, but try not to bang them around too much. Remember these are heavy pans and a strong wrist and firm grip is needed. Would I buy them again? No need to, they will last a lifetime to be passed down to heirs.
High-quality set at good value - J. Mingo - USA
This is a VERY high-quality set that will last a lifetime (and then some).
The set is comprised of a few of Le Creuset's top-of-the-line enamaled cast iron pieces, packaged together to make a great value.
Truly a great set.
Korkmaz Goldb-a1987-Flora 9 pc Cookware Set
Friday, September 3, 2010
Paula Deen Porcelain 6 Piece Cookware Soup and Stew, Red
Kitchen Essentials® from Calphalon® Hard-Anodized Nonstick 13-pc. Cookset
Non-stick that"s Un-stuck - D. A. Bradford - Burbank, CA
I have used this cookware for several years. I have enjoyed the even-heating characteristics of the heavy anodized aluminum, the ease of non-stick cooking and have always been careful to use nylon or wooden cooking utensils with it. Despite my care and Calphalon's reputation for quality, the non-stick coating has partially flaked off the bottoms of nearly every piece. I can't understand why one should spend so much on cookware that will last only a few years. I have replaced it with Cuisinart's Multiclad Pro Stainless...yes, it's expensive too, but without a coating that will someday end up in your meal. I can not recommend non-stick coated/infused cookware of any brand or technology.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Cookwell 6 Piece Surgical Stainless Steel Stockpot
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Lynns Stainless Steel 10 Piece Cookware Set
Lynns Saturn 7 Piece Cookware Set
Regal Ware 3-Piece Induction Cooktop/Cookware Set
My first experiment was to boil water and to try out the different heat settings. I noticed when I boiled the water that although the cooktop had two circles on the top which made me think that the heat would come from the outer circle if I turned up the heat, this was not the case. Turning up the heat makes the magnetics in the system whirl faster, but the heat source comes directly from the smaller ring. The pan burns hotter where the small circle is on the cooktop.
My next experiment was with food. I sprayed cooking oil inside the pan coating the bottom and the sides. I turned the heat to medium and heated up partially frozen mac and cheese that I had taken out of the freezer and had nuked for 1 minute to get it out of it's container. As the mac defrosted I added in some previously cooked hamburger from the fridge, frozen peas and frozen corn. I noticed that the mac was sticking to the pan so I added about 1/2 cup of cold water. I put the lid on the pan to help things heat up.
When I saw the liquid start to bubble, I took the lid off and stirred. The bottom was still trying to stick. It did not heat evenly and I had to stir the food towards the center to get it all heated. End result - food did not burn, heated up quickly, but I had to shift food to the heat source to get it hot. I think a teflon coated pan would work better.
The inner cooktop was hot when the pan was removed but it cooled down quicker than my glass top stove. I think with a little practice I can get more comfortable with it's use. I will be taking this to school with me to teach my students cooking on Fridays so they can apply their math and reading skills. I hope they will get excited about the science of how it works as well.
Maxam KT17 17-Piece 9-Element Surgical-Stainless-Steel Waterless Cookware Set
But it wasn't. Right off the bat, I was amazed at how colorful and flavorful my vegetables were, in less time and very little water (waterless cooking should actually be called less-water cooking in most cases). The carrots were awesome! I can cook meats and vegetables in the same pot, sort of in layers, in less time than conventional cooking - the steam control valve provides a sort of low-pressure pressure-cooker effect, cooking the foods in less or no liquid in less time. Meats sear to the bottom, then release as they cook, in no liquid - and clean up is easy. Even foods that seem to be "stuck," like the little browned parts of fried potatoes, soak off in minutes and clean easily. Anything that doesn't remove completely in water comes off readily with a Brillo-type pad (hooray for stainless steel!).
Something else I appreciated was that the sizes were ALL good sizes for our growing/larger family of ten. So many sets include little pans as standard, then charge a fortune for add-ons like 3-qt saucepans, etc. This set gave me four saucepans, a pretty big frying pan (just under 12 inch), plus the biggest Dutch oven I'd ever seen, at over 7 quarts! And the smallest saucepan is almost 2 quarts, so it's actually useful. The egg poaching insert with easy-clean cups is a bonus; great for quick breakfasts!
I have had my pots and pans for over ten years and they get HEAVY use. They still look great and work wonderfully. These are the pots and pans my daughters want for their kitchens. We liked the set so well that we wanted to make
this cookware available to our friends for their kitchens.
Combine this heavy duty stainless steel set with a few Kuhn Rikon pressure cookers for a well-outfitted kitchen!
By the way, this same manufacturer has another line besides Steam Control, but the distributors I "interrogated" said the others aren't quite the top of the line that these are. These should be the last pots you'll ever need!
To use the steam control valve, start cooking on medium to med-high heat (don't use high heat unless boiling something, like pasta water). Then when the valve begins to whistle (like a teakettle), close the valve and turn the heat down to low and finish cooking. The 9-element construction allows you to stack cook with this cookware (although I have not personally tried this): Begin cooking on individual burners and when the valve whistles you can invert the lids to stack the pans to finish cooking. The handles are resistant to heat, cold, and detergents.
I've been amazed at how easy-release they are even though they aren't "non stick," and they clean up very easily. And if you think you can't cook eggs in SS, think again. I have photos of eggs cooked with a thin lecithin/oil film (like Pam) and I don't even have to touch the pan with a spatula to slide the eggs out. Just don't cook above medium heat.(The one thing you need to remember is that they arrive with a thin coat of factory oil over them, so you should wash them really well before first use or they could slightly discolor from cooking the oil all over the outside.)
I also use my Kuhn Rikon pressure cookers DAILY, by the way. The KR cookers and my SS cookware are a great combination.
Love it - Mattman -
We have had this set now for a few years. Works great still. Some of the whistles like to fall out.. Not sure what to do with that. But use some part of it almost once a day. You still need a good stick free pan for other stuff. But for chicken, veggies, and other stuff. Works great.
Saladmaster - beth sims - charlotte, nc
I've owned Saladmaster cookware for over 13 years. I have never had a problem with any piece of this cookware and am extremely pleased with my purchase. It is by far the best cookware i've ever owned. i'm planning to buy a set for my daughter.
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