ISO feedback/advice on Health Craft cookware

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F6Hawk

Assistant Cook
Joined
Aug 1, 2012
Messages
7
Does anyone have any experience with this brand of cookware? It seems rather expensive, but is it of a good quality? Worth the expense?
 
Look. I don't have first hand knowledge of the cookware, but I recognize this is a demo party type sales scheme, which generally means the goods are (1) reasonable quality but (2) very expensive. I didn't see anything about the cookware to suggest that it's anything but multi-ply stainless and a lot of talk about waterless greaseless cooking that applies to all stainless and pretty much all cookware, if you use it properly.

I do not buy cookware with plastic handles (other than throw-aways), especially not when there are plenty of complaints about burning and cracking and unresponsive customer support and warranty. And I need things to be oven-safe. And there's sufficient negative reports of business practices to put me off of them.

For that less than that kind of money, there are proven superior cookware products.
 
You are correct about the demo show, GLC. And it IS expensive, which I wouldn't mind, if it lasts 2 or 3 lifetimes. That's why I was hoping someone here has actually used it.

Putting the pans in an oven is not really an issue for me, as I would primarily be using the cookware via induction heating. That being said, I did prefer the looks of the SS handles on the pans.

So is the 5-layer technology all the way up the sides just hype, or does it actually make a difference? I was impressed with boiling water in just a few seconds, but that would probably be true of ANY magnetic SS cookware. (though I have read reviews where boiling water takes longer than on a gas stove... That could be because of cooktop quality or pan composition)

Thanks for the input!
 
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There are a myriad of exceptional quality cookware on the market. All of them will last 2 or 3 lifetimes, and you can get some great deals on them.

I wouldn't discount the oven use aspect, as pan-roasting/pan-broiling are very solid cooking techniques that you can't do with plastic handles.

As far as fancy construction terms and what-not, in my opinion, it's all snake oil. Just visiting the website gives me a Home Shopping Network Special of the Day feeling (not in a good way).


So to answer your overall question, in my opinion, it is not worth the asking price at all.
 
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So is the 5-layer technology all the way up the sides just hype, or does it actually make a difference? I was impressed with boiling water in just a few seconds, but that would probably be true of ANY magnetic SS cookware. (though I have read reviews where boiling water takes longer than on a gas stove... That could be because of cooktop quality or pan composition)

A gas burner is slower due to a simple principle of heat transfer and to some degree on the design of home ranges. On an electric range, the pan is in direct contact with the heat source, the burner. On a home gas range, the heat source is more "fuzzy" we might say. And designers have to choose how high the pan will sit when they design the grates, and it's always a compromise. And homes just don't have the large gas pipes to feed the kind of burners found in commercial ranges. There are trade-offs in all choices of heat sources. I use gas, and I accept the limitations for the benefits I want, and if I were to ever find myself worrying about getting water to boil in seconds, I need to fix something in my life, not buy technology.

As to ply construction up the sides, I don't much care for it for gas ranges. I find that, because home ranges can have relatively few ports on their burners, they tend to put the flame points too far from center, mostly, I think, to make the burner look larger. So all but the largest pans are being heated at their outer edges, and the sides and the handles often become too hot. I think it is indeed mostly hype. There's only so much you can do with a stainless steel pan to make it sound better. I also have some doubts about how much heat can really be conducted from the bottom up the sides. I wouldn't pay extra for it, but it probably does no harm.
 
I just looked on line ... ridiculously expensive.

A much better idea would be to go to the Cookware and More site and buy cosmetically-challenged All Clad. It will last forever.
 
I think that when we get into these discussions about rather expensive, packed-with-features cookware, that it's good to keep perspective by remembering that a very great deal of the kind of expertly prepared food we aspire to is prepared in kitchens equipped with something like plain 3000 aluminum or even cheaper plain aluminum. No coatings. No plies. No copper. And costing perhaps $10 per pan. A few dollars more for stainless.

What it means is, we're not buying this stuff for the food's sake. We're buying them because we like pretty kitchen toys.
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I have had the Health Craft cookware for over 15 years. But be very careful and really understand why and how you buy it. You are probably seeing it at a fair or some kind of trade show. There is no store that you can visit or make returns. DO NOT put it on a lay away or any type of payment plan through them, because if for any reason you can not continue to pay, you loose what you have paid and do not get any product. I paid cash for mine but have read many stories about people loosing their money. And the product will look and function really great at the demonstration, but you will have to work at it at home. And the handles are junk and are not cover in the warranty. You have to pay to replace them. So many complaints are made about the handles. My suggestion, find another product.
 
If you are looking for cookware to last a lifetime, figure out what size pots/pans you will use and buy those (commercial sources are a good option). I have a set of Le Creuset. I've had it for over 30 years. I also have a number of stainless pots and pans. I love my Le Creuset for some things, use my stainless for others. If you need to have a matching set, well, I can't help you there because although my Le Creuset matches, it does not match the stainless. I do not have any aluminum pans. I also do not have teflon-coated pans. I do have several black CI skillets and a chicken roaster (CI).
 
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