Stainless-Steel vs Infused-Anodized

[rst69]

I was checking out the Williams-Sonoma web site. The Chalphon brand comes 3 ways. Two of which are Stainless-Steel & Infused-Anodized. Which is better?
I'm not anywhere near a professional, but I do know my way around the kitchen and am hoping to expand on my skills.

Any other brands recommended? I've got about $500 to $600, and would like at least 10 to 15 piece set.

 

[Andy M.]

Welcome to DC. Check out our Cookware & Accessories forums for some earlier discussions on this topic.

I prefer stainless tr-ply over alum. It's more durable and dishwasher safe.

Calphalon is one of several good brands. All-Clad is another good one and is available on line with good discounts.

 

[Robo410]

either will cook very well. If going stainless, make sure it is tri ply rather than a disc bottom (better performance). If going hard anodized, make sure that some of it is not non stick, you want a good searing surface.

Cuisinart makes a new tri ply set.

 

[PanchoHambre]

I would not put all my eggs in one basket with any cookware Calphalon is pretty good quality but there are some trade offs to each style I would buy tools i need for the job. get stuck with one pan you don't like no biggie... a whole set you're not happy with now that sucks.

 

[bowlingshirt]

Couple of things:

1 - With your budget, you can afford to get different types of cookware and not get just one type. Tri-ply stainless is nice, but non-stick cookware can have it's place, too.

2 - Visit some local stores and look for some "try me" pieces. It's usually a smaller pot or pan for about $30, and you can give test it at home before deciding if you want to invest into an entire set.

 

[ChadHahn]

I have some of both. I bought a 10 piece set of Caphalon Commercial around 10 years ago and recently bought some All Clad fry pans.

Even before I bought the All Clad I mostly used the sauce pans from the Caphalon set. As has been said, buying a set is generally not the way to go because there are pieces you don't use. I've used the sauce pans for lots of things and really use them. I have made countless batches of marinara sauce and haven't had the anodization come off.

Lots of people seem to recommend getting steel pans because you can see the fond being created better in a SS pan rather than anodized.

If you wanted to get all one kind I would probably recommend getting all tri ply Stainless steel. I wouldn't recommend getting a set through. However, I did see a All Clad MC2 7 piece set that would be a good start. It has 2 sauce pans and a saute pan with lids and a 10" non stick skillet. That would be a good start and you could complete it with some other skillets.

Chad

 

[jennyema]

You cannot put anodized aluminum in the dish washer without voiding teh warranty and making it look like crap. I hate the stuff.

My vote is for SS.

 

[Laurel]

I have a 11" Calphalon tri-ply omelet pan and within a couple months of using it it's warped beyond belief. You may consider going for a better brand like AllClad or Demeyere

 

[Leolady]

I would not put all my eggs in one basket with any cookware Calphalon is pretty good quality but there are some trade offs to each style I would buy tools i need for the job. get stuck with one pan you don't like no biggie... a whole set you're not happy with now that sucks.

Listen to Pancho. He is right.

Buy your cookware for the type of cooking you do. If you do a lot of stews and soups, buy some enameled cast iron. If you also do a lot of frying/sauteing maybe you might add regular cast iron.

But remember, no ONE set of anything will be perfect for all of your cooking needs. Buy what you need for YOUR cooking style.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

I think there are a few tips to use when selecting cookware but beyond that, much of it is personal preference. I use primarily tri-ply stainless. Most of mine is Calphalon, with a few pieces of All-Clad and Cuisinart. I like that the stay-cool handles for on top of the stove and I also like that they can go in the oven, too. Most of my pots have glass lids, which I like so I can see what's happening in ther. (I'm fairly new to real cooking so I need to watch things closely.) I like that no matter what I burn, I can clean it with BarKeepers Friend and it looks new again.

I have a couple of cast iron skillets and a flat grill. They are invaluable for things that need high, even heat for a great sear. But because they are black, I don't use them for much else, even though you can, because it's hard for me to tell when things are starting to burn. That is the reason I didn't choose anodized or non-stick.

That said, I have several pieces of Calphalon non-stick because my sons prefer to cook with them. They get very good results. My daughter is a vegetarian and all of her cookware is non-stick Calphalon. If they need high heat for things, they use their grill outside.

There is no one perfect cookware for everyone. If I were you, I'd buy a piece of each and try them for a while. You may end up wanting a few pieces of each or you may decide you love one type and buy only that. As far as sets, unless you find a set that has only items you need and will use, I would suggest buying piece at a time.

Good luck and let us know what you decided on!

 

[Phil]

Variety....

You have some good advice here, variety. You have to have an iron skillet, dutch oven and you'll need good non stick frying pan. Three years ago I bought Emeril's stainless with the copper clad bottom. I really like them, really. If I had to have another set of something, they'd have a rim. This is the first set of pans that have a rim and it makes pouring dripless. Have fun shopping.

 

[PanchoHambre]

Listen to Pancho. He is right.

.

LOL! Wish I heard that in "real" life

 

[Leolady]

Hey Pancho!

This IS real life! It sure as heck aint a soap opera!

 

[AMSeccia]

You cannot put anodized aluminum in the dish washer without voiding teh warranty and making it look like crap. I hate the stuff.

My vote is for SS.

well, not with ALL brands ... ours is coated inside and out with a lifetime guarantee, and CAN go into the DW. That said, I agree that you will likely want both and perhaps a CI piece or two.

And I think you can easily get what you need for half of your budget if you shop it!