1 All-Clad Pot only

[bluemack]

The powers that be who have the money for me to purchase new pots and pans are telling me that before I can invest in a bunch of All Clad SS on the cookware and more web site, like these: 8" 10" and 12" frying pans; 3 quart sautee pan; 8 and 6 quart stock pots; that I can only purchase one of them and then it I like them, and they like what I cook in them, that then they will consider funding me the rest of the cookware since I have also never cooked on AC SS before and they want to see how it turns out.

I have read the multitude of reviews of these All-Clad cookware on Amazon but still don't know which one to get. On the C&More outlet store, they do have an 8" AC SS frying pan on sale for about $50 with shipping but is this really big enough. By big enough, I mean what can one cook in this 'smallish' 8" pan? Is it worth it to even get a fry pan so small? Of course not for a family, but even if I am just going to cook for myself in our house and my family wants to taste the wares, is this 8" pan big enough and if so to cook what kinds of things.

So, right now I have to choose just 1 pan so as to demonstrate what an AC SS pan can do and then hopefully, I can then be given the funds to get the rest of them.

thanks.

mack

 

[Andy M.]

I'd go for a medium or large saute pan. It's big enough to do a meal for more than one. The straight sides give you more 'floor space' than a skillet of the same diameter. Also, it comes with a cover, making it more versatile.

 

[bluemack]

Or if you were even going to buy just one pot to demonstrate how good AC SS is (to non believers) not necessarily in those I mentioned above, or even AC NS is, which 1 pan would you purchase and which dish(es) would you make to demonstrate the cookware's good cooking and tastey qualities?

 

[Robt]

Per Andy, I would also go for the saute. A 6 qt if I could afford it and a 3 qt if I had to settle. Actually I think for me the Saute and the stainless skillets are the best that AC makes. If I want non-stick, I like the Calaphon one better than AC. Of course one might like Lodge as a seasoned cast iron for many things seems to surpass almost every thing else. Or Volrath steel fry pans....

In short, do not get hung up on a "set" of any brand as each brand has their pluses and minuses in each type of pan.

Good hunting.

 

[TexanFrench]

Hi,

I recently got an AC stainless "cassoulet pan." It's a wide, shallow, two-handled casserole with slightly curved sides, about 9 1/2 inches across and 3 inches deep, capacity 3 quarts. The pan is a recent introduction to the AC line.

I like it better than the AC 3 quart saute pan--it has higher sides, and the rounded sides make for easier lifting/stirring of the contents of the pan. It's even nice enough to bring to the table, as I did today.

Introductory price on Amazon: $99. Or $90 at the AC "outlet" website, Cookware & More : All-Clad Outlet. Standard price about $149.

I personally think that the "try me" small pans are way too small to really use if you've got more than one person eating. But I watch for the "special prices" they occasionally offer on larger pieces.

Edited to add: I use this mostly for doing stir-fries and sautes, spaghetti sauce, etc. Rarely for casseroles--though it has happened!

 

[Ron W.]

If you plan on getting a set get something that doesn't normally come in a set that you will eventually want like the 3 qt. cassoulet that TexanFrench mentions or the 13" braiser. Because of thier style handles these are good choices to use when fixing something started on the cooktop and finished in the oven.

All-Clad: Stainless 13" Braiser with Lid

 

[Ron W.]

If you just want to get a piece of high quality SS cookware to try check out Anolon Commercial clad.

Thier hollow core stick and loop handles are probably the most user friendly handled ever produced.

The Anolon Commercial clad 10" saute pan for $39.99 is a real bargain.

Homeclick.com - Kitchen Cookware Anolon

 

[Nicholas Mosher]

Check out some of the other threads in this section. There is a bunch of info that would probably pique your interest and satisfy some of the answers you're looking for (as well as provide new questions, but such is life!).

 

[Uncle Bob]

My 2 cents....If you are going for 1 peice...the Saute 6 qt.

 

[Ron W.]

Or if you were even going to buy just one pot to demonstrate how good AC SS is (to non believers) not necessarily in those I mentioned above, or even AC NS is, which 1 pan would you purchase and which dish(es) would you make to demonstrate the cookware's good cooking and tastey qualities?

The main reason many people recommend SS cookware is because you can get a better sear on meat and make a better pan sauce using the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the SS pan than you can with nonstick.
Using this bit of reasoning get something of an appropriate size for rhe amount of people you will be normally be cooking steaks for.

For the above reason we only have four pieces of SS cookware. 10" sauteuse, 10" skillet an a 12.5" everyday pan.

I can't see a need for clad stock pots and sauce pans.

 

[bluemack]

If I want non-stick, I like the Calaphon one better than AC.

Ok, which non-stick pan skillet would that be?

And what do you others say about the best nonstick 10" or 12" skillet? AC or others.

mack

 

[bluemack]

And how do the other lines of AC compare with the SS line? same? different?
made the same? made differently?

mack

 

[Andy M.]

And how do the other lines of AC compare with the SS line? same? different?
made the same? made differently?

mack

You asked this question in another thread and got an answer already.

 

[bluemack]

my wife posted this question under my name and didn't know I had previously posted a similar question elsewhere. she wanted to make sure I didn't go out and buy all the pots I wanted to so she posted this one on her own.

mack

 

[Caine]

I refuse to buy any All-Clad products for the simple reason that every time you buy one for youreself, you are buying one, maybe two, like items for All Clad to "donate" to some TV Chef to use on his or her show, which is cheaper than buying commercial time.

If you ever saw the backstage tour Emeril LaGasse gave a few years ago at FoodTV, they literally had baker's racks full of All Clad pots and pans that were given to Food Network for their hosts to use on television.

I buy my tri-ply stainless at Le Gourmet Chef, who, in my both humble AND professional opinion, have the best value for your money when it comes to cookware.

 

[Ron W.]

And how do the other lines of AC compare with the SS line? same? different?
made the same? made differently?

mack

All-Clad Metalcrafters

 

[Ron W.]

Ok, which non-stick pan skillet would that be?

And what do you others say about the best nonstick 10" or 12" skillet? AC or others.

mack

All-Clad bombards the cooking surface of thier nonstick cookware with molten particles of metal that reach to the surface thier nonstick coating and claim that because you are engaging the metal instead of wearing away the nonstick that thier nonstick lasts longer than that of of many other manufacturers nonstick. Because of this process some self proclaimed experts say that the All-clad nonstick coating isn't as slick as a purly teflon coating.

I prefer Anolon Advanced and Titanium cookware but the Calphalon Commercial Nonstick I have is really good also.

 

[bluemack]

Has anyone tried the Cuisinart Chef's Classic Non-stick Hard Anodized pan? How does this compare to Calaphone Commercial Nonstick? And how is the commercial NS different than the non comercial nonstick?

 

[Ron W.]

Has anyone tried the Cuisinart Chef's Classic Non-stick Hard Anodized pan? How does this compare to Calaphone Commercial Nonstick? And how is the commercial NS different than the non comercial nonstick?

Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & more is a great place to get information on cookware.

Hundreds of reviews on almost every brand of cookware can be found there.

 

[bluemack]

Ron W.
I asked the above question of this forum for the imput of people here. The last thing I need is to be told to go elsewhere like to Amazon. Do you perhaps have an answer to my question above. If not, please don't send me to another web site.