5 comments about All-Clad LTD 9-Piece Cookware Set with Nonstick Fry Pan.

1. My wife an I duked it out between Calphalon Commercial Nonstick (now called "Contemporary") which she preferred for its lighter weight and All-Clad which I prefer for its tougher build. We have a bunch of each. The All-Clad stuff is better hands down. It heats quicker and more evenly. It seems to cook requiring lower stove temperatures. The anodized exterior is smoother and of higher quality. The clad stainless interior is exquisite and easy to clean.
   
   This particular set is perfect - the most required pieces. They constitute a complete kitchen set, lacking only, perhaps, a couple of larger pans (12" fry and 5 Qt. Saute are really nice to have). The choice of stainless interior versus nonstick is personal - but I recommend the stainless interior. First of all, the stainless interior is virtually indestructible and will last a lifetime. All-Clad's nonstick interior is the best in the business, but it does wear out. I've had several LTD nonstick pieces for 9 years now. The ones that get a lot of wear are starting to wear out. Nothing is more pathetic than a battleship built All-Clad pan with a frayed nonstick interior. It's like putting fur in a truck bed. Nonstick might be easier to clean up - but the difference is trivial. Maybe you have the intention of cooking with less oil, but the difference between nonstick and LTD's excellent mirror-like stainless interior is also trivial. I find the arguments for nonstick hard to defend. That being said - the fry pan is where you'd most want non-stick and that's where you find it here. Just right.
   
   As for the review that says anodized aluminum exteriors are hard to maintain, she should read the product literature. You clean anodized aluminum with a plastic scrubby (like the 3M green ones) with bleach cleanser (like Ajax or Comet). Just make a paste with the cleanser and power away stains in moments. Anodized aluminum - like all aluminum cannot be dish washed. The phosphates and brightening agents in dishwasher soap with create a chalky powdery rot in the anodized surface. If you are determined to dishwash your cookware you must forget about aluminum and stick to stainless steel. All-Clad makes a great like of stainless cookware - but nothing is prettier than LTD's awesome black.



2. I've had these pans for a number of years now. I usually cook several times a day almost everyday & although these pans cook beautifully and the interior looks beautiful, the anodized exterior looks terrible now. I wouldn't mind so much but I have them hanging on decorative pot rack. For that reason I want to replace them with the less expensive version in stainless steel but the financial loss is killing me. I don't have room in my small kitchen to put them away. We've had a stainless steel All-Clad sauce pan for a few years which still looks great and isn't embarrassing hanging from our rack. If you don't mind so much what your pots look like then these would probably be a great choice. If anyone knows any great secrets to keeping these looking great, please post them. I've contacted All-Clad several times and do exactly as they say without achieving any desired results.



3. The bodies are made of 1/8" thick aluminum with a full stainless steel lining on the inside. The thick aluminum bodies make them heat evenly and the stainless interior make them non-reactive with food. My only gripes are that the rim of the pots have exposed non-anodized aluminum which become discolored with use. And the anodized aluminum exteriors become discolored if washed in a dishwasher. These are just cosmetic issues that don't affect the function, but I had higher expectations given the relatively high price of this set. I also considered the All-clad cookware that has stainless steel cladding on both the interior and exterior. In retrospect, perhaps those would have been a better choice assuming the thermal properties don't suffer too much from the exterior stainless steel coating.



4. I got this set as a wedding/christmas/birthday present
   from my mother. I did a LOT of research before picking
   this set out. I read reviews of other sets, compared
   prices, materials.. you name it, I checked it out. I
   even did some reading in various cookbooks to try to
   learn as much as I could about good cookware. Here
   are some of the basics I learned.. good cookware should
   be made to last a life time, it should heat EVENLY, it
   should carry a strong warranty, it should be beautiful,

   and it should be expensive (because you get what you pay
   for!). So why did I decide to go with All Clad's LTD 9
   piece set?

   All Clad has a few lines of cookware. ALL of them have
   aluminum cores (and in case you didn't learn this already, aluminum is an EXCELLENT heat conductor). So why the LTD? LTD cookware is made with a stainless steel interior (which is great because it's the most durable metal of all), a pure aluminum core, and a beautiful dark gray hard anodized aluminum exterior. Why hard anodized aluminum for the exterior? Well, although aluminum is a superb heat conductor (second only to copper), it's not very durable. But good old science found a way to make aluminum stronger WITHOUT taking away its heat conducting properties. It's an electro-chemical process that "anodizes" the aluminum. Hard anodized aluminum is actually stronger than stainless steel!! So when you get cookware that has a stainless steel (18/10) interior, a PURE aluminum core, and a super durable and super beautiful hard anodized aluminum exterior, you get the best of all worlds.

   This set itself is almost perfect as far as the pieces go. My only complaint is that the stock pot is too small. BUT..the sautee pan, the nonstick frying pan (which by the way has the GREATEST nonstick surface I've ever used!), and the two sauce pans are WONDERFUL and BEAUTIFUL pieces. Since I bought this set, I've added to it. I bought the steamer insert (which fits into the larger sauce pan), a 7" frying pan, and a 1 and a half quart sauce pan.. all LTD, and all PERFECT. I have absolutely no complaints about the pieces themselves. Water boils faster in these pieces than in ANY other piece I've ever used. And more importantly, it heats EVENLY. You won't look into the pot as it starts to simmer and see that the bubbles are only coming up from one side of the pan. The bubbles come up evenly from the entire bottom of the pan. Oh, and did I mention that the aluminum core goes ALL THE WAY up the sides of the pan? The heat from the burner gets transfered ALL THE WAY up to the top of your pan, making it heat up incredibly fast!

   All in all, all clad is a perfect 10. The other sets (MC2, copper chef, etc..) look pretty good too, but they have their drawbacks. The LTD set is perfect, and beautiful. I highly recommend it.




5. My all-clad LTD set has withstood five years of hard-core cooking. With proper care, it looks almost as good as new. The set is well-designed to distribute heat well for uniform cooking, as well as having an attractive finish.

   Pricey but worth it for the serious home cook.

2 comments about All-Clad Copper Core 7-Quart Dutch Oven with Lid.

1. I nearly did not purchase this dutch oven because the base is only 10 in. in diameter and I was concerned that browning large items or large quantities would be difficult or time consuming. But there is something magical about this pot. Because of its shape, the interior browning surface is much larger than the exterior base would indicate. It is no problem to brown a 5 pound chicken on top of my stove and then cover it and put it in the oven for slow roasting (300 degrees) a delicious french style roasted chicken. Yes, this pot is terribly expensive, and since I do not have the all-clad short 8 qt. stock pot which has been given top rating as a stainless steel dutch oven by Cooks Illustrated, I could not say that this pot is superior. The stainless steel all-clad short 8 qt. stock pot is much less expensive. However, I am delighted with the shape of this pot and its performance. I treasure every one of my all-clad pots. I specially treasure this one and the incredible slow roasted chicken that comes out of it. All of the all-clad pots I have cook well, and they truly will give you a lifetime of good cooking and easy clean-up. All-clad pots have been my first choice gift for wedding presents for years. I have had Le Creuset and they are also exceptional pots with many loyal users but I personally was unhappy with the weight and the difficulty with cleaning the occasional accidental scorch as well as chipping.



2. Most of my collection is All Clad and Le Creuset and this pot is absolutely the best that I have cooked with. It's shape is so elegant, the size is perfect and for it's size it is delicately shaped. It is just a pleasure to use. I rate this an easy 5 stars for it's quality and characteristics, if I put the price factor into it, I would dock it a star because the price is outrageous, I will not tell anyone what it cost.

No comments about All-Clad Master Chef 2 4-Quart Sauteuse Pan.

5 comments about Emerilware Stainless 1-Quart Saucier.

1. I own several pieces of emerilware and this 1qt pan is a good as the rest. The heavy copper based bottom makes this pan perfect for heat distribution and making sauces. Clean up is a breeze. I can't imagine anyone would have a complaint against this pan. I like this pan so much i will be purchasing more for myself as well as Christmas presents.



2. This is our first Emerilware pan and we just love it, especially for sauces or reductions and this wonderful little saucier cleans like a dream. We have not experienced any discoloration and we have had this pan for more than a year. I am about to order more items because this cleans as easily as a non-stick pan. The other feature that we love is the the handle doesn't get too hot even on a gas range with large 20,000 btu burners. Love it!



3. This pan is dangerously unbalanced, especially when it sits on certain kinds of burners. If you have a gas stove and your burners have open spaces in the grillwork (most do) the pan can (and will) tip very easily. I just spilled tomato sauce down the front of the stove using this pan. Be careful!



4. We added this to our other set of Emerilware, so we knew it would be top quality.



5. Worked very well when whipping up a roux. The heavy disc bottom did a good job of evenly distributing heat and didn't scorch. The rounded sides meant that I had no problem getting a whisk into the sides of the pan. Cleaned up easily and looks really nice. Whoever designed this stuff got the shape and materials right; it is very aesthetically pleasing.
   
   The main downside is that at 1 quart, it is not as useful if you need to cook for more than 2-4 people.
   
   Note to the person who had the pan discolor: simply sprinkle a little bit of "Barkeeper's Friend" in the pan and rub with a damp sponge. I find this cleaner shines up all my stainless steel to like-new condition with no scrubbing or scratching. It also works to keep the copper banding looking shiny.

5 comments about All-Clad LTD Stockpot.

1. I've had All Clad LTD pans for a number of years now. I usually cook several times a day almost everyday & although these pans cook beautifully and the interior looks beautiful & cleans up easily, the anodized exterior looks terrible now. I wouldn't mind so much but I have them hanging on decorative pot rack. For that reason I want to replace them with the less expensive version in stainless steel but the financial loss is killing me. I don't have room in my small kitchen to put them away. We've had a stainless steel All-Clad sauce pan for a few years which still looks great and isn't embarrassing hanging from our rack. If you don't mind so much what your pots look like then these would probably be a great choice. If anyone knows any great secrets to keeping these looking great, please post them in the discussion area. I've contacted All-Clad several times and do exactly as they say without achieving any desired results.



2. I've had All Clad LTD pans for a number of years now. I usually cook several times a day almost everyday & although these pans cook beautifully and the interior looks beautiful & cleans up easily, the anodized exterior looks terrible now. I wouldn't mind so much but I have them hanging on decorative pot rack. For that reason I want to replace them with the less expensive version in stainless steel but the financial loss is killing me. I don't have room in my small kitchen to put them away. We've had a stainless steel All-Clad sauce pan for a few years which still looks great and isn't embarrassing hanging from our rack. If you don't mind so much what your pots look like then these would probably be a great choice. If anyone knows any great secrets to keeping these looking great, please post them in the discussion area. I've contacted All-Clad several times and do exactly as they say without achieving any desired results.



3. I've had All Clad LTD pans for a number of years now. I usually cook several times a day almost everyday & although these pans cook beautifully and the interior looks beautiful, the anodized exterior looks terrible now. I wouldn't mind so much but I have them hanging on decorative pot rack. For that reason I want to replace them with the less expensive version in stainless steel but the financial loss is killing me. I don't have room in my small kitchen to put them away. We've had a stainless steel All-Clad sauce pan for a few years which still looks great and isn't embarrassing hanging from our rack. If you don't mind so much what your pots look like then these would probably be a great choice. If anyone knows any great secrets to keeping these looking great, please post them. I've contacted All-Clad several times and do exactly as they say without achieving any desired results.



4. Unlike the reviewer below, I think this is an excellent pot - all you need to do is pick it up and compare it to the cheaper versions. Much more sturdy and hefty!!

   There are many reasons why you might consider paying top dollar for an All-Clad LTD vs. a cheaper brand - first, the construction is much more solid, and the All-Clads have much more even heating across the surface of the pot. Yes, maybe the lightweight pots can boil water almost as quickly, but I typically make a roux in the stockpot first, and it can easily burn in a cheap pot due to uneven heating. Also, All-Clad pot retains heat much better, important for simmering without overcooking!

   Finally, durability of the pot is a major factor. If you are an avid cook, I guarantee you will still be using your All-Clad pot 35 years from now. On the other hand, I've never had a Farberware last more than 2 or 3 years - they get coated with crap, and no longer heat quickly or evenly, and in general get too dinged up to use. If you are just a casual cook or maybe a single guy, don't spend your money on a pot of this quality. But if you are starting a household, maybe just got married, it is well worth the extra money now (save you from buying replacement cheap pots over the rest of your life!).




5. This is certainly a nicely made stockpot, but it's not clear how it cooks things any better than, say, a solid stainless steel pot that cost half as much would--or 1/7 as much for that matter (cf. the 12-qt. stockpot by Farberware). The outer 'layer' of the LTD line seems much less like a layer than like a coating; it may make the stockpot less prone to scratches, but it does not make impervious to them as mine can attest. One concern with a large stockpot is that it will not transfer heat well enough to get the liquid to boil when it is near-full; this product will achieve boiling, but not appreciably better than other, far cheaper stockpots I've used.

No comments about Emerilware Stainless Steel 4 Quart Chef's Pan.

1 comments about All-Clad Multi-Use 4-Quart Fry Basket.

1. This product is everything its description claims. It is certainly a must-have to aide and expedite meal prep.

No comments about All-Clad Master Chef 2 4-1/2-Quart Casserole Pan.

5 comments about All-Clad Stainless 7 1/2 Inch Fry Pan.

1. Don't waste your money. Buy the 8 in pan. It's a real All-Clad. As I read these reviews, I keep seeing people rave about how good All-Clad is, not really how an individual pan actually performers. Yes, I have All-Clad. Lots of All-Clad. When the company brings out a new pan, I buy it. In the small pans that I use the most, I am likely to have 2 of each. But, I don't recommend the 7-? inch. All-Clad likes to bring out pans that are almost a `try me'; as was the case with the 7 ? inch and 1 qt pan a few years ago. They priced them attractively. To me the pan is handle heavy. It does not sit properly on my electric stove. Thus it has poor heat conductivity. For a few dollars more, buy the 8 inch fry pan. The 8 inch is US made, and the 7 ? inch is imported.



2. Can enough be said about All-Clad's superior heating? You really can see the difference with the fry pans. No need to heat above medium, even for searing. I got this pan as part of a promotion and I use it when my 8" fry pan is dirty. If you have to pick between the two, I would suggest the 8". Bigger is always better.
   
   Stainless clean up is easy. Put it in the dishwasher. Bar Keepers friend keeps it nice and new looking.



3. This is THE pan! Fry an egg! Superb. I've been using mine for quite awhile, so I can honestly say I love it! The honeymoon period is over and it's still going strong. Cleans up lickety split. (HINT: Use a kitchen brush to sweep out the pan after soaking in water a few minutes.) Don't let the price keep you from these wonderful, quality pans. I love it and I'd buy a whole set if I could. (I've been cooking for over 30 years.) 5 STARS + is my rating.



4. I bought this to try out the All-clad line of cookware. I thought this would be good to fry a couple of eggs since I like to flip them without a spatula. Man was I wrong. This pan is so heavy that flipping would be difficult even if I could prevent the eggs from sticking and the handle is so heavy relative to the pan that it won't lay flat on the burner. It's not practical for much and I never use it anymore.



5. This was my first all clad piece. I decided it was time to try the best and the price was right on this one. It is such a good looking pan and distributes the heat so well that I now have started to replace all of my pans with all clad.

5 comments about All-Clad LTD Sauce Pan.

1. I picked up 2 of these for my saute' station at work...they replace my Mauviel copper that I've sent out for re-tinning...I may never go back. Other than a SLIGHT degrading of the adonized finish due to being run through a commercial dishmachine...don't try that at home, it will void your warranty...I got nuttin' but luv for these quick heat transition, easy to clean, heavy duty, flat top warriors. Before service I heat my sauces, prep buerre blanc...etc. and then make and hold an hours worth of rice in my prep oven at just the right temp...with 2 pots I can make it through an entire 12 hour shift! It's perfect for small reductions, steaming shellfish in thier own stock...etc. With just seconds of cleanup between jobs...I'm a happy chef!
   
   I have 27 pieces of this line and I'm going to shop for a set for home...my Mauviel copper will just be lookin' good on my shelves from now on.
   
   Lemme know how you like 'em.
   
   I gotta give less than 5 mojo*z because of the SLIGHTLY touchy adonized finish so...4 1/2 will do!



2. Picked up 2 of deez bad lil' sauce pans for work and they perform as well as my solid copper Mauviel. Quick heat transition and holding...easy and quick to clean. I must add that this adonized finish requires extra care...not as much as copper but more than MC2 or Stainless AllClad...but I don't mind... I like LTD and I have 27 pieces at work now.
   
   I'm shoppin' for a full set at home now!!!
   
   4+ mojo*z for these rugged performers only because the finish requires extra care



3. Despite what others have written about a degradation in All Clad quality, I have not seen any problems whatsoever. This pan is a staple in my kitchen since I purchsed it last summer. I like it's deep profile, which is useful for sauteing onions or garlic and then putting the rest of the ingredients right into the pan. A great addition.



4. This saucepan was a great purchase. It cooks quickly and evenly and is the perfect size for steaming a vegetable side dish. It is a great investment and should last forever.



5. I've always heard of how great this product was, but it wasn't until I tortured it with my cooking that I realized what a great piece of cookware it is. I accidentally left the pot burning overnight over constant medium heat. Luckily, it didn't catch on fire, but I woke up to clouds of smoke and food splattered all over the kitchen. I was sure that I had ruined the pot completely and would have to throw it away. I've had to throw away many that end up cracking or deforming due to the intense heat. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that after a rough scrub and a deep soak, the All-Clad was perfectly fine. I can't stop raving about this pot to all my friends (along with how stupid I was for leaving the stove on overnight). Compared to all the pots I've ruined in the past, this one's definitely worth every penny. Let's just hope I won't need to test it out again...