There are two types of home chefs: those who prefer to cook with nonstick cookware and those who prefer stainless steel. There are no other types. And, you have to choose one or the other. I mostly use nonstick cookware, but nothing beats stainless steel when you want to brown meat (okay, cast iron also works well) or maintain a nice low simmer without scorching. For help with stainless-steel cooking, I tested out the Calphalon Premier Space-Saving Stainless Steel 10-piece Cookware Set. Here’s what I thought of it.
What Makes the Calphalon Cookware Set Special?
There are several features that make the Calphalon Cookware Set special. Most importantly, each pot and pan features three layers of metal throughout: two layers of stainless steel sandwiching an aluminum core. The set is also designed to be easy to store. Half of the set is eight inches in diameter. The other half is ten inches. Pieces of the same size can stack on top of each other to save space. Calphalon backs this set with a full lifetime warranty.
Despite the “10-piece” part of the name, there are really only 6 pieces with 4 lids. They are (in my order of most used to least):
- 6-quart stockpot (with lid) – I use this mainly for soups, chili, chicken stocks, pasta, and browning meat.
- 3.5-quart saucepan (with lid) – I used this the other night to make pasta sauce from scratch. I also find it useful for boiling water for pasta. I’m perpetually carb-loading.
- 8-inch fry pan – Though I don’t recommend anyone do this, I used this frying pan on the regular for frying eggs and sausage in the morning. If you do fry eggs, use plenty of oil or butter.
- 10-inch fry pan – Bacon!
- 2.5-quart saucepan (with lid) – Our teenager uses this for making ramen noodles. He’s practicing for college.
- 3-quart saucepan (with lid) – I’ve had a number of cookware sets with pans shaped like this. It’s too small for heavy-duty work and too oddly shaped for other tasks. I’ve used it for alfredo sauces.
Performance
Here’s our video review of the Calphalon Cookware Set:
And, it looked like this out of the box:
What I Liked about the Cookware
There are three main PROS I found with Calphalon Premier Space-Saving Stainless Steel 10-piece Cookware Set:
- The set stacks and stores easily.
- Everything is oven-safe to 450 degrees.
- Three of the lids have long, stay-cool handles.
As I mentioned in a previous section, it’s easy to stack and store the cookware. This is a must if you live in a closet in New York City or if, like me, you have cookware sets made of every possible material and don’t want them to take over your home. Another cool feature is that you can mix and match the lids. So, each of the 8” lids works with each of the 8” pots and pans. The same goes for the 10” lids.
I appreciate that every piece is oven-safe to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. This is useful when you want to do some browning then finish up the cooking process in the oven. For example, I utilized the 6-quart stockpot like a Dutch oven for braising a roast. I browned the hunk of meat in the stockpot. Then, I added some red wine and vegetables, put the lid on, and tossed the whole thing in the oven to cook until the meat was tender. The results were delectable.
Most lids have a handle on top. But, Calphalon doesn’t believe in following conventions. The company put its lid handles on the sides. Three of the lids have long handles. I like that these stay cool, which aids in draining water or juices from the pot or pan when you’re too lazy to use a colander. I also like that none of the lids have vent holes that you commonly find on lids. This makes the saucepans ideal for cooking rice on the stove.
What I Didn’t Like about the Cookware
There are three main CONS I found with the Calphalon Cookware Set:
- There’s a learning curve.
- Stainless steel is not for absent-minded chefs.
- It was missing two essential pieces.
If you aren’t familiar with stainless steel cookware, it may take a little while for you to get the hang of it. For example, you need to use more oil to keep food from sticking and burning. Frying eggs presents a challenge. But, the set performs well for simmering just about anything: soups, sauces, etc. When browning meat, the cookware produces good fond. To see how evenly the 10” frying pan heated food, I sprinkled flour on it and cranked the stove to medium. Within minutes, I witnessed even browning of the flour.
If you regularly forget you’re cooking, stainless steel may not be right for you. I live in a house full of people diagnosed with ADHD. They start boiling water for ramen and forget about it until I come home and wonder what the smell is. This will permanently stain the stainless steel.
I like that the pieces are dishwasher safe, but when someone forgets they’re cooking and scorches a pan, your dishwasher will wave the white flag. I recommend buying some Bar Keepers Friend for the tougher jobs. Other than the wear from absent-minded cooking, there are no other significant marks or scratches to speak of.
To me, a 12-inch frying pan is an essential part of anyone’s kitchen. This set does not have a 12-inch frying pan. I’d recommend picking up a good cast iron pan to fill this role. I use the Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 11-3/4-Inch Skillet and am happy with it. I also want a stockpot that can fit a turkey carcass. The six-quart pot included in this set is just too small. I have to rely on the 16-quart behemoth that I got at the local supermarket.
Should You Buy the Calphalon Cookware Set?
Overall, I think the Calphalon Premier Space-Saving Stainless Steel 10-piece Cookware Set is great. All the experts recommend the three layers of metal this set has. And, I find myself reaching for the pots and pans when the situation calls for a long simmer or good browning. But, at my core, I’m still a nonstick guy. Because of this, I would recommend this set to people who are already on Team Stainless Steel, are looking to up their culinary game, or who want a cookware set that will last them until they shuffle off this mortal coil.
Buy the Calphalon Premier Space-Saving Stainless Steel 10-piece Cookware Set on Amazon
