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Utensils to a kitchen are what brushes are to an artist! They help the cooks bring out their best, and prepare something that will linger on in the memories of those who eat. If that’s the case, shouldn’t you be careful deciding which brand to buy these utensils from, for your dream kitchen?
Here are a few things you will have to consider before buying a utensil –
- Is it safe to use the cookware?
- Is it durable? Will there be any latching?
- Is it worth the money?
If you were to consider the answer to these three questions, you will end up finding the best cookware set.
All-Clad cookware – Review and Introduction
A cookware company that has set a high standard in production, quality of cookware and that still operates by the founding values! Despite the cost-reduction pressures and raw material difficulties, the company still stays truly an all American one, from production to shipping! You can read more about the company in our All-Clad HA1 cookware review!
Calphalon – Review and Introduction
Another OG cookware manufacturer that has been in the business for around 4 decades is the Calphalon. They know what they’re doing, and they deal with more than just one line of products, just like All-Clad. The company has been offering dish-washer safe, heat tested products that will be a pretty neat addition to your kitchen.
Anolon Cookware – Review and Introduction
Anolon, a company that has come up with patented technologies to replace the Teflon coat in the stainless steel utensils, is by far the most intuitive cookware manufacturing company of all three. The utensils aren’t dish-washer friendly, as they are prone to scratches.
We’d now take you through toe-to-toe comparisons between each of the three products, with the other two, and then we’ll let you decide which one to buy! Read ahead!
Calphalon vs All Clad – No flash, only bang!
They are probably the most valued and popular utensils brands. While All-Clad is definitely an expensive brand in comparison to Calphalon, price is probably the only thing that will stop you from buying All-Clad over Calphalon! Calphalon dishes are heavier, while All-Clad vessels are of the same sturdy, with only lesser weight.
Toe to toe, we think there are a lot of reasons to buy All-Clad, but again, if you don’t want to burn through your pocket, and if you can handle a heavy vessel from toppling over the counter, you’d like Calphalon better!
| Factors | All-clad | Calphalon | Anolon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Expensive | Affordable | Medium Priced |
| Style | Old-School looks | Best Handles | Looks Elegant |
| Color | Basic Stainless steel, Matte | Grey, Matte | Basic Stainless steel, Anodized bronze |
| Performance | Heavy Duty | Simmer, Heat Retention | Best fit for modern households |
| Heat Resistance | Upto 400°F | Upto 450°F | Upto 500°F |
| Dishwasher safe | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Features | Excellent quality materials, durable, yet light to handle. | Hard anodized cooking surfaces, High Durability | Supergrip cool handle, Top-notch Nonstick surfaces |
Calphalon Vs Anolon – Underdog battle
These are two interesting choices. One, a very experienced manufacturer, with legacy and tradition. Another, a relatively new company that heavily relies on production technology and innovation to bring something new to the table (literally!).
On comparison, we find that Calphalon utensils are more of a heavy-duty utensil line, and Anolon takes the advantage of being handy, and sleek, and would definitely suit a smaller kitchen, with lesser people to serve.
You can also be informed of the fact that Calphalon utensils are said to over-heat soon, owing to the thick metal base. So, anything that needs slow, steady, long cooking can use Calphalon, and Anolon is probably for a quick cook for the family!
Anolon Vs All-Clad – A clean sweep
As said in our earlier reviews for anolon cookware, the only that the Anolon lineup had against the Calphalon line up as they were easy to handle, and they were lightweight utensils. With that advantage out of the equation again, All-Clad utensils are the same weight as the Anolon ones.
As a bonus, these vessels also are very comfortable to be used in a dishwasher, whereas the Anolon ones are said to have scratches when frequently put into a dishwasher.
Having said that, All-Clad is still way expensive than the Anolon ones, and you will have to be wary of it. If at all you are looking for a professional studio with a large cooking requirement, Anolon utensils should do just good.
All-Clad Vs Calphalon Vs Anolon
Price
Talking about the price, here’s the hierarchy in which this works. All-Clad products are the most expensive ones out of the three. Anolon utensils come second, and Calphalon utensils are the most affordable ones.
Color
Talking about colors and design, All-Clad utensils are simply made for performance and they aren’t visually pleasing. They are of the same color – the stainless steel ones, whereas there are a few color variants to the Anolon ones. Calphalon stays in a grey area, switching between the stainless steel, and a matte finish, so there is variety. Just that, there isn’t much.
Handling and Maintenance
Calphalon ones are the hardest to handle, given their weight. We do think that All-Clad is better when compared to Calphalon, but the innovative design of Anolon brings in unmatched handling ease.
Now that we know how each product fairs against each other, we’d like to do a quick review of each of the three companies’ flagship products. We will, in this section, talk about what type of cooking suits the most with these products.
Calphalon Classic Review
Made out of stainless steel, Calphalon products tend to absorb heat slow, and steady, but they retain a lot of heat. So, if you plan to simmer to the stove, and cook for longer periods of time, Calphalon should do you good.
All-Clad HA1 Review
Their Teflon technology makes sure that their coats don’t wear and tear easily, so you will no longer have to worry about how healthy it would be to use stainless steel utensils. It is noteworthy that these are extremely heavy-duty cookware that you can use to cook hard food, where there’s a lot of sauteing and churning involved.
Emeril All-Clad Review
Another product from the product line of All-Clad, this is an anodized pan. The 12-inch variant pan is one to be seen in most of the fancy kitchens, given the look and the feel, it emanates. A common complaint is that the lifetime and the wear and tear of this particular model is a bit higher than the other All Clad ones.
Anolon Advanced Umber Review
The first thing you’d notice about the cookware is the stunning color. The color is almost permanent and does not wear off even with regular use.
However, if you were to rough it up a little, there is a chance that a few scratches show up here and there. It is pretty light for its size and grit. The company’s unique technology replacing the Teflon coat works the best, just like intended.
We’d recommend you try this cookware, if you’re cooking for a relatively small audience, say a typical household.
Having said all this, we’d always advise you to have a clear idea of your kitchen needs and select the ones best for your kitchen.
Some simple questions to help you choose:
- What type of dishes am I looking at?
- How many people am I cooking for?
- Is it for commercial purposes, or is it just the family?
- How am I going to clean it, dish-washer, or am I okay with hand cleaning?
- Will I be able to handle every style of utensil? If not, which one’s the most comfortable for me to handle?
Final Words
These are all things you will have to consider before choosing a brand. To us, if you are looking to scale up your cooking, and use it a lot harder and rougher, we’d suggest you take the All-Clad.
If you are just going to use it to cook a light meal for the family, and are okay with hand-washing now and then, we’d advise you take the Anolon ones.
Come what may, you are the right person to choose which one’s the best cookware set for your kitchen! I hope you enjoyed our comparison. Do check out our other utensil related articles. Leave a comment below.
