All-clad is on my permanent wish list.

All-clad is expensive, there is no doubt about that. It is professional quality which means it's heat conductive properties are superior and it will last forever.

So, if you want it and you want to save money, you have to play the game. Irregulars sound like a good option and of course sales.

I have also heard that some of these celebrity chef pot and pan sets are all-clad. Not sure if that is true but if it is sometimes you can buy those sets for less. You just have to live with a t.v. personality's name on your pots and pans.

If you cook a lot, All-clad would definitely be worth the investment.

I recently lost my All-Clad in a divorce settlement. And because I had to pay for replacements myself, I bought a set of the Calphalon Contemporary stainless steel pots and pans. To be honest, I think Calphalon is just as good as the All-Clad, and, dare I say, are more beautiful to look at.

I love my stainless Cuisinart ware, we bought it because we seriously doubt that All-Clad is really All-that!

I second the Calphalon comment. Just got the tri-ply stainless set on Black Friday (less $$$ than All-Clad) and I'm loving it!

What I wonder is, is all-clad any better than calphalon triply, which is also aluminum coated with stainless steel?

I like to read the Cook's Illustrated website, which usually rates all-clad the highest for regular pots and pans, but not other products... and usually recommends a cheaper second choice.

My husband moved into my apartment with his All-Clad collection, some clothes and cds, and not much else. We've got the 13" skillet, the 10" saute pan, two saucepans, a nonstick, a large pasta pot and a saucier - all MC and MC2. We could probably get along without the last three - purchased by an overly zealous mother-in-law, but they each have proven incredibly useful, and we've never needed anything else. My previous pots were hand-me-down Calphalon, which scratched, stained and stuck. I happily gave them away. His first few pots are a good ten years old at this point, so I'd say durability is not an issue. I've burned the hell out of a few, and they come sparkling clean with a little Barkeeper's Friend. We've bought from Cookware 'n More, and found no difference in quality but a huge one in price, along with a comprehensive selection. Definitely worth the investment, overall.

I bought several pieces of all-clad at close to 50% off retail several years ago. Even those prices were a little breathtaking for a 20-something. But I figured I love to cook and it would be a lifetime investment. I have no regrets.

Good advice to just get one piece (that you will use often) to see how you like it.

I'm also a COOKS ILLUSTRATED fan and hang on every word they say and all-clad performs well in their tests. Along those lines, they recently had an article singing the praises of pre-seasoned cast-iron skillets. I bought one several years ago and (somehow) have developed and maintained a pretty decent season on the surface. For some cooking applications, I prefer it to my all clad skillet. And much cheaper.

I tend to be inherently opposed to nonstick pans but sometimes they are nice for eggs and such. Does anyone use an All-Clad nonstick and if so, what do you think of it?

I also think it's a good idea to start with one pan and see how you like it. I have the 10" skillet. I bought all clad because after test-holding many different brands in the store, the all clad felt the most comfortable for me.

I like that I can't mess the pan up - it always washes up nicely. What I don't like is how things stick to it. I've followed the instructions of all clad, keeping a low to medium flame and preheating the oil. Eggs are the hardest - uses lots of oil and you need to loosen it with a spatula a lot.

I have had a dozen stainless steel All-Clad pans for 12 years and love every one of them. They conduct heat well and are easy to clean. They are heavy though and you must always use potholders with the covers as they get quite hot even on the stovetop.

Faith,

I have had one nonstick All-Clad pan that we have used almost exclusively for eggs for 10 years. It cooks nicely and cleans like a dream. However, some of the nonstick coating has worn off on the very top edge of the pan. I suspect that this might be due to my regularly using a cover from a regular stainless All-Clad on it. I stopped doing that and haven't had any more coating wear off.

when we were buying our first grown-up pots and pans, we visited a local kitchen store that has a reputation for an extremely knowledgeable (and honest) staff. we were initially looking at the all-clad, but were told that they had recently lost their patent, and that the calphalon tri-ply and cuisinart multiclad are exact copies of the all-clad pans that were more than twice the price. after sort of talking our ears off long enough to convince us he truly was an encyclopedia of all things kitchen, the guy said, "if you'd asked me a year ago i would have told you to buy all-clad or buy nothing at all. not anymore."

we ended up buying one all-clad piece and two cuisinart pieces, and i've honestly never ever noticed a difference.

I guess I should clarify my comment that All-Clad cleans pans
are easy to clean.

They are easy to clean but not necessarily quick to clean. If my frying pan becomes heavily scorched, I fill it with the hottest tap water and a little detergent and about a teaspoon of baking soda and soak it for a few hours or overnight. Then everything comes off easily with a sponge.

After a lot of research, we went with the Calphalon tri-ply and couldn't be happier.
2 features it offers that All-Clad doesn't: 1)glass tops, so you can see inside the pots/pans when you are cooking and 2)rounded edges, easier for pouring out of the pans.

We've sometimes found All-Clad for reduced prices at Marshalls or TJ Maxx type stores.

All Clad is the way to go. I have the stainless version and have bought piece by piece as necessary. By far, the best pans I have ever used. I throw them in the dishwasher, they are fairly low maintenance.

Faith, I have the 10inch nonstick skillet. Took a while for me to get used to, but now I use it exclusively for eggs, low heat, a little oil, cooks like a dream.

I have one non-stick skillet in my slightly excessive collection of All-Clad. I got it at TJ Maxx or Marshalls for $40 which I think was about 1/2 or 1/3 the regular price. I've been using it for around 8 years, and it's about at the end of it's non-stickiness despite the fact that I've always treated it carefully.
I considered it an experiment that has confirmed my thinking that non-stick isn't going to last forever even if it's All-Clad. If I had paid full price for that skillet I think I'd be annoyed.

IMO, a non-stick skillet is indispensable, but I wouldn't waste my $$ on All-Clad non-stick unless it's at a steep discount.

Easy to clean, heavy to hold.

After much research I recently settled on All Clad LTD for my wedding registry and I couldn't be happier. I was debating Calphalon but the new handle design is tacky; besides that I think the difference is very slim. All Clad is leaps and bounds beyond my piece milled collection of pre-wedding cookware. Cooking with it makes my heart sing!

i have used both the all clad and the calphalon tri-ply. i bought a set of the tri-ply. it's a little bit lighter without giving up quality. the handles are more comfortable to hold since they don't come up at a straight angle. the curve is more comfortable. and because of the notch near the pan, they dont get hot so you don't have to use a towel or pot holder on the handle.
as far as the emeril line goes, it's not worth the money and it's no where near as expensive at the regular all clad or calphalon. it's easily dented, and because of the thick disc on the bottom, it very heavy.

The calphalon stuff is awesome. All-Clad definitely has you paying a big premium for name. The Calphalon saucepans I've used are really fabulous.

I've got a beautiful 11" Mauviel fry pan that is excellent for anything acidic, responds basically instantly to heat, but truth be told my cast iron skillet gets at least 20 times more use and looks just as timeless. It's the only thing that gets used every day. Builds up those wrist muscles, too. :)

I'd never pay $100 for anything teflon coated, since it's not going to last all that long, and really we barely use our teflon as it is.

I've had great experiences with the super thick aluminum/steel stuff purchased from restaurant supply stores, and some of the no-name brands sold there are made by the fashionable companies, except for $75 rather than $150. Not exactly beautiful, but my 6 gallon stock pot is super useful, cost $45 and will outlive me I'm sure.

I just got a GIANT enameled cast-iron pot that I love at Marshall's for $40 (Outset brand). That same size LeCreuset pot at Williams Sonoma would have cost at least $250. Marshall's ROCKS for stuff like that!

As someone noted above, you are also paying a big premium for made in the good old USA. Any time that option presents itself, I vote for made in Pennsylvania. And, by the way, the pots/pans rock.

There are often quite substantial discounts at Broadway Panhandler

Can anyone compare Swiss Diamond to All-Clad (besides non-stick vs. stainless)?

I bought a Swiss Diamond large saute pan - I nearly choked on the price, but am so happy I made the investment. It browns wonderfully without burning, and since it's non-stick, it's a dream to deglaze with and clean.

My assumption is that anything made in the "good ole USA" should be cheaper to buy because it does not have to be taxed highley for being shipped across the pond.

Anyway, I do love good pots and pans. I believe that stainless steel is always the way to go. Non-stick is for non-cookers. I have Wolfgang Puck pots and pans. I'd love to have All-Clad or Calphalon but Wolfie will do for now. They are actually very good pots/pans. They don't stain or stick. They get sparkly clean. They will certainly do until I can get a higher brand.
However, with that being said, I do keep one medium-grade, non-stick frying pan for eggs. (for all the people above that complain that eggs stick no matter what) I have a great Italian-made frying pan whose brand name is TVO (I think). I bought it at Marshall's. It does the job well. Eggs will stick even if it's all-clad.

I have found sigle All-Clad items at the local T.J. Max at a significant markdown. I apologize if someone mentioned it above - I scanned the comments quickly and didn't see it.

orangejuce, sometimes made in the "good ole USA" (despite lower shipping costs), means that the manufacturer pays its workers a living wage and benefits, and that they effectively contribute to the economy of this country.

Anyway, I love the (2) All Clad pieces (one skillet and one saucepan) that currently consitute my "collection". The heat distributes so evenly, I believe I am a better cook because of them.

Looking for advice:

This may be the dumbest question ever, but are you supposed to season pans like this? (can you even season stainless steel?) I had an all-clad pan and I was surprised to find that was absolutely horrible. No matter what I cooked, everything stuck to it like cement. Most of my meal was wasted (regardless of increasing amounts of olive oil used to combat the incredible stick.) I was finally so fed up that I just threw the pan out.

Sorry, meant to type 'single' - and I now see that splatgirl mentioned TJ MAXX as well. I love the three pans we have. They are in constant use.

I have owned one All-Clad 2 qt sauce for over 10 years and it is always my goto pot. Also own a Calphalon set that I just gave away for 4 reasons--wanted to get non-stick coatings out of my life since they have been linked to causing cancer, you're really supposed to wash them by hand—the outsides of mine looked white washed, I didn't have storage room for the whole set I purchased since moving, and to be honest, I just wanted all All-Clad.

About one month ago you highlighted Cookware n' more and I realized that if I just bought the pots and pans that I really use vs a set, I could afford it. Cookware n' more was great. The irregular aspect of all my pots/pans were a scratch or a slight discoloration and were not noticable after one use. It also allowed me to purchase the pots, I knew I would really use. Many of those sets are set up for families not singles.

All-Clad, All the way!

I actually never really understood the significance of why brand name cookware for the home was such a big deal until I started working for a Sur La Table store and my manager & culinary employees explained to me the reasoning. It wasn't until then I realized that maybe my 1-2 pans (w/ teflon coating) to cook everything in was not the best idea. Nothing was cooking at an even temperature. I purchased a couple of All-Clad items and it has completely changed the way I cook. I swear I just sounded like an infomercial just now haha.

Just a note -- one of the tips I've read that was news to me, but apparently is absolutely required to keep food from sticking to stainless steel, is 'hot pan, cold oil.' (Try googling that phrase.) You're supposed to bring your empty pan up to heat first, then add the oil/butter/whatever you're using, then when that's hot (not long afterwards, or it will start to smoke), you add the food. Adding oil/butter/etc. to a cool pan and bringing both up to temp is what allows for sticking. Could explain why some posters can cook eggs in stainless and the rest can't.

I have All-Clad pots and pans in all sizes. When I'm cooking, I always grab my nonstick 12 inch pan and 2qt nonstick saucepan. I especially like the 2qt nonstick saucepan for cooking rice. I heard that using nonstick pan in the oven, is not recommended, since it gives off fume and deteriorates the nonstick surface at a temp above 500 degrees.

I've been scratching my head on the sticky egg posts (guess I am so old, the Frugal Gourmet's old addage of "hot pan, cold oil" is drummed into me), but my eggs do not stick in my All-Clad.

The only piece I was ever unhappy with was a non-stick LTD pan. We threw it out, as the coating cracked and crazed (after 8 years). Now we stick with the stainless All-Clad, along with several iron frying pans.

We bought a great set at a deep discount, and the rest is open stock.

You can also get seconds for great prices at the factory store in Pennsylvania.

A tip from a friend to handle the heat of the All-Clad pot lids - save some corks from wine bottles and place three or four side-by-side under the lid handle - it gives you something cool to grab when you need to lift the lid.

Seconding the Cookware n' More tip. They used to be in Flemington, NJ and after I got a nice bonus at work I headed over there and picked up a dutch oven, a saucepan, a frying pan and saute pan to replace my crappy college set. IIRC I saved about 60-65% off retail for barely scratched cookware. I'd never pay full price, but it really is nice to cook with. I also have a small Cuisinart saucepan from TJ Maxx, and it's perfectly acceptable, although not as weighty as the All-Clad. I like weighty.

I cook all the time and have several type of cookware, some pieces I use more often then others, but for frying nothing beats a cast iron skillet. I have one that is over 30 years old inherited from my grandmother. It is always seasoned after use. My brother was the only person in the family who can cook an egg in the pan and not have it stick, i havn't quite mastered that skill yet. I also have all-clad stainless steel and calphalon no-stick. But it seems the cast iron is the one I use the most

We have All-Clad and I love it. Yes, it's expensive, but I don't plan on having to replace it.

I agree with the cast-iron skillet recommendation as well... I prefer that for things like eggs and the All-Clad for everything else.

I have a few All-Clad pieces and enjoy using them. My only gripe is that the lid handles get way too hot to handle.

As for the made in USA part, only the bonded pieces are made in the US. The lids, for example, are made overseas as are the tools and accessories. And just out of curiosity, I wonder how many people here know that since 2004 All-Clad has been owned by the Groupe SEB, a large French consortium.

Cast iron is pretty nonstick and doesn't have any unnatural creepy off-gassing and whatnot. And it costs next to nothing, lasts forever, and gives you needed iron just by cooking in it.

All Clad pots are too heavy for me to lift, so we opted for a Cuisinart set and I love them.

All-Clad has a huge warehouse sale twice a year in Canonsburg PA, where they are manufactured. Prices are fabulous for the basic pieces - I recall 75% off on some items. I haven't been to the sale, but my parents retired there (don't ask) and have happily served as my personal shoppers and hand-delivered my purchases to me in NYC. Add a visit to Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater and the singing Perry Como statue and you have yourself a weekend.

I have one All-Clad pan I got for a steal and a whole set of Calphalon stainless (we researched the materials used and couldn't fine a compelling difference in materials or quality for the huge jump in price) and, frankly, I can't tell the difference between the two.

Had I know All-Clad was made in the USA, I might have spent the extra money (if we'd had it at the time, which is unlikely).

I've had the Calphalon for five years. Still in great shape. Added a non-stick Calphalon One pan last year. Also has worked very well, though it is the least-used of my pans. I like to use it for breakfast on the weekends.

One name brand I have a major jones for is Le Crueset. I want a soup pot and a casserole pan!

I generally LOVE my stainless steel cookware for everything (with cast iron coming a really close second); but for some strange reason, things do tend to stick to the All-Clad more than my others... I have no idea why.

We have the All-Clad Brushed Stainless Steel pots and pans, the five-ply versions. They work great, but it is our first (and only) set of "real" cookware so I have nothing to compare it to but cheap Calphalon (not the new stainless steel ones) and Circulon. From the abuse that they've received already it seems that they will last a lifetime. We also got one nonstick pan for eggs and pancakes, also works great, much better than my old pans, the heat that it retains is great once you get used to it.

All-Clad is a great investment, especially because of the lifetime warranty. I buy my All-Clad from Cookware & More. The irregulars usually come looking almost perfect and they are so much cheaper!

Can you tell me more about the irregular All Clad? Is the irregular more related to cosmetics only? Anything to do with the heat construction if it is irregular? Thanks.

I have been buying All Clad since 1980 when I could go to the factory and buy seconds.
The company has been sold and has really grown. They have two sales per year and I am lucky to live close by to take advantage of the sale. I have everything, but I go just for fun to see what is new. Come to Pittsburgh (Washington County Fairgrounds)
and join in the fun.

PS...Happyface.. irregular pans just have small blemishes which do not affect performance...and Figitiverouge, you need to heat the pan before adding butter or oil. If you do this, the pans cook like non stick. Eggs slide around the pan, try it.

sorry, that is fugitiverogue