I'm just a guy who likes to cook. The Berndes teflon sauce pans that I've been using for years were starting to deteriorate, and I knew I wanted to replace them with a set of stainless steel clad cookware. As much as my ego wanted All Clad or Demeyere, I just couldn't justify the cost. After a lot of research and store trips, I decided on the Calphalon Tri-Ply set. Deciding to make one last attempt to kill any buyer's remorse, I made one more trip to Bed Bath and Beyond just to be sure. That's when I spotted the Emerilware Pro-Clad set (this is the fully-clad line, not the original line with the heavy disk welded to the bottom). I should say I'm not really a fan of Emeril -he's just another TV personality to me. I rarely watch his shows, and I've never eaten in his restaurants. If anything, I'm the kind of person who would avoid celebrity endorsed products.Enough with the caveats. I wasn't crazy about the handles on the Calphalon set. Too skinny and short for my hands. When I grabbed the Emerilware sauce pan, it was instantly very comfortable in my hand. The handle is much beefier than pretty much any other SS cookware I picked up. Performance-wise, the handles stay cool on the stovetop (I have a glasstop). Even the loop handles on the stockpot were cool enough to pick up and drain a pot of spaghetti. Love the handles. The pieces have a slight heft to them without being unwieldy. I have a couple of old monster fry pans, and these are very easy to manage in comparison. Good weight and balance. Also, liquids pour nicely off the rolled lip.
I've had no problem adjusting to SS after using teflon for a lot of years. I use olive oil or canola oil, and have had no problem with food sticking or burning. I love the saute pan for searing steaks, chicken, and pork chops, then throwing it into the hot oven to finish. Back on the stovetop (using a pot holder, duh), a little bit of chicken broth or wine deglazes the pan and makes a quick an easy sauce. I find that I use all of the pieces in the set on a regular basis. The steamer is useful as we prefer to steam our veggies. If you follow the instructions and keep an eye on the heat, these things clean up with absolutely no problem. Any residual discoloration or stubborn bits come right off with Barkeepers Friend.
I deducted one star for the following small gripes: I would have preferred SS lids instead of glass, even though I haven't run into any drawbacks with the glass. Next, the Pro-Clad line is somewhat limited compared to other brands. I picked up the largest (3 qt) saucepan to round out the set -I would have preferred a 4 qt with an extra loop handle, but it' not offered. I'm hoping the manufacturer adds other choices to the line over time. It would be nice to have a matching saucier or wok, for instance. Lastly, I've noticed that the frying pan is warped very slightly, maybe 1/16", so that it rocks a little bit on the glasstop. I didn't notice if it came out of the box this way, or warped slightly from the heat of the stove. It doesn't seem to affect the performance anyway. All of the other pieces are perfectly flat on the bottom. I inspected all of the pieces for burrs, and found them all to be perfectly smooth.
In summary, my wife and I are really pleased with our purchase of the Emerilware Pro-Clad set. It works great and looks great. We expect them to give us many years of great food.
Cook with less heat and wait until the water is hot before adding salt -the combination will ensure that the pans continue to look new after repeated use.Lower heat and the use of the covers (there's a reason for having them -and you won't even get a false scare.
Barkeeper's Friend -a less abrasive version of a cleansing powder -works well to remove minor stains from both the inside and the outside of the pans with no scrubbing required beyond that you can do with a sponge.
But, it's not about the pan's looks -even though it was great to find that the looks can readily be maintained.It's about the even heating.There are no hot spots.The reason you're paying extra for these pans is that their heat distribution is simply excellent, something you may never have experienced with cheaper sets.If you haven't experienced cooking with even heat, you don't miss it.But, once you do, you'll never want to go back.
I'm happy with the set and delighted that the complaints encountered about stainless steel picking up stains are misguided.Yes, with too high heat, with salt being added to cold water, or with some canned soups, the pans may appear damaged and will not respond to just anything.But, the vinegar trick is totally effective with discolored pans and the Bartender's Helper dispatches little black marks that may show up with ease.
Finally, if food gets burnt on to the pan, throw some water into the pan and bring it to a boil.The food can be easily scraped loose with a plastic spatula and Barkeeper's Friend will dispatch dispatch any relatively stubborn spots.
With reasonable care, the good looks of the pans can be retained indefinitely.And, should there be some staining that I haven't encountered, the pans will continue to do their jobs well anyway.It's stainless steel.Nothing will leach from the pans into your system.Teflon isn't necessary.Warm the pans before adding food, and the food doesn't stick with a little cooking spray or oil to help things along.
Buy Emeril E914SC64 PRO-CLAD Tri-Ply Stainless Steel 12 or 13 Piece Cookware Set Now
I'm not one to take much time with giving reviews (very busy!), however, without the reviews of others who have gone before I would have had a much tougher time making the very big decision on what cookware to buy for my new induction stove.I researched for two weeks!So for those who are researching, here's my two cents:If you don't already know, only certain cookware will work on an induction cooktop (magnetic stainless steel, cast iron, enameled steel if a magnet sticks, it'll work, but it should stick firmly for best results).I Purchased an entire set of Emeril Pro-Clad Tri-Ply stainless cookware and LOVE IT!(I did purchase one piece of Emeril's clad-bottom cookware to test first, and it didn't perform as well as the Pro-Clad Tri-Ply.I think that line might be more suited for gas or electric burners?).This cookware is the result of a collaboration between All-Clad & Emeril, and for the price it is an incredible value.Heats evenly, handles don't get hot, they clean up easily (thanks to all you folks who recommended Barkeepers friend it really works)and the glass lids allow viewing of the contents while cooking.I wasn't really a fan of the glass lids, but I'm liking them a lot now.I'm not a professional chef, but I can see that the cookware heats very evenly and like the cooking results I've achieved so far.In addition, it is substantial and heavy enough to work on induction without being too heavy to lift.Seems very well made (there is not much difference in weight or looks between this and the All-Clad cookware I looked at) and it looks as though I made the right decision!The experience of this home cook is that this product is superb!I'd easily give 5 stars if it had a a 2 instead of 2.5 qt, and if a 4 qt were available in the line (even at additional cost).This is the first set of pots and pans that I've bought myself. I did a ton of research, and ultimately decided on this set over the less expensive Emerilware set (with copper bottoms) and over the similarly-priced Calphalon line, that was made to compete directly with this line. After nearly a year, I still absolutely love them. They've held up beautifully, are sturdy, cook well and evenly, and still look more or less brand new inside and out.
Why I chose, and recommend this set:
1. Overall quality and sturdiness.
I was told that All-Clad (who makes this set) is a bit sturdier than Calphalon (in particular with regard to the riveting of the handles). Don't know if that's true, but these are absolutely sturdy pots and pans. Good weight, thick metal, and a good feel. They've held up beautifully.
2. Stainless.
I did not want non-stick, in particular with the health concerns, or cast-iron. I have to admit, I like the aesthetic too. If this is a consideration for you, note that these continue to look beautiful if you take care of them.
3. Tri-ply core throughout.
Note the less expensive set only has a copper BOTTOM. This means they won't heat as evenly, and are a bit more cheaply-made. The heat won't be as strong along the sides, which is a factor for your deep pots when heating sauces, and for the skillet. This is a good, high-quality set.
4. HANDLES Don't underestimate this. I was considering the Calphalon set, but when I picked them up, the curved handle they have did not feel as good as the straight handle on these Emerilwares. This may be personal preference, but I strongly recommend holding both to see which you prefer. They have very different feels, and for me, the Calphalons' curved handle felt quite a bit less stable, almost as though when pouring it could turn in my hand, and even as though my hand might cramp or struggle to keep it steady. These Emerils have a great, solid handle that's very comfortable ergonomically. I love the feel.
5. Glass tops.
Yes, I DO want to see when my sauces are bubbling, and when I need to turn the heat up or down.
6. Price.
I just could not afford to spend 600, 700, 800, 1,000+ on pots and pans. Yet I did not want a cheap set that would not last, felt flimsy, or didn't cook well or evenly. This price point seemed like the perfect match, after tons of research. They're good quality, but not outrageously expensive.
7. Aesthetic.
Again the stainless. Cleans up easily. I recommend Bartender's Friend after soap and water. Quick and easy, and they shine. I read/heard one or two people say they had problems with stains or discoloration. I experienced what I suspect they're referring to only once, after I'd cooked on a fairly high heat, and even then, with Bartender's Friend and a little elbow grease, they shined up like new. If you experience this, cook on a slightly lower heat. I've been told you shouldn't cook on high with stainless which conducts heat better than non-stick. Since turning the heat down, I haven't seen this happen again.
Only drawback(s):
1. There's no 4 Qt. pot. I may pick up the Emerilware copper-bottom pot for this.
2. There's a 2.5 Qt instead of 2 qt. Not a big deal. But, it's close in size to the 3 qt. In a perfect world, I'd have a 1, 2, 3, and 4 qt. Instead, this has a 1, 2.5, and 3. Again, this wasn't a deal-breaker.
3. Emerilware logo: Not a big fan of big logos, but it doesn't bother me. However, if you use Bartender's Friend directly on the logo, I found it bleaches it to a lighter color. This could be good or bad, depending on your perspective.
Overall, this is a fantastic set, and if you're looking in the price range for stainless, I can't imagine you'd be unhappy. I can't recommend these pots and pans highly enough. Again, 5 stars if it had a 2 qt and if a 4 qt were available in the line.
Want Emeril E914SC64 PRO-CLAD Tri-Ply Stainless Steel 12 or 13 Piece Cookware Set Discount?
If you want All-Clad quality for a reduced price, this is the set to buy.If you buy this set, its also a fantastic opportunity to get Amazon Prime essentially for FREE.When I bought this a month ago, you got a free 12" pro-clad skillet and 10" cast iron grill pan if you bought $300 or more in emerilware.I did, and the shipping for all pieces came to $65 dollars.I looked at amazon prime, and I bought a year's subscription for $70 dollars, and got 2nd day shipping of the pans for free.:)As for the pans themselves... This are stainless steel tri-ply pans.All-Clad makes them for emeril, and they bear the quality of all-clad pans.Its a terrific value, even without the freebies above.You're not going to find any major differences when it comes to the shortcomings of stainless steel when comparing to other brands, more expensive or not.All stainless steel pans will rainbow with extreme heat, and will watermark, and tarnish, and will be harder to get baked on bits Off compared to nonstick.The trick is knowing the cleaning tools to make like easier.In the previous reviews, the two essential products were covered.Barkeeper's friend: cookware version, and distilled white vinegar.I definately recomend the cookware version of barkeeper's friend over the standard, as it does not contain abrasives that will scratch your pans.Since I started cleaning my stainless steel with BKF,I have no issues with tarnishing.my pans stay looking new.Its all about having the right tools for the job.
I also will never dishwash a pot or pan, nonstick or not.They deserve handwashing treatment for prolonged life. Never let them soak more than a few minutes to get off grease.a good way to loose your pan to the elements is let it set submerged in water covered in grime.
I love the ability to cook on the stovetop, then switch to oven.Stainless steel is meant to trap all those bits of meat on the bottom for the purpose of deglazing to make sauces or gravies.lets see a traditional non-grooved nonstick pan do that.I still use nonstick, but for certain tasks.stainless steel just doesn't do eggs right. :)and if you say it does, you're most likely deep frying them from the grease you need to use to keep them from sticking, don't own a nonstick pan, or can't admit stainless steel isn't good for all jobs. :)I keep my old trusty 10" nonstick just for sunday mornin' Eggs. :)
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