Cuisinart MCU-12 MultiClad Unlimited Dishwasher Safe 12-Piece Cookware Set

First off let me say that this is a beautiful cookware set.For the pans that are included this is a steal.Cooking performance is superb and is equal to All Clads LTD. set.The one place that this cookware loses a star is in the finish.Where the anodized exterior meets the stainless interior is somewhat sloppy.It's not horrible but I expect more from Cuisinart.There are also a few barely perceptible dents here and there.I believe that I found two on the exteriors that no one else can see.I have also found at least two in the interiors.This does not at all take away from the cooking performance and I highly recommend this set.

Update 2009:After using this cookware for two years I have to upgrade my review to five stars!It has performed flawlessly under heavy use.It is as good as it was the day I got it and I love it even more now.This set is the best value out there!

I've always been an avid cook, but never quite appreciated the importance of a great set of cookware. After being diagnosed with an illness that was probably caused in part by years of Teflon use, I decided to get rid of my kitchen-full of T-Fal Teflon cookware and splurge on stainless steel. After much research, I decided on this set of Cuisinart Multiclad. My thought was I wanted something durable, heavy-duty (yet not so physically heavy that it was a pain to pull out pots and pans every time I cooked), and that would not leach harmful chemicals into food and the air while I cooked.

I admit, I was intimidated by stainless steel... I had the idea that food easily became burned on and that it took intense scrubbing after each use. I also had the idea that a good set of quality stainless steel would cost at least $1,000. After finding this set of Cuisinart Multiclad, I decided to take the plunge.

When my order arrived and I began pulling pots out of the box, I was delighted -I wasn't expecting them all to be so darn *beautiful!* They also felt magnificent in my hands... just the perfect feel... substantial, but not uncomfortably heavy. (Confession: For several days after I received them, I would sneak peeks even when I wasn't cooking with them... I would open the cabinet door just to gaze at them. Yes, folks, I consider them a work of art!)

Cooking with my Cuisinart cookware is a whole new experience. Of course, great cookware won't make anyone a better chef, but I find myself inspired to concoct more gourmet creations than I used to. With cookware that makes you feel like a professional chef, heating soup out of a can seems mundane!

Cleaning the cookware has been just as easy as with my old Teflon. I just rinse each pan as soon as I'm finished with it and it cleans up beautifully. I am also especially careful never to let anything burn (in fact I rarely need to go above medium heat unless I'm boiling water). I also use a tip I've read on several reviews: heat the pan first for a minute or two before adding the food. That tip, plus brushing a fine layer of grapeseed oil inside anything I'm sauteeing, has prevented food from sticking to the pan.

I did have some water-spot-looking discoloration appear once after cooking brown rice. Regular washing did not remove these spots, but I let a bit of white vinegar soak in the pot for about 20 minutes, then scrubbed with a Mr. Clean Magic Erase, and ran through the dishwasher again... good as new!

Another thing I love about this particular set is that it's an outstanding collection of very useful pieces. You have all the sizes and types of pot you need. The only thing I've added is the Cuisinart Multiclad Unlimited Dishwasher-Safe 5-1/2-Quart Saute with Helper Handle & Cover. It's a larger version of the saute pan that comes in the set, and I like the larger size for the very large, vegetable-heavy meals I cook for my family. I use the 3 1/2 quart saute from the set just as often, so it's not as though it's a wasted piece. A large family may consider investing in a larger stockpot and perhaps the 12" skillet, but I haven't found that necessary at this point.

One piece in this set that has become a surprise favorite is the steamer (I have two other steamer inserts and didn't think I needed another one). My generic steamers fit down into various pots, leaving only enough room for an inch or two of water at the bottom. The Cuisinart steamer sits atop the 3qt saucepan... not hanging down into it... so that you can actually use that pot for boiling potatoes or whatever, while simultaneously steaming with the same pot... I love how efficient that is.

The bottom line is that this is an absolutely gorgeous, wonderful-to-use set of cookware. I'm hard-pressed to think of anything I don't like about it... it did bug me that little hairline scratches appeared in the bottom finish after cooking, but that's not that big a deal. If tiny scratches in the outer finish would bother you, I would suggest getting this set without the dark exterior finish (the Multiclad set that does not specify it's dishwasher-safe -even though it is). This is definitely a 5-star product that I plan to use and enjoy the rest of my life!

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I bought these and was generally happy with them until they started exhibiting significant wear on the bottom and side of the pot. I had it less than 8 months, and it has a 3 year warranty on workmanship, so I started that process.

The Warranty process is absolutely atrocious:

1 They won't tell you over the phone whether the defective pot will quality for the actual warranty or what the specific requirements are.

2 They make you pay for shipping in BOTH directions (ridiculous considering it is likely their defect).

3 They don't give you a notification that they have received the pot. I had to call and I found out they have had it for over 2 weeks, and the technicians still haven't even LOOKED at it.

4 The process takes 6-8 weeks, but they don't tell you that when you set it up.

5 The customer support representatives on the phone are rude and seem to know very little about what's actually happening.And the hold times are terrible.

One of the reasons to buy good cookware is that they are supported by a warranty, Cuisinart needs to stop shying away from the process and step up their warranty efforts. At this point I'll never buy another Cuisinart product again.

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I have both. Using this for vacation home. About 30% thinner and lighter than allclad ltd. Conducts heat well, almost but not quite as good as ltds (easier to overcook custard ice cream base with this). Fit of lids on pots looser than I'd like. Very attractive, well made. For the price, 5 stars. Allclad is better though at more than 2x the cost.

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I bought this set 2 years ago and I have to say I don't think I could be happier. This set is incredibly durable and has suffered through my daily use and abuse and is still in amazing condition. I am a bit of a foodie and love to cook so I've used these pans for pretty much everything you can imagine and I certainly don't treat them like delicate flowers.

This set was a bit of an impulse purchase for me, I looked at a lot of sets but for no other reason than gut instinct settled on this one and I've never looked back. The cookware has excellent heat distribution and is very easy to clean. Any time I've burned something on or let something sit too long all I have to do is fill the pan with hot water let it soak and I can wipe everything away. The handles do stay cool when being used on the stove stop so no fussing with awkward pot holders.

The only thing that I might consider a drawback is that the part on the inside where the handle is attached can sometimes hold on to a little food so it needs a few extra seconds of attention when cleaning.

Otherwise highly recommended.

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