If you are reading this review, then you are probably considering a good pan for Asian stir-fry.Before I start, let's make one thing clear: This pan is NOT non-stick.If you are looking for a pure nonstick fry pan, stop now and look elsewhere.I am going to write about pros and cons about this pan, and let you be the judge.Today, we have so many choices: non-stick, carbon steel, cast iron, stainless steel, and now this Infused-Anodized Aluminum.I bought this pan during the promotion period when it was sold at $40.Non-stick woks simply won't do for proper stir-fry.They are good for beginners or people who need to avoid oil, but you can never achieve proper stir-frying with them because they cannot handle the high heat required in stir-frying.No creditable Chinese restaurant will use a non-stick wok.
You cannot get more authentic Asian stir-fry cooking than a well-seasoned carbon steel wok and they are inexpensive (~$18).This 12 inch Carbon Steel Wok w/ Helper Handle (flat bottom) is my main wok.A well-seasoned carbon steel wok is naturally non-stick and can handle very high temperature. That being said, these woks must be seasoned before its first use and they need to be occasionally seasoned after.They can be mildly difficult to maintain and take a certain level of skill and experience to use.
I have not personally used a cast iron wok, but certainly have experience with cast iron skillets and cast iron dutch ovens.A cast iron wok also requires seasoning.It has great heat capacity.However, cast iron cookware are heavy and brittle, heats up slowly, and can literally crack.You will have great difficulty to toss the foods in the air with a cast-iron wok.
Stainless steel woks can handle high temperature and they are practically indestructible.They have great corrosion resistance and do not require seasoning -nor can they be seasoned.However, meats tend to stick to the cooking surface which prevents proper stir-frying.
Some reviewers had the expectation that the Calphalon One Infused cookware will function like a non-stick cookware and were disappointed when they found out otherwise.This line of cookware is simply stick-resistant, not non-stick.Meats will stick to this cookware, but simply less than stainless steel.Maybe the word "stick-resistant" is confusing, and Calphalon is largely responsible for this confusion.Anyway, here is my summary for this stir fry pan:
1) High temperature compatible.It can tolerate much higher heat than typical non-stick cookware.I have repeatedly heated it to the point of oil smoking out of the pan and the pan is fine.
2) Stick-resistant.It is slightly more stick-resistant than stainless steel, but nothing like non-stick.Foods will stick, especially meats.Stuck foods will release themselves as they start to caramelize and brown.In light of this, the Infused-Anodized technology is a more suitable for saute than for Asian stir-fry.This can be a good thing for people who care for taste over ease because this browning process is what gives cooked food a wonderful favor.
3) No cookware seasoning is required, unlike carbon steel and cast iron.You can boil water, cook acidic foods in this cookware without worrying about (1) the seasoning surface (patina) wears off or worse -(2) rusting.
4) Relatively easy to clean. It is much easier to clean than stainless steel cookware, but tougher than non-stick.Immersing the pan in warm soapy water for 10 minutes will be sufficient to remove most of the food residues.However, instead of simply wash away all the stuck meat bits, you can deglaze the bits to make a nice sauce.This way, you are cleaning and making sauce at the same time.:)For tough stains, use Bar Keepers Friend Cookware Cleanser & Polish: 12 OZ which is recommended by Calphalon.
5) It is somewhat damage resistant and it is advertised that metal utensils can be used.I found this to be false.It is tougher than non-stick, but not nearly as tough as stainless steel.I have used stainless steel utensils and they produce dents and scratches on this cookware, though the nonstick surface seems to be intact thus far.I strongly advise against using any metal utensil on this.
Hopefully this review can help you to decide if this Calphalon Infused-Anodized pan right for you.It is not a perfect stir-fry pan and I personally prefer a carbon-steel wok, but this Calphalon wok does have some nice features.If I have to summarize this pan, I would say it feels like a cross between a stainless steel pan and a nonstick pan -includes advantages and disadvantages from both.
Update (May 15, 2012):In case, I wasn't clear before.I prefer carbon steel woks over this.I no longer own this Calphalon One Infused stir fry pan.It is an ok wok, but a carbon steel wok is better as long as you are willing to season the carbon steel wok.Currently, this wok is being sold for >$100.I definitely would not recommend this cookware at this price point.
Despite its "stir fry pan" description, the pan's high sides make it suitable for cooking anything that fits within the flat bottom base and that you don't want splattering your stove top. I have cooked stirfries as well as pork chops, steak, tofu, and veggies. The pan is especially nice for browning--something I could never achieve (or achieve well) with a nonstick. Any food that does stick cleans away with a sponge if you soak the pan briefly in water.
I highly recommend this pan and plan to purchase other Calphalon cookware.
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Concur with the other reviewers for the most part.The price is hard to beat, and the cooking properties sold me on the line enough to buy the higher-priced 1.5qt saucepan.
My only gripe is specific to this stir-fry pan: the flat bottom is small, so given the shape of the sides and the long, heavy handle, the pan does not sit flat on a ceramic cooktop.I get around this by just propping it up, but it is a serious flaw, particularly since they explicitly claim it's well suited for ceramic cooktops.
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I wanted a smaller wok because the typical sizes are just unreasonably unwieldy when cooking a small stir-fry for two people.That said, I was a little shocked at how small it was when I first took it out of the box.However, I've found, during use, that this is the perfect size when cooking for two people.Especially if you need access to the other heating elements for side dishes.I think I'd now like a smaller spatula though to allow for easier cornering!Update:If they still sell this product, after 5 years of use it is still going strong and I've come to realize that sealing the surface simply amounts to a bit more patience in allowing the oil and pan to heat up nicely (i.e. shimmery, finger-like oil patterns on the sides, but not smoky).
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I bought my first Calphalon One INFUSED pan over 15 years ago, the Wok, and became a loyal believer then and there. I have used the Wok on both gas and electric ranges and have always had even heat and easy stir fry. I have had many a shrimp or Hunan Fire Oil residue burn to the bottom, but have never had a bit of trouble washing the remains off. All I do is fill it with hot sudzy water, leave it sit for an hour or so, and take a plasitc scrub brush to whisk it all away. I bought the Calphalon One INFUSED Anodized 9-inch chef's skillet and the Calphalon One Non-stick 11-inch grill skillet early this year.I can report the same consistent and dependable cooking and clean-up results for the 9-inch skillet but the grill skillet is a bit more stubborn. This could be due to the rippled grill skillet bottom.I bought the last two items on Amazon and got very good sale prices, but I would pay full price for any of the Calphalon One INFUSED Anodized cookware items. They are first class. The Calphalon One Non-stick Anodized coated cookware is a definite step down. I have read owner reviews that complained about the product not living up to its reputation or price. If they were comparing to the INFUSED cookware, I can understand their disappointment.
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