Clang! Clunk! Bang! Yeow! That's me cooking with Calphalon Professional...

I bought this pan for many reasons. First of all, I had bought a Calphalon Commerical pan, and I absolutely adored it. I then found a cheap Calphalon Professional set (this sauce pan was part of the set), and I figured, Professional, Commercial--they're all the same, right? Hmm..turns out that there are some differences.

This sauce pan is 3 1/2 quarts and comes with a lid. It is about 8" in diameter with sides that are about 4-1/2" high. It has a long handle on one end and a loop handle on the other. It is made of a heavy-guage, hard-anodized aluminum exterior, which is supposed to give the pan maximum durability. In fact, it is supposed to be 30% harder than stainless steel. This is important because I want a pan that is going to last.

Secondly, at the heart of the pan is a 98.7% pure aluminum core that offers superior heat conductivity. Aluminum is supposedly the most affordable conductive metal, second only to copper. This provides quick, efficient heating. Being Asian, I saute many foods--I require intense heat in order to "explode" flavors such as garlic, ginger, or shallots. I've used this pan to make soups, and I have "seared" garlic in it. It seems to work just as well as a wok.

Furthermore, Calphalon hard-anodized pans have spun or drawn construction for consistent pan thickness and even heating. This is very useful as it can be quite annoying to have one part of your food burnt and the other undercooked!

The triple-riveted handles are not supposed to rust, and they are made of nickel-chrome plated cast iron. Be warned, however, the handles can get HOT!!. Everytime I cook, I forget how hot the handles, (including the lid handle), can become. With a wince and an "ouch!", I usually end up dropping the lid onto the floor (bang!), or clanging the pan back onto the stovetop (clunk!). I silently curse my pans while cooling off my poor fingers. Furthermore, the handles are a rigid shape, and do not fit into the contours of your hand very well.

I do have to say, though, that these pans DO heat quickly and evenly. Foods sear and brown quite well, though are not always nicely deglazed. I used to use a cast-iron pan, so regarding weight, this stuff is much lighter in comparison! However, it can get heavy, especially with liquids in it. The loop handle makes it easier to lift, but since it gets so HOT, I don't believe it's as practical as it could be.

Cleaning up, however, is another con. Calphalon touts that the "stick resistant surface is ideal for sauteing, searing, braising and deglazing." Yet, even after deglazing, more food than I'd expect remains. Sometimes, if I cook chili it in, it takes a good soaking to clean the pan. In general, after some soaking, foods come off easily. However, there are some mysterious stains that remain. Oil stains, maybe? They are brownish in nature, and do not ever seem to come off. They are mostly located near the top...maybe due to the oil that "bounces" when food is added to the heated oil?

This Calphalon Professional sauce pan is durable and conducts heat quickly and evenly. I believe that due to the shape of the pan, it is best suited for soups, sauces, and stews. There is not much of a flat surface area, and most foods would probably end up being piled on top of each other. It is stylish and makes you feel like a professional chef (hey-it's fun to pretend, right?). However, it is rather expensive, has extremely hot handles, and clean-up is not always easy.

I am much more pleased with Calphalon COMMERCIAL, which is why I recommend forking over a few more dollars for the Commercial rather than be stuck with the Professional line.

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You may also be interested in reading about:
Calphalon Hard-Anodized Commerical 2 1/2 Quart Shallow Saucepan with Lid
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Re-cap of features:
-hard-anodized aluminum (provides durability)
-98.7% pure aluminum core (provides great heat conductivity)
-consistent pan thickness and even heating
-triple-riveted handles won't rust
-nickel-chrome plated cast iron handles (HOT!)
-clean-up can be messy
-lifetime warranty

Some more info...
CLEANING
-Not dishwasher safe (will void warranty). Oven cleaners, baking soda, automatic dishwasher detergent, bleach, and liquid household cleaners will also void warranty.
-Allow pan to cool before placing in water to avoid warping.
-Recommended cleaners are Ajax, Comet, and Dormond.
-Recommended cleaning pad is Scotch-Brite.

COOKING
-Metal utensils are okay, but don't cut, chop or whip foods in the pan.
-Oven and broiler safe.
-Always preheat, but not on high heat. Use medium or medium-high heat.
-Never use cooking sprays, which will leave a gummy residue.
-Do not season pan before use.
-Allow foods to rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before cooking so your food will saute instead of being slow cooked (since the cold food will cool the pre-heated pan).
-Pat food dry to remove excess moisture (otherwise, your food may steam instead of sear, and the pan may cool due to the moisture).
-Don't pierce food, as this will cause your food to lose moisture and dry out (I like to use chopsticks).

Calphalon Professional Hard-Anodized pans can be purchased at most major department stores (such as Filene's, Macy's, Bloomingdale's, etc.) as well as at most culinary stores (such as Kitchen Etc. and Williams Sonoma).

For more information regarding Calphalon products, prices, or warranty registration, please visit http://www.calphalon.com


Recommended: No

Amount Paid (US$): 30