Dinner is Served! (With no thanks to my T-Fal Ingenio pots)
Written: Aug 30 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Ease of cleaning, good non-stick coating
Cons: Removable handles are dangerous
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| stereotomy's Full Review: T-Fal Ingenio Cookware Sets |
The entire time I was cooking dinner tonight, I eyed the shaker of chocolate sprinkles in my kitchen cabinet. For some strange reason, I had the urge to add them to my spaghetti sauce.
No, I'm not pregnant, and when I think about it, maybe it wasn't really such a strange desire. You see, stress makes me crave chocolate, and cooking dinner with my T-Fal Ingenio pots is one of the more stressful aspects of domestic life.
Ingenio was first offered only on television. One of the few infommercials I've actually sat through entirely, I thought the concept was intriguing. By now, non-stick cookware is, of course, par for even the most casual kitchen, but the Ingenio line had taken it a few steps further.
The selling features for T-Fal's Ingenio cookware are many. Removable handles make them more readily stackable than their space-inefficient competition. The lids are interchangeable, easily used with several size pots -- another space-saving feature. The lids also have holes in them for easier drainage. Finally, notches on each lid allow it to hook right onto the pot's rim, freeing your hands for stirring sauces or adjusting food in pots. No more lying food-splattered pot lids on your clean counters. And finally, T-Fal is, as most of us know, known for its non-stick coating.
When the Ingenio line became available in stores, I started saving my pennies. They were more expensive than I cared for, but I just knew they would be well worth it.
So why then did I spend cooking time resisting the lure of chocolate sprinkles?
Well, maybe it's because my much-awaited pots are a nightmare.
Remember those removable handles? They remove just fine. Unfortunately, they don't always lock back onto the pot. For the last few months, I've considered myself lucky if I could manage to get one of the two handles secured onto a pot.
A few weeks ago I managed to get one handle on. Unfortunately, while moving the pot into the sink, the handle opened, and the pot fell, shattering one of my good dishes.
It could have been worse. The pot could have fallen on my toes -- or it could have been filled with boiling water. Small comfort.
By yesterday, I couldn't manage to get either handle fastened onto a pot. Neither could my husband. The only thing I managed to fasten a handle onto was the skin of my finger. Ouch.
So, I had the hazardous task of cooking dinner using handle-less pots. No small feat there.
As for the lids, well, they may be good for draining (when the handles work and you can pick the pots up, that is), but the drainage holes are just large enough that sauces splatter everywhere. After cooking spaghetti sauce, it looks as if someone tie-dyed my stovetop. Groovy.
But if you can get past that, the non-stick surface is truly non-stick, which makes cleaning even the greasiest of pots a snap. The Ingenio pots also cook food evenly. It's probably the most worthwhile feature of these pots. I haven't burnt anything in them yet.
I haven't abused my pots. I'm no gourmet, and at least part of the week, dinner is take-out, so I don't think the Ingenio pots are failing from wear and tear. Hardly.
I wouldn't recommend these pots to anyone -- except maybe to my ex-boss. It wouldn't break my heart if he dropped one on his toe.
T-Fal's Ingenio pots and pans just don't live up to their promise, and the bottom line is that they're just not safe.
I'll have to put a great deal of thought into what I make for dinner tomorrow...and the next day, and the day after that. After all, until I save up to buy a new set of pots, all my meals had better go pretty well with chocolate.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
stereotomy
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Member: Lisa
Location: New York
Reviews written: 30
Trusted by: 36 members
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