Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)The ongoing debate over cookware at my house is over: All-Clad is the best cookware overall and is worth the extra money. Our coppers tarnish and require retinning. Our encapsulated disk cookware (Reverere and Farberware) suffer from loose and broken plastic handles and too-small disks which limit the cooking area of the fry pans. The biggest debate was between Calphalon and All-Clad LTD nonstick models. My wife really liked the lighter weight of Calphalon's Commercial Nonstick line. After living for both for several years, All-Clad has shown its overall superiority in the following ways:
1) Durability. The non-stick finish All-Clad uses wears like iron. The Calphalon's finish shows many more scratches and blisters.
2) Denser anodized finish. The All-Clad LTD finish is much denser and more even that that on Calphalon. This makes it more attractive and easier to clean. On the MC2 stuff the finish is not anodized, but it is tightly frosted and well made. It's quite attractive too. I've started to accumulate MC2 stuff because it's cheaper and performs just as well. The LTD stuff does look better on a rack mixed with Calphalon. It's tough to beat black aesthetically.
3) Greater heat sensitivity. You actually cook with the stove set to a lower temperature with All-Clad. It appears to register changes more quickly. Both types of pan are good in this reguard - but the All-Clad is noticeably better.
As a fry pan, the All-Clad MC2 12" fry pan hits on all cylinders. It's big enough for a 4 egg omlette, or most of pound of bacon. It's battleship built, well balanced, even heating with great sensitivity. The handle stays cool and is angled so that you can lift the heavy contents without undue strain on your wrist. The nonstick finish is effective and tough as nails. The MC2 finish is durable and very attractive. Ultimately I'm more partial to the LTD finish because it matches well with other anodized aluminum cookware - and you can clean it very effectively with Ajax. The MC2 finish will yellow a bit over time. Real chefs just let it get brown. It looks like real cookware. In any case, exterior aesthetics don't relate to cooking performance.
Update on the MC2 finish: after using it for months and letting it get nice and brown I tried cleaning it with the 3M scrubby and Ajax/Comet cleanser I use with the LTD finish and it worked like a charm on the MC2. Just make a nice paste and power away the burnt on grease in moments leaving a nice buffy shine. Don't worry about scratches - the MC2 finish is a fine patina of minute scratches anyway! It looks great and is basically indestructible.
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What's a kitchen without a fry pan? This humble piece of cookware is probably used more often than any other. So if that's the case, it only makes sense to invest in one that will stand up to frequent use. Eggs and bacon in the morning, a grilled cheese or sauteed veggies for lunch, burgers or chicken breasts for dinner, day in and day out All-Clad offers superior performance. The new MC2 cookware combines the industrial style of a brushed aluminum exterior with gleaming stainless steel stay cool handles. A non-stick interior speeds up cleaning and allows you to cook with minimal to no fat.
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