Cuisinart MCP-12N MultiClad Pro Stainless Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set

Make sense of so many options
Navigating the cookware maze? Boil it down to 3 key decisions:

1) Non-Stick vs. Anything Else

Non-Stick = Not dishwasher safe, average life of 2-8 years, some believe there are health concerns, a million color/style options. If you do decide to go nonstick, Anolon is arguably the best right now and at least a solid starting place to look.

Anything Else = Ultimately you go stainless. There's a bevy of reasons stainless is mandated in commercial world, sanitation and longevity being two. You can buy a stainless set that lasts, in theory, for life. Dishwasher safe. A lot of the latest offerings stick very little... and perform on par w/non-stick when using a light coating.

Face it, you buy non-stick out of laziness. Well, I'd rather my dishwasher clean off the "stick" than my hand have to clean off the "non-stick".

2) Ok, so I'm going stainless! What now?

Once again you have two choices... All Clad brand or Cuisinart...
Excellent Set of Cookware at a Great Price, Questionable Warranty Service

So pleased!
I ordered this set due to a great deal that was offered a few weeks back, making the set more affordable than the older model. This model, MCP-12N is the new version (with improved handle shaping and placement-I contacted Cuisinart to ask about the difference) of the MCP-12. I've always had cheap model Revereware, or bought scratch and dent pans from stores. This is the first nice set of cookware I've ever purchased. I was skeptical because I read ALL reviews on the older model. There were some negative ones, and I was leary. While affordable, they are still priced higher than what I'm used to buying. Oh-about price; I checked several places and Amazon's price has yet to be beat.

I was provided an estimated delivery date between the first and second week of November. Then Amazon sent me an email last week stating the pots would be available sooner. They arrived this past Monday, and I LOVE them! I've only cooked 3 meals so far, but I've used quite a bit of the pots...
Click to Editorial Reviews

Cuisinart 44-10 Contour Stainless 10-Piece Cookware Set

Excellent and beautiful Cookware
I researched every set out there and this fit my budget and my needs and I have not been disapointed one bit!
I LOVE this set!
I researched every set out there and this fit my budget and my needs and I have not been disapointed one bit! I do not put them in the dishwasher but soak them in warm water and soap until I can wash them properly and by doing this makes the pans easy to clean and clean up very well. Using the Bar Keepers Friend for cookware to polish them has been esential and shines them up well! I also place pieces of felt between the pans so I can stack them without scratching. I do not have room for a hanging rack. I do recommend this set and am planning to get another set for our vacation home. As far as trying to cook eggs such as fried eggs I have not been successful, but cooking scrambled eggs works every time.
cookware
Love it as I have a set of our own. This will be a Gift for daughter,she will be happy too.
Click to Editorial Reviews

Zwilling JA Henckels Twin Gourmet 15-Piece Block Set

A little misleading
The picture of the knife on the box of this product shows the words Made in Germany. The product is actually made in Spain. Zwilling knives in Germany are known to be of a superior quality...so this is a little misleading.
Great deal for the price
This set is a cost-effective solution for making sure you always have a suitable decent-quality knife for the task on hand, but none of the included knives really qualifies as the kitchen knife of choice. For that, I would recommend a FORGED 8" chef's knife with a bolster (Henckels offers one for about $100 Zwillilng J.A. Henckels Twin Four Star 8-Inch High Carbon Stainless-Steel Chef's Knife), which would fit nicely into any of the few spare slots in the included block (none of which will fit a typical meat cleaver, incidentally).

The steak knives are a high point of the set. Note that they are serrated, which could lead to future sharpening difficulties. It goes without saying that the bread knife is also serrated.

There's nothing here that will impress an enthusiast, but for the rest of us, it's a reasonably-priced product that gets you 90% of the way toward a full suite of utilitarian...
Knives are good except shears
The knives are very good quality and I love using them. However, I am very disappointed that the shears has NO logo and No indication that it is Zwilling JA Henckels. It seems that the shears is just a cheap NO BRAND shear added to the block set. The block set is supposed to be made in Spain, as I stated before the Shears has NO indication that it is made in Spain as well. So you never know where it comes from. Therefore, it is NOT a real Zwilling JA Henckels block set (seems misleading)!
Click to Editorial Reviews

CIA 2 Quart Saucier With Cover

Nice piece of cookware
First let me say that I have an induction cook top, so I am limited to magnetic cooking materials. I tend to get bored having all of one brand, so my armamentarium is a hodge-podge of several brands including All-Clad SS, LeCreuset (both SS and enameled cast iron), Emerilware (both the tri-ply clad and the regular SS with the clad bottom), and plain old Lodge cast iron.

The CIA Masters Collection 2 quart saucier is perhaps my favorite. It has a nice heft, but is not too heavy, looks great, and has a great handle. The lid is a little nicer than the All-Clad as well. I only have this one piece, but suspect I will end up with more, as that handle beats the pants off of the All-Clad SS (the predominant player in my collection), and otherwise performs comparably to the All-Clad SS, which I consider the standard for comparison for SS cookware. Also I find it more aesthetically pleasing than any of the brands that I mention above, which is a plus in my book, although it has...
Worth the money
I have been replacing my old outdated cookware with quality pieces. This is the most beautiful and well made saucier I have ever seen. It is a joy to use, and is lovely on my stove. I'll be buying more of the CIA line as my budget permits. If you love to cook, treat yourself to this saucier.
Perfect
The 2-qt version of this saucier became a favorite within days--the size is ample for polenta, risotto, aloo gobi, poaching marinated tofu, and Gordon Ramsay's fabulous Broccoli Soup--for making portions for one to four people. The lid is just heavy enough to be effective; the pan cleans like a dream, and it will probably last as long as I do.
Click to Editorial Reviews

Alessi Michael Graves Kettle with Bird Whistle, Blue Handle

Way overpriced
It boils water. It looks pretty on the counter. It has maintained its luster. You can get your hand inside it to clean.
Beyond that it is just an expensive pot that doesn't have the usual features of a Tea kettle.
You can't pour water until you grab the hot plastic bird whistle and pull it out. With hot stream gushing out this is an interesting game. We went through a couple "birds" before we got one that even whistled and as many others have said, it doesn't sound like a bird. It sounds like the whistle of a guy who was just at the dentist. It also has a cheap wire spring clip and lasts about a month. We have some Alessi stuff. Some is good, some is like this, overpriced... way way overpriced. Did I mention that it is not worth the money.
A Real Eye Catcher!
I have owned this tea kettle for about 10 years. Not only is it fully functional as staple in my kitchen, it's adorable. Everyone who enjoys tea at my house comments on it. It is very durable, heavily constructed, and uniquely designed by Michael Graves. And of course, it "whistles". This is one tea kettle that you'll never have to replace; you won't be disappointed. It looks as good today as the day I opened the box. It's definitely a 5-star item.
beautiful and unique
You know it when you see it, there is no other like it. I use mine daily and have for more than 15 years. I've replaced the bird once, though I did buy several extras. The first one broke after only a few months, but the replacement has been in use for the balance of the 15 years. The shinny finish is all scratched from cleaning and the bottom needs a really good scrubbing around the edges occasionally. There is some mildew build up in the rim on the bottom. I wish I'd taken better care cleaning it over the years, so it would have stayed all shinny, but with splatter from all the other things cooking on the stove, it required some scrubbing. If I'd thought about it, I'd have moved it off the stove when I was cooking other things. If it wasn't so expensive, I'd get another, but the one I have was a gift and hard to part with. So, bottom line, it holds up well, does everything it's designed to do. The handle is cool to the touch, but you do have to remove the bird to pour, so wait a...
Click to Editorial Reviews

Classic Ikon 10" Steel, Double Bolster

Beautiful
I ordered this to go with our new Ikon knives. Our knives have stayed razor sharp. It has great heft with the nice, heavy handle and is very easy to use. I love it.


Click to Editorial Reviews

All Clad 4112NSR2 Stainless Steel 3-Ply Bonded Dishwasher Safe 12-Inch PFOA-free Non-Stick Fry Pan Cookware, Silver

**UPDATED** pay attention to the temperature
suspicious of non-stick surfaces since the first pans appeared on the market, my only experience was with $20 pans with screw-on handles. you know the type. i converted all my pots and pans to all-clad and viking when i moved in 2000 and left non-stick pans in the trash. but. but last year i got an all-clad non-stick pan and i am now a convert. it is a joy to cook with and is as easy to clean as the dinner plates (i do it all by hand).

after reading these reviews i felt compelled to respond. reading about pans and surface coatings i learned that non-stick surfaces are designed to get hot as 500 degrees before they degrade. in fact, the surface material actually "off gasses" before you see the material degradation.

to enjoy the pan the way it was intended do not use it in high temperature situations. if you are going to sear, then oven broil chicken, for instance, use a traditional pan. if you are sauteing onions and vegetables, reducing a stock, or doing...
All-Clad is the BEST!
People! If you're going to buy expensive non-stick pans learn the basics on how to maintain them! Read the user directions!! You should not use high heat on ANY non-stick! Using high heat voids the All-Clad warranty! High heat also eventually compromises non-stick surfaces. You should not use aerosol spray oils in non-stick as it ruins the non-stick coating. Use only utensils made to use with non-stick pots and pans. Never put very cold food in a hot pot or pan. You should not clean non-stick in dishwashers - hand wash with Bon Ami and a plastic mesh scrubber. Bon Ami (or similar) also works best on All-Clad stainless. Hard-anodized pots and pans are not dishwasher safe, no matter what the brand. I can boil water in my All-Clad pots on Medium! It IS possible to brown foods in non-stick pans. I have an All-Clad non-stick grill pan (has ridges in the bottom) and I can brown sliced potatoes in it AND bacon doesn't curl when fried in it! If you want to cook as you want and...
Could Be Better
I received my All-Clad set when I got married in 2001. In general I have been very happy with this pan. It cooks great and has been through a lot of use over the past six years.

On the down side the pan is a bit heavy and the handle can get hot toward the base. As a result whenever I am cooking a 1.5lb of ground beef I need to use a pot holder to grab near the bottom of the handle so I can drain it.

The other draw back that I have recently noticed is the non-stick seal is not what it once was. I am very careful with the cleaning, high-heat, and utensils. However, food has been sticking on the pan for the past year and is getting worse.

Since All-Clad is all about durability I expect better.
Click to Editorial Reviews

Mauviel M'Heritage M150B 6526.22 8.6 Inch Round Frying Pan

A great product
Beautiful, impeccable quality. A perfect size for a good fried steak (or anything) or a spanish omelette, which is what I use it for most of the time. If you live alone, this is your perfect frying pan for quick, single serving foods.
Heats evenly on medium heat
Sometimes I just have to cook on medium heat. When I do, I reach for a pan with a high copper content. I finally decided to turn the copper content all the way up to "11." So I bought a Mauviel M'Heritage M150B 8.6" Round Frying pan.

The Mauviel M'Heritage M150B 8.6" Round Frying pan works great for a little light duty cooking. These pans are a decent compromise in that they are copper pans that have a thin stainless steel liner. Stainless steel and copper have wildly different reactions to salts and acids, so you'll want to watch what you are doing. Just read the directions that come with the pans and it'll last forever.

Click to Editorial Reviews

BergHOFF Earthchef Acadian 12-Piece Cookware Set

Not up to expectations.
First of all, let me say the set is beautiful to look at. They are all shiny, even on the inside. However, that's where the story ends for me in positive light.

In this day and age where almost everything sold is made in China, we take special effort to find items that touch our food that is not made there. With this in mind, I first wrote to Berghoff USA asking where they were made. The response I got is that they are imported from Belgium, but specifically where they were made was smoothly avoided answering.

Anyways, wanted to give it a try and ordered. No where on the box nor the cookware does it state where they are made (very strange, indeed), which made me suspicious. Alright, then we noticed small imperfections and scratches. Alright, since it was a hassle to unpack we wanted all the reasons to keep this and decided to try it. After just one use, we noticed the floor of the pot was blackened in several spots, like pits. The chrome was taken off after one...
Very heavy and well-made beautiful cookware set
I currently have Cuisinart stainless steel set as well as other pieces of cookware and when I saw this BergHOFF Earthchef Acadian 12-Piece Cookware Set on lightening deal, I decided now is the time to upgrade. There was one other review when I purchased this set rating it 3 stars because it is suspected this set is made in China and I do not know about that.

When the box arrived I was surprised at how heavy this cookware set is. For the amount of money I paid, I was expecting a lighter-weight set as the heaviness usually is roughly equivalent to price and this is a very heavy set. The bottoms are very thick and that is where most of the weight is I think. The set looks very well made and well packaged and very shiny. On my cuisinart set, the bottoms are slightly angled in whereas on this set of BerHOFF Earthchef Acadian, the bottoms continue to same line making a very sharp clean attractive edge...
BergHoff Acadian 12piece cookware set
I received the set in excellent condition. They look very good hanging on my pot rack that I built from an antique cast iron floor register grille, shabby sheik. The only thing that I noticed that might be a concern for some, is that the outer edge of the pan lids is very thin, and if you drop a lid, it can and does bend the edge, a rolled edge would help, but would then make the set more expensive. I was able to straighten the edge out. If like me, you hang your pans up, you still need a place close by to store you lids. They are made in such a way that a crafty person can make a lid rack that holds them vertically from small to large. I made mine from old steel and then after welding together and dressing of the welds, I sprayed it with clear satin lacquer, once again very shabby sheik. My wife loves them, and that was a hard sell because as she said " we don't need pots and pans, we have a set of circulon pans that u had to by" . That was ten years ago and the coatings was almost...
Click to Editorial Reviews

Spirit 7-Piece Cookware Set

Worth the price
Zwilling cookwares are always built to the highest quality. It is a good long term investment. Absolutely worth the price.


Click to Editorial Reviews

Fagor Duo Combi 5-Piece Pressure Cooker Set

modern features, good service
Fagor is the least expensive brand that I am aware of which also has the 'modern' features desirable in pressure cookers. To learn more about pressure cookers and what is desirable go to missvickie.com (a non-commercial site devoted to pressure cooker enthusiasts.) Some of these features deal with safety, e.g. you don't have to worry about plugging the steam escape with Fagor. Fagor cookers also reach a pressure of 15psi (which is important.) Unless a brand advertises that they do reach 15psi, assume that they don't. I suggest getting an extra gasket when you buy the item as you will need one at one point (they don't last forever). I must also compliment the company on its service. I bought this item, and sent in a rebate form (for a free stock pot). They sent me a nice paella pan by mistake. I was satisfied, however I called them to make sure that there was no mistake. They answered the phone right away (without the common maze of annoyingly slow and complex menu options.) The woman...
Love this cooker
I bought this set of pressure cookers over a year ago. It is the most used appliance I have ever owned. I have used it for chicken, roast, saurkraut and pork. Vegetables turn out great. It all turned out delicious. It does not burn things. The clear glass lid is an excellent addition to this set. Buy this set and you will love it. Pressure Perfect cookbook by Lorna Sass is a wonderful book full of useful information and great recipes.
Great time-saver!
I bought this pressure cooker set about a month ago and I love it. I had never used a pressure cooker before I bought this set, but I find it easy to use and very safe.

The set comes with a nice instruction book (with cooking times for lots of different food) and a small book of recipes. I like that I can cook brown rice in less time than it takes me to make white rice without a pressure cooker (about 20 minutes). I have successfully adapted a recipe for slow-roasted pulled pork to prepare it with sauce from scratch in less than an hour. As long as you're not looking for a crusty exterior, I think that you can make food of comperable quality as the oven or slow-cooker in a much shorter amount of time.

I find the two pots very convenient for making different quantities of food. With the glass lid, they work very well for other tasks such as steaming veggies briefly.

My only complaint about the set is that the insides of the pots are hard to get...
Click to Editorial Reviews

Cuisinart FCT-10 French Classic Tri-Ply Stainless 10-Piece Cookware Set

Really impressed
So far I'm thoroughly pleased with this cookware. Looks great, comfortable handles, nice heavy weight, and most importantly, heats evenly without the hotspots found with less substantial cookware. Absolutely love the size of the 'dutch oven'. It's heavy enough and the perfect size for my 'no knead bread' recipe.

I'll admit to being a bit leery prior to purchase. Only announced in June of 2011, this line was an unproven commodity. We were leaning heavily toward the All-Clad stainless line. I decided to order the 1qt saucepan of the French Classic Cuisinart cookware to compare. After that we were sold.

Pros:
Induction compatible, which was a must for us as we plan on upgrading to an induction cook top.
Handles more comfortable than All-Clad (an individual thing I'm sure. Try them both if you can to see which you prefer.)
Price compared to other what I would call "better quality" lines of cookware like All-Clad, Viking's Pro line,...
French classic
Awesome set. Fast to heat up. Even heating. Foods don't stick. Comfortable handles. Great look and mirror finish all for hundreds of dollars less than all clad.
Buying Tips
This review will compare this set to a similar set available at Bed Bath and Beyond. For a general comparison to other brands of tri-ply, see my review of Cuisinart FCT33-28H French Classic Tri-Ply Stainless 5-1/2-Quart Saute Pan with Helper Handle and Cover As you can read, the French Classic is constructed the same or better than other lines of tri-ply, but I really like how it looks. It's cost is similar, or cheaper than most lines. It performs great, and compares well to my outgoing Circulon set. It's also probably the only thing I own that's made in France, and I like to buy non-Chinese(quality and slave labor issues) when possible, so that's worth something.

The set at BB&B costs $240 if you use one of their 20% off coupons, which is quiet a bit cheaper than this set. They are both 10 piece sets. Both come with the same 8 and 10 inch open skillets, and a steamer basket. Both have a 2 quart...
Click to Editorial Reviews

All-Clad BD553033 Brushed Stainless Steel D5 5-Ply Bonded Dishwasher Safe 3-Quart Soup Pot with Lid and Ladle Cookware, Silver

Best of the best
You can feel the difference of the 5 layer pot. The pot heats evenly, no hot spots. Definitely worth the few $ as it will improve your cooking.


Click to Editorial Reviews

Breville BFP800XL Sous Chef Food Processor

Breville vs. Cuisinart Chop Wars!
2012 Year End Update: I continue to use and appreciate both the Breville food processor and the Cuisinart. I do reach for the Cuisinart more frequently than the Breville but that is mainly because I use it to make some sort of dough on an almost daily basis. Please see the comments section of this review for a discussion of the cheese grating issues and the resolution for the Breville Food Processor. (Kudos to the company for resolving this issue.) Also please note, I have added a Cleaning section to this review based on issues with the Cuisinart food processor lid.

Update:

Cuisinart - After 4 months of regular use I have to say that this has become my "go to" machine. I typically need to make some sort of dough with my meals and so I use the large bowl for my dough and then the smaller bowls for slicing and dicing. My only complaints about this machine are that sometimes there is spill over from the smaller bowls to the larger bowls when processing the food and...
Just in time for Thanksgiving prep.
The Breville Sous Chef is a powerful food processor. It has a 1200 watt motor, a size found in many restaurant food processors. My son-in-law has been a kitchen manager at several restaurants. He said this is very similar to the Hobart food processors they used to chop a case of onions at one time. He was impressed with the 25 year warranty on the motor. He did say they would have to replace the bowl every couple of years in the restaurant from running it through the dishwasher. Breville did say in the instruction book to not use the dishwasher regularly on the bowl, so that sounds like the restaurant's experience with theirs.

Breville has included several safety features in their machine. It will not turn on if the bowl, lid, and large shoot pusher are not in place. They have a finger hole on the plug to help you remove it safely from the outlet. The cord is also retractable for storage. The instructions frequently remind you to be careful with the blades and...
Will Burn Your Hand!
I love the features of this food processor. I was replacing a Black and Decker unit I picked up at Walmart that was about ten years old, so the step up to this model was more of a leap. The two bowls (the big one is huge, while the little one is perfect for tiny jobs), the giant chute, and the slicing blade that changes the width of a slice with a simple twist, are all favorite features of mine. I also like the storage case, the look of the machine(the base is easy to keep clean), and the way the large bowl has no hole through which contents can spill.

BUT, there are drawbacks, and a few of these would be enough to have me looking at alternative models were I to shop for a processor in the future.

First, and most troublesome (even dangerous), is that the metal spindle at the top of the blade attachments gets HOT. I mean burn-your-hand when you acccidentally touch it, hot. And you can't help but touch it. If you run the unit for more than a couple of minutes, the...
Click to Editorial Reviews

All-Clad Stainless 3-Quart Saucepan

All-Clad Stainless 3-Quart Saucepan - My Favorite Pan!
I love this pan so much I bought 2! The 3 quart saucepan is a perfect size, I use it at least once a day. It is excellent for boiling potatoes, squash, a pound of penne, sauce, reheating some sauce and meatballs etc. It is my favorite of all my All Clad pans. It is made very well, is easy to clean, heats evenly and is designed to last. All Clad cookware is one of the most expensive lines around and it is worth every penny, it really is lifetime cookware. This saucepan is a definite must have. Very, very highly recommended! A+++!

Also, if you should get something stuck to the stainless steel use a product called "Bar Keepers Friend" to clean it. Most supermarkets have it and Kitchen Etc. and Bed, Bath and Beyond carry it too. The container (like a Comet can) is gold with blue and white writing. All Clad recommends it for cleaning stainless steel and it works like a dream and is very inexpensive.
It Goes The Distance...
I have had stainless all-clad products ever since husband #2 (a professional chef) and will use nothing else. The three quart is extremely versatile, especially if you also have the steamer insert. My all-clad saucepans are over 10 years old, but look as good as new and cook incredibly evenly on both gas and electric ranges. I never need to use a potholder, which is very convenient. If you use the good stuff, you only need a few saucepans and you will literally NEVER have to replace them.
I've been using this pan for 15 years.
This has been my favorite pan for 15 years, and my wife and I both cook a lot. About 10 years ago we got tired of handwashing things, so we've been putting these in the dishwasher since then.

It distributes heat well, and the handle stays cool. I've been using All-Clad so long that when I recently used another brand whose handle got hot I practically dropped it in shock. A warm handle? Is that possible?

I can tell that this pan is not new anymore. It has very faint spots about the size of a pencil-eraser on the inside surface.

Based on my experience, this pot will last for at least 50 years and maybe 100.

There may be other cookware this good, but I don't see how there could be any that's better.
Click to Editorial Reviews

Chicago Cutlery Landmark 14-Piece Block Knife Set

A Solid Knife Set
I purchased this knife set for my wife about a month ago. As of today, there have been no complaints regarding the quality of the knives at all.
PRO's
- The block that holds the knives is well put together and cradles each knife snug, but not too tight to make it difficult to return each knife to its proper place. - - Each knife comes out of the package extremely sharp.
- The knifes are all built with 1 piece of metal, so the blade cannot break from the handle
- A sharpening stick does come with the set.

CON's
- The block does take up a lot of counter space due to the easy access tilt and quantity of knives.
- The kitchen sheers don't seem to meet the quality / size of the rest of the knives. (They are not terrible, but I just expected them to be a bit bigger)
- It would have been nice to have a butchers blade in the set...but it isn't touted as having one so I am just nitpicking now.

All in all a very quality set of knives...
Excellent set for the price
Before purchasing this set I read a lot of reviews on Chicago Cutlery's other products so I knew what I could expect. This set was consitant with many of the other reviews. The knifes themselves are great quality and feel. The craftsmanship was good but not great(a few imperfections here and there). The blades are very sharp and not flimsy at all, will hold edge with proper care. They cut through most things effortlessly. We havent had any issues with rust, staining or dulling of any sort. We always handwash and hand dry immediately after use(as reccomended).

The Block is very nice looking but it is actually painted and not stained(wich was slightly dissapointing) but it still looks very nice, dispite a few scuffs probably from packing wich for the most part are not visable. No problems as of yet with the poly inserts. Many people have commented on how nice the set looks.

I gave this set a 4 stars overall because it doesn't look quite as nice as advertised but...
excellent!
I bought these for my wife as a christmas present two years ago and they are still sharp! If they seem a little dull a few strokes across the included sharpening rod and presto. My wife loves them and its a beautiful set. We couldnt be happier and would reccomend this set to anyone.
Click to Editorial Reviews

Magma 10 Piece Stainless Steel Induction Cook-Top Gourmet Nesting Cookware Set

First class Stainless steel!
I recently purchased an induction cook top for my boat to make cooking easier and faster. I had to find pots and pans that were compatible that nested inside the oven since our storage is at a premium. This set is beautiful, perfect cooking smart design with the 3 in 1 pot top and handles that come off for storage. I've always been pleased by any products made by Magma!
Fantastic Set
We have an induction cook-top in our motorhome. As with most motorhomes, storage space is limited. These pans nest and take very little room. Additionally, my wife says they are very high quality, heavy-duty cookware and are a pleasure to use.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Anolon Nouvelle Copper Hard Anodized Nonstick 8-Quart Covered Stockpot

Solid build, nice design.
This is a very nice collection of cookware. Nice design (I like the copper touch), very solid construction and apparent good quality. I got this 2 quart sauce pan, which is nicely balanced in my hands, perfect for preparing puddings, boiling milk or eggs. Good anti-stick coating and behavior, easy to clean up. You can heat up a little more than a quart of liquid before risking spill-over. If you need more liquid, go with the 3 qt version (which is on my wish list).

I have several more pieces of this collection, all of the same quality. Not the cheapest cookware, but one of the few solid/good looking collections that work on induction tops. Heats up quickly on my induction cooktop for energy-efficient cooking. Nice cool-to-the-touch handles, with smooth surface, pleasant to hold.

One minor gripe is that the lids have a ridiculously over-sized handle, but perhaps that is mostly a matter of taste. However, turning the lid around to safe space (handle inside the pot)...
Analon 2 1/2 quart sacier
I bought this pot about a month ago and think its great. I use it for sauces, reheating soup, and boiling water to make a small amount of noodles. It cleans very easily and I like that you can use silverware in it without being afraid of it scratching. I would definitely by additional pots or pans by Anolon when needed.
Another winner for Anolon!
I have been testing the Anolon Nouvelle Copper 3-qt covered casserole for a few weeks now.

The Cons:
- It is not dishwasher safe, but it does clean up easily.
- The side handles are a little too close to the cookware. When I try to hold it by 1 handle and pour the contents into a strainer or scoop out contents, my knuckles rub on the hot anodized aluminum exterior. Ouch. I did find ways to avoid this.

The Good:
- As I mentioned above, it is easy to clean by hand.
- The rivet covers do help make it appear like a perfectly smooth interior and it does present less surface area for food to get stuck in.
- The copper heats very well on the bottom and once heated, it does not take much at all to keep it hot.
- I love the size of this dish. It's great for a 1-pot meal for 1 or 2 people or a good sized side dish for a larger family.
- VERY flat bottom is wonderful on my flat top stove.
- The anodized aluminum sides surround food...
Click to Editorial Reviews

Weston 75-0201-W VegiKiln 10-Tray Food Dehydrator

Great dehydrator!
raw foodists will go for an Excalibur dehydrator (expensive)...just because all their raw book authors tell them it's the best. A dehydrator is not exactly a high tech machine, so I bought this less expensive brand instead. (Also because I already splurged on a good blender) It had qualities that the Excalibur also has: fan in the back instead of the bottom and a thermostat so you know you're not destroying enzymes. I've used this for 3 months now and it does just about everything I want it to do. If you're making raw crackers, you will need 13.5 x 10.5 nonstick dehydrator sheets. You can use plastic wrap at first but it gets messy. The sheets fit pretty well on the trays except for that rounded indented shape in the front of the tray . This did not bother me since those crackers don't turn out perfectly square anyway, they will sort of shrink when dry.

cons (that I can live with):
-The excalibur has a door that covers all the trays at once, so if you want to dry...
Solved the Problem!
I've tried dehydrators before, the cheapies you find in thrift stores, but they never worked. I finally did a little research and learned that the horizontal airflow type is best, and I looked for something inexpensive. Knowing "you get what you pay for," I was a little nervous that the Weston 6-tray dehydrator was so cheap, but I bought one. Wow! I am delighted! It dries sliced tomatoes perfectly. Sliced bananas become little bonbons. I even tried drying potato slices--blah, they're not potato chips, they're crumbly and bitter. But that wasn't the dehydrator's fault. Everything I have put in, it has dried perfectly. I couldn't be happier.
Really nice, but I still like my older one better...
I purchased this dehydrator to use side-by-side with my Nesco. You can view my review for the Nesco for additional info on that one. The main reason I went for having a second one was because I make different flavors and didn't want to make them at the same machine, getting the aromas mixed up. Here's my take:

First and foremost, IF YOU ARE USED TO A DIFFERENT DEHYDRATOR, keep an eye on the timing with this one. This is a very powerful machine, which is a great thing! But if you're used to something that is not as powerful, keep that in mind. The first time I used this dehydrator, I calculated that, if my Nesco took about 3 hours, this one would probably take about 2. When I checked after 2 hours, my beef jerky was crispy like potato chips. It's not bad, but not the end product I was looking for.

PROS:
- Very fast drying
- Huge drying area, approx. 10 sq ft
- Nice looking for a dehydrator, doesn't look bad on the counter, even if it's huge
-...
Click to Editorial Reviews

WMF Perfect Plus 4-1/2-Quart Pressure Cooker

COOKIN'
This pot performs well; as good as the T-FAL model I've had for almost 20 yrs. If it lasts as long I won't feel too bad about having paid 4x as much.

The only complaint [other than cost!] is the way you have to take the handle off to clean after each use. You've got to have quite stong hands to work it.
Fast and safe cooking
My parents bought a larger one last year and are very satisfied with it so I bought a smaller size this time. It cooks much faster than other traditional pressure cooker, although you need to closely moniter it during the cooking to make sure the pressure level is adequate by adjusting the temperature of your burner. Cleaning is easy but sometimes the remains of meat stick on the inner side of the cooker, making it difficult to completely remove.
Love this cooker but...
I think I would have been just as happy with one that cost a lot less. I do use this often and I find that 4.5liter is a great size for me considering I am usually cooking for two. It is also a good size for preparing side dishes. If you plan to make huge meals like a whole chicken, or if you're cooking for a family, you may prefer a larger pot.
Click to Editorial Reviews