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sanborn5_gw

circulon/nonstick VS calphalon/nonstick???

sanborn5
16 years ago

I have nice stainless steel cookware but I do like the non-stick for omelettes, fried eggs, grilled sandwiches etc.

I have a large circulon pan which almost doesn't seem like a teflon type coating. I have had it for 5 years, no scratches or anything. It almost has like a tiny ribbed affect. I have also heard great things about calphalon.

Does anyone know if all the circulon or calphalon have this type of coating? I could almost take a knife to it and it wouldn't scratch. It is almost like a baked on type coating. Which do you think is best?

Comments (4)

  • shelcom
    16 years ago

    Some Circulon pans made between 1998 and 2000 had no nonstick applied. This was limited to certain saute pans, stock pots, and casseroles. The line was called Circulon Hi- Heat. Every other Circulon pan produced since the line was created in the early 80's has a nonstick coating, regardless of the line. The ribbed pattern you refer to is common in all Circulon cookware. It's called the Hi-Low groove system.

    When Calphalon came to market back in the 70's, none of their cookware had nonstick coatings. It was all uncoated hard anodized aluminum. The first nonstick line was not introduced until the 80's.

    As far as anodized aluminum cookware without nonstick today. Calphalon One infused is the correct choice. It is not a nonstick coating, but infused polymers into the anodized surface. Just don't expect it to perform as a true nonstick piece would.

    The best course of action may be to select one or two nonstick fry pans. Try to select anodized aluminum nonstick.

    I could go on and on about nonstick adhesion testing and abrasion testing and why anodized aluminum and nonstick are meant for each other, just know this. The actual surface of anodized aluminum provides the perfect surface for a nonstick coating to bond to. It's why you see nonstick coating "peel" off raw aluminum cookware and chip or flake off anodized cookware.

  • ILoveRed
    16 years ago

    I have a whole set of Circulon and I can't wait for a good excuse to get rid of it. It is about 8 yrs old. I think the ribbing makes it impossible to get clean easily and of course it can't go in the dishwasher. I find myself using my old revere ware (I mean like 27 yrs old) for cream of wheat, oatmeal, eggs, etc. because I can put it in the dishwasher.

    If someone else has had different experience with their Circulon, I would like to know what I am doing wrong. But, honestly--it should not be rocket science--non-stick should be just that---non-stick.

    I would like replace all of my cookware with good SS cookware (and get rid of my revere ware which is older than my oldest child) and get a couple of really nice non-stick pans ---not Circulon.

  • Fori
    16 years ago

    I have some of the Calphalon hard anodized stuff and it's great, but for omelettes, real non-stick is better. I have one non-stick Calphalon for eggs and it really is ideal. Neither of those lines recommend dishwasher washing, though, but they are easy to clean. There is a lifetime warranty on the non-stick, which I think is pretty gutsy to offer.

    I'm looking forwards to my kitchen remodel so I can lose my induction cooktop and once again use my Revereware and Calphalon. I guess I'm old fashioned!

  • jakkom
    14 years ago

    I have the older Circulon and some of the newer Circulon where the ridges are flatter. The new Circulon is quite an improvement over the old design. Also, I can say that in the last 10 years of buying various types of non-stick, the Calphalon is one of the worst as far as longevity. For the cost of it, it wears very poorly and scratches very easily. Anolon (a sister brand to Circulon, both of which are owned by the old Meyer company which also owns the rights to Kitchenaid pans) and Scanpan are better than Calphalon.