Cooking For Engineers

Jim Cooley · Joined: 09 Oct 2008 Posts: 377 Location: Seattle

So I suppose a fork and spit over an open flame would be safest?

"The toxins are killing me! The toxins are killing me!"

Whiney-assed Bay Area liberal unthinking idiots.

uprblk · Guest

Responding to the last person...you're typical for your breed.

Responding to Hard anodized Calphalon..it doesn't work well for me.
Used it for two years and tried every trick to cook without sticking foods to the bottom of the pans. Barkeepers friend is great, low to medium heat, great..stuck eggs following all the rules, not great. New set of SS on it's way.

Guest · Posted: Mon May 30, 2011 1:41 am Post subject:

I have had my commercial grade hard anodized for over 15 years and never a scratch. I just purchased two pieces this weekend at a Calphalon outlet stoe. New sizes the others should last forever. I have even left a pot on an eye for several hours (by mistake) and burned everything up. The goop came right off. Calphalon even promised to replace the pan if it did not cleanup even though it was my fault. And that was over 10 years ago. Check the web site for places to purchase.

Guest

The difference between Calphalon commercial and regular is the nonstick coating. The connercial is just hard anodized aluminum and they say you can use any utensil on it. All the other celphalon pans and most other anodized aluminum pans have an additional nonstick coating. They tell you only to use wood or plastic utensils, no metal, because the nonstick surface will scratch. Check the website, only the commercial pans do not contain a nonstick coating.

Guest

Of course, never heat an empty (no load) pan. From William Gunnar

I just purchased a 10" and 12" Calphlon set of pans (teflon not AA) and the instructions said specifically to heat the pan to the intended temperature before adding oil, butter, or food. (They also said not to heat the pan to a hotter temperature and then reduce the heat.) I was REALLY surprised at these instructions as I would have thought that the pan should not be heated empty.

In your experience with the different nonstick coatings, is this a standard practice? thanks!

Dilbert · Joined: 19 Oct 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: central PA

>>experience with the different nonstick coatings,

Teflon is best.
well seasoned cast iron is 99.6% of Teflon.

Teflon - brown, gray, super-duper, el cheapo, "miracle coating" - PTFE regardless of marketing hype.... does not last forever. few months to 2-3 years depending on frequency / terms of use.

there are four known "non-sticks"
cast iron
Teflon aka PTFE
polyesters
mystic, undefined, unspecified - but _wait there's more_

"hard" anodized is not a valid descriptor for "non-stick"
go Google "anodized" - it is technically meaningless regards non-stick

Teflon heated beyond 450<something> F does degrade.
on a (new) over heated pan it'll out gas fumes that'll kill your pet bird.
after a couple over heatings, hardly matters but then again, tain't non-stick no more.

I have copper/stainless clad, cast iron - I routinely blast them up to smoking temps before starting anything.

so, "the pan should not be heated empty" needs some qualifiers.
type of pan, for openers.

adm · Guest

I have tried Calphalon's older commerical all anodized cookware and the newer Calphalon Unison. Both made in the USA. I also have All Clad original LTD made in the USA.
The original Calphalon for me was horrible in that the actual grey exterior anodized surface would scratch- nothing for Bar Keepers Friend to remove, and also discolor very easily.
These on the original commerical grade Calphalon, were genuine scratches where the anodization was actually removed when the pan contacted another utensil. The interior was tricky in that food would react easily as compared to a well seasoned cast iron from Lodge.
The newer generation of Calphanon Unison does have non stick interior, but the anodized exterior still discolors easily and does not come clean. It is grey in color like that of the original.
That said, I have many pieces of the original All Clad LTD where the interior is SS and the anodized exterior is jet black as compared to Calphalon's grey.
When the exterior becomes scratched from contacting another utensil, it remedies easily with Bar Keepers Friend and retains most of it's beauty as when I purchased it.
Anodized aluminum is harder than SS according to All Clad. The possible explanation to the difference between All Clad and Calphalon's anodized aluminum is perhaps in the metals used for the base aluminum.
One item of All Clad that I have tried and do not like is MC2. The aluminum alloy exterior is horrible to keep clean and you cannot use Bar Keepers Friend on it and it scratches are worse than SS.

guest speaker · Guest

I have an older (80s-90s) Calphalon anodized pan. It is NOT nonstick, it's a heavy, thick pan, commercial grade per looking online. It's had a few mishaps over the years by being left on burner, with burnt food sticking to the pan. Last burn event cleaning scrapped off most of the dark grey surface leaving mostly silvery grey on the bottom of pan. Is this pan still safe to cook with? Or should I toss it? Sadly my PhD Chemistry dad has passed away or I'd ask his opinion!

Dilbert · Joined: 19 Oct 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: central PA

the base of the pan is most probably aluminum.
the "aluminum causes Alzheimers" thing has been thoroughly debunked -
so if the pan still suites your needs, cook away!

I have a 2000's era Calphalon with the grey finish - it's scratched up and the shape is such it's generally not worth using - but it is "safe"