Cooking For Engineers

[lebellue]

Is it true that the calphalon hard anodized pans don't have anything chemical on their surace such as teflon, etc. Are they really just treated aluminum? Do you know how they are made?

[Michael Chu]

As far as I am aware, the Calphalon Hard Anondized pans are simply hard anondized aluminum without a coating. They do make non-stick anondized aluminum pans, but they are labelled as such.

[Amadio]

Calphalon One is an infused line of anodized aluminum, they inject a release polymer into the inner and outer serface of the pan for easier release of food.

Calphalon Commercial is just hard-anodized.

I can recommend the Commercial line, I'm very happy with my collection.
Amazon has very good prices lately.

[opqdan]

I can offer another recomendation for Calphalon commercial annodized. I have no want for an actual "non-stick" pan. Meats only stick till they are done and then they release, same goes for a lot of other foods. With non-stick pans, it is also difficult to get the browned bits that can be deglazed into beautifull pan sauces.

As far as non-stick goes, the only reason I can ever think of to use it might be for eggs or pancakes, but a well seasoned cast iron pan will beat a non-stick coated any day.

I would doubt that the calphalon pans use anything carcinogenic, but why bother with the risk?

[GaryProtein]

For a non-stick pan that will brown meat and allow you to deglaze the pan, try the Swiss Diamond. Its surface is lightly textured, but it will clean up like a dream.