Notice a wide discrepancy in reported durability of this cookwear? Let me propose that pots are rarely ruined in years, they are ruined in seconds. Different materials, different bad acts. In the case of non-stick cookwear there are several fragilities, the most easily exceeded of which is probably dry preheating. It's easy with a kitchen range to overheat and wreck almost any cookwear, including cladded steel and cast iron. As for dishwashers: if you don't want to wash your cookwear by hand, stick to plastic and cook in a microwave. (My Calphalon cleans with hot water and a sponge, sometimes a small squirt of detergent, in seconds.) If you understand and respect its limits, Calphalon, even toy Calphalon which this is, will last a long time and work extremely well. To the person trying to cook egg whites without fat: oh, please! why not just drink them raw?

This is the absolute best cookware on the market. Great price and prompt delivery - I've always been very pleased with my Amazon purchases.

I've owned this set for almost two years now. They were absolutely perfect for the first 18 months. They cook beautifully - excellent heat distribution, superb non-stick, easy to clean, solid weight, etc. I took good care of them - never in the dishwasher, no metal utensils, etc.

At around the 18-month mark, the most often-used pan (~2x per week) started to become sticky while cooking. Examination of the inside base of the pan showed that shiny metal was beginning to show through the coating. The pan pretty soon became the worst of all worlds (sticky, ugly, and very difficult to clean) and I had to throw it out.

These pans are superb if the non-stick feature is critical to you. For most people, non-stick is only critical for one skillet or frying pan (which you use to cook bacon, eggs, grilled-cheese sandwiches, etc.). The rest of your pans (for sauces, stews, soups, pasta, braising, stir-frys, etc) don't need to be non-stick, and they'll wear out much sooner if they are. I strongly recommend not buying an entire set of coated non-stick pans from any manufacturer (the jury is still out some non-coating-based non-stick technologies, such as infused anodized aluminum). Just get a non-stick frying pan, plan on replacing it every couple of years, and get a nice set of stainless steel for your saucepots, dutch ovens, and stockpots. Decent stainless steel will take a lot of abuse and still last decades.

All in all, I loved these pots, but their non-stick coating isn't ready to be a full-time cookware feature.

I bought the Calphalon set thinking it would be more durable and last longer than the cheaper Wearever set that it replaced. The thicker aluminum is better than most cookware but the Teflon coating really does not hold up. I used plastic Calphalon Utensils, always hand washed, used their recommended Dobie® pad and still the coating is starting to come up. A friend of mine had the same problem with this set as well.

Great cooking wares but Amazons web site said "bonus item and free shipping". I click i wanted to buy and was sent to a link site. Same price but I received NO bonus pan and was charged $15 to ship. Thanks Amazon. I then found the same group of cookware @ local store for the same price, AND A BONUS PAN. And NO shipping. Thanks again Amazon. I e-mailed Amazon to complain and they didn'r even respond. Great customer service. I buy locally from now on.

I bought the 10 piece set for my wife for Christmas one year ago. Initially we loved the set. They heated up quickly and heated more evenly than the Farberware we had before. Points scored on that gift! Then, after about 6 months we noticed are most used pot was chipping on the inside. We always cleaned by hand and used Calphalon tools. I, like many others, read excellent reviews online prior to purchasing. I'm not sure if this is a problem with the whole line or just my set, but I am inclined to throw them away and try something else. The price just doesn't match the quality. Once the "non-stick" is chipped off, everything sticks and burns immediately. If you're thinking about purchasing an entire set, I strongly recommend you attempt to buy a single piece and give it a few trial months before you drop the cha-ching.

As an ordinary person who only cooked to eat, not for pleasure, I am amazed at how this cookware has me actually loving to cook! I now can't wait to get out the cookware and try a new recipe. I am very pleased with the quality as well and the difference in the overall cooking and baking experience with this brand. Food seems to have more flavor, cleanup is a breeze, even having to handwash the cookware. Having bought those average Wal Mart brand pots and pans for almost thirty years having these to cook with everyday is a new pleasure! This set and the bakeware set were my 28th wedding anniversary present and I am glad our daughter suggested them to me from seeing them on the cooking channel. I was just about to buy anothe T Fal set from Wal Mart and am now glad I spent the extra money!

UPDATE NOV. 2006 - STILL JUST LOVE MY NEW COOKWARE AND BAKEWARE!!!! STILL A FIVE STAR PRODUCT.

First, let me say right off the top that I'm not a professional chef, I have not been to cooking school and I don't have the slightest idea how make a roux. I am just your average American mom with two kids who like macaroni and cheese, pasta, pancakes, and a good grilled cheese sandwich. And I love this cookware!! I have had it for ten months and it has been nothing but wonderful. Nothing sticks to it!! And everything washes of easily and completely. I have burned on pudding, baked beans, you name it and it washes up quickly and easily. I have followed the manufacturer's recommendation to use only real fats (no Pam spray or other non-stick sprays) and my pans look beautiful (not to mention the fact that my family isn't eating propellant chemicals from a spray can). The biggest challenge I've had with this cookware is getting my husband to not put it in the dishwasher!! It is very easy to handwash, but... well, you know what happens when your husband "cleans" the kitchen for you. Sure there are better cookware sets out there. Calphalon makes some of the best stuff on the market and this is by no means their "top of the line" product. However, if you're like me and simply want to make golden brown pancakes on Saturday morning and creamy mac and cheese on Wednesay night, this set might be exactly what you're looking for. I love it.

This is an excellent set of cookware. Rugged, sturdy, and well-built. The only down side for me is the fact that they are not dishwasher friendly. I will definitely buy more Simply Calphalon.

I have to say this set is not what I expected for such a price.

The food stuck right from the beginning. The nonstick finish is also very cheap. Even with plastic utensils, the finish on my skillets started to dent and scratch. Keep in mind my set is only one month old!

I know many people would say I'm crazy but, I'm going back to the T-Fal skillets I buy at Wal-mart. They are the best value for the money considering all things.

My husband and I bought this set before we married. Its a great little set. I have bought a few compliment pieces to go with it but I feel its worth every cent.

I love the cookware! It is just as described and as non-stick as they come. Shipping was expedient. The price wasn't as competitive as I thought. Of course it wasn't until after I'd made the purchase that I found I could buy the same item locally for the exact same price and saved a lot on shipping.

I have a complete set of Calphalon, purchased as wedding gifts 15 years ago. The finish is gone, food has always stuck to the surfaces entailing hours of soaking and setting around the kitchen, but the price is so high that I have cussed it and used it for years. When they say that "you'll never buy another set of cookware" they are right; no one can afford to replace it. I'm am going slowly to Creuset.

I am a graduated Chef and have used many different types of cook and bake ware. I will say right now that no person who cares about how their cookware and bake ware looks and works should ever use a dishwasher. I personally think that the look that hard anodized cookware gets from marking and oils on the exterior is very beautiful and shows the use and passion you put into your cooking. If you want something that looks perfect then buy stainless steal from all-clad and clean it immediately After every use and use a stainless steel polish weekly. Nothing lasts forever, so take pride in what you have" For best non-stick results in cookware at a price that is affordable, buy a set of Cook's Essential's cookware From [...] they work very well and offer every style/type and the warranty is incredible and very fair. Happy shopping and peach to all.

If you put this cookware in the dishwasher, even once, it will look disgusting and get black/gray stuff all over anything that touches it. Yes it does say that in the literature AFTER you buy it, but by then it is too late. I will never own another anodized aluminum pan again, be smart buy stainless steel, it lasts for life!

This set was a real bargain, and I love them. My parents have a very similar set, but with clear lids and rubberized grips on the handles. This particular set's only drawback is that the handles do tend to get hot quickly, which you just have to be prepared for. Otherwise, they don't stick or burn, and clean up very easily.

I really wanted to love these pans after reading the reviews. I've followed all their instructions (how to preheat, the butter test, how to wash, don't use cooking spray, etc), yet unless I use oil or butter the non-stick is horrible. I eat a lot of egg whites and cooking them is a nightmare, adding butter would defeat the purpose of eating egg whites. Not impressed. The 4 year old T-FAL set I gave away that these were supposed to replaced where far better pans.

I received this cookware as a gift from my family, I found it to be so great that I purchased a set for my daughters wedding shower gift.
You just can not ruin a meal in this stuff!
Well worth the money.

I got this item in Amazon few months back and really liked all of them.This is the 1'st time I'am using Calphalon cookware. I have been using the pans since 2-3 months and they are perfect.After I checked the price of the same 10 piece cookware set in few big stores and was stunned to know the original price.I use all the items for making Indian curries and the nonstick is so good and does not burn the food. But have to wash them by hand very carefully so that the nonstick does not wear out and thats ok.The 10 yr warrenty is also quite a good deal.Will certainly buy more Calphalon cookware in future. I recomment this product if you are planning on giving for house-warming or newlyweds

I am very disappointed with my Calphalon set(simply Calphalon). I purchased two sets after reading a review in consumer reports giving it such high marks, but it also stated that "the handles do get hot". Hot is an understatement, try scalding. I can not tell you how many times I have touched the handle to move it to another burner and burned my hands. Now, I make sure to have a dish towel nearby so I don't accidently forget. I will never purchase another Calphalon set even though I am essentially pleased with everything else. Also,the exterior does tend to show wear marks even with hand washing, I've never put them in the dishwasher. That alone is another drawback for me.

This is the easiest-to-clean, best to cook on cookware I ever had. Grew up with Revere ware, Farberware and had expensive Cop*R Chef pots for years. This set outshines them all! Nothing burns or sticks; clean up is a breeze. Follow their directions on heating the pan first before putting in oil or butter. I would buy these for any new bride, new homeowner, college person to have for life. Amazing value for the price!

The calphalon non stick pans are amazing! You know the way these pans are built let they will last and last and last. I owned other non stick pans that were wrecked after a few months of use. These pans are great.

I absolutly hate doing dishes and even more then doing dishes, I hate scrubbing pots and pans. This set makes cooking and cleaning up a real pleasure. Nothing sticks to these at all. First off, sauces NEVER burn and stick to the bottom. Soups, fried stuff, cheese - nothing sticks, even in the bottom of the pan, right where it curves up to the top. That small area has always been a pain to clean but NOT with these pans.

Secondly, there is a perfect pot/pan for anything that I'd like to cook.

Third, these cook very evenly.

Forth, these pots and pans kinda make me appear to be a pro. That is kind of fun.

I have really enjoyed using these and even more, love that "pot and pan duty" is no big thing.

We did not purchase this set online with Amazon but still paid the same price, which considering the store we bought it at we consider it a great deal. Have only had the set for a little while but We find it's a great set of pans. We also bought with it the griddle pan for cooking pancakes. It will fit 4 pancakes on the griddle!! For the price I believe this is a great buy!

I saw this Calphalon set touted by Consumer Reports on the Oprah show. I had been shopping for affordable cookware and the selection was dismal to say the least. When I received my order I was pleased by the quality and even more impressed when I actually used it. The heat distribution was great. The care and cleanup was a snap. Forget any other cookware in this price range. This set will last you a lifetime if you take care of it.

My wife and I bought this set about two months ago. We were excited to be able to get Calphalon quality at such a reasonable price.

Two months later, we find that the non-stick coating on the larger saucepan is already wearing through. I called Calphalon to discuss this. They were very surprised that this is happening already and offered to replace the pot under warranty. I told them I was concerned that this will be part of a trend and that all pots would have to be returned sooner than later. They suggested I try to return or exchange at the retail store where I purchased them.

I've been able to exchange the set at the retailers and have opted for Cuisinart MultiClad in its place. So much for the great non-stick experiment.

I'm surprised with the poor quality of the coating on these Calphalon pots. I have a large anodized saute pan of theirs (which I know does not have the non-stick coating) that performs beautifully, so was disappointed that the Simply Calphalon didn't perform better. I guess my set must have been a "Monday morning at the factory" set...

I was looking to buy some higher-end pans without having to refinance the house and these fit the bill. They are durable, the handles are comfortable and they clean easily. Lids fit well, pans sit nicely on a smooth top stove and heat evenly. Walls are thick but pans are not too heavy and have a good balance. You can't ask for more for such a nicely priced set. The only negative is that the outside of the pans will scratch. I found it was cheaper to buy a set with fewer pans and buy the 3-quart covered sauté pan separately.

These pots and pans will give you a new outlook on cooking and the subsequent cleanup. Easy, easy, easy. The cookware is heavy enough to do everything from omelets to fudge, and it cleans up with minimal effort. The lids are excellent also. This was a 'splurge' for me, yet it represents one of the smartest buying drecisions I've made.

I'm not sure whether this is the exact set I own, but mine has the same pieces. I bought my set when I moved into my first apartment, and I don't plan on ever buying another set of pans. The non-stick surface is amazing (yes, I can brown perfect pancakes without oil and I never have to *scrub* them, even with burned on food). Its definitely worth it to have the clear glass lids rather than opaque [Edited to add: One of my lids shattered a couple months ago--I think Calphalon has stopped making the glass ones because of this, although I still like having the ability to see my food while it's cooking]. Also, before you buy, check the handles: Calphalon seems to have redesigned their handles so they are much skinnier (mine are nice and fat, so I can easily pour a heavy pan one-handed without straining my wrists. My parents have a set with skinny handles, and it is much harder to hold them one-handed.) I've put mine in the dishwasher a few times, and it doesn't seem to do them any harm, but they tend to dry spotty. I would rather baby them and hand wash than have them looking dingy. All in all, a terrific product whether you're looking for one pot or a whole set!