We hope you will agree with us when we say:
If you are going to be buying good cookware, you might as well go for a well-known brand.
That being said, it can be both time-consuming and frustrating to look for cookware that perfectly fits your needs. Some think it is not possible to find one that exactly fulfills your requirements. While this might be true, there are some brands that manufacture cookware that comes close to everything you need in cookware. In this article, we will be comparing big industrial giants when it comes to cookware. These brands are Cuisinart and Calphalon. We will be going over their similarities and differences and ultimately deciding which one you should go for. Let’s get right into it.
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Cuisinart vs Calphalon Comparison Chart 2022:
Both Cuisinart and Calphalon have unique product lines that they are proud of. In fact, they have so many lines that oftentimes it can be overwhelming to decide and differentiate between them. If you are looking for Cuisinart vs Calphalon nonstick cookware alone, Calphalon currently offers 8 of those lines while Cuisinart has 7. This is why we have compiled a comparison chart with their key factors being the main focus for you to see how Cuisinart and Calphalon nonstick cookware compares across these accountable factors.
| Product Line | Base Material | Handle Material |
|---|---|---|
| Calphalon Signature | Heavy-Gauge Hard-anodized Aluminum | Cast stainless steel |
| Calphalon Contemporary | Heavy-Gauge Hard-anodized Aluminum | Cast stainless steel |
| Calphalon Classic | Medium-Gauge Hard-anodized Aluminum | Cast stainless steel |
| Calphalon Premier | Heavy-Gauge Hard-anodized Aluminum | Cast stainless steel |
| Cuisinart Dishwasher Safe Anodized | Hard-anodized Aluminum | Stainless steel |
| Cuisinart Chef's Classic Nonstick | Hard-anodized Aluminum | Stainless steel |
| Cuisinart GreenGourmet Nonstick | Hard-anodized Aluminum | Stainless steel |
| Cuisinart Advantage Nonstick | Aluminum | Silicone |
| Cuisinart Contour Hard Anodized | Hard-anodized Aluminum | Stainless steel |
| Cuisinart Ceramica XT Cookware | Aluminum | Silicone |
Here is another chart of most of the stainless steel lines both Cuisinart and Calphalon have. Take a look at how they differ from each other:
| Product Line | Contruction | Handle Material |
|---|---|---|
| Calphalon Signature | Multi-clad, 5-ply | Cast stainless steel |
| Calphalon Tri-Ply | Multi-clad, 3-ply | Cast stainless steel |
| Calphalon Classic | Impact-bonded base | Cast stainless steel |
| Calphalon Premier | Multi-clad, 3-ply | Cast stainless steel |
| Cuisinart Multiclad Pro | Multi-clad, 3-ply | Stainless steel |
| Cuisinart Chef's Classic | Impact-bonded base | Stainless steel |
| Cuisinart Copper Tri-Ply | Multi-clad, 3-ply | Stainless steel |
| Cuisinart Hammered Tri-Ply | Multi-clad, 3-ply | Silicone |
| Cuisinart Professional Series | Impact-bonded base | Stainless steel |
Material and Manufacturing:
To completely understand what the differences between Cuisinart and Calphalobn are, we must look at their construction, how they are built, and the material that is used to make them. Let’s take a look.
Non-stick Cookware:
When it comes to the base material of Calphalon nonstick collections, they are all crafted from hard-anodized aluminum which is expensive and extremely durable. Hard anodized aluminum not only provides the cookware with unique durability and makes it non-porous but also gives the cookware the ability to withstand immense amounts of heat with the same properties as standard aluminum. However, this is not the case for many of Cuisinart’s nonstick collections. Only some of their nonstick collection is made out of hard-anodized aluminum and the rest use standard aluminum to make the cookware as affordable for the general public as possible. In case you are going to be going for a Cuisinart, make sure to check if the word anodized is mentioned in the name of the cookware. If it is not, that means it is made out of standard aluminum.
Another difference when it comes to Calphalon vs Cuisinart cookware is the non-stick coating they use. Almost all of Calphalon’s cookware features a PTFE coating that is also known as Teflon. This coating is a protective layer designed to prevent any scratches and marks while simultaneously improving the lifespan of the cookware. On the other hand, when it comes to cookware from Cuisinart they have used multiple materials to craft their cookware. some of their high-end collections have a special kind of nonstick coating which they have built by working with a company called Witford. They have claimed that this nonstick coating outlasts other brands by a lot.
Cuisinart’s cookware sets like the dishwasher safe anodized feature a Witford Eterna nonstick coating which they have claimed to last 10 times longer than other premium nonstick brands. Both Calphalon and Cuisinart offer nonstick cookware that is made from Teflon, however, Cuisinart has expanded their radar and has experimented with more non-stick coatings.
Stainless Steel Cookware:
Both the brands use an 18/10 stainless steel cooking surface that is completely non-reactive and non-porous to provide extra durability. Both the brands also use the conductive core later and premium aluminum to craft their artworks. They are also using an external magnetic stainless steel material that is supposed to work on all stoves and cooktops including induction and more. As demonstrated before, most stainless steel products by Calphalon and Cuisinart have a full multi-clad construction that allows them to have an impact-bonded base making them extremely durable and stable. Multi-clad cookware features a mix between steel, which is unreactive and durable, and aluminum, which is porous and can be damaged easily. However, when mixed together, both of these ingredients make an excellent product that is good at transferring and holding on to the heat.
One of the main differences that can be noticed between multi-clad and impact-bonded cookware while doing this Cuisinart vs Calphalon comparison is that multi-clad has multiple layers that go up the sides and throughout the pot while impact-bonded cookware has layers that only exist on the base of the pot. This makes multi-clad cookware heat up faster and cooks more evenly throughout the pot or pan which can be different in impact-bonded bases.
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Cooking Performance:
The cooking performance of a pot or pan is important and has many factors that need to be considered within it. We are going to be mentioning everything you will need to know about the cooking performance of each and every factor that may be important when buying cookware. We will then be comparing them based on those performances from our experience using both the Calphalon and Cuisinart cookware.
Heat Distribution
As we talked about earlier, the heat distribution of both brands depends heavily on if the cookware is made from multi-clad stainless steel material or not. The multi-clad cookware has a conductive core layer that extends all the way through the sides and the rim of the pot or pan; however, when it comes to the opposite side of the spectrum, their impact-bonded collections have a conductive layer that only resides in the base.
The Temperature of The Cookware:
Cuisinart’s hard-anodized cookware that features a non-stick coating can handle up to a 500-degree temperature while the collections they have that are made with standard aluminum can only handle an over-safe temperature of 350 degrees. This should be optimum for you unless you are going to be cooking at extremely high temperatures. Here is a chart for comparison of Cuisinart cookware when it comes to their pots and pans:
| Product Line | Type | Over-Safe Temperature |
|---|---|---|
| Cuisinart Dishwasher Safe Anodized | Anodized Aluminum | 500°F |
| Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized | Hard-Anodized Aluminum | 500°F |
| Cuisinart GreenGourmet Hard-Anodized Nonstick | Hard-Anodized Aluminum | 500°F |
| Cuisinart Advantage Nonstick | Aluminum | 350°F |
| Cuisinart Contour Hard-Anodized | Hard-Anodized Aluminum | 500°F |
| Cuisinart Ceramica XT Nonstick | Aluminum | 350°F |
| Cuisinart Elements Pro Induction Nonstick | Aluminum | 500°F |
| Cuisinart Multiclad Pro | Stainless Steel | 500°F |
| Cuisinart Chef’s Classic | Stainless Steel | 500°F |
| Cuisinart Copper Tri-Ply | Stainless Steel | 500°F |
| Cuisinart Hammered Tri-Ply | Stainless Steel | 500°F |
| Cuisinart Professional Series | Stainless Steel | 500°F |
| Cuisinart French Classic Tri-Ply | Stainless Steel | 500°F |
Coming to Calphalon its non-stick cookware has more of a range than a precise temperature it can handle. It can go up to 400 degrees while some of their cookware is built to handle 450 degrees or even 500 degrees over-safe temperature. Like Cuisinart, we have also compiled a comparison chart for temperatures of Calphalon pans:
| Product Line | Type | Over-Safe Temperature |
|---|---|---|
| Calphalon Premier | Stainless Steel | 450°F |
| Calphalon Premier | Non-Stick | 450°F |
| Calphalon Signature | Stainless Steel | 500°F |
| Calphalon Signature | Non-Stick | 500°F |
| Calphalon Contemporary | Non-Stick | 450°F |
| Calphalon Classic | Stainless Steel | 450°F |
| Calphalon Classic | Non-Stick | 450°F |
| Select by Calphalon | Stainless Steel | 400°F |
| Select by Calphalon | Non-Stick | 400°F |
| Simply Calphalon | Stainless Steel | 400°F |
| Simply Calphalon | Non-Stick | 400°F |
So in terms of handling immense temperatures, it seems like Cuisinart is a better choice just by a bit.
Dishwasher safe:
Ofcourse you want your cookware to be easily washable. This is why it is always helpful to know if the cookware you are buying is dishwasher safe or not. When it comes to all the Calphalon stainless steel cookware they have is dishwasher safe, and three out of their 7 unique lines of non-stick cookware are dishwasher safe. Cuisinart also has all of their stainless steel cookware marketed as dishwasher safe but when it comes to their non-stick collections, only two out of the seven lines are dishwasher safe.
Durability:
Everyone who has bought cookware in the past knows that durability is one of the most important factors when picking out the perfect pot or pan for yourself. In terms of durability, Calphalon offers all their customers a 5 ply stainless steel build with all their non-stick cookware being built from hard-anodized aluminum. This gives them an edge over the cookware from Cuisinart as not all Cuisinart cookware is made from hard-anodized aluminum due to the fact that they are sold at a cheaper price; Although you can find cookware by Cuisinart which is just as durable as Calphalon. you just have to pay close attention to what collection you are purchasing.
Design of The Cookware:
Calphalon cookware has a simple approach as to how they design their cookware. They have an elegant and aesthetic look to their cookware while Cuisinart completely differs and offers all their customer multiple textures, colors, and materials to choose from. Calphalon has their stainless steel collection built with a brushed exterior that is finished with the Calphalon Tri-Ply collection being the only exception that is polished. Calphalon has experienced some complaints about this type of cookware as many believe that a shiny polished exterior means that the scratches are more visible on the cookware than if the appearance was matte black.
Furthermore, each Calphalon pot and pan has a stainless steel handle that attaches to the base of the cookware through the steel rivets to keep the pan from falling apart. The handle design of the pan or pot has a fork-like shape near the end to diminish any heat that may be absorbed by the handle when cooking at high temperatures. This keeps the cookware handle as cool as possible.
The lids on Calphalon cookware have a tampered glass that allows you to clearly monitor the food that you are cooking while also fully locking in the moisture within the pan or pot. Moreover, the Calphalon cookware also has marks for measuring, pouring spots, and straining lids on a select few of their pieces that can really improve your cooking time significantly which we really liked in the Cuisinart vs Calphalon debate.
Coming to the non-stick collections by Calphalon, they contain quite similar qualities except for the hard-anodized aluminum build which makes the exterior and interior of the cookware a dark grey color that looks clean together with the stainless steel handles.
On the other hand, when it comes to Cuisinart, they offer a wide variety of designs on their cookware. They have simple classical-looking traditional cookware as well as bold and bright cookware in their collections. For example, the Cuisinart Advantage collection has a red exterior while the Cuisinart Tri-Ply has a copper exterior making it look extremely beautiful and bold. Another difference between the Cuisinart vs Calphalon cookware is the fact that all Calphalon cookware comes with tempered glass lids while only some of the Cuisinart collections come with a glass lid. Some of their collections come with glass lids and some come with a stainless steel lid to cover your cookware.
Conclusion:
The bottom line is, you should consider both of the cookware before making a purchase. If you have read this Calphalon vs Cuisinart article through to the end, you must have a better idea of what both brands have to offer. You should now evaluate what your needs are and buy according to them. If you want something that is a little cheaper but still looks and feels extremely durable, you should go for Cuisinart. Even if you need non-stick cookware that is easily compatible with induction cooktops you can go for Cuisinart as Calphalon does not offer that.
However, if you do not mind spending just a little extra for a much higher quality set that will last you many years to come, Calphalon should definitely be your go-to. They have premium non-stick and stainless steel cookware sets that are sure to deliver superior heat distribution and retention to that of Cuisinart with its 5-ply stainless steel coating. Calphalon cookware might be the one for you because of the strict quality standards that are followed by brands that manufacture their products in the United States.
Hey there! i am Bobby Flay, an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, and reality television personality. I am the owner and executive chef of several restaurants across 11 states. And so, i’ve decided to share some of my expertise by reviewing and rating multiple different products and equipment i’ve used and loved over the years, so you at home, can get the best products by professional advise.