Calphalon Vs Cuisinart Cookware

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Many prospective buyers can get confused when they are deciding between Calphalon vs Cuisinart cookware. One of the reasons is because both brands have a few product lines and at a glance, all of them will look similar. So, you are left wondering which one you should buy and why is there a huge price difference between some of these pots and pans. What we will try to do below is to compare different Calphalon and Cuisinart models to highlight the differences to enable you to make a more informed choice.

Impact Bonded Vs Tri-Ply Cookware

Calphalon Classic Stainless Steel

==> Check Price For Calphalon Classic

Before we start, you will need to understand the difference between an impact bonded and fully clad cookware. More often than not, this is one of the main reasons for the difference in price. Stainless steel, by itself, is a poor heat conductor. So, manufacturers will need to add an additional element into the mix to disperse heat and reduce hot spots. Usually, aluminum is chosen because it is cheap and light. Copper is the other metal that gets a thumbs up for heat conductivity but copper pots and pans are much more expensive compared to aluminum.

In impact bonding, an aluminum base is added to the pan. It uses heat technology to disperse the aluminum right up to the edge of the base. This eliminates hot spots and prevent your food in the corners of the pan from burning. But it has a limitation because the aluminum is only present in the base. So, the heat conduction would be limited up the walls of the pan. It may make little difference if you are searing on a skillet but this may change when you are using saucepans and pots.

For fully clad tri-ply cookware, you will not see a separate base being bonded to the pan. It is a single piece that runs all the way to the top of the pan. The aluminum is sandwiched between layers of stainless steel that travels up the sides. Because of the better heat conduction, fully clad tri-ply cookware may not need high heat for good cooking performance. Generally, they are also more expensive than impact bonded cookware.

Apart from tri-ply, there are also 5-ply and 7-ply cookware in the market. Calphalon does have a 5-ply series in its Signature collection. These are much more expensive and the improvement in cooking performance is also debatable for the jump in price.

Calphalon Vs Cuisinart Cookware

The 3 popular Calphalon stainless steel models are Calphalon Classic, Tri-Ply and Contemporary. For the Cuisinart, it has Cuisinart Contour, Chef’s Classic and Multiclad Pro.

 CalphalonCuisinart
Impact BondedClassicContour
Chef's Classic
Tri-PlyTri-Ply
Contemporary
Multiclad Pro
5-PlySignature-

Now that we have divided the Calphalon vs Cuisinart models into impact bonded and tri-ply cookware, we can now make a more accurate comparison.

So, let’s take a look at the Calphalon Classic vs Cuisinart Chef’s Classic first.

Calphalon Classic Vs Cuisinart Chef’s Classic

cuisinart chef's classic stainless cookware

==> Check Price For Cuisinart Chef’s Classic

 Calphalon ClassicCuisinart Chef's Classic
Impact BondedYesYes
InteriorStainless SteelStainless Steel
ExteriorBrushed Stainless SteelMirror Finish Stainless Steel
HandlesStay Cool (Riveted)Cool Grip (Riveted)
LidsTempered Glass LidsTight-Fitting Stainless Steel / Glass Lids
Pour SpoutsYes (Selected Items)No (Drip-Free Pouring Edge)
Straining LidsYes (Selected Items)No
Oven SafeYesYes
Dishwasher SafeYesYes
Induction ReadyYesNo
Price$$$$$

If you have an induction cooktop, then the choice is easy to make. The Calphalon Classic is induction ready while the Cuisinart Chef’s Classic is not. But apart from that, the Calphalon Classic has a few extras like pour spouts, straining lids and fill marks on some of its pans. These extras are not crucial but are there merely for convenience.

However, the Cuisinart model has stainless steel lids for some of its sets. For instance, you can get the cookware with tight-fitting stainless steel lids for the 10-piece set. Some people do prefer this over glass lids because they can withstand a higher temperature in the oven. So, it is a matter of preference.

Overall, if you are on a tight budget, the Cuisinart Chef’s Classic seems to be the cheaper of the two at the time of writing. There is a substantial price difference in both their 10-piece sets of about $90. Since the ratings for both models are similar on Amazon, it certainly seems that the Cuisinart is a better value buy for now.

Calphalon Tri-Ply Vs Cuisinart Multiclad Pro

calphalon tri ply stainless steel cookware
==> Check Price For Calphalon Tri-Ply

 Calphalon Tri-PlyCuisinart Multiclad Pro
Tri-PlyYesYes
InteriorStainless SteelStainless Steel
ExteriorBrushed Stainless SteelBrushed Stainless Steel
HandlesStay Cool (Riveted)Cool Grip (Riveted)
LidsTempered Glass / Stainless Steel For Selected Items
Tight-Fitting Stainless Steel
Pour SpoutsNoNo
Straining LidsNoNo
Oven SafeYesYes
Dishwasher SafeYesYes
Induction ReadyYesYes
Price$$$$$

We have taken the Calphalon Tri-Ply to compare with the Multiclad Pro rather than the Contemporary because the former is cheaper of the two at the time of writing. Both have heavy gauge aluminum core with tri-ply construction. As far as we can see, the features are the same except for the appearance. However, we do not know if the thickness of the alunimum core is different to justify the difference in price.

However, for the Calphalon Tri-Ply vs Cuisinart Multiclad Pro, the features of both sets are more or less the same. Unless you have a preference for glass or stainless steel lids, there is really very little to separate the two. Even both the place of manufacture is the same with both being made in China. The ratings on Amazon are also similar but there are definitely more buyers for the Cuisinart cookware set than Calphalon. This is probably because the price for the Multiclad Pro is also cheaper compared to the Tri-ply.

Buy Calphalon Or Cuisinart?

cuisinart multiclad pro stainless steel 12 piece
==> Check Price For Cuisinart Multiclad Pro

If you want more a more solid feel to your pots and pans, the Calphalon Tri-Ply, Calphalon Contemporary and Cuisinart Multiclad Pro are the more ideal choices. The impact bonded ones mentioned above could be a little thin for some people. Without the tri-ply layers going all the way up the walls of the pots and pans, some users find the Calphalon Classic and Cuisinart Chef’s Classic flimsy and thin for the price.

If cost is very much a consideration, the Cuisinart cookware sets tend to be cheaper than Calphalon. However, this may not apply to individual pieces, so check them out before you buy. The bottomline is both the Cuisinart Multiclad Pro and Calphalon Tri-Ply have similar features and performance that it makes sense to go for the cheaper one especially if the price difference is fairly huge.

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Comments

  1. CUISINART IS NOT FOR INDUCTION COOKING! CALPHLON IS! So…. If you pick Cuisinart and ever find yourself with an induction range you have to buy new pans

  2. The Cuisinart Multiclad Pro line is induction cooktop compatible. Some of the other Cuisinart lines are not.

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