They'll match your cufflinks

[Jenise]

You can now buy your All-Clad monogrammed. Oh brother!

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/all-clad-stainless-steel-5-quart-2-tier-steamer-set/?bnrid=3101650&cm_ven=E3&cm_cat=EDM&cm_pla=0204_AC_Steamer&cm_ite=hero_1cta&cm_em=jenise.louise@comcast.net

I see All Clad cookware all the time. Is it really worth the $$$?

All-clad is good. The question of whether it's worth it probably depends on a lot of personal things that differ, like how much money does one have and how much cooking one does.

Same with le Creuset -- will a Lodge pot cook your stew just as well for less than half the price?

I know people who use All-clad. I don't have any but I'm cheap, and I thought that Cuisinart looked pretty parallel for the size I wanted.

[Jenise]

I see All Clad cookware all the time. Is it really worth the $$$?

Frank's right, it depends on your budget, how much you cook, and I would add what kind of stove you have. If you have a high BTU cooktop you'll need heavier pans with thick side walls (or even water will scorch the sides).

So yes All-Clad's expensive. But when Bob and I married, I bought a new set of Magnalite. They had an anodized coating that failed in any of the pans that cooked liquids (where the seasoned skillets were fine and remain my favorite skillets to this day), so I ended up replacing the 4, 5 and 8 quart pans with Calphalon. Which were also coated, and which also failed. So about nine years ago I supplemented what I had with a few Cuisinarts--I bought a set to gift a friend two of the pans (she didn't really cook, all she ever needed in life were those two shapes) and kept the others for myself. They were fine on the old electric Jenn-Air that came in the house, but too thin-walled for my Viking. I gave those away and bought All-Clad. Piecemeal, not all at once, and they're not even matching styles/lines. But I love each and every one of them and know that If I'd bought All-Clad in the first place, I'd have spent far less than I've spent on all the other pans that for whatever reason couldn't keep me happy. An All-Clad pan is a pan for life.

But I'm still rolling my eyes about the monogramming!

I have a few All-Clad pieces. They're very good. They're very heavy... they make me think of old Alfred Hitchcock murder mysteries... sometimes.

Jenise, we do have interesting parallels -- the only set of pans I ever bought was Calphalon. I probably won't replace those, but then I don't have a whiz-bang cooktop. The Calphalon pots and pans are mostly OK but the skillets were just exasperating, and I have a pile of skillets of all different brands. Back in the 1970's we bought several pieces of the blue Dansk Kobenstyle stuff and we still use those. It's harder and harder to clean the white ceramic interior but those are nice pots to bring to the table for serving, they still look good.

We also have several pieces of All Clad that we've picked up over the years. They are most certainly expensive but they last a lifetime and then some. I expect my daughters will be using ours long after I'm past the ability to cook.

Never would have thought of having them monogrammed, though. Oh, and if I'm ever at Jeff's, I'll be watching him carefully whenever he has a skillet at hand.

[Jenise]

Jenise, we do have interesting parallels -- the only set of pans I ever bought was Calphalon. I probably won't replace those, but then I don't have a whiz-bang cooktop. The Calphalon pots and pans are mostly OK but the skillets were just exasperating, and I have a pile of skillets of all different brands. Back in the 1970's we bought several pieces of the blue Dansk Kobenstyle stuff and we still use those. It's harder and harder to clean the white ceramic interior but those are nice pots to bring to the table for serving, they still look good.

Just now I went to put another batch of adobo on the stove (will be a filling for some asian lettuce wraps tomorrow) and went for my Calphalon saute pan, which reminded me to mention that I have two that haven't lost their coating. Probably the use-related seasoning again, even those these get used for braising (and therefore hold liquid) more than anything else. To be sure I prefer the look of the All-Clad, but I hate to give up a loyal piece of equipment. I get really attached.

I have a few pieces of All Clad cookware and they are so far superior to anything else I have that it's ridiculous, and they look and cook exactly the same as the day I bought them. Jenise was right. If you just buy All Clad in the first place you'll wind up spending less money in the long run. But don't monogram them. You're going to wind up passing them down to your kids.

When we got together we each had certain pieces of All-Clad stainless, about 6 each, none of their other lines. Oddly enough, when combined it was a complete set. We had no duplicate pieces. I had purchased mine as "seconds" one by one over the years. Never have figured out why they were discounted as they look and perform exactly as the others. We use the All-Clad constantly and it is a pleasure to have good pans. None of it is monogrammed.

We also have some cast iron, and some Le Creuset (gifts from cooking friends), that get used less often. (One of the round Le Creuset I use pretty much exclusively for custards and cheese sauces as it is a snap to clean and where the sides meet the bottom it's curved so a whisk reaches everywhere.)

[Jenise]

When we got together we each had certain pieces of All-Clad stainless, about 6 each, none of their other lines. Oddly enough, when combined it was a complete set.

Meant to be, then! Sounds like Bob and I. When we met, I had a CD stereo component but no stereo, a very good bed, and a great dining room table. He had a good stereo but no CD player, a guest bedroom with no bed and was shopping for a dining room table.

I love my All-Clad but its older. Note that Chef mentioned changes in the product over time so that what is sold today is not what a lot of us may own.
http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/village/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=26512&p=227912&hilit=+clad#p227912

[Jenise]

Brian, I remember that, and he complained that the new All-Clads are lighter. I was thinking of that this weekend when I reached for my All-Clad instead of the fairly equally sized copper pan, Mauviel?, which is so heavy I find it impossible to lift one-handed if it has anything in it. The advances of women in the kitchen might be responsible for All-Clad's decision to lighten up.

Meant to be, then! Sounds like Bob and I. When we met, I had a CD stereo component but no stereo, a very good bed, and a great dining room table. He had a good stereo but no CD player, a guest bedroom with no bed and was shopping for a dining room table.

Yep! We had so many instances of that. I had a Kitchen Aid mixer, he had a food processor, and on and on and on. Even books. We each had thousands with only a dozen or so duplicates, so that when the collection was combined we have very few gaps.

[Jenise]

Perfect, Cynthia, and it sounds like it's working out famously. You both deserve it. Is Jimmy living with you?

Is Jimmy living with you?

About 4 months of the year. He's 11 now!

All Clad is amazing, and this thread is making me seriously consider that offer from Williams-Sonoma for a pair of their D5 series french skillets...

When we got together we each had certain pieces of All-Clad stainless, about 6 each, none of their other lines. Oddly enough, when combined it was a complete set. We had no duplicate pieces. I had purchased mine as "seconds" one by one over the years. Never have figured out why they were discounted as they look and perform exactly as the others. We use the All-Clad constantly and it is a pleasure to have good pans. None of it is monogrammed.

You can probably still identify Stuart's pans from the residual polymer adhering to the walls, no?

Mark Lipton

When I turned 40, I asked Jean for some All-Clad pans (along with a new range to replace our gawd-awful Kenmore POS). She got me a set of the All-Clad LTD line with anodized aluminum exteriors. I have been ridiculously happen with them, especially in conjunction with the mixed-fuel Thermidor range that I got. Now, many years on from that birthday (y'all may recall me posting about my 50th in Barna a while back) those All-Clad pans look virtually new despite their almost daily use. They've taken everything I've thrown at them and never once failed me, including many stove-to-oven transfers. I have no idea if other brands would perform to the same level of excellence, but I'm a very satisfied customer.

Mark Lipton

OK, I treated myself to an All-Clad Stainless 4-Quart Saute Pan at Homegoods for $79.99. They have great deals on All-Clad. I'll let you know in the upcomming months how I cook with it. Thanks for all your suggestions.

Drew

[Jenise]

Cool! I predict it will set the bar for you.

OK, I treated myself to an All-Clad Stainless 4-Quart Saute Pan at Homegoods for $79.99. They have great deals on All-Clad. I'll let you know in the upcomming months how I cook with it. Thanks for all your suggestions.

Drew, that saute pan gets more use in our household than any other pan. It's a great choice for a start and if it doesn't make you a convert, nothing will.

Mark Lipton

OK, I treated myself to an All-Clad Stainless 4-Quart Saute Pan at Homegoods for $79.99. They have great deals on All-Clad.

Uh-oh. I probably didn't need to know this. (But it would be a great thing for gifts for my 20-something kids who are both cooks.)

I think Mark has it right, Drew. You'll soon be figuring out ways to justify more All-Clad.