This 12 piece hard anodized nonstick saucepan set is part of Kitchen Aid’s “Gourmet Essentials” range.
The pans are made from heavy-gauge hard anodized aluminum with a nonstick coating on the inside of the pans.
The handles are made from stainless steel and have a silicone wrapping around them, so that they are cool to touch.
The lids are made from tough tempered glass, which is break resistant, so that you can watch the food cooking.
Here’s what you get with this set:
* three covered saucepans – a 1 quart pan, a 2 quart pan and a 3 quart pan
* two skillets – an 8 inch frying pan and a 10 inch frying pan
* one 12 inch sauté pan with normal handle on one side and helper handle on the other side
* one eight quart covered stockpot with two handles
In summary you get seven pans and five lids, twelve pieces in total. In my opinion this set is better value than the 10 piece Rachael Ray hard anodized cookware set. It’s only about $30 more expensive, and you not only get an extra covered saucepan, but the stockpot is bigger (8 quart as opposed to the 6 quart in the Rachael Ray set). If you have a big family and do a lot of stockpot cooking, then go for this set.
The pans and lids are safe in the oven up to 400 F but note that you need to hand wash them to preserve the nonstick interiors. This is not as daunting as it sounds if you make sure you soak the pans in warm soapy water before washing and use a gentle sponge, don’t use anything abrasive when cleaning. I also advise you cook with wooden spoons to avoid scratching the nonstick coating on the inside of the pans.
This set comes with a 1 year warranty which KitchenAid says is “no-hassle”, which means they don’t argue with you when you have a problem.
Amazon are selling this with free shipping, see below:
This set is also being sold by Sears with free shipping. It’s more expensive than Amazon, but up to 31/12/2011 they will give you a free 2 Qt Curling Tea Kettle when you order this cookware set (you need to add both items to cart, see instructions when you click through to Sears).
