Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #53207 in Kitchen & Housewares
• Brand: Calphalon
• Model: DL8788 1/2
• Released on: 2003-05-15
• Dimensions: 5.25" h x 14.56" w x 12.87" l, 7.75 pounds

Features

• Durable stick-resistant hard-anodized surface for browning, searing, sautéing, deglazing, carmelizing, braising
• Heavy-gauge aluminum for superior conductivity without warping or hot spots
• Brushed "Cool V" handles stay cool on the stovetop; hard-anodized lid
• Safe with metal utensils; oven-safe to 700 degrees
• Measures 12-7/8 by 14-9/16 by 5-1/4 inches; made in China

Amazon.com Review
You just might find yourself using this versatile piece of cookware more than any other in your kitchen. Reducing sauces, braising meats, boiling pasta, browning chicken: this pot can do it all, on the stovetop or in the oven. This saucier has straight sides and a wide profile, and two sturdy double-riveted handles make it safer and easier to lift when full. (Don't forget that the cast stainless-steel handles remain cool on the stove, but heat right up in the oven.) Like all of the products in Calphalon's commercial hard-anodized series, it distributes heat efficiently, so foods brown quickly and cook uniformly. In fact, try cooking over a lower setting than you customarily use; Calphalon cookware conducts heat so well that it's easy to overdo the first few times around. Unlike cookware coated with a synthetic nonstick finish, the hard-anodized surface won't chip, crack, or peel if you use a metal spatula, and it doesn't react with acidic foods such as citrus or tomato. All of Calphalon's commercial hard-anodized cookware comes with a lifetime warranty, and if treated with care, it'll last as long as you do. Always wash this cookware by hand with mild cleansers, and don't place a hot pan in cold water--it could warp. --Mary Park

Customer Reviews

What's not to like?
Like all Calphalon Commercial pieces, you are getting a high-performance, sturdily constructed tool that will make you a better cook.

This saucier is wider and shorter than a typical stockpot, ensuring maximum heat transfer from the burners. It's great for such dishes as making chicken stock -- You can brown the chicken on the stovetop, then deglaze with water, etc., for a darker stock. Great for making soups, cooking squash, chili, etc. (Consider topping with cheese and sticking under the broiler for a few minutes to brown -- it's over safe to 700!)
The combination of Calphalon's superior aluminum heat conduction and a wider top reduces liquids quickly, while cooks enjoy easy access into the pan -- something that can be tricky in a tall, narrow stockpot. Keep in mind that space can be an issue -- this stockpot can crowd out other pans on a small cooktop, and does take up an awful lot of space in your cupboard.

One caveat: As with all Calphalon, you can not put this in the dishwasher (even if you could fit it in). The machine will leach out the Calphalon coating, causing pits and discolorations and void the lifetime warranty to boot!

To clean, I find a little Bon Ami or Dormond cleaner and a Scotchguard green scrubber gets out anything without much fuss. Cleaning will be aided by proper deglazing. Also, you will find your food will stick less if the pan is preheated and if the food isn't ice cold when tossed in.

Enjoy!

It's Great, But....
I am not going to repeat what a lot of other people already said. It really is a very nice pot, cooks and cleans very well, BUT: you must realise that this is a very WIDE pot. I was not really prepared for quite how wide. I have a normal size, 4-burner stove - if anything, on the large side, not at all small. However, if I am using this pot I can NOT use the burner that is either in front of it or behind it. The pot is so wide that another pot wont fit with it. So if you think you'll be needing all 4 burners, this pot makes it a little difficult.
Also, since it is so wide, when I put it away, it naturally goes on the very bottom of the pot stack under my sink. Which makes it kind of a pain to get out and put away each time.
Other than this one issue, I like the pot very much. Cooks evenly, lid fits nicely, and goes into the oven without a problem. Nothing has ever burned in it for me so far (I've had it for more than 6 months). Washing in the sink is a little cumbersome because of the size, however. Luckily, it does not require a lot of scrubbing.

the best cookware
This is not my first piece of Calphalon and it certainly will not be my last. I wasn't sure how large this saucier would be when I ordered it, and I still haven't found a place to store it in my limited cabinet space, but I have honestly had little need to store it since it works so well for most anything. It has a huge amount of surface area so it works well for searing and braising, but it is somewhat shallow so it is perfect for poaching eggs. Plus, this is an amazing price. Worth every penny.