Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 7-Quart Chef's Casserole with Lid

I currently own about 7 pieces of Calphalon cookware. I have been very pleased with the quality, and I try to pick up additional ones whenever I can. I was happy when I saw an Amazon offer for a Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 7-Quart Chef's Casserole with Lid set for $60, down from $190. The few customer reviews were mostly favorable so I ordered one.

I did note some issues people were having with the Calphalon Commercial Hard Anodized 12-Quart Stockpot with Lid. To summarize it was noted that the pot was not made in America, was flimsy and thin in construction, and the finish quality was substandard. Being that I had already ordered, I waited to see what would arrive.

I opened the Amazon box and took out the plain white box whose only markings were "Made in China." Nowhere did it even say Calphalon, so this was an object never intended for normal retail sale (at a Macy's etc.). The pot was indeed flimsy with comically puny handles. I scratched...Read more

This is a great pot if you know what you are getting. First of all, Calphalon's Commercial Hard Anodized line is NOT non-stick in the traditional sense, they make other lines that are, but this one is not. That said, if you follow the instructions, it does things a non-stick pot/pan can't do and cleans up very easily. It's especially good at searing and creating flavor in deglazing. At this point though I use this pot mainly for things like stews or chili. It does make a great pot roast too if that's your goal. I took one star off because it's not the same really heavy gauge as most of the other pots and pans I have from their Commercial Hard Anodized line. It's still a good pot, but noticeably lighter gauge. None of the this line is dishwasher safe either, if that's an issue for you.

I bought this to work as a dutch oven. I've made soups and roasts in it so far.

The sides of the pot are a bit thin for my tastes, although the bottom is comfortably thick. There are no hot spots on the bottom at all. Cleanup is a snap since it's hard anodized. Since it's not teflon, you can make pan sauces from the fond.

It's not cast iron, so it won't substitute for your Lodge or La Creuset. On the other hand, it doesn't weigh 15lbs either.

All in all, a very good pan for the money ($[...] on sale). I recommend it.