Are you planning to buy the best hard anodized cookware set for your kitchen? If so, there are two brands you’d want to choose from: Anolon and Calphalon. The Anolon vs Calphalon rivalry has been going on for some time now since both offer almost the same benefits such as high cooking performance, and durability.
Unlike Teflon, the anodized cooking surface has several layers of nonstick coating, making it extra hard, non-reactive, and non-toxic. After spending much time on the internet, I’m going to share my in-depth comparative analysis between the two brands.
More...
What Is Hard Anodized?
Before the introduction of hard anodized cookware in the market, nonstick cookware is the fad. However, Teflon nonstick coating may contain toxic particles, like Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), that may leach into your food and cause potential health risks. This problem of health risks and durability gave birth to hard anodized cookware.
Hard anodized refers to aluminum cookware that is hardened in an electrochemical process. Specifically, hard anodizing is done by soaking the pots and pans into an electrolytic acid bath and creating an oxide coating placing an electrical current.
Calphalon was the first brand ever to introduce hard anodized aluminum cookware in 1968. Anolon formally launched its own version of hard anodized cookware later in 1989. Although hard anodized cookware is extra durable, non-reactive to acidic food, and easy to clean, they can be more expensive than your typical nonstick cookware.
We all want the best quality products. So even though hard anodized cookware is more expensive, it still a good decision as long as it suits your purse and meet your needs. Find out more information about best hard anodized cookware
If you want to find out more about non-stick cookware, spend some time to read this article best nonstick cookware
Round 1: Battle For The Best Value
Of course, like with any other product, we want to spend less for the best quality. Looking at the prices of both brands of the same hard anodized nonstick 11-piece cookware set, Anolon is more affordable than Calphalon. At a lower price, Anolon offers the same hard-anodized construction for durability and efficient cooking.
For the set pieces, Calphalon offers larger frying pans at 10” and 12” plus a cover. Anolon, on the other hand, offers no covers for its two skillets but provides a 12-inch grill pan that’s not offered by its counterpart. This makes the Anolon 11-piece cookware set more versatile than its rival.
Verdict:
Taking all these into considerations, we can safely say that Anolon wins in terms of great value as it offers a more versatile set pieces at a lower price.
Round 2: Style And Design
For the second round of Anolon vs Calphalon battle, let’s look at each cookware’s style and design. While the Calphalon comes with a black exterior, Anolon is designed with a brushed bronze color which looks elegant in your kitchen. Although both handles are made of stainless steel, only Anolon has silicone combined for superior grip and comfort, and may even help if you have arthritic hands.
Both these brands design their pots and pans with three layers of nonstick coating. This means excellent food release performance and durability. Although both brands are built in the same number of layers, Calphalon easily scratches because it’s not metal utensil-safe, unlike Anolon.
Verdict:
Based on this observation, Anolon still wins over Calphalon by a slim advantage because it has a tougher nonstick surface and comfortable handles. The bronze color seems to be quite unique from the usual black and gray colors of cookware.
Round 3: Safety In The Oven and Dishwasher
Oven-safe indicates that an item can endure a certain safe temperature in an oven for longer periods without getting damaged. While Anolon is oven-safe up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, Calphalon has a higher safe temperature of 450 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes Calphalon more versatile in cooking as it can withstand more heat.
As what its name implies, dishwasher-safe means that an item can be washed in the dishwasher safely without becoming damaged. Most hard anodized aluminum cookware are not dishwasher-safe because the nonstick surface tends to chip off easily. However, there are only a few brands that are labeled dishwasher-safe and one of them is Calphalon.
Although Anolon is not dishwasher-safe, cleaning them is quite simple by hand.Learn how to clean your Anolon cookware in this video.
Verdict:
This round belongs to Calphalon as it has a higher oven-safe temperature and labeled as dishwasher-safe for great convenience in cleaning.
Bottom Line
In the battle of Anolon vs Calphalon hard anodized cookware, the winner is Anolon because it has dominated two of the three rounds. More specifically, Anolon has the better value, design, and style. Although Calphalon is dishwasher-safe, you may still need to wash the cookware by hand if you want to make the nonstick coating last longer.
If you have tried any of the two brands compared above, please feel free to share with us what you think in the comments section. You can also share this article with your friends and family if you liked it!
