# All-Clad vs. All-Clad copper core vs Falk Copper?



## glenn

I'm fairly new here and a relative amateur at cooking. I'm getting tired of buying Wal-Mart quality pans and throwing them out frequently. I decided it's time to get some very good quality pots and pans. I'll look at it as an investment, and I'm not afraid to spend some $$$ on them. I've been reading what I can for reviews, but I'd like input from you all.

All-Clad seems to be very good according to most people. How about the copper core All-Clad? Instead of just an aluminumm core, it has copper in addition to the aluminum. The regular stainless All-Clad is 3 layers consisting of stainless-aluminum-stainless. The copper core All-Clad is 5 layers consisting of stainless-aluminum-copper-aluminum-stainless. Copper is supposed to transfer heat quicker than aluminum. But, with those surrounding layers, is the benefit of the copper core negated? Have any of you tried both kinds and compared? Is the copper core worth it?

Of course, the best for transferring heat is pure copper pans, like Mauviel, etc. The thin layer of stainless (or tin) on the inside keeps them from reacting with food. I think I would go with the stainless lining for durability (tin seems fragile and would need re-tiniiing). The only disadvantage of copper pans seems to be aesthetics. They tarnish easily. I'm not too keen on polishing them all the time. But, on an internetr search, I came across copper pans with a "brushed" exterior that can be cleaned with a Scotch-Brite pad, instead of using polish. These seem like good pans (at least they look good on the website -- www.FalkCulinair.com). Has anyone tried these? How do they perform? Do they clean up well?. Is the performance as good as Mauviel? What do you all think? *** Note: I've noticed that there is a guy on this site that hawks them (coffee4you2). With all due respect to you Mr. coffee4you2, I'd rather have opinions from others, as you have an obvious selling interest. I'd like some 3rd party reviews from the rest of you.

Thanks all.

Glenn


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## salimamanji

i completely agree with you, i also got sick and tired of using walmart cookware and dumping them every 4-6months , till i finally decided to invest in a decent cookware. I've seen my mom using all clad ever since i can remember, and she seems pretty ok with it. 
my friend introduced me to 'icook' cookwear, which i found to be very different that the others available in the market. this one has a Multi-ply construction with a carbon-steel core for even heat distribution and inner and outer layers of 18/10 surgical-grade stainless steel. My food has started to taste better and i've really started to enjoy cooking myself. 
if you can find something with similar technology it might help. the one i have is little expensive, but has a life time warranty so i thought might as well spend once but spend right... hope this helps


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## icars

Personally go with Falk it's brushed copper very nice and the best quality on the market. They actually invented the bonding process for bonding ss to copper. I have Mauviel cupronix and All clad etc. The Mauviel is fine, but harder to keep clean (shiny)


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## ambrosiafood

ITA. If you can afford it go with one of these.


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## boyscout

Glenn, I posted this in your other thread too. If you're still deciding...

I recently researched smooth-top electric ranges, very briefly. One of the eight or so reasons I quickly ruled out owning one is that I found several reports on the web indicating that copper pots had melted / burned (!!!) and left residue on the glass surface which was impossible to remove.

We don't have any copper pots but do have All-Clad and some of them are no longer perfectly flat-bottomed. That too is apparently a serious problem with smooth-tops - pots must sit perfectly flat on the glass or they don't heat well and/or stress the burner to premature failure.

So, if you have a smooth-top cooking surface then both pot lines you're considering may be less than ideal. We have some 25-year-old Lagostina stainless pots with aluminum bases that have held up very well and remain perfectly flat-bottomed, but they don't cook like All-Clad.

Hope this is useful!


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## berryf

My husband and I love to cook. We love good food and we enjoy all the things that make cooking a pleasure. For years we used Le Creuset cookware, but secretly I didn't like the hot spots that made scorching an everyday occurance, no matter the heat setting. We did a lot of reading about various kinds of cookware, and when I read about copper's ability to conduct heat better than any other metal except silver, we decided to look into copper cookware. Mauviel really attracted me, but I didn't want to have to use copper cleaner to keep the shiny finish looking good. I'm not lazy, but I want my kitchen to look great without time intensive labour. Anyway, we decided to buy the "try me" piece from the Falk Uk site because it was such a good discount. I loved it immediately and after a bit of arm twisting my husband agreed we should try out another piece. We signed up for the piece of the month club and got another piece on special offer. What I love best is that it is so easy to wash even when foods stick, like roasts. I'm more than happy with our new cookware and we have just bought a set which is also discounted. At this rate, I'm going to have the whole collection. My husband loves to eat what I cook, so he's happy with the cookware too. I know every body is different and we all have different ideas about what works in the kitchen just like the rest of life. I love this cookware and feel it's one of the best investment I've made in a long time.


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## biker73

Hello this Biker73 or Gadget Girl

I was reading on chef talk last night under recent reviews, about all clad pans, well one of the chefs mentioned

DeBuyer this is a French Carbon Steel pan, they aren't fancy or attractive pans, but they can sear, I ran out

this morning to Williams and Sonoma and bot a 12 inch pan for $79.00 they are the pan of all pans to have,

I sear up some Italitan Sausages, It also really carmelized my onions perfectly, I can't wait to sear steaks.


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## culinarycarlie

Hi berryf,

I am looking at buying copper cookware, and thanks to your post I signed up on the Falk UK website.  Before buying the "try me" piece, I was wondering if copper cookware works okay on an electric stove?  I have never cooked on a gas stove before, but I have heard they are better for moderating temperature. I am looking at eventually switching to gas, but that is going to take alot of time and work.  Currently I use the Rachel Ray non-stick set, but am trying to get away from using cephalon as I've heard that pieces can come off into your food. Any advice/comments would greatly help.  Thanks,

Carlie


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## culverin

Hey guys,

I have recently made a fairly large purchase of Falk cookware.

Saucier 1.5qt (the "try me" piece)
Sauce Pan 1.5qt
Sauce Pan 2.5qt
Sauce Pan 3.5qt
Saute Pan 9.5"
Casserole 5.5qt
Fry Pan 11"
*Pros:*

Having used some pretty crappy cookware all my life, these pieces are AMAZING. The heat control is simply sick, I've never experienced anything like it.

They heat up and cool down so fast it's simply amazing. The fond builds up evenly so you don't get burnt bits.

The matte finish on the outside is gorgeous even when "dirty". The oil stains and the rainbow colored burnt copper just look awesome.

After using these pieces for a while, I've noticed that the pouring lip is a must. It just saves you from so much gunk running down the side of the sauce pans.

*Cons:*

For those who are looking to potentially make the purchase, I'd just like to warn you, these pieces are _HEAVY_. No joke, I'm pretty wimpy, but my brother who isn't still can't toss the veg in the pan. It's a little weird not having the strength to toss with my 11" pan.

Just like all the other high end brands, Falk seems to to keep the heritage feel despite there being better options in terms of material, finish and design.

The handles are acceptable, but not super comfortable. The cast iron takes a while to heat up, but once it does, it's very hot forcing you to use a kitchen rag to touch it.

The cast iron also attracts rust in the nooks and crannies.

There is a matte finish and both the outside and inside. At first, I thought this was a very novel idea seeing how evenly fond developed. However, the matte stainless steel easily turns a gross color when interacting with oil at high temps. Whenever I fry stuff, the oil line gets a nasty thick buildup that no amount of scrubbing can remove. Even with barkeeper's friend, it is stubborn and hard to remove. When browning in the pan, it leave a horrid brown stain.

If anybody has a suggestion that won't have me doing weekly Barkeeper's friend + scrubbing, I'm all ears. I'm not digging deep gouges into my cookware, but I can't see this preserving the cookware very well. I am using more than 10x the effort to try and clean the stainless surface.


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## cafeholic

Have you tried cooking wine?  Pour cooking wine in while the pot is still hot and gently scrape it, just like deglazing but pour more wine and let it sit a bit longer for though grease.  It works well for me on my brushed stainless interior pot.  Don't know if it would work on your matte finish though.  Good luck!


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## chefedb

In my opinion, All Clad is junk and they do not stand behind what they sell I have heard this from many people


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## hadeshounds

Dear Glenn et. al., I'm sure I'm super late to this blog party, but I own and LOVE my All-Clad Copper Core cookware. I can't recommend it enough. For those not familiar with the different All-Clad lines, the Copper Core is their top of the line model, and has five layers of metal, the copper "core' being in the middle. Here are some of the reasons I adore it:

1)It is nice and heavy, and works on a variety of stoves, from wimpy to mighty (I know, because I've dragged my poor pans everywhere!).

2) Because they're nice and heavy, I don't get tons of stuff burned onto the bottom. If you don't have a bizillion BTUs, this helps out a bit. It cleans like a dream. If I have stuck-on food, it can be soaked off, steel-wooled off (for really stubborn stuff), or even oven cleaner (I've only had to do this when wokking). My pans still look like new when I'm done.

3) they cook beautifully and quickly, with superb results.

4) They are so attractive that I can serve out of some of them straight from oven to table (Obviously, I'm not going to serve something out of a pot onto the table, but some of the pieces without the long handles look amazing.)

5) Their warranty is excellent-it's a lifetime warranty, and if you purchase through someplace like Sur La Table, regardless of warranty, they will make it right.

6)The cooking surface is non-reactive, so my dishes don't come out with an odd taste.

7)They look gorgeous and fit well in my hands.

8) Unlike some of their lines, the Copper-Core has a curved lip on most of the pans, which prevents spilling.

9)They have excellent promotions, and you can by irregulars online for a very competative(sp?) price. Friends that have bought these say they can't spot the difference, and it definitely saves you money.

For those of you complaining about price poinbt, consider that this is a but once item-the cost over time is just not that much, and indeed, even at full retail, we're not talking millions of dollars, particularly in light of the fact that they will be used most every day.

     One of the weirder pans I purchased (because it was part of a clearance bundle at a store that was going out of business was the wok-ish looking one called a chef's pan. I bought it 'cause it was cheap, never dreaming just how much I would use it! This baby can do it all!! And no, I don't work for All-Clad, nor Sur La Table, nor anybody else.

I honestly love my pans beyond all telling, and I think you will too. Worst case-send 'em back! Cheers! Laura


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## takingstock

biker73 said:


> Hello this Biker73 or Gadget Girl
> 
> I was reading on chef talk last night under recent reviews, about all clad pans, well one of the chefs mentioned
> DeBuyer this is a French Carbon Steel pan, they aren't fancy or attractive pans, but they can sear, I ran out
> this morning to Williams and Sonoma and bot a 12 inch pan for $79.00 they are the pan of all pans to have,
> I sear up some Italitan Sausages, It also really carmelized my onions perfectly, I can't wait to sear steaks.


I bought this exact pan at Tuesday Morning for $40. It has changed the way I cook.


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## titanium1

Has anyone gotten the All Clad, Copper Clad set?

It's a new item and I ordered a 10 piece set over the holidays.  I received them yesterday (they were back-ordered due to high demand).

Every single piece had some sort of dark spot, smudge, streak, or mar.  Some of the pieces were really horrible looking.  If these defects were on the pans themselves, and not the lids, I may have just kept them, knowing that cooking will change the color/look of the pan.  But the lids won't be exposed to direct heat, so I'd like them to be flawless.  I seems like the defects came from a finishing layer/coating since they look like liquid streaking and droplets (dark spots).  Very disappointing.  I bought through Sur La Table, so they're having me ship them back and a new set will replace them.  I understand that they won't remain pretty and shiny for very long, but they should at least look good when they arrive!  I suppose that since the set is so popular and there was such high demand, perhaps they relaxed their quality control, but that in and of itself makes me skeptical of the quality standards practices.  I didn't pay for factory seconds.  I've always thought All Clad was a good brand, though this is the first set that I've owned.  I'm wondering if I should have gone with the copper core line instead.  They are a good weight and I'm hoping that the copper layer will live up to my expectations.  The copper core set has, what, 5 layers?  This set only has 2; SS and copper.  I'm having a difficult time finding reviews on this product, since it's so new.  Anyone?


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## duckfat

Titanium1 I assume you mean the AC Copper core set. 

The quality of the AC brand has continued in a downward spiral over the last several years. The Copper Core is only going to give you a nominal performance edge Vs their Tri-Ply which is a fraction of the cost.

It's always worth the time to at least cost the individual pieces you want before buying a set.

Personally I'd never want all one brand or type of cookware.

As far as Falk goes this is a very old thread and they have had significant changes as well. I do not suggest the new Falk at all. They now use a very soft SS lining that is very prone to pitting. I've had several of their pieces over the last few years and have gotten rid of all of them. They also do not want to take returns and have uber hefty return fees so be sure of what you want before you go that route.

Mauviel is about the only brand that has maintained quality control and their prices have remained fairly steady. You may want to look at Mauviel SS as well which I'd much rather have than the AC-Copper core.

As far as basic SS goes the Sur la Table tri-ply is pretty decent as well and it's about 1/2 the price of the AC Tri-ply or the Mauviel.

If you are going to pony up for Copper Core I'd just take the plunge and buy Copper.


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