# Mauviel VS. Williams-Sonoma Mauviel



## northfaceboy (Apr 16, 2009)

As title, what is the difference. They seem to be the same, except for the appearance. 


I tried searching for it everywhere, just doesn't seem to be able to find the difference.

Thanks


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

If your talking copper cookware. All clad brand handled by sonnoma is a bit cheaper,


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## northfaceboy (Apr 16, 2009)

Hi

Yes, I was referring to the copperware by Mauviel.


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## dillbert (Jul 2, 2008)

Mauviel makes both brass and cast iron handles - is that what you mean?

I believe the bodies are identical, just a difference in handle material.


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## mattie405 (Dec 9, 2006)

The original Mauviel pans that I use have a cast iron handle and are tin lined. The one piece from WS made by Mauviel that I have has a stainless lining, other than that I can percieve no difference between them. Hubby bought me the WS piece and paid much more than my others were, but I happily cook in all of them.:lips:


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

The distributor for Mauviel is E. Dehillerin of Paris, France. Their hardcopy catalog includes a wider selection of cookware including the copper lined than what's seen at their website online. You should get a hardcopy catalog and see the difference for yourself.


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

Keep in mind that W-S has a long history of "exclusive" products. These are usually the same piece the manufacturer normally makes with some sort of cosmetic difference: colors not normally cataloged, handles of different shape or material, covers configured slightly differently. 

For these cosmetic differences they tack on a ludicrous surcharge---sometimes as much as twice what the item otherwise costs.

But W-S also has two other things going for it. 

1. Ridiculously high prices on everything it sells. 
2. A total lack of customer service. 

I have never understood what kept that company in business.


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Mauviel makes four lines of stainless lined copper. The differences are the thicknesses of the copper and handle materials. Cuprinox is 2.5mm with cast iron; Cuprinox Style is 2.0mm with stainless, Couprinox Gourmet is 2.0mm with cast iron; and Cuprinox Pour Le Table iranges from 1.2mm to 2.0mm with most pieces at 1.6mm, the handles are brass. 

Williams Sonoma sells Cuprinox Pour Le Table. Pour Le Table is Mauviel's least expensive stainless/copper line.

The whole performance/value question depends on a wide variety of factors. I don't have enough experience with the different Mauviels to compare their performance to one another. Mauviel claims the thicker pans outperform the thinner and I have no reason to doubt. On the other hand, they don't say by how much.

All Clad copper is a different beast altogether. The copper surface is so thin on All Clad, even thinner than Mauviel Pour Le Table, that although you get the appearance and price of copper, you don't get any real gain from a performance standpoint. There are other manufacturers as good as Mauviel. For instance, Matfer Bourgeat and Franck (Belgian).

Copper is the most efficient of the several common metals used for pans. Compared to a high quality multi-ply pan, a Cuisinart or a lesser All Clad for instance, the performance gains are minimal and not worth the price. (Many people, copper pan owners in particular, disagree.)

Nothing can beat copper for it's "stove to table" beauty. That may put All Clad copper back in the running. Whatever its faults, it certainly looks the part. 

Other good performers are multi-ply with stainless inserts, cast iron, carbon steel, and anodic aluminum. All of them spread the heat about as evenly as copper-plys. Cast iron is heavy compared to the others. But otherwise, the main performance gain with copper is "responsivness," and that's a lot more on the cool-down side than heat up. In my opinion, copper just isn't worth the tariff unless you're buying for appearance or you're the type of person who must have the best. 

Hpe this helps,
BDL


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

A tip given me by a poster here years ago, is to request a price quote from Dehillerin directly for the items you desire. You'll save 30-40% off of the full retail price when dealing with them directly. Ultimately you'll need to fax to Dehillerin your credit card number along with your signature on the order form and, like mine, the items will be delivered to your door via FedEx within about a week or so.


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## chefchefchef (Oct 4, 2010)

I purchased a number of Mauviel Cuprinox pieces from Williams Sonoma in the late 1990's.

If I'm not mistaken, the line was, at that point, different than it is today. The pots available from W S had brass handles and were 2mm (maybe 2.5 mm?) thick. No pots were offered with stainless handles at that time...it was as if the bronze handles were somehow more "appealing" or "attractive."

There were, at that time, only two versions of the Mauviel Cuprinox cookware available. If I'm not mistaken, the lower line, which was 1.6mm or 1.5mm thick had cast iron handles...I remember reading this in the literature that came with each piece that I bought.

I think that I still have some of the literature from that time...I'll take a look to confirm this. All I know is that the pots that I purchased, that, incidentally, have bronze handles, are all consistent in the thickness of the copper layer and I believe that it's at least 2mm.

But, again, there weren't as many lines of the Cuprinox available.

--ccc



boar_d_laze said:


> Mauviel makes four lines of stainless lined copper. The differences are the thicknesses of the copper and handle materials. Cuprinox is 2.5mm with cast iron; Cuprinox Style is 2.0mm with stainless, Couprinox Gourmet is 2.0mm with cast iron; and Cuprinox Pour Le Table iranges from 1.2mm to 2.0mm with most pieces at 1.6mm, the handles are brass.
> 
> Williams Sonoma sells Cuprinox Pour Le Table. Pour Le Table is Mauviel's least expensive stainless/copper line.
> 
> ...


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## johnliu (Nov 9, 2009)

Get a price quote for the 2.5mm steel-lined pieces ( including shipping ) from Dehillerin and also look at other copper pan makers like Falk (www.copperpans.com). If you're going to pay for copper, don't get the 2.0mm or thinner pieces (more for serving than cooking) and don't pay the Williams-Sonoma tax.

If you want to keep your copper shiny, find a source for Twinkle copper cleaning paste (True Value hardware stores or Sur La Table) and plan on an extra 2 minutes per washing. Some use Barkeepers Friend but I suspect it is more abrasive. The copper will discolor immediately on exposure to the flame (normal, this is oxidation).

My pots and pans are mostly 2.5mm copper from Dehillerin. I bought some copper from W-S a long time ago, they were thin stuff and I don't use them anymore.


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## missyjean (Nov 5, 2009)

That is so true. I needed a bundt pan. WS had it for a steep price. I called NordicWare, the manufacturer, and they told me WS has an exclusive and even they could not sell the pan.

I was in WS for the very first time last weekend. I agree about the high prices. I was a little disappointed because the store was small and the products were like a commercial for WS. Then I went to Sur La Table (6 blocks away) OMG!!!! That store is amazing and crammed with products everywhere. There was almost a line to get in the place



KYHeirloomer said:


> Keep in mind that W-S has a long history of "exclusive" products. These are usually the same piece the manufacturer normally makes with some sort of cosmetic difference: colors not normally cataloged, handles of different shape or material, covers configured slightly differently.
> 
> For these cosmetic differences they tack on a ludicrous surcharge---sometimes as much as twice what the item otherwise costs.
> 
> ...


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