Calphalon Tri Ply Stainless Steel Tapas Pans, Set of 2

Perfect for sharing, tapas are small dishes that are a blast to pass around and enjoy. Cook up and serve your own tapas with this set of two pans, shining in durable, mirror-polished 18/10 stainless steel inside and out. The stainless steel encapsulates an aluminum core for fast, even heating. The easy-grip handles stay cool on the stovetop, providing safe transport from stovetop to table. Limited lifetime warranty.
Customer Review: Great for single servings
Very good quality pans. I like the handles and you can hang the pans from a pot rack. I use these pans multiple times a week, mainly to make eggs "sur la plat" for breakfast or a light meal. Heat pan on the stove top, add butter or oil and (optionally) saute a small amount of onions, peppers or a few spoonfuls of almost any leftovers. Add 1-3 eggs (crack the eggs into a small dish first if you want to be extra careful not to get broken yolks or pieces of shell), and salt, and cook without stirring until whites are beginning to set. Finish by (optionally) topping with a little cheese and then broiling or toasting in a toaster oven until done. This is super easy, easier to do than to describe! Remove from heat and eat right from the pan. Remember the pan is hot, you might need to set it on a potholder at the table. I'm sure these pans would be good for all sorts of single serving dishes, including tapas of course.
Customer Review: Superb quality
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality in these pans. Both are incredibly thick and heavy and it really drives the message home that Calphalon made an effort to create quality for significantly less money than it's competitor, All-Clad namely. I would recommend these pans to anyone however please realize that these pans are small as are Tapas in Spain. Do not expect to make a 3 person meal in these pans unless you are feeding a family of Little People. They are ideal for appetizer sized portions and double as beautiful serving dishes.

I like to cook. Because I do I like to buy professional kitchen cookware sets. My very favorite set is my LeCreuset. It's enameled cast iron. It's very heavy cookware, and certainly not everyone would want to cook with it, but then I don't like lightweight aluminum pots and pans. I prefer my LeCreuset because I think that the outside enamel remains good looking, whereas some aluminum and stainless pots and pans have finishes that are easily scratched. Luckily if you're in the market for professional cookware you have a lot to choose from.

Most cookware manufacturers such as All Clad, Cuisinart, Viking, Calphalon, Kuhn Rikon, Chantal and Mauviel all make a variety of cookware of differing quality. Mauviel is known for their copper cookware. They also have a line of 7-ply cookware. This cookware has an aluminum core for excellent heat conductivity. It has a durable brushed stainless steel surface on the inside and a highly polished stainless steel surface on the outside. Viking professional cookware has a multi-ply construction. It's a combination of aluminum alloys and stainless steel which Viking says will give "lifetime performance, durability, easy cleanup and quick even heating". What sets these pots apart are their ergonomic stainless steel handles and extra large lids.

Another popular cookware manufacturer is Demeyere. Demeyere has a line of induction cookware, something new to a lot of cooks and very expensive. These induction pots and pans have 7-ply construction and use materials that limit heat to 250 degrees celsius. This can actually prevent many foods from burning.

A much more easily affordable quality cookware set is All Clad. They offer several different types of cookware, the All Clad Copper Core and the All Clad Master-Chef 2. The Culinary Institute of America also has a cookware set out called the CIA Masters Collection. It was designed by the certified master chefs at the CIA. It has a 7-clad construction and a copper core.

The professional cookware sets that we've mentioned above range in price from $1900 to $600 for a 10-piece set. Most of them offer multi-ply, and, as in the case of CIA and Demeyere, 7-ply. Most have copper cores, aluminum interiors and stainless steel exteriors. So how do you choose?

The way most people choose is money and appearance. My suggestion would be to buy one pot, or pan if possible before you buy an entire set. That way you can use the cookware and see if you really like it before you commit to it.

Learn about professional grade cookware and other cookware choices at busy-kitchen.com

calphalon stainless cookware set