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Post by mach12 on Oct 23, 2020 18:42:23 GMT -5
We've been looking at new cookware and the info out there is a confusing mess. Probably the best info I've found is the Consumer Reports Best Cookware Buying Guide. I've tried just about everything out there and all have pros and cons so have tried to weigh them all and come up with a good option. I think the Circulon set seems to be a great match for a Chambers since it's rated as very efficient. We ordered the set Costco sells (https://www.costco.com/circulon-premier-professional-13-piece-hard-anodized-cookware-set-(black).product.100529430.html) and it's here so we're going to give it a try. So far I've only boiled water in the large sauce pan to compare with the same size Kirkland brand sauce pan it's replacing, and the Circulon comes to a boil faster in 2/3 of what the Kirkland pan does. I've done it twice with the same result.
I have zero experience with Circulon so am wondering whether anyone else does and can give me hints of anything to watch for. I have a full year to return it for any reason.
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Post by Chuckie on Oct 23, 2020 21:52:01 GMT -5
We've been looking at new cookware and the info out there is a confusing mess. Probably the best info I've found is the Consumer Reports Best Cookware Buying Guide. I've tried just about everything out there and all have pros and cons so have tried to weigh them all and come up with a good option. I think the Circulon set seems to be a great match for a Chambers since it's rated as very efficient. We ordered the set Costco sells (https://www.costco.com/circulon-premier-professional-13-piece-hard-anodized-cookware-set-(black).product.100529430.html) and it's here so we're going to give it a try. So far I've only boiled water in the large sauce pan to compare with the same size Kirkland brand sauce pan it's replacing, and the Circulon comes to a boil faster in 2/3 of what the Kirkland pan does. I've done it twice with the same result. I have zero experience with Circulon so am wondering whether anyone else does and can give me hints of anything to watch for. I have a full year to return it for any reason. Monkey and I "fell" for T-Fall when we first married, and when it wore OUT, we started shopping around for cookware, and were on a V-E-R-Y limited income back then. So our shopping tour took us to JC Penneys where we had a credit line, and we bought Cooks cookware. VERY highly rated back then, anodized, and a NICE "heft" to it. And it was indeed VERY good cookware--for a long time. Then the anodize started wearing off, so we took it BACK to JCP, as they offered a lifetime warranty when we bought it. So I take it BACK to JCP, and the (older) sales lady said yes we did INDEED have a lifetime warranty on our purchase, and she went to get the "new" pans that they were offering us. They were TEE-TOTAL JUNK!!!! Even the saleslady blushed, and said she was SO SORRY, she could tell the difference in the "heft" between our old pots and the inferior quality replacement offer, and apologized PROFUSELY that their product line "had become so CHEAP", as she was a LONG-TIME employee, and was genuinely embarrassed AND ashamed their product had fallen so low. Just throwing this out there, we quit looking for saucepans, as Monkey started getting the old Vitacraft like her Mom had. Her Mom promised her original set she bought around WWII to Monkey's niece before she passed, and although Monkey WANTED it, she didn't want to interfere, so she started scouring eBay for vintage Vitacraft. The Cooks skillets I replaced w/DeBuyer French skillets, that are QUITE similar "in operation" to cast iron, sauce pans are all Vitacraft now. S-o-o-o-o-o-o, long story short, mach12, keep us posted. In the interim we'll stick w/Vitacraft & DeBuyer.... CHEERS! Chuckie
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Post by mach12 on Oct 23, 2020 23:46:56 GMT -5
Great info Chuckie - Thanks! That sounds like the Kirkland cookware. When we bought the set we're replacing they were sturdy and well made. but the Kirkland set they're selling now isn't even close to the quality. I sure wish we could still get Vitacraft. One of my aunts had a set of them and she really loved them. She had one of those electric ranges that the cooktop pulled out like a drawer and had two small ovens on top and a large one below. I never saw her use them all but I'll bet it'd spin that electric meter.
Apparently a company called Meyer is buying cookware manufacturers. Circulon is owned by them and is their midlevel line. Kind of sounds familiar, considering the history of the Chambers brand. If these are as good as they seem to be I'd better take care of them. I'm kind of worried because comparing them to others they should be about twice the price I paid. There were a couple of other sets that looked great but at between $400 and $600 they were out of my reach. I looked at DeBuyer and they were WAY out of my reach.
I guess we'll see.
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Post by Chuckie on Oct 24, 2020 9:00:20 GMT -5
Great info Chuckie - Thanks! That sounds like the Kirkland cookware. When we bought the set we're replacing they were sturdy and well made. but the Kirkland set they're selling now isn't even close to the quality. I sure wish we could still get Vitacraft. One of my aunts had a set of them and she really loved them. She had one of those electric ranges that the cooktop pulled out like a drawer and had two small ovens on top and a large one below. I never saw her use them all but I'll bet it'd spin that electric meter. Apparently a company called Meyer is buying cookware manufacturers. Circulon is owned by them and is their midlevel line. Kind of sounds familiar, considering the history of the Chambers brand. If these are as good as they seem to be I'd better take care of them. I'm kind of worried because comparing them to others they should be about twice the price I paid. There were a couple of other sets that looked great but at between $400 and $600 they were out of my reach. I looked at DeBuyer and they were WAY out of my reach. I guess we'll see. Well, you could always go like us, and use eBay to buy some Vitacraft. Sometimes they are VERY inexpensive out there, given their ORIGINAL cost. Also watch local Craigslist. It pops up QUITE frequently here, I guess cause the factory was in KC. And for the de Buyer, just buy ONE skillet a year like we did. Then you don't notice all your lifeblood running out your pocket.... LOL We've been very happy w/BOTH, BUT Vitacraft IS aluminum, and I know a LOT of folks out here who shy away from aluminum cookware. I just checked today on de Buyer sauce pots, and you're right, they are TERRIBLY expensive!! And I don't even SEE our big, two handled baby-elephant-weight-skillet listed anymore!!! debuyer-usa.com/Here's a link to my original de Buyer post from back in 2015. chamberscommune.proboards.com/thread/2568/new-buyer-mineral-fry-pan?page=1&scrollTo=21390 I added some updated pictures in the link today, in order to kinda keep all the info "together". We're STILL happy w/them--and they're holding up GR8--so guess it was worth it. I've had to re-season the big ass two handle one just once (and that was just last week!), as it started sticking BAD, but I dunno just WHAT caused it... CHEERS! Chuckie
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Post by mach12 on Oct 24, 2020 10:15:38 GMT -5
Did you happen to use cooking spray on the pan? I used to use it a lot on cookie sheets but then started noticing a buildup so quit using it for anything except my BBQ grates. When I started researching cookware I kept seeing warnings saying to avoid using cooking spray. A couple of them mentioned soybeans or soybean oil but I don't remember exactly what they said about it. I want to look further into it but haven't gotten to that yet.
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Post by pooka on Oct 24, 2020 14:20:06 GMT -5
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Post by Chuckie on Oct 24, 2020 18:42:05 GMT -5
Did you happen to use cooking spray on the pan? I used to use it a lot on cookie sheets but then started noticing a buildup so quit using it for anything except my BBQ grates. When I started researching cookware I kept seeing warnings saying to avoid using cooking spray. A couple of them mentioned soybeans or soybean oil but I don't remember exactly what they said about it. I want to look further into it but haven't gotten to that yet. Oh NO, Monkey FORBIDS using cooking spray on ANYTHING but the Saran wrap that you put over a loaf of rising dough. She, too, noticed the buildup of "gunk" on her high-dollar air bake jelly roll pans, and an old lady told her it was from that. I DO use Baker's Joy w/flour though in those specialty Bundt pans, as yet ANOTHER "old lady" posted that IF you use THAT, your cakes will NEVER stick in one of those pans. And--so far, touch wood!--she's been CORRECT!!! CHEERS! Chuckie
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Post by nana on Oct 25, 2020 9:20:06 GMT -5
Old ladies— they know what they’re talking about!
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Post by Chuckie on Oct 25, 2020 11:41:04 GMT -5
Old ladies— they know what they’re talking about! ROFLOL, ain't it the TRUTH?! The FIRST one was when I was reading the reviews on one of my fancy bundt pans recipe I found online, and the gal said something along the lines of "the 'old ladies' in our Altar Society swear you will NEVER lose a cake if you use Baker's Joy w/flour!", or something along those lines. I just liked "Altar Society SWEAR"--LOL. The other was I think Monkey's quilting group that make bedrolls for the homeless. One of THEM complained (to ANOTHER "old Altar Society lady") about the gunk on her cookie sheets, and she told her it was from Pam or the like. I've never noticed Baker's Joy building up, BUT I haven't made that many cakes in my fancy-smancy bundt pans!! Old ladies ROCK--especially those who IMBIBE!!! CHEERS! (*hic!* Chuckie
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Post by karitx on Oct 28, 2020 15:03:19 GMT -5
Hey, that's where I'm headed, Chuckie ! Although I will be in jeans and a t-shirt while slinging my wine around!
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Post by mach12 on Oct 28, 2020 15:20:22 GMT -5
Hey, that's where I'm headed, Chuckie ! Although I will be in jeans and a t-shirt while slinging my wine around! Boy does that sound familiar! We've been having nice weather for a few days so spent the day yesterday burning the brush pile that we build up over the year and worked our tails off. After it got dark my wife looked at me with this exhausted look and asked what kind of wine we had, so off I went to get a couple of glasses and a bottle of Piesporter Reisling and a couple of lawn chairs. Nice way to end the day.
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Post by karitx on Oct 28, 2020 16:02:46 GMT -5
Boy does that sound familiar! We've been having nice weather for a few days so spent the day yesterday burning the brush pile that we build up over the year and worked our tails off. After it got dark my wife looked at me with this exhausted look and asked what kind of wine we had, so off I went to get a couple of glasses and a bottle of Piesporter Reisling and a couple of lawn chairs. Nice way to end the day. Sounds good to me!
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