T-fal C770SF Signature Hard Anodized Oven Safe Nonstick Thermo-Spot Heat Indicator 15-Piece Cookware Set, Gray

CUSTOMER REVIEW



We needed a new set of cookware to replace our tank-like and expensive Circulon Commercial set, which we bought about a decade ago. Sure, the old set was built heavy-duty but for the last few years we've noticed (1) tons of scratches and (2) food sticking pretty badly. No peeling, but obvious pitting...and it was a real pain to scrub the food out from those circular grooves.



The old set was around $500 and we didn't really want to spend that much again this time around. The T-Fal set pretty much fit the bill in terms of replacing all of the old pieces with comparably-sized ones -- at a much lower cost. They look nice and do heat evenly.



Pros:

- Tempered glass lids, including one for the biggest frying pan (I like being able to see what's cooking).

- Good range of sizes on pots and pans.

- Two steamer inserts, one large and one small-ish

- Handles feel pretty good, and with the lids inverted over them, most of the set hangs neatly from our suspended pot rack (didn't have room for the dutch oven or the covered 2-handle deep fry pan)



Cons:

- Metal seems a bit thin, but on the other hand I'm comparing to those commercial-grade Circulons (one feature of which I never liked was how heavy they all were... so it's a tradeoff)

- The frying pans are a little shallow...but hey, if you're making Hamburger Helper as one other review remarked, the frying pan is the wrong one to use; go with the large 4.5 quart saute pan, that's what it's for, or the 10.5" deep fry pan.



Pro-tips: Follow their instructions before use -- hand-wash with soapy water, dry with a towel, then use a paper towel to season the inside with a light coating of cooking oil. (Instructions recommend heating the pots over 30 seconds or so of low heat, then apply the oil; makes sense.) Also, even though they say the pots are dishwasher safe, my decades of experience through several sets of cookware -- both cheap and expensive -- is they always last longer if you hand-wash 'em and never use anything but soap, water, and maybe a soft scrubber sponge or pad. Finally, never, ever use metal utensils on them. Rack-hanging is best, or spread out in a large shelf, but if you do have to nest them due to space constraints, to avoid scratches always put a napkin or paper towel or cloth towel between them.



Conclusions: We're not expecting these to last forever. The only cookware that does last 'forever' is cast iron (of which I have a few pieces as well), but that takes a lot of work to keep well-seasoned, especially if you use them often. And I suppose stainless, but except for cooking pasta and boiling water, I've never mastered the ability to use stainless without making a horrid stuck-on mess. Most of the reviews and reports I've read have said in general, non-stick cookware should probably be replaced roughly every five years, give or take depending on wear. I think I'd rather spend a little less. Even if we had to replace these twice as often as the Circulon, it'd still cost less in the long run.



Would we buy these again? Probably, unless there was a better deal to be had for a comparable product. Would we recommend these to a friend? Again, probably -- but it also depends heavily on budget and cooking needs. We cook a lot and do need quite a few pieces.



Update: We've had a few days to cook with these and are very happy with the purchase. Top things we like: Much lighter and thus easier to use than the old Circulon set. Definitely much more non-stick than the pots they replaced. The large 4.5L saute pan is terrific for making stovetop popcorn (1/3 cup comes close to filling it when popped) -- especially given the glass lid so you can watch it pop. This set did not include a stockpot, so we added one, also from the T-Fal line.



2-week update: We are really liking the T-Fal cookware set. Here, the remarks have been, "We really should've replaced that old set sooner." The non-stick really doesn't let anything stick. Tonight we had rice pilaf and the pan could've been wiped clean afterwards with nothing more than a paper towel (we still used soapy water anyway). Good handles, light to use but not too light, even but fast heating, and the visibility through the glass lids is great for cooking. I think we just went from 'probably would buy again' to 'definitely would.'