What is happening to my Calphalon pans? Never abused, treated gently, hung deliberately on a pot rack, they are falling apart before my very eyes. Fortunately, they have a lifetime guarantee, and I plan on sending these frickin' ingrates back immediately. In fact, this will be the second time I've done this and frankly, I think I'm going to head over to the hardware store and pick up another cast-iron skillet or two. The 10-inch we've had for years and years is the only truly non-stick pan we have. The pans above are only about five years old and look at them! Time for the trash heap of discarded pans and broken promises.
Of course, I've been uneasily wondering about all of the Teflon (updated link) we must have been ingesting in our dimly lit old kitchen and shudder at my bravado in posts past (here's a link). I am now truly humbled and hope the Teflon won't actually be the end of me--literally.
For those contemplating the switch to non-non-stick, here's a link to a great article on that very subject written by Marion Burros of the New York Times.
My two favorite pans are not non-stick. One is an All-Clad 10" sautee pan and the other a well seasoned 14" cast iron pan. Love them both. could not live without either. I also have an All-Clad non-stick that is about 10 years old that has seen better days but still gets the job done.
Posted by: zencamel | Tuesday, September 26, 2006 at 09:34 AM
Brandon, the exact same thing has happened to me! I am on my second 12 inch non-stick calphalon skillet since my wedding day 13 years ago. FYI, I return mine to Bed, Bath and Beyond. I'm due for a new one and am coming home with a "stick" not a "non stick" this time! :)
Posted by: katiebaron | Thursday, September 28, 2006 at 09:33 PM
I'm returning these suckers straight back to Calphalon--I'm not messing with a middleman!
Posted by: Brandon | Friday, September 29, 2006 at 08:38 AM
Brandon- You can call the Calphalon Consumer Relations department toll free @ 800.809.7267. They will provide you with instruction on how to return your cookware for warranty inspection. If the pans are found to be defective in materials and/ or workmanship, your cookware will be replaced with an identical item, or if the item is no longer available, with a similar product of equivalent value.
Posted by: Aimee | Monday, October 02, 2006 at 01:49 PM
I hope you don't have the "Commercial" grade Calphalon, because I just got a bargain on a 10" and a 12" nonstick skillet combo at Amazon.com and I'm hoping to see them last. I don't know about you all, but I would expect decent non-stick cookware to endure at least 4-5 years of use. The fact that the surface scratches easily is just a trade-off for the convenience of its non-stick qualities. Of course, I'll jump at any opportunity to cash in on a lifetime guarantee if need be.
Posted by: RVA Foodie | Wednesday, October 11, 2006 at 11:21 AM