Calphalon Review: Cookware Sets

Calphalon is a major producer of cookware, bakeware, cutlery, and appliances. The company was founded in 1963 by Ronald M. Kasperzak under the name Commercial Aluminum Cookware. Calphalon first supplied the restaurant industry and other professional food services before expanding to products for the home chef. Like some rival companies, Calphalon claims to have invented hard-anodized aluminum cookware in 1968 using a process from the aerospace industry that makes cookware more durable and resistant to corrosion. Kasperzak called this invention "Calphalon", hence the new name of the company as of 1992.

Sort through 117 choices

The cookware collection from Calphalon includes 117 options. Some of these are sold as individual pieces, others have between 2 and 15 pieces in a set. Customers can sort the options by material, type, ratings, special features (stackable, induction-compatible, metal utensil safe, oil-infused, silicon handles, no boil-over inserts), price, set size, capacity, handle material, and use and care.

Sign up for emails and save

Calphalon provides customers with a 20% off coupon for their first purchase of a 10% off code for a future purchase when you sign up for their email list. If you also give your phone number, you'll get 25% off your first purchase. Not bad! The least expensive thing you can buy from Calphalon is a hard-anodized non-stick 8-inch fry pan for $36.99 and the most expensive is a signature 10-piece non-stick set with two frying pans, two covered saucepans, a saute pan, and a stockpot for $729.99. This particular set has been featured by Good Housekeeping as the best overall non-stick cookware.

Well-liked stainless steel options

We like that all the products from Calphalon have customer reviews. Interestingly, the most expensive signature 10-piece set doesn't have great reviews, so even though it was featured by a popular media outlet, quite a few people are disappointed that the non-stick surface seems to wear off quickly even with wooden or plastic utensils and non-stick spray. Their best-selling cookware sets actually aren't made of Calphalon's "revolutionary" non-stick coatings. Rather, they are all made of stainless steel. There's a popular 10- and 13-piece set, and a space-saving set of 10 where all the fry pans, sauce pans, saute pan, and stock pot nicely stack on each other.

60-day return policy

Customers will get free standard shipping if they spend over $100 at Calphalon. Some companies offer free shipping on purchases worth much less than this, but if you're getting a full cookware set here, you should be able to meet this benchmark. Plus, you could always add on some bakeware or kitchen and cutlery tools from Calphalon as well. If you need to return anything you purchased (as long as it's unused), you can send it back within 60 days for a full refund, less shipping and handling.

10-year and lifetime warranties

All cookware purchased from Calphalon comes with a lifetime warranty, except the Select by Calphalon and Calphalon Simply line, which instead has a 10-year warranty. You can submit a warranty claim on Calphalon's website or give them a call. You'll need proof of purchase for your product and will be asked to upload photos of the issues you're submitting a claim about. The warranty on Calphalon products only covers manufacturing defects, not problems related to consumer misuse.

Less than ideal customer ratings

The Better Business Bureau doesn't have a listing for Calphalon, so they aren't rated at all. Again, we would heavily rely on what customers say about individual products listed on the website when choosing a cookware set here. However, some third-party sites have opinions from buyers who are mostly disgruntled with Calphalon. Some say that the quality is poor and even after gentle care, the pans scratch and quickly show wear. Some people have had major issues trying to return their products and even warranty claims were denied when they shouldn't have been. The overall feedback from customers about Calphalon is concerning.

Not a top contender

When we take the product reviews and third-party customer reviews into account, Calphalon doesn't stack up against their competition. They don't have sky high reviews or a long list of happy customers who repeatedly buy from this company. This is a red flag for us, so Calphalon-brand cookware sets aren't ones we can recommend.

On the Calphalon website