Product Review: Anolon Cookware

The Ranting Chef does not get paid or receive any revenue from manufactures or retailers of products reviewed. I occasionally receive products that I am asked to use and see what I think. I take a look, try them out and tell you all about them.

Recently, I was able to cover the 2014 International Home and Housewares show in Chicago as a media representative from the blogging community. While there I was able to spend some time at a number of booths and see some really interesting products. This product was being displayed at the show.

I received a rather large box the other day.

In the box was three pieces of Anolon’s Nouvelle Copper cookware (and two lids). Included was the 12″ skillet, the 3 qt covered Saute Pan and the 4 qt covered casserole.

Anolon Nouvelle Copper boasts hard anodized construction and a double full cap base comprised of a copper core and layered aluminum, encapsulated in magnetized stainless steel.

The copper and aluminum provide excellent heat conduction, and the magnetized stainless steel is suitable for all cooktops. These pieces have some heft to them, which I find really appealing.

Cast stainless steel handles are oven safe to 500°F and the stainless steel lids lock in heat and flavor.

This line of Anolon cookware has a nonstick coating. Non-stick coatings offer excellent food release and easy cleaning. In this line the cookware, unlike much of the non-stick cookware out there is metal utensil safe.

The lids are a shiny stainless and while they look great, I had gotten used to a glass lid where I could see inside. The lids are much lighter than the glass ones. The 3 qt covered casserole was the perfect size for a pork and fennel ragout I made the other day.

 The 3 qt saute pan is a moderately sized pan, but is rather deep.

For those dishes where you build the dish in the pan and you find more and more inside it is great to have the depth.

I really like the the 12″ skillet. It is big enough to fit four chicken breasts and has a nice gradual edge so it is easier to get your spatula inside. The gradual side also allows you the ability to push already cooked items (like diced onions) to the edge and part of the way up the side, to both free up prime space and to slow down the cooking.

There is a lot of debate out there about standard or non-stick cookware. While I can appreciate the advantages of the standard, the non-stick is perfect for the daily home cook. By reducing or eliminating many oils and butter, you can make healthier dishes and the clean up time (less scrubbing and scraping) is invaluable. With Anolon’s non-stick coating, you can even use metal utensils inside. 

My take:What’s not to love about Anolon’s Nouvelle Copper cookware? The pans are sturdy, provide a very temperature distribution over the cooking surface, and look great in the kitchen. They are suitable for standard or induction cooktops. I hate when I am in the middle of a recipe and have to determine if my pan is safe in the oven. No worries here as they are oven safe up to 500 degrees. They are easy to clean and make a great addition to your kitchen. You can purchase Anolon at a variety of retailers or online here.