Product Description Bringing the Good Life HomeInspired by the great French kitchens, Cuisinart began making professional cookware over 30 years ago. Constructed of the finest materials available, to perfectly perform all of the classic cooking techniques. Designed to last a lifetime, Cuisinart cookware makes family meals memorable and entertaining a pleasure. Savor the good life right at home, with family and friends. Cuisinart makes it absolutely delicious.Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless is an investment that will prove its worth every time you use it. Exclusively designed aluminum encapsulated base provides superior heat conductivity and even heat distribution to meet the demands of gourmet chefs everywhere. When properly cared for, your Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless Cookware will give countless years of service and pleasure. Follow the use and care suggestions in this leaflet to preserve and maintain the cookware’s original beauty.Whether you’re a serious gourmet, a regular entertainer, or cooking for the family, this multi-purpose pan makes it easy to prepare a variety of one-dish meals, from mixed vegetables and poultry to hearty soups or stews.What’s in the Box A 5-1/2-quart multi-purpose pan and clear glass lid.Product FeaturesUnsurpassed Heat Distribution Pure aluminum encapsulated base heats quickly and spreads heat evenly. Eliminates hot spots. The Coolest Touch in Home Cooking Cast stainless steel Cool Grip stick handles are contoured for a secure grip and designed to stay cool on the stovetop. Superior Cooking Surface Stainless steel cooking surface does not discolor, react with food, or alter flavors. Perfect Balance Riveted stainless steel handles, including side grips and helper handles, are professionally riveted to ensure a lifetime of perfect balance. Flavor Lock Lid Tight-fitting stainless steel lids fit tight to lock in flavor, texture and nutrients. Wide, easy grip handles. Drip-Free Pouring Rims of cookware are tapered to make pouring clean and easy. Versatile Performance Oven safe to 550°F. Cook on stovetop, in oven, or under broiler. Freezer safe for easy food storage. Dishwasher Safe Brilliant stainless steel comes out of the dishwasher looking like new. Brand Story By
| Asin | B000ND5CAM |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 12.99"D x 5.71"W x 11.02"H |
| Weight | 4.4 Pounds |
| Manufacturer | Cuisinart |
MoonOverGeorgia –
The Cuisinart 5-1/2 Quart Multi-Purpose pot is the right pan for just about anything. I admit I was a bit sceptical when I first opened the pot. It is much lighter in weight than I expected but has a unique shape and is very beautiful to look at and serve from. The sides are much thinner than I would like but the bottom of the pan is thick and heats evenly.
The pot is perfect for deep frying, roasting, or cooking a pot of soup or chilli. Since the weather had turned really cool, chilli was the first dish I prepared in this pan. I cooked the meat and onions and then added beans, salsa, tomatoes and seasoning’s. I cook over a gas stove and didn’t want to overheat or stain the bottom of the pan so I used a Heat Diffuser Rangetop 99134 to keep the chilli simmering without sticking and scorching. If you do not have one of these and are considering purchasing this pan I highly recommend you add one to your order-they are well worth the few dollars to retain the beauty of your pan as well as allowing your food to cook without having to stand over it and stir constantly. The pot was almost full and the handles remained cool to the touch while cooking and when moving to the table.
After simmering for 1-2 hours, serving and allowing the remaining chilli to cool it was time to find out how difficult or easy it would be to clean. Clean-up was a breeze. I ran hot water into the pan and all the remaining food rinsed clean, no sticking, no stains, no spots, no scrubbing necessary; towel dry and it looked just as good as it did when it came out of the box.
I am so happy with my decision to purchase this pot. The price is unbeatable and the uses are endless. I can easily see this becoming my go to pan for everyday cooking.
Grahm –
This is the pot after boiling water with white vinegar, then also I did pan fry chicken after, there was white cast after wash, (forgot to take photo) then I just rinse it with vinegar and that’s what it look like very shiny, the pot was ended light for it size, but I like it perfect for pasta,soup, and other dishes good for family 3 or 4, hope it last longer hoping they make multiclad same as this size,
MSW –
Whether or not you will like this unusual pot as much as I do depends on your needs and expectations.
What I like about this pot:
I like the gently rounded shape and attractive double handles (looks much better on the table or the sideboard then a regular pot); the very useful size; the even heating; and the easy cleanability. I cook every day, and I find myself reaching for this pot often lately to make soup (about five to six servings); to boil a perfect pound of pasta, then to use the same pot to toss the drained pasta with sauce, and then to serve directly from this attractive pot (fewer dishes to wash!); and to make popcorn (as others have pointed out, the size and shape of this pot are ideal for popping popcorn without burning). I also like that this is a more lightweight alternative to my enameled cast-iron Le Creuset vessel of around the same size. This Cuisinart pot comes in handy when I don’t need the insulating properties of the heavier, harder to clean Le Crueset pot. I should also note that although the unusual, rounded shape of this pot concerned me a bit before I ordered this item – I was concerned about its stability on my large cast iron burners — I have found the pot to be very stable on the stove and on the sideboard.
What you may not like about this pot:
It is not particularly heavy, although the bottom is well clad, and I have not found burning to be a problem as long as you regulate the heat appropriately for stainless steel. However, if you are looking for a heavyweight stainless steel pot, this isn’t it. Also: if you use a hand blender to purée your soups, the curved lower sides of this pot will make it a little harder to purée every single drop (but a few extra seconds of tilting and blending will get the job done). And, as with all stainless steel, it will take a bit of elbow grease or barkeeper’s friend to get every single spot off the metal. Spots don’t particularly bother me these days, as almost all of my cookware is old now and has a beaten up, well loved look. But it might bother you to do the extra polishing if you want the piece to look pristine forever.
Good luck with your decision.
Izzy Smith –
I have a whole cuisinart stainless steel set that I use daily. My husband and I both cook frequently. I wanted another big pot and this one is perfect. Both of us reach for this pan everyday. Cleans well too!
JIAN –
great for a lot of applications, soup, pot roast and stir fry
Red Teapot –
To think I almost didn’t buy this pot! After reading some of the reviews in which people mentioned that it was too lightweight, I almost didn’t buy it. I decided to give it a try, and I absolutely love it!
First of all, it’s just lovely on the stove. I appreciate the rounded bottom, which does make it super easy to scrape contents into another container.
As far as how heavy it is—if you’re used to using the Cuisinart chef’s series, this will not be a disappointment at all. I find it to be a good and comfortable weight. It’s not a bit too light. The lid is heavy. The pot can be used in oven up to 450 degrees, but the lid can only be used up to 350. This size is perfect to have around for family meals. Great for pasta, soups, etc., and is a perfect size for a large chicken.
Clean up is easy. If you do have anything to stick to the bottom, soaking with hot water and some dish soap for 10-15 minutes is usually plenty to easily wipe out the cooked-on food. If you do this, you will never need to use any abrasive pads to clean.
This pot would make an excellent gift for anyone who loves to cook for a crowd.
RiverOfMay –
I purchased this pot about three months ago–and have used it almost daily since!
It has so many virtues… the size is perfect (we are two, but have used the pot to make enough to bring to pot lucks and so on and it’s pretty enough to serve from).
The glass cover is a boon (helps to actually see what one is cooking and sometimes you don’t want to lift the lid)–and is a comfortable weight. In fact, the pot with lid is a great weight! All those years schlepping Le Creuset, it’s very nice now to wield a non-cast iron pot.
The rounded rim makes pouring so simple and mess-free (and with a glass-top range that’s a big consideration).
Its versatility is mind-bending. Yes, popcorn, soups, stews, chilis, etc. But what I love is that because of its tall sides and quick-heat, constant temperature, I can brown poultry and so on–with no spatter to clean up!
I use this pot to fry eggs… spray first with Pam or some release agent, heat, add eggs, cook to taste, and slide them on out. I do two at a time, over easy.
If that’s not enough, clean up is a breeze!
Not had a problem with black specks, nor do I anticipate any: I read the small manual re care and use! *grin*
Got it for $19.99 at Sears. Watch the circulars. We bought two, one for my brother. The price here used to be $24.95, but I think–if you are budget-buying–you can find it for less. Check out chefs.com, too. $24.95.
I had no particular expectations beyond getting a Cuisinart pot at an awesome price! This is the go-to vessel in my kitchen! How ever did I live without it??? Try it; you’ll like it!
naturalmama –
I have mixed feelings about this pot. On the one hand, I like the quality construction, the glass lid (which seals very well), and the shape. This is my second item in the Chef’s Classic line.
There are a couple of things about this pot that I don’t like, and they are big ones, so that’s why I knocked off two stars (meaning I think this pot is just ok, not great and not awful). First, it takes FOREVER for water to boil. Not forever as in 10 minutes, but more like 45 minutes. You’re not supposed to use this pan on high heat, so that’s at a 6 on my stove, which is the highest I ever turn it up with stainless steel. Second, the base of this pan is significantly smaller than that of a stockpot, which makes it hard to use on the larger burners on my glass top stove. I believe the measurement is in the product description, so that’s my fault for not measuring the burner, but I think it’s annoying regardless.
I guess I would say that if you have to cook something in a hurry, or if you just want it for things like boiling pasta, then keep looking. If you want to use it more like a slow cooker or have a lot of time to spend standing over it and waiting for the contents to get hot, then this is the pan for you. In my kitchen, it will probably only be used for anything that needs to simmer for a couple of hours. I wish I would have sprung for the Multiclad Pro or Calphalon Tri-Ply stock pot instead, even though they are 4-5x the price.
Update 6/20/13: I came back to add a star. Since I had decided I didn’t like this pan at all, I started using it in ways I wouldn’t normally use my cookware. I used a metal whisk in it. I even used a metal hand blender in it. Honestly, I was kind of hoping to destroy it so I could get it out of my house, but it has held up. It has a few scratches on the bottom now, but they seem to be only cosmetic. I have used it as a large mixing bowl for double batches of muffins, and as a popcorn bowl for our air popper (it works great for this because of the large circumference of the top). In terms of cooking, I mostly use it for soup now. If I make something like potatoes in it, I just start them well ahead of when I think I need to. For something I was really disappointed in at first, this has turned out to be a pretty great little pan.
Update 1/9/16: Three years in, I love this pan and have upgraded it to five stars. Shortly after I wrote the original review, I did go out and buy a Multiclad Pro stock pot. It’s beautiful and a great investment, but do you know which pot I reach for almost every time? This one. It’s a workhorse, and it has held up well to almost daily use. If something happened to this pot, I would buy another one in a heartbeat…but at this rate, I’m pretty sure it will last forever.
The Shopinator –
I’ve made pasta in it, large batches of sauces, stews, tossed salads in it (pretty easy with the lid on, which has a lip going down into the pot)and found this a good shape overall for many things. I now have three pans in different sizes in this Chef’s shape from Cuisinart, in addition to a slew of standard pieces, and find myself reaching for these the most, other than the 8″ fry for mushrooms, onions, etc.
This is very adaptable and useful pot, does many different things, looks cool, doesn’t have a long handle to get in the way of your other pans and is a snap to clean, just like any good Stainless Steel is. Not too heavy, either, which is nice if you have mobility or pain issues with your hands.
Seems well made, like all their stuff, the glass lid, a departure for them, lets you see your work without releasing vital moisture, and can provide “waterless” cooking quality seal… there is no vent, which is good if you know what you’re doing, not so good if you don’t. The lid is domed enough to return condensate to the sides of the dish, which helps cut crusting and sticking, and keeps things most.
I don’t eat meat, but you should be able to do a small chicken or cornish hens in here and have that come out very very moist.
AS WITH ANY STAINLESS COOKWARE, a couple notes: keep the heat LOWER than you’re used to with aluminum and other materials. Steel is fast. Keep the food moving. That is normal in any pan, but with stainless, heat transfers quickly, so keep it moving and pay attention to how fast it’s searing: you save time and energy with Stainless. Lastly, let is soak before cleaning, usually the duration of your actual dining is quite sufficient and I have never yet needed anything more aggressive than a Dobie Pad or other NYLON scrubby.
ALWAYS season new Stainless cookware. Keep it seasoned: this means trying to NOT use soap on the inside, but to use only very hot water and the nylon scrubby or a sponge. It’s safe, natural and after several times of cooking, will be as good as teflon but smoother.
Use ONLY a sponge on the outside if you can, so you don’t scratch the nice finish. This is a good shape, looks like you know what you’re doing, even if you’re still learning, and should last a long time with a little care.
It cooks evenly, quickly, works great. As with any disk/encapsulate cookware, do NOT let the flames from your burner exceed the width of the disc, and don’t use it on an electric that is wider than the disc. That’s one sure way to mess up or maintain the overall look of your lovely Cuisinart Stainless.
It’s always on sale for pretty attractive price on Amazon, so… get one! Believe me, you’ll use it, even if you have no other Cuisinart Stainless encapsulated Chef’s Classic cookware. This is useful.
Amazon Customer –
I bought to replace the previous exact pot with lid. So… Don’t do what I did. I dropped the lid which broke. I turned heat on high which scorched the finish on pot bottom. Had the old pot several years, and got a lot of use from it.
It is a good product. Used it for making chili, spaghetti sauce, soup, large batches of greens. Old one is still useable, but new price is fair…. I bought new. Have recommended to friends. They bought also.