The Kitchen Review > Cookware

Kirkland Costco Stainless Steel Tri-Ply 8.5 inch Fry Pan

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:44:14 MST

Brand & Type: Kirkland Costco Stainless Steel Tri-Ply 8.5 inch Fry Pan

Rating: high

Price: low, sold in a set

Description: 8.5 inch tri-ply stainless steel frying pan

Pros: stainless steel clad design, nice handle, solid construction

Cons: maybe a little small to fry a large steak

Conclusion: This 8.5 inch fry pan is from the Kirkland Costco 13 piece tri-ply stainless steel cookware set.

We have used many pans over the years, from Mauviel to All-Clad, and Kirkland's 8.5 inch fry pan from the set available from Costco compares very favorably. We tested this pan with a small steak and it heated up pretty quick, seared very well and retained the heat through cooking very well.

Although this size pan is not as useful as a 10 or 12 inch frying pan you could always use this size for sauces or caramelizing onions or pearls onions for a steak sauce.

Kirkland Costco Stainless Steel Tri-Ply 11 inch Everyday Pan with Lid

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:58:44 MST

Brand & Type: Kirkland Costco Stainless Steel Tri-Ply 11 inch Everyday Pan with Lid

Rating: high

Price: low, sold in a set

Description: 11 inch fry-type pan tri-ply stainless steel with lid

Pros: stainless steel clad design, nice dual handles, solid construction

Cons: none, may not be useful for some kitchens

Conclusion: This 11 inch Everyday Pan is from the Kirkland Costco 13 piece tri-ply stainless steel cookware set.

Right off the bat this pan looks great. The dual handles, excellent finish and lid make it perfect for a sleek modern kitchen or a 5 star restaurant. At first we were not sure exactly how useful this pan would be but once you use it you will love it.

We sauteed fresh green beans during testing and as with each of the Costco Kirkland tri-ply pieces the heat was quick and even. What is also great about this piece is that at 11 inches it is pretty large to make at least 2-3 good sized steaks or an apple crumble, and then bring it right to the table. Not too many serving dishes will look as good as this piece. And all "Clad" designs work under the broiler as well as in just about any oven temperature.

There are really no "cons" to speak of, only that you might have to learn to cook a few more dishes to appreciate this pan.

Kirkland Costco Stainless Steel Tri-Ply 3 quart Sauce Pot with lid

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 11:12:57 MST

Brand & Type: Kirkland Costco Stainless Steel Tri-Ply 3 quart Sauce Pot with lid & steamer insert

Rating: high

Price: low, sold in a set

Description: 3 quart tri-ply stainless steel sauce pot with lid

Pros: widebase, high sides, stainless steel clad design, stainless steel lid, 3 quart size, steamer insert

Cons: none

Conclusion: This 3 quart sauce pot is from the Kirkland Costco 13 piece tri-ply stainless steel cookware set.

There is not much to criticize about this pot. It is certainly worth the $140 All Clad is asking for their 2 quart. Not everyone needs this size but it is perfect for making mashed potatoes, rice (you could easily make 2 1/2 cups in it) or any complete meal for 2 - 3 people.

We tried the steamer insert for broccoli and it worked fine. I do not think it is a big reason to buy the pot or the set but it is very well made and fits tight.

Testing

When we make candy we have always looked to the All Clad 2 quart pot. I think we now have a replacement that is a fraction of the cost, and it is larger.

Candy making is a good test to perform on a pot. The high heat and long cooking time will make or break a junk pot. You can easily burn sugar, and if the pot is not heating even enough or is too thin then you will have a mess to clean.

We tried making a double batch of salted caramels and sour cream fudge. The 3 quart size is great for larger amounts of candy. The wide bottom, high sides and no lip is perfect for attaching a thermometer and evenly cooking sugars at high temperatures.

The thing we watched out for is heat control. If you take your time and don't put the heat up too high your candy will come out perfect. In the end the candy came out great and the cleanup was simple.

Kirkland Costco Stainless Steel Tri-Ply 1.5 Quart Saucepan

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:36:17 MST

Brand & Type: Kirkland Costco Stainless Steel Tri-Ply 1.5 Quart Saucepan with Lid

Rating: high

Price: low, sold in a set

Description: 1 1/2 quart sauce pan tri-ply stainless steel with lid

Pros: stainless steel clad design, nice handle, solid construction

Cons: none

Conclusion: This 1 1/2 quart sauce pot is from the Kirkland Costco 13 piece tri-ply stainless steel cookware set.

We have a few 1 quart sauce pans around for boiling water, heating up soup, boiling berries with sugar and a whole range of uses. This 1 1/2 quart from Costco is even better with its high sides, absence of an annoying lip and tight stainless steel lid. Lately we have not needed it too much but going by how much we really like the rest of the Costco tri-ply stainless set there is not much reason not to want this piece.

All the handles in this set are great, the cleanup is easy and the quality seems top notch.

Kirkland Costco Stainless Steel Tri-Ply 4 Quart Sauce Pan with Lid

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:38:33 MST

Brand & Type: Kirkland Costco Stainless Steel Tri-Ply 4 quart Covered sauté pan with lid

Rating: high

Price: low, sold in a set

Description: 4 quart tri-ply stainless steel sauce pan with lid

Pros: widebase, high sides, stainless steel clad design, stainless steel lid, 4 quart size, helper handle

Cons: none

Conclusion: This 4 quart sauce pan is from the Kirkland Costco 13 piece tri-ply stainless steel cookware set.

A quick view of this pan shows its positive qualities. It is pretty large and has straight sides, no lip, a stainless steel lid and a helper handle. The handle is also very comfortable and wider than most of the clad-competitors on the market.

For the money we can't think of a better pan. We like the 4 quart size much better than the 3 quart that All Clad (~ $170) offers, and since there is no lip placing a thermometer on the pan is much easier.

Testing

We tested the pan while making chicken parmesan. Over medium-high heat it came up to temperature pretty quick since it has an aluminum core sandwiched between layers of stainless steel.

While browning the chicken breasts there were no hot spots, and it sauteed well, and even though we removed and added more chicken the pan retained heat and did not burn. Browning was very even, and the 4 quart size is large enough to accomodate 4 - 5 chicken breasts. A nice feature is the helper handle, and it comes in handy with a heavy full pot of chicken and pasta.

Costco Kirkland 8 Quart Tri-Ply Clad Stock Pot Dutch Oven

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:12:22 MST

Brand & Type: Costco Kirkland 8 Quart Tri-Ply Clad Stock Pot Dutch Oven

Rating: high

Price: low, sold in a set

Description: 8 quart tri-ply clad dutch oven, stock pot with lid

Pros: widebase, high sides, stainless steel clad design, great stainless steel lid

Cons: none

Conclusion: We came across a set of tri-ply clad cookware in Costco and decided to give it a try. One of the big reasons we thought the set was a great deal was this 8 quart dutch oven. The entire set was $200 and includes 13 pieces.

The design of this 8 quart stock pot is really great for making stews, soups and chili. This is not exactly a soup pot since the base is relatively wide and the sides are not as high as a true soup pot. All Clad has an 8 quart dutch oven that is similar but the sides are lower, more like a dutch oven than a stock pot, but the price is much higher. The set also includes lids that fit tight and they are all stainless steel, which we like much better than tempered glass.

Testing the stock pot

We decided to test this pot with a batch of french onion soup. That way we could see if there were any hot spots over the long cooking period.

How To Make French Onion Soup

We started with 10 large onions, ~ 7 1/2 pounds with about 4 tablespoons of butter, a little salt and pepper.

first image 2:45 pm

The pot was perfect, no hot spots and the onion caramelized without any problem.

second image 4:00 pm

third image 4:47 pm

fourth image 5:00 pm

fifth image 5:15 pm

Kirkland Costco Tri Ply Clad 13 piece Cookware Set

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:45:20 MST

Brand & Type: Kirkland Costco Tri Ply Clad 13 piece Cookware Set

Price: low, around $200

Rating: high

Description: 13 piece clad cookware set, includes:

Pros: clad construction, many pieces, great price, lids fit various pieces

Cons: wish the set included a 12 inch fry pan

Conclusion: This set just proves that great cookware does not have to cost $260 for an 8 quart stock pot. We came across this set while looking around Costco and were very surprised to find something that we liked. Most of the cookware sets they carry are lower quality, either non-stick or lightweight and flimsy.

While we have not directly used or tested the set it was heavy and strudy. (see update) Feels more like Viking cookware than All Clad, since it seems a little thicker than All Clad. Other than the lack of a 12 inch frying pan we really like the inclusion of an 8 quart stock pot/dutch oven.

The 8.5 inch pan is a little small but all the pieces have a great feel and the handles were very comfortable. We really liked the stainless steel lids, too often Calphalon includes glass lids with their pieces.

For $200 this set is really very well made and should perform perfectly. Consider that Viking or All Clad has single pieces that are more expensive than this entire set and from a visual inspection are hard to differentiate.

Update: We recently purchased this set and have been testing the pans for a few weeks now - excellent design, comfortable handles and solid construction.

Cuisinart 4 Quart Multi Clad Pro Sauce Pan

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:31:58 MST

Brand & Type: Cuisinart 4 Quart Multi Clad Pro Sauce Pan

Price range: medium, around $70

Rating: 9

Description: 4 Quart stainless steel sauce clad pan

Pros: stainless steel lid, tri-ply clad design, good size

Cons: none.

Conclusion: Cuisinart makes a nice line of cookware but we usually stay away from pans that have a sandwich bottom layer. But this new line of Multi Clad pots and pans are really nice. They have a clad construction, which means that a layer of aluminium is sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel creating a nice finish and even heating. This 4 quart is a really good deal at $70 since many other brands in this size can be more than twice the price. All Clad has a competitor here. We like this size a lot, it is large and holds enough for a good sized soup or to caramelize a lot of onions.

Cuisinart 3 Quart Multi Clad Pro Sauce Pan

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:29:23 MST

Brand & Type: Cuisinart 3 Quart Multi Clad Pro Sauce Pan

Price range: medium, around $45

Rating: 9

Description: 3 Quart stainless steel sauce clad pan

Pros: stainless steel lid, tri-ply clad design, good size

Cons: none.

Conclusion: Cuisinart makes a nice line of cookware but we usually stay away from pans that have a sandwich bottom layer. But this new line of Multi Clad pots and pans are really nice. They have a clad construction, which means that a layer of aluminium is sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel creating a nice finish and even heating. This 3 quart is a really good deal at $45 and it is useful to have around. All Clad has a competitor here. We like this size more than we realized, since before we mostly used a 2 quart for the same jobs.

Cuisinart 2 Quart Multi Clad Pro Sauce Pan

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:27:39 MST

Brand & Type: Cuisinart 2 Quart Multi Clad Pro Sauce Pan

Price range: medium, around $30

Rating: 9

Description: 2 Quart stainless steel sauce clad pan

Pros: stainless steel lid, tri-ply clad design

Cons: none.

Conclusion: Cuisinart makes a nice line of cookware but we usually stay away from pans that have a sandwich bottom layer. But this new line of Multi Clad pots and pans are really nice. They have a clad construction, which means that a layer of aluminium is sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel creating a nice finish and even heating. This 2 quart is a really good deal at $30 and it is useful to have around. All Clad has a competitor here.

Cuisinart 1.5 Quart Multi Clad Pro Sauce Pan

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:26:09 MST

Brand & Type: Cuisinart 1.5 Quart Multi Clad Pro Sauce Pan

Price range: medium, around $20

Rating: 9

Description: 1.5 Quart stainless steel sauce clad pan

Pros: stainless steel lid, tri-ply clad design

Cons: none.

Conclusion: Cuisinart makes a nice line of cookware but we usually stay away from pans that have a sandwich bottom layer. But this new line of Multi Clad pots and pans are really nice. They have a clad construction, which means that a layer of aluminium is sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel creating a nice finish and even heating. This 1 1/2 quart is a really good deal at $20 and it is useful to have around. All Clad has a competitor here.

Cuisinart 4 Quart Chef's Classic Sauce Pan

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:11:46 MST

Brand & Type: Cuisinart 4 Quart Chef's Classic Sauce Pan

Price range: medium, around $60

Rating: 6

Description: 4 Quart stainless steel sauce pan

Pros: stainless steel.

Cons: sandwich base.

Conclusion: Cuisinart makes a nice line of cookware but we usually stay away from pans that have a sandwich bottom layer. They tend to have thick bottoms and retain heat well but because the metal is not even up the sides there can be hot spots. Also when the bottom is very thick it can take 5 - 8 minutes to heat the pan up.

This 4 quart pot/pan is a nice size item but the bottom ruins it for us.

Cuisinart 3 Quart Chef's Classic Sauce Pan

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:10:18 MST

Brand & Type: Cuisinart 3 Quart Chef's Classic Sauce Pan

Price range: medium, around $20

Rating: 6

Description: 3 Quart stainless steel sauce pan

Pros: stainless steel.

Cons: sandwich base.

This 2 quart pot/pan is a nice item but the bottom ruins it for us.

Cuisinart 2 Quart Chef's Classic Sauce Pan with Lid

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:00:57 MST

Brand & Type: Cuisinart 2 Quart Chef's Classic Sauce Pan with Lid

Price range: medium, around $40

Rating: 6

Description: 2 Quart stainless steel sauce pan

Pros: comes with lid.

Cons: sandwich base. small size.

This 2 quart pot/pan is a nice item but the bottom ruins it for us.

Cuisinart 5 1/2 Quart Chef's Classic Stainless Saute Pan with Helper Handle and Cover

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:51:38 MST

Brand & Type: Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless 5-1/2-Quart Saute Pan with Helper Handle and Cover

Price range: medium, around $60

Rating: 8

Description: 5 1/2 Quart stainless steel saute pan

Pros: good size. lid. helper handle.

Cons: sandwich base.