KitchenAid Gourmet Essentials Hard Anodized Nonstick 12-piece Cookware Set

The process of anodizing a metal, like aluminum, has several benefits. First, anodizing the aluminum increases its resistance to corrosion and rust. This is a must for any type of cookware, as it prevents the cookware from wearing out and from reacting with food.

Second, anodizing increases the aluminum's surface hardness, meaning the cookware is more heavy-duty as well as scratch-resistant.

Third, anodizing improves the metal's adhesion. This allows a nonstick finish to be applied to make cooking and cleaning easier.

Hard-anodized aluminum combines the ideal heat conduction of aluminum with benefits of nonstick cookware, with a few extras thrown in to make the cookware highly usable. Like ply or clad cookware, anodizing is a process that alters the metal to keep the best characteristics and minimize the least useful ones.

"Best cookware we've had in years!" by customer Enrique Garza "Rick Garza"
5 Stars

Being a consumer reports junkie I noticed this cookware was not rated under the nonstick column so I relied on Amazon reviews and decided to purchase this set. My hats off to the people who have reviewed this item because the comments are very accurate and honest. I really love this Kitchen aid set for the following reasons:

1. It looks just amazing to have them shown, we have visitors complimenting the looks of the pans and then they see Kitchen Aid and say "wow". It's a good feeling.

2. The cooking is very fast and the burn is very even....amazing. I whipp up two eggs in under 3 minutes. The other day I cooked and omelette and upon flipping it over the cook diagragm was very evenly spaced and consistent. Again Amazing !!!

3. Most reviewers say it is easy to clean....that is so true!!! One quick clean with either a dish sponge or a simple rag will do the job.

3. The handles do not get warm even when warming up the pan. You can leave the pot warming and grab the handle with full confidence and you will not worry about the handle being warm.

4. The top glass is very stylish and durable. We accidentally dropped one and not a scratch.

5. The price with the special offer from Amazon brings this pot down to a very affordable price.

6. These pots are enough to cover your every day cooking needs. I believe they will also last at least over 5 years so I highly recommend them.

Again thanks to Amazon for just being Amazon, but people out there taking the time to input reviews, I want to thank you for the comments and reviews that lead me to believe there are good people still out there watching out for one another.

Amazon is just awesome in most areas, I hardly ever shop at ebay because of Amazon.

"Excellent for the Price" by customer CEG
4 Stars

I've owned more expensive cookware sets, but this moderately priced set from KitchenAid ranks with the best of them. All of my previous cookware was stainless steel or low-end aluminum, so I was not sure what to expect in terms of durability. However, this set has exceeded my expectations. The pans are wonderful to cook with, the non-stick coating beats anything I've tried before, the lids fit tightly, and the insulated handles make oven mitts unnecessary. I love how light the pans are -- even full they are easy to lift and pour from. One note of caution: The domed lids and upright lid handles mean these pans require a bit more storage space than other sets I've used.

"forget circulon or calphalon - these are great" by customer D. G Sinclair
5 Stars

I read lots of reviews on the other two major brands, and decided that circulon was out because of the rings on the bottom, and many of the lower end calphalons seemed to have peeling problems. I bought this set of kitchenaid pans, and both my wife and I absolutely love them. Easy to clean, cook very nicely, had them a year and no problems at all. Just remember, don't use metal on them, and don't put them in the diswasher.

The deep saucepan is awesome for lots of dishes. Very happy with this set.

"An Excellent Product for the Price!" by customer Robert S. Lohr
4 Stars

I purposely waited several months before writing a review for this cookware. I wanted to see how well it performed, lasted, and cleaned up. In short, I've been very impressed.

I was looking for a reasonably priced set of pots and pans to replace the stuff I bought piecemeal out of college, which was giving up the ghost after 25 years of service. The reviews I saw of the other cookware I was considering - Calphalon and Farberware - led me to believe that the quality of those brands has declined over the years. So I re-sorted my search by average review, and voila.

Heat transfer through the bottoms of the pans seems even, and so far I've seen no heat marks.

The non-stick coating has been just that, and cleans up with incredible ease. I originally thought I would never use the skillets instead of my well-seasoned cast iron ones, but I find myself using them more often than I could have imagined.

No, the pans aren't dishwasher-safe. But with the ease with which they clean, they don't need to be. Treat them with a little care and they will last a very long time.