Calphalon Compliments 8-Quart Multi Pot Set

I saw a Calphalon multi-pot set at Williams & Sonoma and thought I was ordering the same one. Turns out this is made in China and not the US. Having seen this, I now realize that Calphalon has different quality/grade lines. The inferior quality in construction and design is readily apparent. For example, the steamer uses two wire handles instead of one which makes getting things in and out of the steamer more difficult. Moreover, the price was not significantly different than the higher model. If I had known or seen this particular beforehand, I would not have purchased it.

We love this pot with the inserts. We use it for pastas, soups, stews, gumbos, you name it! We don't use the smaller insert very often but we do sometimes steam broccoli in it (mostly we steam in the microwave since it is faster). It is the perfect size for a large soup for a family of 4 (with lots of leftovers). I love that spaghetti sauce etc. has room to boil so no mess on the stove.

Many of my cooking ware is Calphalon and All-Clad. This is such a great product to boil and steam foods. The collander baskets do you a great service of draining the water or keeping the water away from your steamed foods. Be careful not to let the lid get wet and create a seal around the rim of the pot. The steam won't escape and could cause a build-up of pressure inside that can be dangerous.

I made the same mistake that a lot of other people made by using the steamer to cook spaghetti. Once I figured out how to use it, I was very satisfied with it. It is much better than the pot that has the strainer in the lid that this replaced. This is a very versatile product and you won't be disappointed.

The steamer works great. It is very durable. The 2 basket sizes come in handle. The only bad thing is it is not dishwasher safe, so it kind of a pain to wash the baskets.