Circulon vs. Calphalon: What is the difference?
Trying to pick the right cookware for any kitchen can be a daunting challenge. Once you’ve narrowed it down, it makes it a lot easier to compare two brands take Circulon and Calphalon. Both of these are great Brands, but which one is better? This article will compare Circulon vs. Calphalon and show you which is the better cookware to buy.
Circulon Cookware
The nice thing with Circulon cookware is that it has a variety of options. They were the pioneers in this area and brought non-stick cookware to the masses. For more on Circulon, see our Circulon Cookware Reviews.
They use a hard-anodized aluminum nonstick coating on their pans with a triple-layer nonstick coating to reduce surface abrasions (something I wish the Blue Diamond pans had as they chipped almost immediately read our Blue Diamond pan review here). This all helps make cooking easier and is better for evenly distributing the heat in a pan.
We all know the benefits of having a great non-stick coating on a pan. They’re easier to clean, and they release food more naturally when cooking with them (there’s nothing worse than an egg yolk breaking because it’s stuck to the pan). I have seen these in Costco, and they still look great. I’m a big fan of the double-riveted stainless steel handles. They look so much nicer.
By using aluminum in their cookware, it allows for a better, more even heat distribution. They have these circles that protect the surface area from scratching. This makes a huge difference in cooking because you can get a more even cook through your food while not worrying about damaging the pan itself. Another plus is their tempered glass lids are oven safe up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bottom line: They’re the original non-stick cookware makers and have been making great products for the last 30 years.
Circulon brands
There is a wide range of brands that are offered and designed to suit everyone’s budget.
- Acclaim
- Classic
- Contempo
- Elementum
- Elite
- Espree
- Genesis
- Infinite
- Innovate
- Momentum
- Premier professional
- Radiance non-stick cookware
- Symmetry
- Optimum
As you can see, there are a lot of brands to choose from; when you are looking for nonstick cookware, they have you covered.
Circulon warranty
Circulon has a hassle-free lifetime warranty on their products to be free of defects in materials and workmanship under normal household use.
They boast that their non-stick can last 15 times longer than the competition (this is on their Symmetry, Momentum, and Elementum lines); their other lines claim to last 10 times longer.
Calphalon
The nice thing with Calphalon cookware is that they make a variety of different options. Its Calphalon makes it. We’ve explored Calphalon before in our Calphalon knives review, and they do make quality kitchen products ( you can read our full Calphalon cookware reviews here).
Their cookware lines have several different materials, including ceramic cookware, copper, non-stick, infused anodized aluminum, stainless steel, and enamel cast iron.
The handles are varied as well with 3 different types of steel (normal, brushed stainless steel, polished stainless steel) and also a silicone handle option.
One thing that strikes me right away is that Calphalon has a lot of variety in their cookware which gives you more choices. This is a big plus for this cookware maker.
Like ceramic cookware? Check out our Xtrema Ceramic Cookware Reviews
Product lines
Calphalon also has several product lines. They are made from different materials and priced for new home chefs and veterans alike.
- Calphalon Williams-Sonoma Elite
- Classic
- Contemporary
- Premier
- Premier Space Saving
- Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron
- Signature
- Select
- Select by Calphalon Space Saving
- Simply Calphalon
Warranty
Some of their products have a lifetime warranty, and others have a 10-year warranty.
Which is better: Circulon vs. Calphalon?
If you’re comparing Circulon versus Calphalon, it’s likely that you are most interested in the different nonstick cookware. To get a better idea of which one is better, we need to compare the different features of the brands to get a better feeling of which one is best.
Price
This one is a toss-up and honestly largely dependent on your budget. Both cookware sets and pieces come in a variety of price ranges. They have set their products up to suit the average homeowner all the way up to some higher-end brands.
Verdict: Tie
Oven safe
Both of them can be used in the oven. The big difference is temperature: with Circulon, you can only use the cookware up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (some did go as high as 500 F ). whereas the Calphalon cookware is oven safe and can go as high as 500 degrees F though several were at 450 F. while you may not have a need to go as high as 500 degrees Fahrenheit and much of your cooking wanting to the ability to use it clearly signifies that Calphalon is the winner in this category.
Verdict: Winner – Calphalon
Design and overall look
Looking at both of these brands, it’s hard to pick one which is better. Mostly because of personal preference.
They both have invested significant amounts of design into their products, and they both look fantastic. However, your personal preference may be different than mine. I prefer the look of the Circulon cookware, but you disagree with me, we can still be friends.
Another thing to consider in the design is what materials you prefer. For example, do you like the stainless steel handles of Circulon or prefer the various choices of handles that you get with Calphalon.
Verdict: Personal preference
Warranty
The warranty of each brand will depend on which of their product lines you’re buying of the Calphalon set or going with the hassle-free warranty of Circulon.
I prefer the idea of Circulon’s hassle-free warranty. However, the fact that Calphalon has two different tiers of warranty for their products makes me question their long-term durability. It could be fine, but I found that it raised a flag for me. That said 10 years is a long time for any cookware and non-stick coatings.
Verdict: Winner – Circulon
Materials
When it comes to the materials, Circulon uses hard-anodized aluminum for the majority of its products; they do have some steel base cookware as well.
Calphalon also has cookware that uses hard-anodized aluminum; they also have various pots and pans that use enamel cast iron, copper, and stainless steel and offer silicone handles.
So which is better? If you like variety, Calphalon is the clear winner as it offers more choices.
However, if you are looking for a hard-anodized aluminum cookware set, Circulon is the one who patented it. Circulon also has the patented food release system and its trademarked ridge coil cooking surface, which has circles on the cooking surface to prevent it from damaging.
Verdict: Tie depending on the type of cookware you were looking for. Both of them use high-quality materials.
Use on stovetop
Another thing to consider is what type of stove-top can these to cook where it can be used on. Both Calphalon and Circulon can be used on any type of stovetop. They provide a variety of stovetop cookware in their set and sell them individually. As well they both offer glass lids for their pots and pans that can go in a gas oven.
Another thing I noticed was that Circulon advertises its surfaces can be used with metal utensils, and Calphalon did not. This is likely due to the circle rings around it and the layers of protection. This is a big deal for me because it shows that the Circulon nonstick surfaces will hold up to metal.
Verdict: Winner – Circulon
Dishwasher safe
Both of these brands are dishwasher safe, which is great. It cuts down on kitchen clean-up after cooking up a storm and makes life so much easier, which is what we’re all about here at Millennial Homeowner.
Verdict: Tie
Comparing the best cookware set Circulon Calphalon
Comparing a full product line is a difficult thing to do. First, you need to make sure you are comparing apples to apples. These are two great cookware sets and have everything a family or homeowner would need. They are both nonstick coatings and have about the same reviews; the main difference is look and price. They can be used on induction cooktops and gas stoves.
The first one is less in price than the other one—another win for Circulon.
Circulon Acclaim Hard-Anodized Nonstick Surface 13 Piece
Calphalon Premier Hard-Anodized Nonstick 13 Piece
Which is better, Circulon or Calphalon?
Based on all the evidence and what we’ve assessed, it could easily be a toss-up. But, that said, you didn’t come here for a toss-up. You clearly want a winner in the Circulon Calphalon debate.
If I had to buy a new cookware set today and choose between the two, I would pick a Circulon set. Based on our analysis, it is the better set when it comes to hard anodized cookware. In addition, it had a longer warranty, and its features were better for new cooks and professional chefs alike.
