Cooking is an art & a quality cookware set can refine this art greatly. Whether you’re a professional chef or a home chef, you can’t deny the fact that quality non-stick cookware does most of the cooking job. However, getting the best cookware set within budget can be a tricky job in this saturated utensil market. Over the past two months, I’ve been using an aluminum non-stick cookware set following my friend’s recommendation. Yes, it’s the T-fal Hard Anodized Cookware Set (I got the 17 piece set).
At first, I thought it was like every other budget aluminum non-stick cookware set, but I was wrong. This set performed wonderfully despite being an under $250 set. The quality of this cookware set is very satisfactory – thanks to the heavy gauge aluminum construction. Stay tuned to know more about this awesome cookware set in the T-Fal Hard Anodized Cookware Set review segment.
Non-Stick Cookware: A Short Introduction
Cooking itself is a time-consuming job. On top of that, if the food keeps sticking on the cookware surface, it becomes intolerable. To cope with this problem, Roy Plunkett invented a special kind of non-stick coating called Teflon in 1938. This non-stick coating integrated with the cookware set helped professional & home chefs to have their food ready without any sticky hassle.
Types Of Non-Stick Cookware Material
In the current non-stick cookware market, it’s easy to find a wide range of pans with different non-stick coating materials. However, the price & quality varies from materials to materials. Let’s have a look at some of the popular non-stick coatings:
- Sol-Gel: Ceramic Coating
- Anodized Aluminum Coating
- Polytetrafluoroethylene Coating (PTFE)
- Silicone Non-Stick Coating
- Superhydrophobic Coating
- Enameled Cast Iron Coating
- Seasoned Cast Iron Coating
Don’t feel overwhelmed with these different types of non-stick coating materials. If you want something truly reliable & budget-friendly, then follow the next segment.
Hard-Anodized Cookware: The Best Budget Non-Stick Option
You already know the types of different non-stick coating material available in the market. However, the hard-anodized coating will be the best fit for you – if you’re on a budget, still want the best deal possible. Aluminum is the most used material by manufacturers & that makes them even more affordable.
Over the past eight months, I’ve tried different hard anodized cookware sets & found T-Fal Hard Anodized Cookware set most reliable. I’ll describe the ups & downs of this cookware set in the next T-Fal Hard Anodized Cookware Set review segment.
T-Fal Hard Anodized Cookware Set: Features & In-Depth Review
This cookware from T-Fal is one of the best non-stick cookware you can buy now. Before diving deeper with the features, let me show you what you’ll get from this 17 pieces cookware set:
- 8 inches fry pan
- 10.25 inches fry pan
- 11.5 inches fry pan (with lid)
- 10.25 inches square griddle
- 1 Quart Saucepan (with lid)
- 2 Quart Saucepan (with lid)
- 3 Quart Saucepan (with lid)
- 3.5Quart deep sauté
- 5 Quart Dutch oven (with lid)
- 3 Quart Steamer with two side handles,
- One fry pan for egg
In this T-Fal Hard Anodized Cookware Set review segment, I’ll be explaining the key features along with the pros & cons of this cookware set. Without further ado, let’s get started.
Hard-Anodized Construction: Ensures Greater Durability
You’ll be getting the finest quality possible from an under $250 cookware set with T-Fal Hard Anodized Cookware Set. It’s built to last for a longer period tolerating day to day wear & tear. This set is made from heavy gauge anodized aluminum, which ensures longevity without raising the price. For making it non-stick, T-Fal used Titanium reinforced non-stick interior.
This set was enough to handle my regular needs from a non-stick cookware set.
I’m genuinely pleased by the quality T-Fal provided in this budget cookware set. The lids fit perfectly, trapping enough heat & moisture for the best result. Thanks to these vented tempered glass lids, which allows more visibility while cooking.
Thermo-Spot Technology: Cuts Off Preheating Guesswork
If you’re new to cooking, then this feature alone should win your heart. With T-Fal’s Thermo-Spot technology, you won’t have to guess whether your pans are preheated evenly. The ring turns solid red to let you know the pans are preheated & ready to cook your food. However, you can only enjoy this technology with the pans only.
Though it’s a great feature for beginners, I didn’t use it for two reasons. One, I know when my pans are preheated evenly without any navigation – thanks to my years of experience in the kitchen. Two, the viewing angle of the ring wasn’t right for me. With that said, some might love this feature & others may ignore its existence.
Riveted Silicone Handles: Safe & Long-Lasting
This cookware set features riveted silicone handles, which give excellent comfort & grip while holding it. Also, they are oven safe up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. So you can use the oven for your purpose without worrying about silicone handle damage. Besides giving comfort & longevity, this riveted silicone handle enabled the manufacturer to cut down the manufacturing cost.
These handles performed satisfactorily & gave a cool handling experience while holding them. On top of that, they don’t attract food waste & makes it easy to clean them. Though I’m not an open person, I used some of these pans to test whether they perform well even at 400 degrees Fahrenheit & they did.
Dishwasher Safe: Hassle-Free Cleaning & Maintenance
Cleaning is the most annoying part after enjoying a healthy meal prepared via any cookware set. However, a dishwasher can make your cleaning game easy, like a charm. Though most of the budget cookware sets aren’t dishwasher safe, T-Fal Hard Anodized Cookware is 100% dishwasher safe.
I don’t use the dishwasher for washing this aluminum hard anodized cookware set for many reasons. Firstly, I don’t want to damage them with a scratch from other metal utensils. Secondly, they don’t attract food waste; hence it’s easy to clean them without putting much effort. I would recommend you do the same & it will ensure the longevity of any cookware set for sure.
T-Fal Hard Anodized Cookware set is one of the best non-stick cookware sets under $250. This 17 piece cookware set comes with excellent features such as Thermo-Spot Technology & Riveted Silicone Handle. Also, this entire set is dishwasher safe & can be used in any stove-tops except induction.
Pros:
- Budget-friendly as this aluminum hard anodized cookware set costs less than $250.
- Great value for money. You’ll be getting excellent quality cookware & won’t regret the purchase.
- Riveted silicone handles ensure comfort & safety as they are oven safe up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Easy to clean & maintenance as the entire set is dishwasher safe.
- The Thermo-Spot technology helps the beginner to know whether their pans are evenly preheated or not.
Cons:
- This cookware set isn’t induction safe. So beware of putting them on an induction stove.
- The fry pans don’t come with lids. However, you can buy lids separately if you need them.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ
Is T-Fal The Same As Teflon?
T-Fal is referred to as the brand ‘Tefal.’ Tefal & Teflon aren’t the same. For instance, Tefal is a small french cookware and appliances manufacturer & Tefal is a non-stick coating brand from Dupont company. The reason behind this confusion was the Tefal name, which stands for Teflon & Aluminum. Later on, they changed it to T-Fal. In summary, T-Fal & Teflon aren’t the same brands.
Is This Cookware Is Induction safe?
Sadly, this cookware isn’t induction safe. Only stainless steel & cast iron cookware are safe to use on induction cookware. However, this cookware set is made from Aluminum & that’s why it’s not induction cooktop safe. Though you can’t use an induction cooktop, you can use all other stove-tops with this cookware set.
Are Both Pots And Pans Made Of Thermo-Spot Technology?
The Thermo-spot technology helps with notifying whether the cookware is preheated properly or not. Sadly, only the pans from the cookware set come with Thermo-spot technology. You’ll be doing most of the preheating job with pans rather than pots, so it shouldn’t be a problem.
What Kinds Of Utensil Can Be Used With This Cookware?
Though this cookware set is marked safe from metal utensils, taking the risk isn’t worth it. Beware from metal utensils as they can harm the non-stick coating of this cookware set. Instead of using metal utensils, you can use wooden, plastic, nylon & coated utensils.
How Long Does The Non-stick Coating Last?
Bear the fact that non-stick coating will peel off for sure. But depending on the material quality, this peeling period will extend or decrease. Talking about this cookware set, people are happily using these sets for 5 to 7 years – so yes, you can expect the non-stick coating to last for 5 to 7 years.
Conclusion
I hope this T-Fal Hard Anodized Cookware Set review was helpful enough, knowing this cookware set thoroughly. I personally loved my experience with this cookware set. The material used in this cookware set is also up to the mark.
If you’re getting your first non-stick cookware set & don’t want to blow a huge sum of money, then I would definitely recommend this cookware set. It’s both budget-friendly & feels very sturdy.