Here is a picture of some of my All-Clad pots and pans up close.

Overall, I find All-Clad cookware to look as good as it cooks. We already talked about the basic differences above, but if you’d like a more detailed explanation, this video does a good job explaining the differences between the D3 and D5 sets offered by All-Clad very well.

If you’ve never used quality cookware, the D3 set will blow your mind, as it does the many other lovers of the product, as it’s one of the most popular high-quality sets that’s within the price range that most consumers are willing to spend on cookware.įor those of you looking for something a little higher-end, the D5 cookware sets utilize a 5-ply construction compared to the 3-ply construction used in the D3 collection. I find it to be extremely impressive, and if you’re looking for a great starter set, I highly recommend the D3 series because it’s less expensive and still gets the job done. I personally own a set of All Clad’s D3 collection, and it works great for a casual cook like me. The cooking surface is stainless steel, and the heating surface is pure copper. The cooking surface is stainless steel, and the heating surface is induction stainless steel.Ĥ-ply construction with an interior made of a pure copper layer bonded with a stainless steel layer. The cooking surface is stainless steel, and the heating surface is induction stainless steel.ĥ-ply construction with an interior made up of a copper core between two layers of bonded aluminum. The cooking surface is 18/10 stainless steel cooking, and the heating surface is induction stainless steel.ĥ-ply with alternating layers of stainless steel and aluminum. Here is a table that breakdowns the major differences between All-Clad’s USA-made collections. Copper is one of the best conductors of heat, but it’s more expensive than aluminum and stainless steel, so cookware that incorporates copper is often very expensive. Copper and aluminum and both good conductors, which is why you’ll often see them used in the core layers of cookware or on the heating surface. Stainless steel is the most common material found on the exterior of cookware because it’s more durable than copper or aluminum, but it’s not a great conductor of heat. In general, cookware that has more layers is more durable and often heats and cooks more evenly.Īside from the number of plies, the next major difference will be material. The biggest differences between the sets are the number of layers (plies) of metal used to construct the cookware and the materials used. What We Like and Don’t Like About All-Clad’s D3 Stainless Cookware Setįirst and foremost, All-clad has a number of high-quality USA-made cookware sets. All-Clad purchases a large number of its metals from the Pennsylvania Steel Company. In 1988, All-Clad was acquired by Pittsburgh Annealing Box Co, and in 2004 the company was then acquired by Groupe SEB, a French conglomerate with an appreciation for American manufacturing. In 1971, All-Clad was ready to sell high-quality patented “Roll Bonded” American-made pans. All-Clad actually didn’t start out making cookware but soon shifted into their notorious bonded cookware lineups after Ulam was frustrated with low-quality pans and decided to use his knowledge of bonded metal he was working with doing coinage to craft his own pan. This company was founded by a specialty metallurgist named John Ulam in 1967, who already had immense experience working with bonded metals as he worked for the US Mint in coinage.

Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Copper (Varies by Model)ġ, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, or 14 Piece Sets AvailableĪll-Clad’s Origin and Manufacturing LocationsĪll-Clad is a well-known American cookware brand located in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, and although they do order a few odds and ends from China, such as some of the handles and handle loops, the actual pans themselves are American-made.Īll-Clad products can be found in any store that sells reputable cookware in a myriad of countries, including the US, Australia, Canada, Germany, and the UK, making this American cookware brand notorious across the globe.

All clad pots and pans