NSF Certification

The Costco cookware purveyor falls into the Anthony Bourdain's description of the two biggest hoaxes to the American buying public. One is expensive knives from Germany and the other specialty cookware. Bourdain suggests we all go to the nearest restauirant supply house and purchase what we need and forget the fancy name brand stuff.

I completely agree. I found my local resturant supply place in West LA, Surfas, and havn't looked back. (OK, I looked back once to get a 12" All-Clad frypan, but that's it.)

I bought 2 Ameriware fry pans at Costco. I was skeptical about spending that much money.
I use fry pans as a test of quality cookware. One reason is I use fry pans 80% of the time.
I have bought Circulon, Faberware, Restaurant Supply pans plus many others.
I Have had this pan 3 months. use it 2 to 3 times a day.
I will say Ameriware is the best fry pan I have ever bought.
I can fry an egg put cheese on it turn it over with cheese on bottom till it melts then turn it over on plate without sticking. Try that with any of the others and you will get a mess.

I like Carlisle Dura-Ware aluminum fry pans, both stainless lined and nonstick. NSF approved. Nicely made and the price is right.

NSF Standards have been around since the 50’s. The idea being, if the product meets the NSF Standards, then if will be readily accepted food service use in all of the U.S.-North America with no hesitation. Though voluntary, the majority or the US and large buyers mandate the NSF Mark on products.

Before NSF (National Sanitation Foundation), Food Equipment was scrutinized by hundreds of different municipalities and state governments, all with different ideas on what was and was not acceptable for commercial use. The NSF took care of the inconsistency by bringing together all the health departments, government, manufacturers, buyers, interested parties etc. No health department will ever give you grief on NSF Certified equipment if it is being used properly.

The NSF looks at products using standards developed and written by the industry and NSF participants. They look at cookware (as well as all types of products) to be sure the materials are non-toxic, do not leach, color, odor, harmful substances into the foods they will come into contact with, meet design requirements (food safety), and are easily cleanable (sanitation).

This is important to me both for residential use and commercial use, especially with all the products coming from Asia. Large consumer retailers are also looking to the NSF for help (Sam’s, Williams Sonoma, Costco). Many Asian countries have a very lax attitude towards plastics and coatings used in products they sell. They also have a way of disappearing during times of serious inquire. The NSF has a very good web site that displays all the commercial and consumer products they challenge and certify at www.nsf.org.

I would imagine that Vollrath -- the manufacturer of Ameriware -- uses a ceramic-titanium foundation under a PTFE (aka Teflon) coating for their Ameriware line, similar to Scanpan. (This is difficult to confirm, as there is very little info on Ameriware available, either on the internet or in the manual which comes with the cookware.) The foundation allows for using less PTFE, and also causes the PTFE to stick much better to the pan -- which is why Scanpan (and Ameriware, I'd imagine) assert that their pans are safe to use with metal utensils. However, if this is the case, you are not cooking on the ceramic-titanium, but on PTFE/Teflon. Any claims to the contrary are disingenuous sales ploys.

I have found that some nsf to be very good. I have bought several brands for my small kitchen.In cooking school, all the gear we used was new and NSF.

I bought the Ameriware yesterday at Costco on the basis that the salesman claim of no Teflon on the pan was true. Based on what I have read here, that is a false statement. The salesman also claimed that Teflon is a dangerous coating as shown in a number of recent medical studies and that it should not be used. The Ceramic-Titanium claimed by the salesmen appears to be just an underlayment on the pan while the non stick surface is strill Teflon.

A scam and fraud!!

re: scam?

Well, I wouldn't rush to label Ameriware as a scam. Sometimes it's difficult to trust what the demonstrators at shows or Costco are saying because they might not understand the details on what makes their products unique (same goes for Cutco salespeople), but that doesn't necessarily mean the product is a scam.

It is probably true that the Ameriware pans do not use Teflon because they probably use a generic PTFE instead (Teflon is a brand). Or, maybe they don't use PTFE at all. We don't know and the Ameriware people haven't called me back.

Also, Teflon has been established as safe by the U.S. government and numerous studies have shown it to pass through the human body with little effect - but some animals may be sensitive to the fumes from a severely overheated pan (birds are particularly sensitive to fumes from overheatd pans - teflon or not, as well as most aerosols, etc.). Nevertheless, I don't recommend cooking on a pan with it's nonstick layer chipping off.

I am curious to find out how well your Ameriware cookware holds up over usage for the next several months (and if the non-stick ability deteriorates over time).

I bought the Ameriware set at Costco recently myself. I can be kinda rough with my pots and pans. Tonight I made the mistake of leaving a pot on with very little water in it and ended up burning the pan. Normally I would throw it out because it was compeletely ruined. Tonight I decided to take a different approach. I let it cool and then washed it out with a little soap and water with a soft dish cloth. It came completely clean and there was NO sign that it had ever been burnt. I thought I was happy with my Ameriware cookware before, now I am absolutely AMAZED.

Well I just returned from Costco and I was 'sold' by the pot hawker and shucker, or was I? I have needed a good set of pots for a long time. This appeared to be a good deal and 'impulse' got the better of me...well not exactly true.

When I buy something at Costco, I don't have to care about whether it's the best buy or the best quality product, at least I don't have to care up front, before making the purchase. I can determine that over the next months (or years). The point is: Costco backs their products like NO OTHER RETAILER in the world! If you dont like it...take it back for a full refund...NO QUESTIONS asked.
The truth is that Ameriware warranties its cookware against defects for 25 years. I know that Costco will take this product back during the period of this warranty. It's simple...at Costco, buy it when you see it, if you like it, because tomorrow it may not be there. If it turns out, you dont like it, or you feel that you have 'sold' by a Costco hawker/shucker....RETURN IT TO COSTCO and remind yourself to grow a backbone before going shopping next time...and then be glad that you made your Ameriware purchase at Costco.
I will update this message board over the next months to critique the Ameriware product....but as you already know, I am not worried that I wont like it...either I have made an excellent purchase of quality cookware...or Costco gets another of my purchases returned to them. DPY

Any updates on whether the Ameriware cookware contains any PTFE? I'm curious as I just purchased the set from Costco, and my husband (who's an engineer) gave me the third degree about the no Teflon claim... also, since it's now been some months since you purchased your pots Michael, I'm wondering how you've found them to perform. Thanks.

re: PTFE

I've been unsuccessful in finding out if any PTFE is used in Ameriware as the company does not return my calls.

re: pots & pans performance

I didn't buy the Ameriware.

I was an eager observer of an Ameriware demonstration done yesterday at my local Costco (Grand Rapids, MI). I was impressed as I watched Saran Wrap, melted against the side of a hot sauté pan, be whisked cleanly away by the Ameriware demonstrator. My eyes widened as burned cheddar cheese was wiped easily from the bottom of a saucepan with a wimpy paper towel. For twenty minutes the demonstrator held me a willing captive, and captivated I was! So eager was I to purchase the "special buy in partnership with Costco”— so sold was I on the fact that I would experience a "savings of at least $300"— that I whined loudly and stomped my foot belligerently, right then and there, when my husband staunchly refused to buy the cookware until I had researched it thoroughly (rotten engineer! He makes my whimsies so... planned!).

Hence, today we researched. We visited the websites the Ameriware demonstrator told us to look at, and then we scoured for other informative Internet postings (which is how I found this bulletin board). I remained positive about the cookware. My husband
(despicable engineer! He turns my trusting nature more cynical day by day as he forces me to weigh things not with my heart, but with my mind) persisted with his search long after I had made up my mind that I would be getting the "fantastic deal" the Ameriware demonstrator had assured me I would be.

Thirty minutes after I hung up from another session of "if I whine long and loudly, eventually he'll give in", my husband called back. "Check out what the Better Business Burea has to say", says he (maddening engineer! Has he quashed another fragile hope— that there's an honest salesman yet to be found, and a cookware set that will stand the test of time?) I am alarmed by the smugness with which he speaks this line.

So, to www.bbb.org I go. I look up Ameriware. I am again impressed... but this time by my seemingly limitless gullibility. The impartial website the Ameriware demonstrator told me to look at (www.onlinecookery.com)? OWNED BY AMERIWARE! The “Cook’s Warehouse” that the demonstrator heralded as “the preferred vendor of Ameriware products”? It’s not a vendor— IT’S AMERIWARE! It’s like General Motors Corporation selling vehicles under different names: Pontiac, Chevrolet, Cadillac. Call it what you like, it’s still from GMC. You can buy a real beauty from a Saturn dealership, but under all the marketing, logos, slogans and incentives, you’re buying GMC.

“But wait, there’s MORE!” I accepted as truth the claim the demonstrator made that “Ameriware has been in business since 1874”. Surely, a company with that much history will be around if my saucepan peters out before the 25-year warranty expires! And of course I can trust that I can easily return my petered-out product to Ameriware for a “cheerful replacement or refund”. Not so, says the Better Business Bureau. First, Ameriware has only been in business since 1978 (a full century LESS than claimed by not only the demonstrator, but Ameriware’s own literature and eye-catching site logo!) Furthermore, according to the Better Business Bureau, Ameriware cookware does indeed peter out, and is not so very cheerfully replaced or refunded.

No research into Ameriware’s claims could be complete without also researching Vollrath, the company that actually manufactures the cookware products Ameriware, “in partnership with Costco”, offers at such a significant savings. Vollrath? An excellent company, according to the Better Business Bureau. The hitch? You’re not buying from Vollrath— you’re buying from Ameriware. Vollrath may very well take excellent care of its customers (i.e., Ameriware, and others), but it’s not Vollrath that’s guaranteeing the product. Vollrath manufactures the cookware to customer specification, but that’s the extent of their involvement with the cookware where you, the buyer, are concerned. But who’s to say, even though Vollrath is a reputable company, if Ameriware’s specifications are “up to snuff” when it comes to the quality and longevity of the product? That’s really an individual determination, and in the end, boils down to the opinion of the consumer.

My opinion is this: I’m glad my husband is a rotten, despicable, maddening… savvy, suspicious, and educated… engineer and consumer. I’m equally glad I didn’t spend $400 for cookware that might not have lived up to my expectations. Am I convinced that Ameriware’s products are garbage? No. They may be just as good as anything else out there. They may even be better. But are they worth the inflated cost? I don’t think so. Additionally, I’m big on integrity. If a company will resort to outright lies and theatrical displays in an attempt to separate me from my hard-earned cash, I’m simply not interested in what they have to peddle, no matter how much I may want it or how good it may be. And in the greater scheme of things, if they stoop so low to lay hold of my dollar, I highly doubt they’ll be upstanding enough to give my dollar back should I be dissatisfied with my product somewhere down the road. Call me stubborn, call me stupid, call me strange – I’d rather buy a $20 pan that I’ll need to replace every five years from an upstanding company than buy a $100 pan that will last me four times as long from a company of ill-repute. And try the math. Either way - $20 a pop five times in twenty years or a single $100 pop in twenty years – you end up in the very same place.

So there’s what I know for what it’s worth. But don’t just take my word for it— if there’s something I relearned today, it’s to not take ANYBODY’S “word for it”. Visit bbb.org for yourself, and like me, become an educated consumer.

Excellent research Heather! (And well written, I enjoyed reading your comments.) I had similar concerns about the company, but did not look them up at Better Business Bureau. It seems pretty apparent to me that Cooks Warehouse is Ameriware since they have the same address/telephone (I can't remember where I found their address because it doesn't seem to be on their website and the site is kind of sketchy). I think Cook's Warehouse (the Ameriware one ( http://www.onlinecookery.com ), not the one in Atlanta, Georgia ( http://www.cookswarehouse.com )) is there just to show the "full" price of the products.

I had a bad feeling about how Ameriware seemed to do business and when I called them and they never returned my calls, I kind of just sighed and shook my head. Maybe they have a decent product - it certainly seems to work at Costco, but they just don't seem to be running the kind of business that I want to be handing over that much money to. I plan to try to talk to them at the next Home Show that runs through my region, but who knows if I'll be able to (the demonstrators seem to only know what they are told to say, though).

Many of the claims made by the Ameriware representatives are similar to those made by Danish company Scanpan (US website is a little less informative and is located at http://www.scanpan.com ). I have performed the same "tests" that the Ameriware rep. performed on the Ameriware on my 9-1/4 inch fry pan. It is similarly priced (if not slightly lower priced for that size) at $40 but Scanpan has a much better reputation. So far, I have to say the pan is impressive - it still releases cleanly and amazingly when compared to other nonstick brands (I've only had it since January - I'm planning too keep using it and see how it performs next January and do a write up). I've have other brands which release really well, but after a month or two become so-so non-stick. The Scanpan has continued to clean up well, release marvelously, and has yet to show any indication of a scuff mark. (Since I paid for the pan, I couldn't bring myself to use metal utensils on it all the time - although I have on occassion used a fork and twice used metal tongs because I was in a rush - still no marks). My other non-sticks all have scuff marks and don't release perfectly anymore even though I only use silicone spatulas, plastic tongs, and wood (which is my tool of choice) and never metal.


If you factor in time-value of money, the $20 five times over twenty years is less money than an upfront $100...

Hmmm... I was unable to find any information on www.bbb.org concerning Ameriware. Am I typing in the wrong company name? I tried Ameriware, Cook's Warehouse (brought up a local store in San Francisco), www.onlinecookery.com (in the url field), and couldn't come up with any results...

Straight from the BBB website (if anyone reading is unfamiliar with business-world lingo, "DBA" in the first line stands for "Doing Business As".

DBA: Ameri-Warehouse
» Other
Address: 2504 North Ontario Street
Burbank, CA 91504 » Other
Primary Phone: (818) 556-2740 » Other
Primary Fax: (818) 556-2746 » Other
Primary Contact: Howard Teichman, Senior Vice President » Other
E-mail Address:

Website:

Company ID: 13013596
Business Start Date: 1/1/1978
BBB Created Record on: 5/2/1995

Nature of Business:

This company's business is sells cookware at homeshows, state and county fairs, military bases and Costco.


From Heather: Following is the direct link to the information I reviewed.

http://www.labbb.org/BBBWeb/Forms/Business/CompanyReportPage_Expository.aspx?CompanyID=13013596&hAKAID=1&hAddrID=1

To start from square one, type "Cook's Warehouse" (without the quotes, and no , Inc.). The BBB database returns two results, the first of which is the link to the BBB's information concerning Ameriware/Cook's Warehouse/Ameri-Warehouse.

Ah, I see. I didn't realize that Ameri-Warehouse was the same as Ameriware but the address and phone number is the same as the one I've got.

And imagine - with three operating names, one of which the BBB doesn't have listed as an alias (Ameriware) - how difficult it would be for the "Average Joe" to file a complaint. If one simply looks up "Ameriware",
the BBB database returns a solitary result for "Ameri-Warehouse", and unless one cross-references and digs deeper, it's not readily apparent just who Ameriware is.

My brother is an attorney and when I once was considering employment with a small (two person) company that provided only a P.O. box for the business address, he warned: "If anyone goes to even moderate lengths to obscure their identity or whereabouts and intentionally make themselves difficult to find, it's not someone you want to be involved with".

I have a feeling his words are applicable in this instance, as well.

just want to know how the ameriware cookware holds up and if anyone has had to return them

I just received an email response from the Ameriware customer support. He said that Vollrath has been making cookware since 1874. He said that their parent company is Cook's Warehouse, Inc. and has been in business since 1978. He said that all nonsticks have some PTFE in it and the Ameriware nonstick is a three layered nonstick surface with ceramic and Titanium. He claims that the product is ten times tougher than any other nonstick on the market today. Like all products, it depends on the care you give it. Then he concludes that you have the Vollrath 25 year warranty and Costco guarantee. I would conclude that I should keep my Costco receipt just in case!

I have experimented with the egg swished around the frying pan to get a thin layer that can be blown off. That trick works with two of our older teflon pans; however, it does not stick and fry more than a quarter inch above the bottom, so the cheaper pans probably are not hot enough above the bottom. The experiment did not work with my Circulon pot - the thin egg stuck in the narrow grooves and had to be pulled out by hand.

Hi all,

I just read on the scanpan website (http://www.scanpancookware.com/staticpages/sp/teflon) that their products do contain PTFE. I have a 12 inch scanpan frypan that I use frequently, especially to make crepes. It's a wonderful pan for this purpose as it releases well, but it also has some "tooth" to hold the batter in place as I tilt the pan. It also distributes heat beautifully, NO hotspots, AND I have consistently used metal utensils. After at least two years, it still works as well as the day I bought it.

I am so pleased with the perfomance of this pan that I went to the scanpan website with the intention of purchasing several more of their products; that's when I first saw the reference to PTFE. I had been under the impression that these pans were free of the potential toxic effects of PTFE. I believe that I was mislead when I purchased my pan two or three years ago -- I recall being told that the pan was made of a "ceramic/titanium blend as used on the space shuttle to reduce friction" . . .

I'm no engineer, but I was aware of the potential toxic effects of PTFE when I purchased this pan, and I did a reasonable amount of research. I did not contact the company and ask them directly if their product contained PTFE prior to purchasing the pan, but all indications were that it did not.

If you want to purchase nonstick cookware, I can highly recomend the scanpan. I shall continue to use it for situations that really need a nonstick surface, such as making crepes (in case you are wondering, I eat a inordinate amount of crepes because I have a wheat gluten allergy, and have found crepes to be one of the best ways to use odd flours such as barley, rice. or garbonzo. )

But, I shall continue to use my stainless steel and well seasoned cast iron for other purposes, to avoid the potential toxic effects of PTFE, both to me and to the environment. BTW, I'd rather spend $80 on a pan that works well than buy four pans for $20. Less waste, less time shopping - factor that into your cost analysis -- and the product tends to be better in other respects, such as better heat distribution resulting in a lack of hotspots.

Regards all. Hope my two cents helps.

Ameriware is made by Vollrath of Sheboygan, Wi. and the PTFE coating is put on by Whitford Coatings of Frazer, Pa.

Thanks to all for your research and comments. I've been looking at this cookware set at Costco for the last 2 years and have watched several demonstrations and have ooo'd and aaa'd over them as well.

I've been looking for a decent set of pans for the last 5 years and this is the only set that I would have bought on impulse, but my penny-pinching ways stopped me. The next show in my area is Oct 28th and I am finally going to 'rush out' and buy it!

They may be a little overpriced, but in the long run, all the time it takes for me to research and decide on what I would like to use is worth the initial purchase of $100 rather than buying the same pan over and over again.

Another point, if I find something I like and it wears out over time, by the time I get around to replacing it, I can't find it! If it's tried and true, I want the same pan, I'm very picky and will be upset that I can't replace it with the same product!

Anyway, that's my two cents for all that is it worth!

I will let you know in a few months how I like my new pans!

Thx, Tobi

I have owned one of the professional series pans I bought from Costco for a year or so. It holds up really well to abuse that used to kill other pans. Metal utensils can be used in it without destroying the coating, just as advertised. I have used it every day at least twice a day, and many times more than that. With that level of use, it is stucturally sound. I have fried, baked and even lightly broiled. I have loved using this pan.

That said, the reason I am on this site posting is because I Googled up Ameriware to contact the company with a complaint. The nonstick surface is no longer non-stick and is now just sticky-but-easy-to-clean surface. I am going to ask them for a partial refund or a refurb. If need be, I will take it back to Costco for a full refund.

If we are talking about safety the guaranteed safest cookware on the planet is Stainless Steel! I gave up on Aluminum / non stick pans 6 years ago and haven't looked back since. Kitchen Craft 100% American made stainless steel with a lifetime guarantee. It took me a year to learn how to cook with stainless steel turning the heat down is the first rule but it is safe with no leaching of the metal or non stick surface. I can't believe anyone would even think of buying a pan where you can't figure out what the non stick service is. I don't care if PTFE is used or not if it has a coating it is going to come off. No one has brought up this little gem either the Ameriware product is made up of a ceramic-titanium product. Has there been any studies on how hard this combination is, does it leach or bleed through the non stick surface? Titanium is of course very hard but with the introduction of ceramics all bets are off. Titanium is a heavy metal and in a dust form it is extremely poisonous.

Watch FoodTV if the chef is not being sponsored by a company what do they use for cooking? Standard old Stainless Steel!

I bought an Ameriware 12 inch fry pan last year at Costco. I wanted to see if it really did work like the man said it did. And I have had no problem since. Food doesn't stick, and everything cooks evenly. The Ameriware company is back at my Costco, so I bought the whole set. It works great, a lot better then Circulon, Caphalon and those other products at the mall. Which I have tried in the past, and would not buy again! I'm hooked on Ameriware!

I've watched the Ameriware demo at Costco several times. It is impressive.
But the lack of info about the Ameriware products is a bit suspect.
Costco will take defective items back, even without a receipt if you have all the parts and documentation that came with it.

Has anyone cooked with gas at higher temperatures with Ameriware? Or with any other brand of non-stick?
I do a lot of stir frys, which don't work well at medium heat.

Also, the cookware seems pretty functional. The vented lids are a nice touch.

Key point to remember about this cookware set is that it is backed 100% by COSTCO. They would not allow Ameriware to demo their products in their stores if COSTCO was not satisified that they were a reputable company.

Need to ask yourself this question: If I trust COSTCO enough to pay them $45 or $100 to become a member, why would I doubt them about these pot and pans?

In this case, you are buying from COSTCO, not Ameriware.

As for me, I'm going down to COSTCO tonight and buy a set for my wife. If it turns out she doesn't like them or they don't live up to her expectations for performance or quality, I'll simply return them to COSTCO. That is one of the key benefits of becoming a warehouse club member; 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Thanks to Ralph Emerson for leads on the cookware coating. I checked out Whitford. The coating used apparently is Eclipse, a 3 layer coating that uses ceramic. The info on the ceramic is hard to find, but can be located in a pdf file using a Google search on "Whitford Ameriware". Contrary to the Ameriware hawkers, it does not contain titanium. There is another Whitford product containing titanium called QuanTanium. The Eclipse coating appears to be one of the best. Whitford also produces the Excaliber coating used on stainless steel. Eclipse has been tested by Whitford to have a longevity 10 times greater than the next best "internally reinforced" coating tested by pushing a weighted Scotch-Brite pad across a coated surface. The Eclipse survived greater than 200,000 cycles with non-stick coating intact. So regardless of whether or not you like the Ameriware marketing, it appears that the cookware is sound. Their netsite has inflated prices. If you like the Eclipse coating on a pan and don't need to settle for the same sizes that Ameriware offers, check out the Sam's Club Member's Mark Hard Anodized cookware. You may do without a frying pan and have different sized sauce pans, but get Eclipse cookware at 1/4 th the price - about $100. And it's a nicer looking set. Does not appear to have nonstick on the outside like the Ameriware. Research before you jump. There's something to be said for being tight. Happy shopping.

Quick update. I visited Sam's Club to see the cookware. It is labeled with the Eclipse nonstick. There are 2 rivets not covered with nonstick. The Ameriware have 3 rivets and are covered with nonstick. The handle is cast in stainless steel in a shape similar All Clad, but it has a bead blasted (matte) finish. So unlike the Ameriware, you may expect that food will stick to the rivets. I expect the cookware to remain nonstick for a long time because of the Eclipse finish. The Member's Select has a steamer that fits the same lid as the bottom pot. Price was $108 and change. The 12 inch frying pan does not have a lid to match. The cookware is made of thick aluminum, anodized. Made in China. Designed in America.

I've sold Cutco knives previously and love having reliable cutlery and since I sold for them did a LOT of research on quality, how they were made and the importance of a US owned company.

I saw the Ameriware and asked a lot of construction questions of the seller (Costco). I must admit he did answer almost all of them to my satisfaction. The construction of the pan is made with a titanium/aluminum alloy/mix. The alluminum (I know from selling Cutco cookware) makes a GREAT even conductor, giving even heat to the whole pan. The ceramic was new to me, and thought it a great. I also asked about the rivets. Nickel based alloy which was good. Some companies use cheap steel or brass rivets which expand and contract from heat and cooling, causing them to loosen (see knives with brass rivets). Nickel (again, knew this from Cutco) has a lower expansion rate and is great for the heating and cooling so they won't loosen or make gaps where food can get stuck and cause bacterial buildup.

I've just bought a set as I still had some OLD pans from my mother (I'm 26) and need something decent since I do like to cook. I can't see why these wouldn't and the price WAS reasonable ($399) for a full set of cookware. At least I thought so compared to other high-quality sets I've seen retail. We'll see how it holds up:). If anything I'm keeping the receipt and warranty info, and just use one pan for now. If after a month I don't like, back to Costco it goes.

Just yesterday we bought three Ameriware pans at Costco.

Is the surface ceramic or PETE? The series of postings is not clear about that. Sure feels like a plastic/Teflon surface.

I found this site because the pan shows signs of wear after the first use! I used a plastic tool to "saute" diced potatos and onions without any oil. The food worked well - though clearly the oil helps develop and spread the flavors.

The pan needed some light scouring to clean it - I was surprised. When I dried it I noticed that a small bubble had come up out of the surface and there are several light scratches. I will probably cart them back to Costco and ask for my money back. Doesn't seem right.[<img src="http://homepage.mac.com/ginolg/.cv/ginolg/Sites/.Public//Ameriware%20Pan%20after%20one%20use.jpg-thumb_194_194.jpg" /img>] :shock:

I would be surprised to find that the pan was an alloy of aluminum and titanium. From the label on the Ameriware it appears to be a claim that the nonstick finish is ceramic and titanium. In any case, it is also surprising that the labeling does not state that Eclipse is used as the finish. Do a Google search on "Whitford Ameriware" and bring up the pdf file. The only reference in there to Ameriware is in a picture of the Ameriware frying pans. You may be thinking of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) rather than PETE (polyethylene terephthalate) which is a good oven/microwave save plastic mainly used in reheatable food containers. PTFE is sold under the Dupont label as Teflon. So if Ameriware is saying that it has no Teflon, they may be technically correct as long as they get their PTFE from a non Dupont source. Check out Whitford (whitfordww.com) for their pan coatings. Even Whitford admits that their top layer is PTFE. I suppose the best way to get correct info is to correspond with Ameriware. I am not sure that you will get the best info from the sales people. Ameriware is a marketing company, not a manufacturer. Check them out on the bbb.org site. It redirects to labbb.org (Los Angeles bbb) and reflects a Burbank company. You could also ask Vollrath. Absent labeling on the pan, it will be hard to tell the source or makeup of the nonstick surface. As far as I can tell, none of the Whitford coatings include both ceramic and titanium, but maybe they have one not noted on their site.

I inquired with Whitford and the following is their comment intertwined with my questions:

I see that some of your literature ( www.miraeww.com/Data/notice/MIRAE_04050705.pdf


) shows that Ameriware uses Eclipse on their pans. I can find no other source for the Ameriware pan coatings. Ameriware advertises that their nonstick coating contains both ceramic and titanium and does not have a sticker for or advertise the use of Eclipse.

Does Whitford make the coating for Ameriware pans made by Vollrath? Whitford is the supplier of the nonstick coating used on the Ameriware line of cookware. Does Whitford have a coating containing both ceramic and titanium. Our standard Eclipse does not contain titanium. Ameriware asked us to develop an Eclipse product which included titanium for added durability. Ameriware is the only customer to which we supply this formulation. And if, as shown in the pdf file, Eclipse is used on Ameriware pans, why does Ameriware not name Eclipse as their nonstick coating? Whitford does not require that our customers use our trade marks. Finally, is it true that Eclipse uses PTFE, not from Dupont, so that it is the same substance, but not the same name? PTFE is the nonstick component used in virtually every quality nonstick coating from any supplier of nonstick coatings. "Teflon" is a trade mark of E.I. Dupont for their particular PTFE products. Yes, Eclipse also uses PTFE as the nonstick component.

Your questions are probably triggered by the media comments regarding the safety of nonstick coatings. In fact, the furor is caused by a processing aid (C8 of PFOA) used in the manufacturer of PTFE and not the PTFE itself. Many new test reports have been coming out that show that there is no residual C8 or PFOA in the nonstick of coated cookware. As you can imagine, we have gotten many inquiries on the subject. I am attaching a recent peer reviewed report which is heavy on the science, but the conclusion in the last paragraph has the synopsis concerning nonstick cookware.

Please let me know if we can be of further assistance.

Best regards,

John Badner

So, indeed, Ameriware does have ceramic and titanium in the coating and the coating is provided by Whitford. Since the custom coating contains titanium, technically it is not Eclipse; it is like Eclipse extra. There was also a pdf attachment which I did not attach here since it is 76K in size, but if you want it posted, I will drop it in, assuming that there is a way to insert attachments. John Bader said that it is technical, just up your alley. Or if interested, post your email address and I will send individually.

On a further note, I asked John Bader of Whitford if the addition of the titanium improved the durability of the coating. His response was that addition of the titanium to Eclipse provided a

I looked at the pdf file and it was very technical. It was a step by step on a procedure to extract perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) from a pan surface using water, ethanol and methanol at elevated temperatures. Good bedtime reading.

Michael Lee - thank you for your excellent contributions.

The technical document sent to you by John Badner discussed the process for removing PFOA from the coating. Do we have any evidence or assurance that Ameriware pans were so cleansed? Is the process described standard proceedure?

First of all, thanks to ALL of you for your diligence in research and for sharing your information. I just purchased a set of Vollrath Ameriware at Costco yesterday; in regards to Heather Constable's post that you are dealing with Ameriware and not Vollrath, I thought others should note the warranty card that came with the set.

*******************
It states:

FULL 25-YEAR WARRANTY

All Ameriware Professional with PRO-Series PLUS cookware is fully warranted against defects in material and workmanship for a period of twenty-five years. Your cookware was constructed with the finest quality materials for lasting performance.

This warranty does NOT cover cookware used in food service settings, damage caused by overheating or other abuse, normal wear and tear to the cookware or the non-stick material, or surface imperfections which will not impair it's functional utility. Over time, surface imperfections may appear in the non-stick material. This is considered normal and will not affect the non-stick performance of the cookware.

If a defect in workmanship or materials appears during the warranty period, return the cookware, freight prepaid to: THE VOLLRATH COMPANY, INC., 1236 North 18th Street, Sheboygan, Wisconsin 53082-0611, and it will be replaced without charge.

This warranty gives you specific legal right, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.

Thank you for your purchase.

Please retain this card for your record and return the warranty envelope.
***************************

In light of the warranty card, it does appear that the purchaser would be relying on the manufacturer Vollrath, not Ameriware the marketing company, for defect in workmanship or material replacements ( which, as the warranty stated, do NOT include the non-stick surface ).

I'm returning my set to Costco; I have a very good 14-piece set of professional non-stick cookware that I have been happy using for two years, and it looks better than the Ameriware, and I've had no problems with the non-stick surface durability. I was planning on handing down my existing set to my son and his fiancee, but it looks like that won't be happening. CDV

Skipping to the bottom of the analysis of the various pans in the extraction of perfluorooctanic acid, the experimenter was unable to extract any significant amount of PFOA. He commented that the finding was not surprising as "Fluoropolymers are typically manufactured near ambient temperature. Fabrication processes, such as used to coat cookware, require temperatures of greater than 300 degrees C (typically 350 to 450 degrees C). These temperatures, and the large surface area of the coating material, would easily vaporize any PFOA (boiling point 189 degrees C) that may have originally been present." "Under common cooking conditions and using food simulants (water and water/ethanol), no PFOA is detected from either coated or uncoated cookware with detection limits as low as 100 pg cm^-2."

Sorry, I was unable to figure out if I could attach the pdf file. Attempted with failure.

It would appear that PFOA need not be worried about.

I purchased mine in June 2005. I will be returning the set this coming week.
Even though I have been using the plastice utensils, I have scratches in my pots and pans. Yesterday I noticed, that small particles are staring to come loos............all I can say, I'm very thankfull to have purchased the set at Costco

I found this discussion as I have had a set of Ameriware nonstick cookware for several years and just bought a new piece at Costco. I realize it is overpriced, but so is the much advertised All-Clad brand. I like the cookware very much. It heats evenly and quickly. The nonstick surface on my pans is as good as new. The only downside is that I don't get the little bits of browned food which add so much flavor using a nonstick surface. Also, the handles get very hot and the plastic covers are a pain to take on and off. I left a pan in the oven with the plastic wrapping and forgot to take it out when I later turned on the oven. The plastic melted all over the pan and I could not remove it off the outside. I returned the pan and a replacement was sent promptly. I also melted the plastic handles and was given new ones. I enjoyed reading your research on the product and the company, but I still recommend the cookware.

Yes, the Makers Mark have uncovered highly polished rivits, which do collect some cooking debris and browned color. I use dish detergent on a toothbrush to clean them and the places the handles attach, so there are no accumulated food particles to contaminate the cooking. After about a year, no metal utensils used in cooking, the surfaces seem like new, the bottoms have some brown stains from grease that was cooked on, but it will come off if cleaned properly. The pots and pans seem to be a good value so far, even when food (pasta) was left in one of the large pots and forgotten about (put away for days, thought it was cleaned) It cleaned out with no smell left in the pot or on the cover, but I did have to clean it with tomato sauce and vinegar to get the smell out. Cooking is done on a gas stove - meat, veggies, pasta, fish, lots of rice dishes, you name it. I have used stainless steel, cast iron, glass, ceramic, and aluminum cookware, and like all of them for various jobs, but these are generally the easiest to take care of and clean. Only regret, there are fewer covers than pots, but I had some glass covers left from other pans, almost fit the frying pans, are usable. The largest covered pan is a bit on the large and heavy side for some sinks and people. - Jack G. in Rochester NY

I have had my Ameriware cookware for about 2 years, it is without question the best cookware I have ever owned... My last set was Circulon, which is peeling and food gets stuck in the ridges. I have tried them all, and have told my friends and family to buy Ameriware from Costco. I also love the fact that it is made in America!!!!!!...Kathy

Many contributors to the discussion subthread on PTFE miss several key points. Some have tried to clear things up though...let me try by adding the term "PFC"

1. When Calphalon says they don't use "Teflon", they are telling the truth. But, what they aren't telling you is their coating is in the CLASS of perfluorochemicals ..PFC !
As mentioned, I searched this entire thread, and not one person has mentioned the term PFC. And this is important! Don't miss this point:

Teflon is a brand of PTFE which is a type of PFC. And the entire list of chemicals in the PFC family is suspect. This includes ALL PTFE formula's (Dupont's formulas: Teflon, Dupont Autograph, Gore's formula, Calphalon's formula, and Scanpan's formula)

Skim this report to get the overview on PFC's...
http://www.ewg.org/reports/pfcworld/index.php

...it will clear up what many in this discussion thread are missing!

Let me try to outline a picture:

CLASS - PFC
TYPE - 'generic' (lab grade) PTFE
TYPE - branded PTFE (Teflon)
TYPE - branded PTFE (Gore)
TYPE - branded PTFE (Calphalon Non-Stick)
TYPE - branded PTFE (Scanpan)
TYPE - branded PTFE (T-fal)

TYPE - PFOA (like C8 ...which as someone mentioned is used to make Teflon)
TYPE - branded PFOS (PFOS is in pre-2000 Scotchgard, now banned by the EPA)

NOTICE THE LAST TWO I THREW IN ON THE LIST ABOVE. I JUMPED FROM LISTING PTFE's to PFOA and PFOS. THEY ARE ALL TYPES OF PFC's.

Ready to scream yet?

IT GETS WORSE ! The typing of PFC's includes also:
PFOSA, PFOSAA, M570, M556, C6, C7, C9, C10, C11, C12, THPFOS, THPFDS .... GET IT ???

So, if you're writing to a cookware company and want to know more about the non-stick coating...ask them if it includes ANY PFC chemical at all, which includes ANY PTFE, ANY PFOA, ANY PFOS...get my point ? Some of you need to quit focusing on Teflon (it's too specific...if a manufacturer uses a PTFE it might just be "generic Teflon" and companies like Calphalon & Scanpan can tell you a 1/2 truth because you've asked the wrong question! And other's need to quit focusing on PTFE or how it is bonded to the pan (whether IN a ceramic/titanium "matrix" or BONDED ON TOP OF a ceramic/titanium matrix)...or any other type of bonding mechanism.

- Skip Bogard
who btw...as one data point...met a girl friend in 2000. She was diagnosed
with Myeloma (a blood cancer) in 2001 at age 41, I asked her to marry me in 2002,
and we married May 31 2003. Sadly, my wife passed May 31, 2005. She saw herself
as a sort of health fanatic, and was shocked when she learned she had cancer and
was given about 3 years to live...even with chemo treatments.

Now, interestingly, she religiously had Stanley Steemer clean her carpets once a month & had 'em ScotchGarded when her children were growing up. And PFOS (in the pre-2000 Scotchgard formula...now banned by the EPA) has been implicated in damaging the thymus in humans & animals. The thymus is involved in the production of T-cells
(a type of white blood cell)...and the T-cells in Myeloma (the blood cancer she had) have been shown to be functionally defective (they are "stupid" and can't identify a Myeloma cancer cell, so they are allowed to proliferate.)

Much research is going on on trying to grow T-cells outside the body and then infusing them into a blood cancer patient (for treating Myeloma & some lymphomas). Or, you can alternatively infuse T-cells the old fashioned way...by getting them from a matched donor...like a brother or sister who can be a donor in a bone marrow transplant (now a-days, these are pretty obsolete except for some blood cancers...and they do blood stem-cell transplant...and use the stem cells to grow T-cells from those.

But I digress....my life has been focused on cancer for 3 years and I haven't spent much time picking up pots....I've spent more time eating hospital food and holding my wife's hand.

She didn't have a match donor brother or sister who could give her blood stem cells
to then generate new T-cells (the cancer killers), or her B-cells (another white blood cell...and a percentage of these were the cancer cells in her...that is Myeloma is a cancer of the B-cells....and of a more mature "adult" B-cell called the Plasma cell.

Live well.

Just one data point...among many out there if you take the time to look....at PFC's...

Minor correction with apologies to my beloved wife...she passed May 10, 2005, not on May 31 (our anniversary date). We didn't quite make it to being married for two years.

Flourine can a bad boy. ...google this:
pfc insecticide fluorine dupont
... you'll see what I mean....

you'll feel like Googling the word insecticide made you come full circle to discussing pots & pans non-stick coatings !

And you did...they're related.

Thanks to all for your comments about Ameriware.

Before finding this thread, but after purchasing 4 Chicken Fryers at Costco, I did a little research about Vollrath. After listening to the huckster at the "event" at my local Costco store, that Monday I Googled Vollrath and called their headquarters in Wisconsin.

A representative answered my questions and assured me that Vollrath is the manufacturer of the pans, and that the pans I saw at Costco or may see at a home show are Vollrath's line for the consumer trade. The rep stated that if I had a problem with the pan, I can either return it to Coscto or Vollrath.

Not knowing how to divide up a set among 4 people, I decided to purchase 4 Chicken Fryers that would double as fry pans and also offer the same versatility as the casserole pan (it's the same pan, except the chicken fryer has a handle) and the fryer comes with a lid, unlike the individiual fry pans sold at the Costco event, the lids are extra cost.

So, for $399.96, plus tax, I was able to purchase 4 Chicken Fryers and give each person one, vs. having to decide who receives which piece from a set.

I'm not familiar with all the issues surrounding Teflon and am sorry for the gentelman's loss of his wife. I truly did not know that the pans are of cancer causing materials.

I purchased the pans because I am tired of members of my family using such high heat under the pans that small fires have broken out and they ruin the pans! Hopefully, the Chicken Fryers will solve that problem, even if they never make chicken in them.

What has impressed me most about the pan is the lack of moisture that is required to cook in the pan (oil, water, etc.) and the only clean up is warm soap and water. The instructions advise to use Bon Ami to restore the outside luster of the pan.

Again, thanks to all for your comments.

P.S. As a side note, when I went back to my local Costco, the event was over, but they made an appearance the week before Christmas, the timing was perfect.

FOOD_AND_DRUG
Canyon Lake, CA

I bought an Ameriware chicken fryer at Costco just 3 days ago after tossing my cheap Teflon fryer out. I was taken by the demonstration and found it tempting to buy the set. But I thought I'd give the fryer a shot first. All the posted info is very interesting in light of the media's Teflon denouncements. But I will not be buying any more Ameriware for a different reason. The long and heavy handle causes the pan to tip on the burner of my 10 year old Thermador gas cooktop. So consider design when purchasing cookware, too.

Thank you Michael Lee for the informative research on Eclipse and Ameriware.

I independently stumbled across the Eclipse triple coating when I was trying to find the perfect nonstick cookware.
JCPenney has a line of cooks hard anodized Eclipse cookware as well, very inenxpensive and on sale now half price, $15-25 for skillets. Might be worth a try!
http://www.jcpenney.com/products/Cg11020.jsp

Another line of Eclipse is available in Canada.
http://www.canadiantire.ca/
The description of Artisan 7pc Cookset has 7mm thermal bottoms, silicon nonstick exterior and seems well made.

I also witnessed the Costco demo, and found the fry pans to be very easy to tip. The handle weight causes an imbalance. The thickness of the pans did not seem adequate to me. Just some information for those who might consider purchase.

I also found a very informative Australian site which rated nonstick pans.
http://www.choice.com.au/viewarticleasonepage.aspx?id=104488&catId=100285...p=1
While I was unable to find many of the brands listed there for availability in US, it provided excellent factual comparisons of construction, wear resistance, evenness of cooking and many other facts.

Based on their findings, I decided to further investigate Scanpan and Swiss Diamond(500F oven safe) product lines, both of which are available on Amazon.

From user feedback it seems that either line is preferred to Analon, Calphalon, and many other high priced brands, but very few have left feedback for the Swiss Diamond line.

I have used nonstick skillets since the early 70's when I first acquired a T-fal skillet. It is actually still useable! The coating was very different back then, but Tefal made a good product.
I had a more recent set from ChefMate which were quite good (very thick aluminum) until my idiot ex used metal tools in them.

So I would really like to know if anyone has had the chance to compare performance of Scanpan vs. Swiss Diamond, as they seem to be viable options. I think a thick base is essential for stability and performance.

The marketing for Swiss Diamond states that it browns and sears well, which is not generally the case with conventional nonstick. Is the hype worth the price? It would seem they also use some variant on PTFE although the information is not readily available. Silverstone is another brand name useage like Teflon.

Does anyone have any feedback on Maillard (browning) performance for nonstick pans?

Thanks

We purchased the Ameriware cookware from Costco in 2003. At the time, I only used Caphalon un-coated (the older stuff). My wife never learned how to cook with it, so we decided to go with something coated, but wanted Caphalon-like quality.

During the demonstration, I asked a number of questions. Ultimately, we decided to get the $399.00 deal. However, some of the questions we asked focused on cleaning. The sales rep showed us the "bread-bag" demo (where the bread bag was set up against the pan to scorch, then simply wiped away). He also mentioned that because of the "Ceramic NON-TEFLON" coating, deep cleaning the pans was as simple as taking off the silicone heat guards, throwing them into the oven, and setting it to CLEAN mode.

Well after three years of use, we had built up enough scorched sides (and rims, which are not coated) to warrant the deep cleaning. We threw in our chicken fryer, and two largest skillets. Mid-point through the cleaning the smell was so bad that we nearly left the house. After completion, we were shocked to see that the pans were baked down to the aluminum, and all coatings were in ashes (Ceramic indeed!). To make matters worse, we found that the oven was impregnated with a chalky white coating unlike anything we had seen from previous oven-cleans.

In summary, we are out our best pans due to this sales rep's lie. I am considering returning the whole set to get a Costco refund, but embarrassed that I took for face value what the rep said. Most likely, I will ebay the lids and throw the ruined pans away.

I must mention that the non-stick performance of the pans has degraded over three years (for the highly used ones). While it is still good, I cannot slide a fried egg on to a plate without some coaxing and jarring. We definitely don’t make grilled cheese sandwiches by frying the cheese on the pan as they showed in the demo (leaves residue). That said, the construction and weight of the equipment as compared with the Caphalon is stellar. The non-stick surfaces holds up moderately better than others we have tried. After reading this thread, I may opt to order replacement pieces from the parent company; VollRath. If prices are comparable with the local Cash-and-carry restaurant supply store, then I see no reason to purchase from Ameriware.

...now where is that dang Costco Receipt?

/Ty

Thank you, TY, for your comment.

Yesterday, at Costco, I saw an Ameriware saleman doing his sales pitch. He told me there is no coating on the cookware. He also said the cookware is made of titanium ceramic "alloy". I asked him how high a temperature can the cookware take. He told me since there is no coating the cookware can go as high as 1600 degree at which temperature the metal melts. No organic material can resist such a high temperature. Only inorganics can. Since the sign said "titanium ceramic", I though this cookware had an inorganic coating.

Your tragic experience proves that the Ameriware does indeed has an organic coating, most likely some sort of perfluoropolymer, which has low surface tension, thus, non-sticking property. CTC

I am a very analytic shopper too.

I never used a Scanpan, but I have done side by side by side by side by side tests with the following pans: Swiss Diamond, Anolon Professional, Anolon Titanium, Calphalon anodized and Berndes Signocast. I purchased the 8" pans of each type. The Swiss Diamond was absolutely fantastic. It cooks very evenly, browns well and cleans up like a charm. I now own their 2.2, 3.2 and 8.5 qt stockpots, and four sizes of their fry/saute pans and their oval covered roast pan. They are wonderful. Metal utensils are okay for stirring and serving, but no knives for cuttiing and no metal spoons to dig off burned split pea soup if you leave the kitchen for two hours and burn your pot-that's abuse. (You wouldn't drive your Bentley off-road through the mud either.) I don't worry about using metal in them with care, but I see no need to test them to failure. As per Murphy's Law: anything used to its fullest potential will break.

The Anolon Professional (I believe no longer available, but with the same surface as the "Advanced" line but with a different handle, Berdes Signocast were very good and similar in all respects, but did not clean as well or brown as well as Swiss Diamond. The Anolon Titanium browned better than the Anolon Professional and Berdes and is more durable than those two, but did not clean as easily. The Calphalon browned well but did not clean easily and was not durable. The Calphalon is also a thinner pan, and I'll say I liked that one the least.

I don't claim to be the last word, but I did test eggs and omelettes, and browning meat in each of them under the same conditions. If you must do your own tests, it is not a major investment to purchase the 8" pans as they are frequently on sale and/or have manufacturer's specials to get you to try their products.

I have over a dozen brands of cookware, with 1/3 being non-stick (Bourget, Le Cruset, Henckels, Berndes, Swiss Diamond, Analon, Scan Pan, Premier). The Swisss Diamond is definitely the sturdiest, and has the best non-stick qualities over time - I have 3 pans - I always use wood or plastic utensils. I'm very careful to only use low-medium heat to cook stews/soups etc. For high heat cooking, its definitely bad to use anything with Teflon or its PTE cousins. Rather than plain stainless steel or aluminum, I have been using Cybernox cookware by Sitram (A respected French company). It is a real shiny metal alloy that can go to 1800 degrees, lining and fused to a stainless steel body, with a 5mm or 6mm thick base. It is NOT non-stick, more 'stick resistant', but whatever sticks and burns cleans up easily - much more so than plain stainless steel. Usually, just soaking for a while lets burnt on gunk come up easily with a sponge. If its really burnt in, a touch of Bar Keepers Friend, and the pan is as shiny and reflective as a mirror! Cybernox is the only brand I use for skillets and saute pans. Having worked in a restaurant for 9 years, I've seen more than my share of burnt & crusty skillets - nothing else has come as clean so easily. Only negative to Cybernox is price. (This has not been a paid advertisement!)

I purchased a set of these pots and pans almost 2 years ago. I've been pretty happy with them, but the pans have begun to stick. I don't any pan will ever stay non-stick. I liked the idea of buying them because I was told they did not have aluminum in them, which I am trying to avoid becuase of aluminum's potentail hastening of Altzeimers. Now, I find out they may not have told me the truth, which does not make me happy. I went ot Costco today and the Ameriware people were there and I got a phone number to call, but instead I went to customer service and they were able to find my purchase in their computer records and even print out a receipt for me (My wife doesn't keep any kind of receipt that long). Now I can bring back the entire set and get a full refund. As was stated earlier, Costco really stands behind their products. So this week that's what I'm going to do. I haven't decided if I will re-purchase a new set I think I will research it a little more, but I would like to buy them from Costco because of their return policy.

Just an observation... it seems that the majority of people who have [u:b00f1c8694]actually bought and used this product [/u:b00f1c8694]really like it and are very satisfied. It would come as no surprise to find that the rest of the comments come from people who are constantly looking at the glass half empty, while it is good to research a product or a service provider - some of the folks here have gone above (or should I say below) and beyond what is necessary. A negative picture can be painted about anyone or anything - just check out a court room!
and yes I have this cookware and love it, and in response to the person who was concerned about cooking their stir fry at high heat...
the pans don't need anything higher than medium heat
they heat well and even, I was amazed how quickly water came to a boil.

:(
I just bought this set from Costco coz I wanted a good set. I was bidding on Amway on ebay but never succeed.
Just wondering if I should keep this Ameriware set. After read after these NON-stick things, I am very worried. I like to cook on non-stick but don't want to get un-healthy things for my kids.

Another question, how can people return things to Costco after using for 2 years? I thought you may only return things used in 90 days.

Anyway, very confused now.

Fluorine and non-stick are not the bad boys you make them out to be. Adhesives and/or attachment methods in some non-stick ware if burned or abused may not be good for you, but if you google Gore-Tex, you will find that teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene) is used in many surgical prostheses and implants, and has been for well over 20 years. Gore-tex is expanded PTFE, and there are MANY different configurations of expanded PTFE. They are used in cardiovascular surgery, abdominal surgery, oral surgery and others. This material saves lives.

I have read this thread from 1st page to the last again and still confused if I should keep this Ameriware set or not. I like non-stick very much. I use a non-stick wok every day. But I am worried with this Teflon thing too. Maybe I should just do as a lady stated earlier that we should use stainless steel as much as possible. So where may I get a good priced stailess steel set? I wonder why Costco doesn't have one.

My brother has a set of Ameriware from Costco and he likes it very much. Don't abuse/burn them, and you should be free of any health risks. I, personally like the Swiss Diamond.

It's had a question about the safety of my new Ameriware and really hit the jackpot with this site! Your research is awesome and the comments are much appreciated. Regarding the warranty- if the non-stick isn't warrantied, what's the point? I purchased the pan in large part for its nonstick quality!

I read this thread and still bought the ameriware $399 set today. I cook only a couple times a week, and my calphalon non-stick pans were shot, so this seems like a good replacement, and less expensive than the calphalon ones.
Seems like a good set.. the guy did the cheese & plastic bag demo, and it was impressive.. he used metal utencils, but they gave me plastic ones.
I look forward to browning some turkey in the pan for dinner tonight!

http://www.dealtaker.com - the cool place for hot deals

I bought a 10" pan at Costco last week. I bought it because I can't stand my Circulon pan anymore for scrambling eggs. Too hard to clean. It cost a little more than I was willing to spend but, in a Costco moment, I thought "what the heck?"

I am absolutely delighted with this pan. It has a nice heft to it and best of all, cleans up SO easily. I'm now thinking of buying more of these. Adios Circulon. In no way do I feel scammed. Besides, as regular Costco shopper knows, the store doesn't sell junk -- it's products are always high quality.

I had circulon pans many years ago. It's a wonder they are still around. I agree with you. They are terrible to clean and the ridges made them extremely bad for eggs and omelets that you want to to be able to slide around in the pan. They offered no advantage in any aspect of cooking.

Can someone recommend some brand of cookware that is more warp-proof?

I have a smooth-top cooking surface. A warped pan is of no use to me. I have used a variety of brands of non-stick cookwares over the years. And invariably each and every one of them warp. The difference between different brands was the time it took to warp. Some lasted long. Some others were so-so. One brand warped the first time I cook egg. It is frustrating!!

Which brands have you been using? Most high quality pans are pretty much warp proof (assuming you mean warping due to heat) but thin stainless steel pots and pans do warp and are a pain to work with.

If you're really at your wits end, I'd recommend All-Clad. The construction really is top notch and they are my favorite pans to use. Never had one warp on me (but then neither have my Calphalon, Clad Farberware, or Clad Tramontina either...)

I purchased the 399 set at Costco, too. I have a couple of all clad stainless steel, couple Daniel Boulud stainless and a griddle from Calphalon one, nonstick. I was thinking that these pans are safe, and now am wondering if all the non stick pans are toxic in one way or another??? I use the stainless steel for higher heat, no high heat, and usually use med. or low on the ameriware, calphalon one, etc. Now, I have only had my ameriware pans for about two months, but now am feeling like maybe I should return them? Costco does now carry a stainless set, I saw there today.
any thoughts???

Nonstick coatings should not be harmful unless overheated. If you cook under normal conditions (medium-high heat at most), you should be fine. In most non-stick cooking situations (unless you are heating an empty pan), you should be working just below that temperature range. How do you like the pans? If they work well for you and your style of cooking, then you should consider keeping them.

Thanks Michael.
I think that you have good insight and are a fair evaluator on the merits of pans. I appreciate your posts and your level head. I do like them. I think they do heat evenly and so far have seem to be of good quality. I kind of felt like if Costco allowed them to be sold, then they weren't junk and at 400 bucks, I would hope not. I do think that most sales people inflate the values so you think that you are getting a deal, but having a nice set that was good quality and useful sizes is what got me. I also thought that they were safer becaue of the no teflon statements made. I kind of wanted some pans around in case my husband or kids got a hold of that I wouldn't freak if they used them, or heaven forbid took a metal utensil to them. I am trying to get it thru their heads that it high heat doesn't cook their foods any faster, so as long as they follow that rule we should be okay, right? I like the option of making stuff like kraft mac and cheese for the kids in a nonstick pan. I haven't tried making it or rice for that matter in a stainless for years. I had some old revere ware that everything stuck to, so I learned the money pit way, that you get what you pay for when it comes to stainless steel. Now, many moons later, I have some stainless that are not non stick and like them very much. I have one Daniel Boulud six quart saute/braising pan that I think is my favorite. It has copper up the sides and bottom, kind of like the all clad. I use a silicone spatula and so far, nothing has stuck to it. I use it for everything. Well, thanks much for your support and I look forward to reading your posts. God bless you.

After witnessing the Costco demonstration yesterday and googling 'Ameriware Review' I picked up the Artisan set on sale for 89.99 Cdn, marked down from 230.00.

They are heavy, seem well made and indeed come with the Eclipse coating.

Thanks for the tip.

I have read lot of the posts here and other places about Ameriware some seem like they have a hidden agenda or are just looking to try and find out something to complain about. So peolpe for what its worth I Love everything about our Ameriware cookware I have hade it for several years& looks as good now as when we got it ! OK maybe a few age marks.... Here is the truth~They clean up so very easily.nothing cooks as evenly or is as fun to use This cookware is better then all the other nonstick brands we have tried We have tried everything at Costco . and even that new Caphalon one .(which is really not very nonstick) I researched this cookware before we bought it. It's made by the Vollrath company in the USA, they are famous for commerical cookware and other commerical kitchen products ...You can't go wrong here .

I purchase Ameriware set from Costco for my daughter. She LOVES it. So I purchase one for me. I have a smooth surface cooktop and cannot get these pans hot enough. Is this the reason?? Does anyone know if they are recommended for use on smooth surface cooktops?? I can't seem to find any information on this.

Here's the link to the Ameriware Products that Costco sells. The lids seem to be non stick also, while the Costco ones are SS...

http://www.cookware.tv/

My husband and I bought this set, also from Costco, but three years ago (just before Thanksgiving so we'd have some pots and pans to cook on). We fell for the titanium/ceramic coating hook, line and sinker. My biggest concern was to definitely NOT have teflon, plus we were assured that wqe could use metal utensils due to the superior coating quality. The coating started scratching about a year after purchase, but when I attempted to look up their co. online, I got no where. I was am glad I found this site, and will return our set to Costco at the earliest convenience as well make a complaint with the BBB, given that our coating is full of scratches, on both sides. Yes, it's great to cook with, but being pregnant, I want to make sure that no metal toxins are being ingested by me (or by my 1 yr old). Thanks for your input, foks...and purchase and use at your own risk....

I've had ameriware pots and pans for a few years. All but two that I seldom used have been trashed. After a few burnings, the coating is shot like all the rest. I tried to take the first back to ameriware they sent it back as is. I like costco but made the mistake of buying this from a military base. At least costco backs up a product even if ameriware doesn't. Having said that i enjoyed using the pots during the period they lasted, but I would only buy something like this from costco in the future, and save the receipts!

For what its worth, I bought the Ameriware $400 set online at Costco.com and it shipped from Sylmar, Ca. It seems as though it ships from Cooks Warehouse.

Also, prior to being a mechanical engineer, I worked at Costco for 5 years. I was the guy they would call to look over electronics returns. They will, in fact, take just about anything back at almost any time. However, sometimes they may not "be in the mood", so to speak. So, there are some keywords to say and avoid.

Best things to say:
- I am worried about the coating causing health problems
- Something about the (item) not working like it should

Avoid at all costs:
- I just don't want/like it anymore

Basically they want something more substantial than your feeling - they want an actual reason for concern. There is also a sense of how long something 'should' last, because they wont take things back forever. Although, I have seen close to that - computers after 7 years, which they wont do anymore if you bought it after Oct 2003. So best bet - health concerns - I bet they will take it back in a heart beat, even 10 years later.

Cheers!

Eric

I have owned an Ameriware cookware set for a couple of years. I am concerned about comments of a generic teflon coating. I am also experiencing a lot of trouble with food sticking in the heavily used frying pans. Soaking and scraping with a plastic spatula in now required. The handles rust so I have removed the handle covers and use pot holders. I am considering returning the whole set to Costco as I also feel that I have been duped.

:unsure: i am not sure what to think at all, i just purchased the complete pot set tonight at Coscto and my husband was very skeptical..wants me to do some research. good thing for this site, lots of good info to look over, good to be informed that is for sure. I am very curious as to what the coating is really made from, i have to admit, that was my main concern, that it was not teflon, but then again...is teflon dangerous if it is not flaking off? some say yes/no. So if anyone has more info on what the coating is made of, please post! ;)

I read the above discussion with amazement. I did purchase one of the large saute pans over a year ago. I wish I had purchased more. The pan is absolutely incredible for cooking and cleaning. There is nothing that I have yet to find that sticks in the pan.

Today, as I was looking into the possibility of purchasing a larger saute pan with a lid from Ameriware, I found this website accidentily.

I have used the pan daily since the day I purchased it for over a year and it continues to provide the same wonderful results. I have never had to struggle cleaning this pan. EVERYTHING, even cheese, just slips out without any effort.

I'm wondering about the logic of the above poster that would prefer buying a new pan every few years and worrying about cleaning difficult to remove substances. This appears totally without logic to me.

Enjoy, Karen :)

I bought a big set of this Ameriware at a home show, begiled by the demo and promises that the coating was not TEFLON. The sales guy was slick, and he lied about several things, including telling me that the contact info. he gave me was his own (turned out to be the number for COOKS WAREHOUSE in Burbank).

As soon as I got the stuff home, I discoverd via internet research (much of it HERE) that the coating is PTFE, essentially generic TEFLON. Having read so many bad things about this coating, I immediately called to return it, and was given one heck of a time by MR. HOWARD TEICHMAN, who initially told me he would not refund my money, and then insisted on charging bogus "restocking fee".

In the end I did end up buying a large box (in which to combine the smaller cookware boxes) and packing materials, and paying for shipping, insurance and proof of delivery (over $30) just to get them to take the stuff back. Then it was almost TWO MONTHS and several follow-up calls after they received my (completely unused and in the original packaging) pots and pans, before they issued a refund to my credit card.

In my experience MR. TEICHMAN and the COOKS WAREHOUSE, INC. are NOT TO BE TRUSTED. The company has operated under a number of different names over the years, apparently as a ruse to avoid the many complaints that the Better Business Bureau has logged against them. Support companies that have integrity, not hucksters like these.

Yes, I bought a set of Ameriware pots and pans from a salesperson at Costco about a year ago. My problem is this, how do you cleanthe sides and bottoms of the outside of the cookware??? Mine have discolored horribly....I use a gas stove and my small saute pan that I use all the time is so dirty and no amount of scrubbing will clean the cooked on whatever. I know one of the stains interacted with the coating outside, I think it was egg and it totally took the coating off! I now have a 'stripe going down the side of my pan. HELP.....Otherwise, I like the ease of cleaning and cooking with my set. Any help will be appreciated....

I don't own any of these pans, but, I can say from experience, that a gas stove will burn stuff onto the sides of pans. Cookware that is stainless steel, glass or porcelain coated can be cleaned with scrubbing, but other surfaces may well have their outer surfaces damaged by forceful scrubbing needed to clean off stuff burned on by a gas stove. (DO NOT let anything boil over the sides of a copper pot or pan. It will NEVER look the same after cleaning.)

Well, Heather, as they say--the proof is in the pudding. I'm enjoying that pudding myself, and if a time comes when I fail to (as the posting above clarifies), I will return it to Costco for a full refund at any time (with or without the receipt).

But unfortunately, you will not be having any pudding, so to speak, because you don't have tbe pots to make it with.

Kind regards.

1. They don't make their own products, they just combine others products (volrath and eclipse). This either means they are a front company unloading a bad product, a rebranding company selling other peoples products more effectivly, or a regular company just using others technology. Seeing how they have been around for decades, the prospect of a front company is eliminated. However, i would chalk them up as a rebrander, due to the bull they say.

2. The bull they say. They claim they're restraunt grade because they're durable (restraunts use cheap, replaceable pans, not durable ones). The no Teflon claim is misleading, because Teflon and the toxins in it aren't nessecarly the same. The trade shows and sometimes unreliable people there are another bit of bull. The name itself is the biggest tell, ameriware.

Personally, i don't like buying from resellers. It not only usually has some sort of scam behind it, it just feels dishonest to me.

Ok, so we've had our Ameriware pans for about two years and they've started to stick....really bad. The small 8" saute pan with eggs is now ridiculous. Does anyone know how to treat this problem? What I'm really concerned about is whatever *used* to prevent 'the stick,' has burned off and was ingested by my family.

Thoughts on treating the pans? A course of action? Should we return them completely?

Thank you.

-T

I had the same problem. I used Goo Gone. A little bit on a paper towel and some rubbing. Then wash thoroughly with plenty of soap and water.

I bought these pans and got the same stuff from the guy at the
Costco store. I was also told that these pans and pots need to be seasoned. Never heard that re non stick of any sort.

Any comments.

Thx
Gabe

I've owned an ameriware 12" nonstick fry pan for about a year and a half. We purchased it at costco for a very reasonable price (approx $50).

I do a lot of stir frying on high heat and have killed many expensive and not-so-expensive fry pans.

The ameriware pan has held up like a champ. It's by far the best pan i've used (including some expensive pans like a 12" nonstick all-clad). It still releases everything with minimal effort (including scrambled eggs, which are the biggest pain for me traditionally).

I'm currently in the process of trying to find some more ameriware pans to replace the other fry pans in my kitchen that are dying or just flat out dead at this point.

Any warranty of the form (and man