OT - Calphalon Dutch Ovens

Acn

Hey all, 

Does anyone here have experience with Calphalon (or other non-cast iron) Dutch ovens?  My parents have a few old pieces of Le Crueset, but as they're getting older they're having a bit of trouble manipulating them, especially when they're filled with 6 qt of soup, or spaghetti sauce, or what have you.  I was thinking of moving them away to non-CI as a Christmas present.

Anyone have specific recs or experience?  
Thanks

smokeybreeze

I have an 8Qt Calphalon dutch oven and I have CI and Le Crueset.
The Calphalon was given to me nearly 30 years ago and it doesn't get as much use as the CI or LC French Ovens, but it also hasn't taken on a mothering that the CI has - this may be because I use it mainly as a stock pot/dutch oven for acidic cooks. It is way way way lighter weight than the CI or LC.

If your parents need a good simmering pot that can take on soups, sauces and acidic cooks without blinking an eye, Calphalon can fill the need exceptionally well.

If they are looking for a searing/browning/high-heat-retention vessel, the Calphalon will be hit or miss as Calphalon will not retain heat like CI or LC but it should do a much better job of even heat transfer.

That reminds me - how do you tell a food blogger is full of crap and doesn't have the experience to back up their "knowledgeable spouting"? Whenever you read or hear that cast iron heats evenly, that's your BS flag.  I put my CI skillets (Lodge and Wagner)  on my gas stove - on the appropriately sized burner for the size of the skillet and used my infrared thermometer to watch the heating up of the skillet.  Even when some of the the cooking surface of the skillet was about 400*F, other parts of the cooking surface of the skillet were only around 300*F. Cast iron does not heat evenly but it does retain its heat well after you put food onto the surface of it.

Teefus

We have a Calphalon. It's very useful. We use it as a steamer most of the time (with a basket insert). It's a great soup pot too.