All-clad
All-Clad Metalcrafters is a metal goods brand that is part of Groupe SEB .
In the early 1960s the metallurgist John Ulam in Canonsburg , USA developed a patented roll-bonding process for the production of solid metal connections. Different metals were rolled out into an inseparable unit through heat and pressure. Due to the gentle hydroforming, the heat conductor is also retained in the bending zones. Finally, it is polished by hand to create a perfect surface. The process was initially used for the production of coins and as a raw material for the armaments industry. In order to use the high-quality metal scraps sensibly, Ulam made hand-forged pans and pots from them. From 1973 these products were sold under the All-Clad brand . For a few years now, All-Clad has only been producing cookware ; deliveries to external companies were discontinued after the first takeover by the steel mill owner Sam Michaels . Until 2004, All-Clad was a subsidiary of Waterford Wedgwood .
history
In 1971 John Ulam founded All-Clad Metalcrafters , the first company in the world to produce high-quality multi-layer cookware. The first lines of cookware came onto the American market in 1974. In 1988 the steel mill owner Sam Michael bought All-Clad, made the brand known throughout the USA and concentrated production entirely on cookware.
From 1990 onwards, All-Clad established partnerships with top chefs. The brand's first “partner chefs” include Daniel Boulud , Jacques Pepin , Jacques Torres and Wolfgang Puck . The Stainless line, a three-layer cookware made of aluminum and stainless steel, was launched on the American market. In 1999 the copper core cookware was presented. Five layers with a copper core in the middle ensure quick and even heat distribution and even cooking.
From 2006 the Stainless and Copper-Core collections from All-Clad were also distributed in Germany. In 2009, Copper-Core was made usable on induction cookers with a magnetizable outer layer . In 2010 All-Clad brought the "d5" technology onto the market: An additional middle stainless steel layer in a 5-layer structure ensures more mechanical and thermal stability.
Products
Stainless
The products of the Stainless series are made of corrosion-resistant 18/10 stainless steel, aluminum and magnetizable stainless steel. The three layers are shaped from the bottom to the sides, which ensures a balanced heat distribution. Stainless is the standard series from All-Clad.
Copper core
Stainless steel for the inner and outer walls (now ferromagnetic on the outside), two layers of aluminum enclosing a copper layer - the Copper Core series thus combines the advantages of stainless steel with the high thermal conductivity of copper. A hand-milled strip on the outside reveals the copper core in order to visually distinguish the copper core from the products of the Stainless lines. Copper-Core is All-Clad's top product.
Stainless with d5 technology (for professional use)
As a consistent further development of the Stainless series, "d5", enclosed by two aluminum layers, offers an additional stainless steel layer in the core, which ensures significantly increased torsional rigidity. According to the manufacturer, the series is intended for use on professional high-performance induction cookers.
General design features and criticism
The high-quality cookware from All-Clad has multi-layer material across all series, which extends evenly over the base and side walls. In the meantime, however, there are manufacturers who differentiate the construction of their various cookware not only in terms of the amount of material used, but also in terms of the structural design of the floor and walls. In addition, with All-Clad there is no need to retain the riveting of the handles, which results in not smooth inside. There is also no use of metal layers, which lose their magnetizability more and more when a limit temperature range (approx. 220-250 ° C) is reached (ControlInduc), so that overheating on induction hobs is reliably avoided.