If you’re planning to buy new cookware, you might as well invest in high-quality pieces that will be able to handle your kitchen experiments. Calphalon, a well-loved cookware brand since the 60s, has two collections that are worth considering–the Premier and Signature lines. Both are popular among home cooks although they come with significant differences that you should know about. To help you decide between the two collections, here’s an in-depth comparison that takes their construction, design, heat tolerance, and cookware selection into consideration.
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Calphalon Signature vs Premier Comparison Chart
Construction
The Signature’s construction is more solid and durable than that of the Premier.
What’s great about the Premier and Signature lines is that they’re both fully-clad cookware. This means that they’re made by bonding different layers of metal together (stainless steel and aluminum). This results in durable cookware that’s able to distribute heat evenly.
However, the Signature has the upper hand over the Premier when it comes to construction. While the Premier only has a three-ply construction, the Signature has five. Instead of just one core aluminum layer sandwiched in between two stainless steel layers, the Signature has three core aluminum layers. So when it comes to durability, heat distribution, and temperature control, you can expect the Signature to be more impressive.
Another thing to note about their construction is their rivets. On the Premier, you’ll notice that there are only two rivets attaching the handle to the base while the Signature has three. While this may be a minor detail, having three rivets in place definitely makes the Signature feel a lot sturdier.
Design
The Signature has a special non-stick surface while the Premier has space-saving features.
Both the Signature and Premier lines have non-stick surfaces but there’s something special about the former’s coating. The pots and pans from the Signature line all have a ‘Sear’ surface that’s rougher than the Premier’s non-stick coating, making them great for searing and browning meat like burgers and steaks. This means that you don’t need to buy separate stainless steel pans or cast iron skillets anymore. Because the Premier doesn’t have the same kind of texture, definitely don’t count on it to be able to brown your food properly.
While the Signature wins in the non-stick surface department, the Premier has something that it doesn’t–space-saving features. Premier lids are actually flat, allowing you to easily stack pots and pans on top of each other. To boot, there are interlocking grooves on both sides of the cookware which keep them from toppling over or scratching each other when they’re stacked. So if you’re short on kitchen space, the Premier line solves that problem for you.
Non-stick surfaces and space-saving features aside, the Signature and Premier do have some design elements in common. Both utilize stay-cool handles that will never burn your hands and they also come with tempered glass lids that make it easy for you to check up on your food.
Heat Tolerance
The Signature has a higher temperature tolerance than the Premier.
The Signature has a slight edge over the Premier in terms of heat tolerance. It can take up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit while the Premier has a maximum tolerance of 450. This shouldn’t stop you from experimenting with the Premier though because you can definitely whip up delicious meals with it. Also, it’s oven and broiler-safe just like the Signature so it’s just as versatile. If you want more peace of mind, however, the Signature’s higher temperature tolerance will give you just that. After all, you want to be able to enjoy the cooking process instead of having to worry about one more extra thing.
Cookware Selection
The Premier collection is much bigger than the Signature.
If you want variety, that’s where the Premier shines. While both the Premier and the Signature offer non-stick and stainless steel versions in their collections, the former has space-saving options as well. As mentioned, these pieces have special features such as flat lids and interlocking grooves, allowing you to easily stack them and save up to 30% of extra space. Technically, you can stack Signature cookware as well but you run the risk of scratching their surface. Just to give you a better idea of how much bigger the Premier collection is, it has over 40 variations of cookware while the Signature only has 15.
Verdict
The Signature and Premier are both high-quality collections but cater to different home cooks.
While both the Calphalon Signature and Premier are high-quality cookware collections, they each have their own pros and cons. The Signature is a good pick for you if you’re after durability, if searing is a big part of your cooking style, or if you like cooking with high temperatures. As for the Premier, it’s ideal for those who want a wide variety of cookware to choose from as well as those who don’t have as much kitchen space to work with.
If you’re interested in the Calphalon Select line and wondering how it measures up, you can check out our Select vs Premier comparison.
FAQs
While the Premier only has a three-ply construction, the Signature has five. This makes the Signature the more durable cookware collection.
The Signature can take up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit while the Premier only has a maximum tolerance of 450.
The Premier has space-saving features that are missing on the Signature. Premier cookware has flat lids and interlocking grooves, allowing you to stack them safely and easily.
While both collections have stainless steel and non-stick options, the Premier has more variety as it also offers space-saving cookware.
Last update on 2022-07-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API