As self-confessed kitchen gadget addicts, hubby and I are always on the lookout for the newest and greatest in cooking gear. Very rarely does a product come along that absolutely wows us and prompts us to write what just might be the raving-ist review we’ve ever written. Let’s all mark this date on the calendar as the day that we had virtually nothing bad to say about a product.
I used to think that I loved my metal cookware and was reasonably happy with the way it performed. Back then I didn’t even know that I could love cookware like I love the Ceramcor Xtrema line. I know some pans are nicer than others, but I’ve always believed that when it comes down to it, the difference between a really nice pan and an ok one wasn’t that far off. But then I met Xtrema, the coolest cookware set ever.
A few years back, we decided to switch to an all-stainless steel cookware set for a number of reasons, but mostly it was because we desired a safer and more durable set that could go from oven to stovetop. Imagine if we had known back then that a revolutionary set of cookware would soon be on the market that could go from stovetop to oven to broiler to microwave to barbeque grill to tabletop and then to the freezer with ease.
Yes, you read that correctly – a cookware set you can use on the BBQ or in the microwave. Made of a high-temperature ceramic with a non-toxic non-stick ceramic surface both inside and out, the Xtrema cookware can withstand temperatures of 2,700 F, which is 500 F past the point at which steel melts, and then still wipe clean at the end of the meal.
The multi-functional set means that you can thaw, cook and serve a meal all in the same pan, which is great because I am adamantly opposed to using more than one pan per entree. Before, we would take items from the freezer and put them in a glass dish to microwave and then after they were microwaved we would dump them in a pan to brown before getting out yet another dish to serve the food in. When you’re talking multiple dishes and sides, the sheer number of pans and dishes dirtied can be absurd.
With the Xtrema set, we put the frozen food in, microwave and then set on the stovetop to cook without worry. And then once the meal is cooked, we can serve right from the pan – even with metal utensils! After dinner is over, you can store leftovers in the Xtrema cookware in either the refrigerator or freezer without worry of thermal shock.
Because the high-gloss ceramic glaze is extremely non-stick, the Xtrema Cookware is easy to wipe clean without harsh scrubbing and can even withstand steel wool, the traditional non-stick nemesis. The Xtrema Cookware is naturally bacteria resistant and contains no trace metals or chemicals that can leach from the cooking surface into your food and no non-stick surface that can peel, warp or scratch.
Okay, but how does it cook? Better than every single set of cookware I have ever tried in my life. The Xtrema Cookware set has the most efficient heat transfer hubby or I have ever seen, retains heat longer than traditional pans, and allows us to use a lower heat setting than we do normally, all of which saves energy while cooking.
One of the first things we noticed was that the heat spreads out over the entire pan, not just the part directly on the center of the burner. This reduces hot spots within the pan and actually cooks the food quicker and more evenly, allowing you to get dinner on the table faster than ever before. Fair warning: the heat transfer of these pans is so efficient that every bit of it gets hot, including the handle and lid, use caution… and a pot holder.
The Xtrema website explains their revolutionary cooking technology like this: The ceramic material used in all Xtrema cookware has an inert and non-reactive quality that produces a far-infrared heating process that's considered the most effective and beneficial type of heat for all types of cooking. This penetrating heat process cooks food from both the inside and outside at the same time. The end result is the emergence of a full range of subtle and nature flavors, an increase in nutritional value and a more enjoyable eating experience. The overall result is Healthy Cooking = Healthy Eating = Healthy Body.
For those of you looking to go Green, you will be happy to note that the Xtrema Cookware set is environmentally friendly and so much more than Green. Their patented ceramic material is made from 100% natural ceramic materials and organic water, including the Nano-Glaze™ surface. The company also reduces its environmental impact by using clean-burning and safe natural gas, which Ceramcor claims is part of their pollution-free process. As if that’s not enough, they even recycle all their water.
Price: Prices range from $39.99 to $149.99 and are available at www.ceramcor.com or at the growing list of Xtrema retailers. You can save 15% off entire Xtrema Healthy Ceramic Cookware order by using the coupon code-- TW15
Looks: Sleek and simple, yet elegant and fun.
Overall: Stovetop, conventional, microwave or toast oven, broiler, barbeque, refrigerator, freezer and dishwasher safe, which means there is literally nothing this set can’t be used for!
And now for the Giveaway...
One Rave and Review reader will win an Xtrema Tea Potle of their very own! To enter, just visit ceramcor and let me know something cool about the company, the products or something you would love to give this holiday season.... Be sure to check back soon when we review the Xtrema Bakeware line for the 2009 Holiday Gift Guide!
And, as always, there are extra entries available!
1) Subscribe to Rave and Review (1 extra entry, must be verified to count) 2) Follow or subscribe to the Ceramcor Blog 3) Tweet about this Giveaway using @raveandreview and @XtremaCookware (1 entry for daily Tweet, just post link here) 4) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage (1 extra entry) 5) Place my logo or link in your sidebar on your blog or website (2 extra entries, must have an active link) 6) Share this post on Facebook (1 extra entry) 7) Become a fan of Xtrema on Facebook 8) Email love. Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne@raveandreview.com for two bonus entries (I will never, ever contact your email recipients) On November 21st at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email
A family-sized thank you to Ceramcor for providing the cookware to be reviewed, one of which we offered up for giveaway to our fabulous readers. No other type compensation was received for this review.
