With the rise in popularity of the tiny home or the popularity of the mobile RV lifestyle, it’s obvious that those big sprawling kitchens aren’t going to be in your future. So how do you maintain your gourmet lifestyle while trimming back your space requirements? A two-pronged attack is working for us: Circulon Ultimum cookware and a portable NuWave induction cooktop.
Circulon Ultimum Cookware
Check out any Kohl’s store and you’ll now find a complete set of cookware in a box. The Circulon Ultimum 11-pc. Forged Aluminum Nonstick Cookware Set (Model no. 10983) has everything you’ll need to make the majority of those recipes you most love.
Made from heavy-gauge, forged aluminum, these pans are going to last. Forged aluminum makes the cookware extremely durable while not very heavy, and the hi-low circular cooking surface is the magic to its non-stick bottom. A specially blended underside of the pan features metal in the ringed surface so that is will work with all cooktops, including induction.
Featuring the Ultra TOTAL triple-layered nonstick system, you can even use metal utensils without worrying about chipping the non-stick layer of this cookware. Where possible, plastic would be the obvious choice, but if you’ve got a favorite metal spatula, bring it on.
The Circulon Ultimum 11-pc. Set includes:
2-qt. covered saucepan
3-qt. covered saucepan
6-qt. covered stockpot
3-qt. covered saute pan
8-in. French skillet
9.75-in. French skillet
12-in. French skillet
In addition to all the flexibility from all those different size pans, they can all go in the oven and are safe up to 450°F. Hand washing any fine pan is recommended, but the entire set of Circulon pans and lids are all rated “truly dishwasher safe.” A “hassle free” lifetime warranty backs up their claim.
The handles are all contoured stainless steel and feel great to hold onto. I found the grip to be super firm yet comfortable to hold. With no rubberized coating, you’ve got nothing to worry about if they go in the oven or extend over an adjacent burner.
When we opened the set originally, our only concern was that the small saucepan we typically use to heat water for tea, didn’t have a spout like our former Momentum set had. Turned out to be a non-issue, as the edges of these pans pour extremely precisely and you can easily pour the contents out right where you aim it.
NuWave Pic Flex Cooktop
For even more flexibility, consider the NuWave precision induction countertop cooktop that you can plug in anywhere. Cook with it in the kitchen, plug it in to keep appetizers warm by the bar, or cook outside on the patio while the weather is pleasant. It works anywhere there is a standard, residential 15-amp electric outlet.
Thanks to advanced, precision induction technology, you can boil, simmer, sauté, steam, grill, deep-fry and even sear anywhere you have a power outlet. As soon as you remove the pan, the grill turns off, and it reportedly saves up to 65% of the energy compared to a conventional coil cooktop.
The only caveat is that you must use pans that work with magnetic induction technology. If a magnet won’t stick to the bottom of your pan, it won’t work with an induction cooktop. That means most stainless steel and aluminum pans won’t work; but, the Circulon Ultimum does.
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We’ve enjoyed taking the cooktop where the action is, and knowing that we can use it with the Ultimum cookware set to create just about any dish we typically serve. Best part, when the party is over, clean up is a breeze, so much so, that often we clean up immediately as the food is being served. That way, when the party is over, we are done as well. The cooktop wipes clean in an instant and is tucked back away in a drawer. Pots and pans go into the dishwasher, and it’s a wrap.
Check out the entire kitchen cookware set-in-a-box at Kohl’s or order online at Kohls.com. You’ll find the PIC cooktop online at Flexcooktop.com.
Disclosure: We were provided with both the cookware and the cooktop in order to complete this review, but all opinions are our own.