Does anyone out there have hard anodized cookware and if so is it different than caphalon cookware? I just bought a 13 piece set from JC Penny and got a real good deal, I think. They have a life time warrenty and are guaranteed not to chip or scratch. I still would like to know why some people are saying not to use dishsoap on them.:confused:

loubear - I did a search and this is what I found - I don't know if it helps any - but I tried:

Infused Anodized Cookware

Before You Cook
Wash your new pan and cover in hot, sudsy water. Rinse and dry.
Do not season your pan before using it. To enjoy optimum performance from your Calphalon cookware, keep it scrupulously clean. Any kind of oily residue on your pan can cause foods to stick.
Cooking With Infused Anodized Cookware
Heat Settings
Use a lower heat setting than you normally would. Calphalon cookware heats and cools more quickly than other cookware because it's made of heavy-gauge aluminum. It's also important to use the right heat setting for the cooking method you're using (not too high or too low).

Experiment to find the right heat settings on your stove. No two stoves work alike. Determine where the settings work best for your stove. You may want to write them down for future reference.

In general, we recommend:
High heat for boiling or reducing liquids only.
Medium to medium-high heat for sautéing, stir frying, and frying.
Low heat for warming food, simmering, and preparing delicate sauces.
Cooking Oils and Sprays
A small amount of oil, butter, or margarine is all you need for easy food release when you follow these basic steps:
Take foods out of the refrigerator and allow them to rest on the counter about 10 minutes before cooking. Placing chilled food in a heated pan causes sticking, even in stick-resistant pans.
Preheat the pan and oil properly (see Stove-Top Use).
Use the proper temperature to cook (see Heat Settings).
Utensils
Feel free to use any utensils on Calphalon® One? Infused Anodized, including metal, wood and nylon. Do not use sharp instruments or appliances such as electric mixers to cut, chop, or whip foods in the pan.

Stove-Top Use
Preheating
When sautéing, stir-frying or frying, always preheat the pan at the temperature setting you'll use to cook. Preheating provides maximum control for the cooking process. The pan is properly preheated when the rim is hot-to-the-touch.
Do not preheat on high to heat the pan faster. For cooking techniques such as sautéing, stir frying, or preparing an omelette, preheat at medium to medium-high. This will make sure your food begins cooking properly as soon as you place it in the pan.
TIP: The Butter Test
Heat the pan over medium to medium-high heat. When the rim of the pan is hot-to-the-touch, rub a teaspoon of butter over the inside of the pan. When the butter begins to bubble briskly (it should not brown), it's ready for the ingredients. If the butter begins to burn and turn brown, the heat setting is too high. Carefully wipe the burned butter out of the pan with a paper towel, lower the heat and begin again.
You can do the butter test even if you don't want to use it as a cooking medium, simply wipe it out with a paper towel and use the medium of your choice, or none at all.
Heat cooking oils
When searing our sautéing, a small amount of butter or oil is all you need. Your recipe may call for more; if so, we recommend you follow the recipe. Allow the oil to heat for a minute before adding food to the pan. Do not use aerosol cooking sprays with Calphalon® One? Infused Anodized. These sprays contain a chemical propellant that is difficult to remove from cookware. To keep cooking oil to a minimum, try using a mister filled with your favorite olive oil. Alternatively, dab a bit of oil on a paper towel and carefully wipe the bottom of the pan.
PLEASE REMEMBER
Shorter handles, higher cooking temperatures and longer cooking times can cause handles to get hot, especially Infused Anodized products. Cool V? long handles on Calphalon One Infused Anodized dramatically reduce heat conduction along the handle allowing for more comfortable cooking.
Oven & Broiler Use
Infused anodized pans can be used in the oven and under the broiler.
PLEASE REMEMBER
Handles will become very hot in the oven or broiler. Always use a potholder or mitt to prevent burns when removing pans from the oven.
Cleaning
Do not clean Calphalon® One? Infused Anodized cookware in a dishwasher. Dishwasher detergents will damage the surface. Dishwasher use will void your Lifetime Warranty.

Hand wash your cookware thoroughly inside and out after every use. Wash with hot, sudsy water and a dis***oth or sponge.

To restore your pans to "like new" condition, wash with a green Scotch Brite® pad and Bar Keeper's Friend®. Pay special attention to rinsing when you use Bar Keeper's Friend®; without careful rinsing, the cleaner may occasionally leave a powdery soap film.

Recommended Cleaners
Bar Keeper's Friend®
Recommended Cleaning Pad
Scotch-Brite®
DO NOT USE
Oven cleaners or other caustic cleaning solutions, baking soda, automatic dishwasher detergent, liquid bleach, liquid household cleaners used for walls, floors, porcelain, etc.

Always allow your pan to cool before washing. Submerging a hot pan in water can cause irreparable warping.

For stubborn burnt-on spots, allow your pan to cool then soak in hot, soapy water for 10 minutes. Burnt-on foods will lift off after soaking.

To restore shine to stainless steel covers, wash with a dish cloth or sponge and Bar Keeper's Friendâ.

Because Calphalon® One? is hand-crafted cookware, you may notice subtle variations in the pans' finish. These "character lines" are perfectly normal -a natural result of the manufacturing process.
TIP
If eggs and other foods begin sticking, even after following preheating and butter test instructions, it's a sure sign that grease and food residue have built up on the cooking surface. Clean thoroughly, referring to the recommended cleansers.
Lifetime Warranty
Calphalon® One? Infused Anodized cookware is covered by our Lifetime Warranty. Calphalon will repair or replace any item found defective in material or workmanship when put to normal household use and cared for according to instructions. Minor imperfections, surface markings as a result of shipping, and slight color variations are normal. This excludes damage from misuse or abuse, such as improper cleaning, overheating, dishwasher use, use of caustic or other unapproved cleaners, neglect, accident, alteration, fire, theft, or use in commercial establishments

This is another tidbit I found:

This is aluminum that has been given a special finish to protect it from corrosion. It is a good conductor of heat and the special finish makes it stick-resistant. It is a good choice of material to look for in pots and pans for most any type of cooking. Pots and pans made from anodized aluminum are not dishwasher safe and can be dark in color, making it hard to see slight color changes in the food being cooked.
Pan Care: To care for anodized aluminum pans, do not cook foods that are highly acidic or alkaline in them because they have a tendency to cause pitting in the coating. They should be washed by hand in hot soapy water rather than in a dishwasher where the strong detergent would damage the surface of the cookware. To avoid scratching the finish, do not use abrasive materials on the surface of anodized aluminum cookware.

Thanks Mama Mangia. Is chili and tomato sauce considered acidic? I made chili in the stock pot today it turned out awesome.

loubear - tomatoes are acidic - maybe if you were to cook them everyday for a while you may see some pitting in the coating - but I cannot say - I do not have that cookware

as a personal preference I try not to use any aluminum cookware or coated cookware - I do have 3 waterless cookware pans that are heavy duty aluminum but I have not used them in years and I do have 2 coated pans that I try not to use - it's just my preference though