I don't know about Kitchen Essential Calphalon in particular, but I have many pieces of Calphalon non stick with metal handles and if they are on pots or pans they don't get hot, on skillets with the very short handles, they do. That said, I also have Anolon with the plastic wrap handles (if thats the one your are talking about), and they are easier to handle and more comfortable but ofcourse, they can't go into the oven if you want to use them that way. I also find the Anolon more non-stick than Calphalon. Both are good.

I only have one Analon piece, a saucepan with a metal handle, but do have several Circulon pieces with plastic wraped handles (Analon and Cirulon are both made by Meyer). I also have some All Clad.

I have been happy with all of them. Only the All Clad lid handles have ever been too hot to handle without a towel. To be fair, the Circulon lid handles, even though they are plastic, also get hot, just not as hot.

For the price, I think you will be happy with Analon. Calphalon is good too but I have not used it so cannot compare.

I would get the Anolon titanium set, I like the handles, the Calphalon model you mentioned has one of the worse handles on a pan, and the autograph 2 nonstick on the anolons goes up against the Calphalon's top models