Cookware
 

Pots and Pans.

I'm tired of going through crappy cookware every few years, and I want to look into get better quality stuff. I've tried getting the "good" quality pans at places like target, and they just don't meet my standards. My mother has had the same pans my entire life. They cleaned easily, didn't warp when heated, and obviously were durable.

The top three things I'm looking for:
1. Even heating. The bottom stays flat when the pan gets hot.
2. Durability.
3. Clean easily. This may be a lost cause. I don't think any teflon type pans are going to offer the other two traits I want, but you never know.

I don't know what my budget is. I'll probably try to look at it from a good, better, best angle, and weigh performance vs value. I'll also likely buy individual pans, adding as I go versus trying to buy a full set at once. If it matters, I'm using a ceramic top electric range.

And don't tell me cast iron. I plan on adding a cast iron pan to my collection, but it won't be a regular part of my cooking.

OK CP chefs, what are your recommendations?

We have a set of Farberware we got as a wedding gift 19 years ago and outside of the handles occasionally coming loose it's held up very well.

As far as non-stick frying pans...they all suck. We buy a new one every year.

i've had a stainless steel copper bottom skillet that I have abused for a decade...can't hurt it, great heat distribution, goes in the oven (great for steaks)

it's a Revere, which isn't that great a line...but it's my favorite pan

edit, I think I paid $50 way back when

Wrap it in foil over an open flame.

Cast Iron

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/calpha...-bonus/s382012

I have had this set for 3 years. You're welcome.

Any local chef supply store would have what you want. Becareful looking for a particular brand. Half of what you will pay for a brand name is just that, a brand name.

http://www.midwestchefsupply.shoppin...37/8581850.htm
Will last a non-commercial user many many years with good care, and under $35 too.

We got a set of pampered chef stainless for our wedding (half off because we had enough people buy things on our registry). They are very stout and they have a lifetime warranty. However, certain foods stick to stainless like crazy due to a chemical reaction. For example, eggs stick really bad.

These will meet all of your standards though. They don't warp (if they do you can return them for new ones), they are durable because they are stainless, and they are easy to clean.

We've got these 2 sets (and we only paid $400 for both!):

http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering...&outletSubCat=
and
http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering...&outletSubCat=

I use these pans, I don't have the whole set. They work well and I don't expect to have to replace them anytime soon.

I've used these for a few years and noticed a huge upgrade in how even they heat through. 4 or 5 times a year there will be a piece that is being marketed at 1/2 off, right now it is the 9 inch omelot non stick skillet.

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/shop/...ware-all-clad/

This, we've had our for 10 years and still going strong. I think we paid around $250 at the time, very well worth it

I have the same old set I bought at a Walmart for several years. Some faberware shit.


I would never spend over $500 on pots and pans lol. That's silly.

Affordable quality cookware;

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/ca...cooking/20624/

Anolon.

Yeah, you have to own at least 1 nonstick skillet, if for nothing other than eggs.

I buy the stuff at Wal Mart. Just bought a set of the Paula Dean pots and pans not too long ago. They are holding up well. I'll just keep buying the cheap stuff and maybe eventually build a giant robot out of the crap as it goes bad.

Another R2D2?

If you're not worried about price, Le Creuset and All-Clad are a great place to start. I also find Anolon products to work well when I'm looking for non-stick (although I recommend you baby them ridiculously, as I do for all non-stick pans), and the older Revere copper bottom pots were always dependable for me when I didn't require a non-stick surface.

I have a few items from IKEA. Its about 2 years old and I use them several times a week and they are all holding up well. Pretty cheap too.

I'm thinking Bender.

How many of these can go into a dishwasher?

Fissler, Mauviel, All-Clad and Demeyere are some of the better constructed pans out there.

Bang for the buck, the Cuisinart Chef Classic line is pretty darn good, as is the Kirkland/Costco stainless steel set.

I usually buy one inexpensive non-stick skillet knowing that it's going to be tossed in three to six months.

If you are going to purchase a cast iron pan, I'd recommend that you take a look at the nickle plated ones.

You got a Costco membership?

I'm in the market for pots and pans too. I'm curious as to what the restaurants use because they get the most use out of a pan. I'm gonna be checking out the restaurant supply store here soon.

They use dog shit because it gets beat to hell on the grill and then additionally murdered by the dish crew.

Anthony Bourdain was talking about some pots and pans to consider at a restaurant supply shop. I figured I check them out because he said on ones you can beat to shit and they'll last 20 years. So I don't plan on beating them to shit and maybe they'll last 40. :shrugs:

I like the new calphalon set I bought about a year ago and if you want cast iron I recommend Lodge pre-seasoned.

Yeah, I kept 2 of my nonstick skillets (my mom advised this when we got the SS set)

I have a set of their knives and I love them. They are very sharp, they balance well, and they just feel like quality knives but they aren't so expensive that I'm afraid to use them.

I do. Do they have something decent?

Calphalon is good stuff. I've had mine for probably 19 or 20 years and It still looks and functions like the day I got it. It's all metal handles go in the oven, and its extremely heavy duty. You gotta have a couple of cast iron pans too though. I"ve never cooked with anything that holds and distributes heat as well as cast iron.

The Kirkland anodized set is <$200 and rates higher than $900 Calphalon versions according to Consumer Reports and other reviews. We've had a set for several years and while I'm not certain they wear as well as more expensive versions, I'm pleased with our ROI.

We werein the same boat... went with a non-stick, non-andardized, dishwasher safe, set. Wife loves it. I forgot the name but got it at JCPenny's paid <$200 for the set.

**** Teflon, only scrubs cook with that shit, unless it's eggs, feel free to have a crappy teflon pan on hand for eggs. But anything else you should go with high grade aluminum alloy. I like Vollrath frying pans myself, cheap, good and durable.

but lucky for me I have a friend with a restaurant depot card, I go with him every once in a while and stock up. You can't find prices like that anywhere. $15 for great saute pans, bought a whole KC strip for like $6 per pound and cut it myself to the thickness I like. It's a pretty sweet store, wish I could get my own membership card.

perhaps you can. I have one. All you need is a tax id number. I have one for my office and we have nothing to do with food.

I looked at that and the cuisinart stainless set today and almost bought the stainless. Ended up putting it back on the shelf and will shop around.

Really think I prefer the feel of the stainless. The anodized stuff just seems so thin on the bottom Its just been so long since I used stainless, and I really don't remember if they are that bad to clean.

Stainless stains too easily.

pretty easy to stick to as well. I've found if you aren't cooking in alot of oil or butter, SS tends to stick pretty bad

Another vote for cast iron. It's a little more high maintenance, but they're great to cook on.

So I know this is pretty old thread, but no use in starting a new one about the same shit. I know, HERE? never happens. Anyways, I picked up the 11 piece hard anodized set and can't imagine why I went so long without some decent cookware. Only $300. Granted you can't put them in the dishwasher nor can they stand high temps without ruining the non stick coat, but really after a lot of omelets, fish, steak and sautéing on these pans at med heat it doesn't seem necessary to raise the heat any higher than medium on anything in pans.

Cleaning is easy. Just use the spray nozzle from your sink and anything stuck on it rinses right off. I will never go back to walmart pots n pans. I haven't needed to add any grease or oil to these pans when cooking with eggs. Just right on the pan and the omelet slides right off.

You'll find it very hard to build any kind of fond in anything nonstick. Just sayin', fond is the bee's knees.

When I was married 20 years ago, we put a few All-Clad pans on our registry and actually got a few of them. We have since bought a couple of additional ones. They have been terrific. They cook flawlessly, they clean up very easily...they essentially look like they are almost new, and I use them daily. They are expensive...but if you have the money, I recommend them highly.

The next best option is to go to a restaurant supply shop and buy the same pans that professional chefs use. They are not expensive and they are typically good pans.

I also have two very old, very well seasoned cast iron pans that are essential. No cook can be without at least one big cast iron pan.

Not if it's good stainless.

Great point. Nonstick is great for omelettes and things like that. For other foods, you need some of that carmelization, and the deglazing step. Nonstick doesn't get it done in that department.

Potstickers in nonstick pans are the bomb!