Best Cookware

[Sandi57]

I am in the market for new cookware. I have checked consumer reports but want to know from "REAL" cooks what does the job best. Give me your input!

[DFen911]

Hello Sandi and welcome to the boards

I love my stainless steel. They are heavy bottom pans (my first set I still use was the Emeril Ware), and regulate the heat very well.

I only have 2 non-stick pans - a sauce pan and a crepe pan.

I also have 3 pieces of cast iron - 1 small fry pan, 1 large fry pan and a grill/griddle.

[labradors]

The "pro" lines of a few brands of stainless-steel cookware are hard to beat. In particular, look for a restaurant-supply store near you, and see what they have there. Very often, you can get some good stuff there for a lot less than it (or even lower-quality stuff) would be at places like Williams-Sonoma or Le Creuset. The "pro" series from Wearever or Revere are outstanding, and will last forever. All Clad is very good, too, but usually more expensive than it needs to be.

As Denise just mentioned, also get some cast-iron pans - especially a good Dutch oven. With proper care, they will last forever, too, AND won't stick the way you would expect, even though they are not "non-stick."

A couple of non-stick pans can come in handy, but don't make the common mistake of thinking they should be used for EVERYTHING. How many non-stick pieces you should get depends upon your level of experience. When you are first starting out, you should have one of two for very basic things, but NOT a full set, since inexperienced cooks tend to ruin the non-stick coating pretty quickly. Once you become more experienced, you should have one or two, as well, but by then, you won't want any more than that, since your experience will have taught you the value of good stainless and cast-iron pans.

One other, special item: if you plan to do a lot of Asian cooking, be sure to go to a restaurant supply store to get a carbon-steel wok. Don't be fooled into thinking that a flat-bottomed, non-stick and/or plug-in wok will ever work as well as a round-bottomed, carbon-steel wok - especially if you have a gas stove (if not, be sure to get the ring to be able to use it on the electric stove). In restaurant-supply stores, good, carbon-steel woks often cost about 1/5 the price of those other woks that are aimed at inexperienced consumers.

Finally, when you're at the restaurant-supply store, get a few half-sheet pans, instead of buying department-store, non-stick cookie sheets. Also buy some parchment paper for lining them, and see how wonderfully your cookies turn out. Again, they're often less expensive than the flimsy, non-stick sheets, and some restaurant-supply stores even sell used ones for even less.

[Gourmet_Mom]

Since I think Denise and Labs covered it, there's not much more to add. I'm glad you finally felt comfortable to post. I hope now that you are going for better cookware, you'll be cooking more and will join us from time to time. Welcome!

[cjs]

Welcome Sandi!! Can't add much except I do love my AllClad, but I also love my restaurant supply pots/pans/skillets. I do keep a non-stick skillet (in fact 2 - one of each size), and lots of cast iron.

I would only add that I hope you will not let anyone influence you to spend too much money. Pick them up and if they're heavy quality and they are in your price range, grab them.

Good luck and come back to the neighborhood often!!

[HomeCulinarian]

I bought a set of Thermo Core Waterless cookware my senior year of college - after (ahem) 30+ years of regular use it is still in great shape. I paid about $500 for it then from a home show vendor. Since then, the pans have only needed handle replacements, which are still available on line. Using an inflation calculator, it calculates the price paid in 1978, $500, is the current buying power of $1,650!

I guess my point is, if you really will use your cookware it is well worth an investment. (Then again, I still use the sewing machine I got back then as well. I think I like it because it doesn't have any computer chips in it!)

[Gourmet_Mom]

Oh, I did think of one thing....be sure at least some, if not all of your pots and pans can go from stove top to oven. They may all be like that now, but I thought I'd throw that in! I have to hand wash my dishes (broken dishwasher) and having to transfer a pork loin, steak, etc. to a different pan would be a PAIN! Then there are the stews that go from stove top to oven. (Most, if not all, of your stainless steel and all of your cast iron- including enamel- should be fine, but check your handles!) Also, I have always heard that stainless should be at least 18/20...but someone will correct that if I'm wrong.

[Cubangirl]

I personally can not take the All Clad long handles. They bother my hands, so I only have it in the 8qt dutch oven which has the short handles. I prefer Cuisinart Multi-Clad SS for my skillets, sauté pans and pots. I have Calphalon Sauciers which I love as well and use more frequently than pots. I have Staub and LC dutch ovens in varous sizes and colors (the 8qt Staub is the most used) in cast iron, but my favorite is my Emile Henry flametop which can go from stovetop, to microwave, to oven, to broiler, to freezer if needed. My overall most used are the 5 qt sauté pan and 12" skillet both Cuisinart multi-clad, and the top for the first works on the second. I use NS seldom, but the ones I have are Cuisinart hard anodized that can be used with metal utensils except for the large Calphalon grill pan which I use often. I got most of my them on Amazon on sale selecting each piece for its individual characteristics (e.g. the Cuisinart 12" skillet has a larger inside space than all the others so I usually can do all my browning in one batch). My main piece of advice is pick them up and make sure they feel comfortable to you.

[iBcookin]

You may want to consider the type of stove you are cooking on as well. A previous discussion on one of the forums mentioned that the new glass top cooking surfaces required flat bottom pans. I don't personally have one of those, but it seemed to make sense to me at the time. I don't know if anyone on this forum uses that type of stove.

I have one large Calphalon fry pan that is tremendously heavy (empty). If I had been smarter when I purchased it, I would have got one with a second gripping handle opposite the long handle. It would have made for much easier handling of the pan when it was full.

Welcome to the forum and come join the fun!

[cjs]

Good point, Linda - forgot about taking into consideration she may have a glass top stove.