OT - Need suggestion for cookware

DaveRichardson

Hey all!

My lovely bride and I have decided that after 18 years, we need to get some new and improved cookware for the kitchen.  I've still got my grandmother's cast iron that isn't going anywhere, but its time for some new pots and pans.

My question:  What do you have?  What do you like / dislike about it?  Would you buy it again?

Jeremiah

I'm sure others will post more informed opinions, but we're in a similar situation here and have been looking at all clad stuff. 

tarheelmatt

I like our Sur La Table set. 

lousubcap

I'm with @Jeremiah -here.  All-Clad is definitely worth a solid look.  Bought a set of pans 17+ years ago and shoulda done it sooner.  But there are many factors that go into a serious cook buy-like friggin knives.  And yes I would buy again-but I only bought once so I don't have any valuable comparison.  Take your time- and like the friggin knives, yes it does make a difference.  FWIW-

Mattman3969

We use All-Clad. They work great but if I had it to do over again I would buy in the price of I don't give a sh$t. I hate seeing new scratches on the good pans.  I've threatened to buy a cheap set I could beat the hell out of.  

NC_Egghead

Another vote for All-Clad. 

blasting

This may sound random, but Ikea has a line out called Sensuell.  I don't use it very much, but I sure do like it.  It's heavy - and chefy looking.  

Bamapez

I initially bought Demeyere cookware because I had an induction cooktop that required cookware that a magnet would attach to.  I've had it for over five years and now cook on a Blue Star gas stove and they are awesome!  It doesn't matter what you cook on with this cookware, it is fantastic.  I'm a chef and was looking for something rugged as well as beautiful, they preform and clean great.  They look like new.  I recommend them without reservation.

SGH

Two things every man needs. A 17 or 20 inch cast iron super skillet so you can make a $hit load of breakfast at one time. Second, a heavy duty, aluminum 120 quart pot for shrimp and crawfish. That's probably my most used and liked two. 

nolaegghead

We have All-clad, Magnalite, Kitchen Aid and a few assorted brands, cast iron, etc.  It's nice to have nice cookware. 

That said, if I had it all to do over again, I'd have a commercial kitchen.  Many of the best chefs in the world use that same commercial stuff they sell at Costco and Sam's Club.  Heavy aluminum.  Transfers heat the best.  Teflon when you need non-stick.

With a few exceptions, better cookware isn't going to make you cook better.

Focker

I would start putting your hands on them at the store, building your own set.  Pans are a lot like knives.

Personally, the All Clad does nothing for me.  Same goes for the Forschners that Cooks Illustrated and the masses adore.

Start with some nonstick for the delicates, like a Tfal Pro or 2 in different sizes.  Replace when needed.
A nice 5 or 7 ply saucier in the 3 qt range is versatile.  This is by far, my favorite pan and handles the majority of work.

A stockpot with strainer and steamer set is a must.  

You got the CI covered, but enamelled DOs are great to have around.  One of my favorite saucepans is 1.75 qt vintage Le Creuset with pour spout.  

Another great CI piece is an Emeril 13 x 9 caserole roaster no longer available.  Very deep, and the lid doubles as a griddle, grill pan, drip pan for roasted veg under rotisserie chicken.  Same goes for the Lodge CI Double Dutch, versatile....egg, any cooktop, oven.

Carbon steel is nice, heats/cools quick, great searing.  Will get better with time and use.

I have a big Al King Kooker pot for the larger jobs.

Build as you go.

Eggcelsior

All Clad here. Made in USA, and made well. My parents bought a set in the early 90s and other than scuffs/scratches, it performs as it did brand new. This was enough to sell me on it, so I bought a basic D5 set and added some pieces from there. I use it more than any other cookware I have.

I have seen people complain about the rivets being hard to clean or that they are heavy, but they set the standard for home cookware and I can't recommend it enough. 

Focker

Eggcelsior said:

All Clad here. Made in USA, and made well. My parents bought a set in the early 90s and other than scuffs/scratches, it performs as it did brand new. This was enough to sell me on it, so I bought a basic D5 set and added some pieces from there. I use it more than any other cookware I have.

I have seen people complain about the rivets being hard to clean or that they are heavy, but they set the standard for home cookware and I can't recommend it enough. 

Wow.  Setting the standard since 1967. 

http://www.debuyer.com/en/history-and-heritage

https://www.mauvielusa.com/info/Mauviel.html

http://homecookwaresets.com/demeyere

pgprescott

@Focker is 100% correct about putting your hands on them. It's a matter of personal preference. What are your needs? How does a particular pan feel? There are a lot of good options. Enjoy the experience. 

blind99

The cast iron rarely leaves my cooktop!

id recommend buying piece by piece. Sets always give you a few things you'll never use. 

nolaegghead

I must admit, putting the pots and pans in your hands is really the only way to judge how well you'll be able to swing it around the kitchen as a weapon (you never know when someone will dislike your cooking). 

Insofar as what it's designed to do, and if you're looking at the selection from a purely pragmatic perspective - what transfers heat best, cost/value ratio, etc - the commercial kitchens world over primarily use relatively inexpensive heavy aluminum.

The inside coating touches the food.  So there's that. If you want premium cookware, it'll cost you.  If you treat it like a baby so you don't get scratches in it, you'll suffer in efficiency and mentally.  These are tools.

mikeinccfl

All Clad for me except for non-stick.

All Clad has sent me replacement non-stick skillets multiple times under lifetime warranty. I wear down my non-sticks about every two years in normal but not gentle use. They aren't scratched but they do see high heat. Technically that isn't covered by their warranty so their c/s is great.

But it's a pain to send the pan back in. Now I just buy T-Fal for non-stick and toss when it dies.  When the last AC non-stick fails it will be the last of them in my kitchen.

On the other hand, my other AC gear is easily 10yrs old and going strong.

@Focker nailed it. Go to the store and see how a pan feels in your hand. Don't buy sets; buy the individual pieces you need and mix/match brands to do what you need.

fishlessman

lecreusett, lodge, 1930's wearever aluminum sauce pots, hand hammered copper/tin ruffoni stock pot. enameled lodge is every bit as good as the pricey stuff. my wearever sauce pots heat things up quick and get lots of use. the folks in the swiss alps that made my ruffoni would cry if they saw my pot, it looks like an old dirty penny best chowdah pot out there theres some laminated stainless, what to look for is that the lamination on the bottom wraps up the sides, if it does not, food burns in the bottom corners. have some stone and clay pots as well. i would not buy a set, i would not buy a pretty set, who wants to sit around polishing pots are you buying these to cook with or decorating

Big_Green_Craig

I just picked up a couple All-Clad skillets. Very happy so far. 

jtcBoynton

My All-Clad pieces are over 25 years old. They are still in great shape and I anticipate that they will last me the rest of my life.  For non-stick, get a cheaper pan than any of the premium brands (my favorite non-stick is T-fal). Non-stick surfaces wear, so get one that you plan to replace every couple of years.  

You can't go wrong with a combination of cast iron, All-Clad, and T-fal non-stick.

tarheelmatt

tarheelmatt said:

I like our Sur La Table set. 

I should have specified.  

I have a Sur La Table 3 piece for non-stick.  

I have a set of Emeril (All-Clad) pots and pans too.  Had this for about 10 years now. 

Dredger

I have no doubt that All Clad makes a fine set of cookware, however, we have 3 sets of Wolfgang Puck stainless from HSN and, yes, I use them all. One set was geared towards holiday cooking for a large crowd. We also bought several individual pieces to have some duplicates. First set bought 14 years ago and still looks like the day we unpacked them. They also carry a limited lifetime warranty and are very reasonably priced. You can buy individual pieces to try them out. I replaced an extensive collection of Calphalon anodized with the WP stainless. We also love Lodge cast iron, both regular and enameled. No need for non-stick if you have stainless or a well seasoned cast iron skillet.

SkinnyV

I just scooped up the 3 Williams & Sonoma professional series stainless non stick pan sizes. 
They are great looking pieces currently on final sale. 
I like piece working my stuff rather than all the same set.

ryantt

We purchased All-Clad last year and they are amazing.  Wish we would have done it years ago, don't even want to think about how much money I tossed in the trash from the pans we've pitched.  remember, buying quality only stings once.  

Eggcelsior

Focker said:

Eggcelsior said:

All Clad here. Made in USA, and made well. My parents bought a set in the early 90s and other than scuffs/scratches, it performs as it did brand new. This was enough to sell me on it, so I bought a basic D5 set and added some pieces from there. I use it more than any other cookware I have.

I have seen people complain about the rivets being hard to clean or that they are heavy, but they set the standard for home cookware and I can't recommend it enough. 

Wow.  Setting the standard since 1967. 

http://www.debuyer.com/en/history-and-heritage

https://www.mauvielusa.com/info/Mauviel.html

http://homecookwaresets.com/demeyere

@Focker I should have clarified in that I meant they set the standard with clad cookware(which they invented, by accident). So, sorry for that. If you want a cheaper equivalent alternative, get Cuisinart MCP cookware. If you want the best(and more expensive), get Demeyere Atlantis or Proline. 

smokeyw

I like All-Clad and Calphalon. I have both in my kitchen.

NonaScott

tarheelmatt said:

tarheelmatt said:

I like our Sur La Table set. 

I should have specified.  

I have a Sur La Table 3 piece for non-stick.  

I have a set of Emeril (All-Clad) pots and pans too.  Had this for about 10 years now. 

I have a set of Emeril also. Very happy with them.

Angela

I have a mix in different materials and choose what to use based on their individual properties. All-Clad D5, Cuisinart clad stainless tri-ply, bare cast iron, Le Creuset ECI and some clay pots that are stove top safe.  I'd say I use my bare cast iron and ECI the most. I would not want to just have clad stainless. 

DoubleEgger

We have the Cuisinart Tri Ply and some Griswold cast iron. Serves us well. I felt like I'd baby the All Clad too much because of the high cost. 

mikeinccfl

Dredger said:

No need for non-stick if you have stainless or a well seasoned cast iron skillet.

Unless you have a smooth-top electric stove -- our smooth-top mfctr said "no CI, it can cause the top to shatter". So my CI was demoted to oven-only. I miss my gas range!

My small CI fits into my LBGE and it spends plenty of time there. My larger CI doesn't but I won't cut off its handle. I'm looking for a larger handle-less CI but haven't found one yet.

blind99

DoubleEgger said:

We have the Cuisinart Tri Ply and some Griswold cast iron. Serves us well. I felt like I'd baby the All Clad too much because of the high cost. 

The All Clad holds up really well.  We use ours with no special attention.  If it gets ugly or something gets scorched on, a good cleaning with Bar Keepers Friend works wonders.