OT:Cookware Recommendations

TEXASBGE2018

What do you folks recommend? 99% of my cooking in pans is done with cast iron or carbon steel so I’m good there. But my pots are crap and in need of a serious upgrade. Now having said that I don’t want to spend $300 per pot either. Prefer non Teflon coated. 

lousubcap

I almost exclusively play in the outdoor environment but that said, the indoor scene (aka SWMBO) uses All-Clad and has for many years.  Top quality and performance.
There have been a few threads here about cook ware that you may find via the forum search.  FWIW-

ColtsFan

All-Clad D5 here. Love it 

PBandJ

We bought the 7 piece All Clad D5 from Costco.com. Good quality stuff.

ColbyLang

Have the copper calphalon series. They’re stainless with copper coating. Not nonstick. 

jtcBoynton

I have All Clad LTD purchased 30+ years ago. They are still in great shape. Expensive up front but based on how long they last reasonably priced. 

JRWhitee

All Clad and Cast Iron here

Botch

I only have one small pot from Cuisinart, but if I were starting over they would all be Cuisinarts.  Hollow, stay-cool, and comfortable handle, anodized finish on aluminum (light and non-stick/non-chip/non-teflon) and a nice rolled lip and tight-fitting steel lid.  
Three of my other four pots are enameled le Creusets; heavy, stained on the inside, and chipped around the edges.  And Expensive.  
My 4th pot, my stockpot, is the final one on my list to get eventually replaced.  It has the straining insert (great for pulling out all the leftovers when making, well, stock), and a steaming insert (great for veggies, leftovers, and sweet corn).  Alton Brown hates this pot, he's wrong on this one.  The issue with my particular stockpot is that its all chromed steel, no aluminum sammich in the bottom.  This is fine for steaming, stocks, and soups, but I can't make any stew or chili in this thing, anything thick scorches on the bottom.  

dmchicago

All Clad. What’s the saying?

Buy once, cry once. 

pgprescott

I have some all clad and a set of Tramontina triply which are a real bargain. Only noticeable difference between the All Clad and Tramontina is some of the pots and pans are slightly smaller. Might not even know if I hadn’t told you. I like a few good nonstick pans too. Can’t remember what brand but they are French and have those cast iron handles or whatever. 

Carolina Q

I have All-Clad polished stainless, Mauviel copper, Le Creuset as well as Wagner and Griswold antique CI. By far, my favorite is All-Clad.

I occasionally find good deals on All-Clad at Home Goods and Marshall's.

TEXASBGE2018

Is it really worth spending the kind of money on all clad if I’m just wanting a couple small (1.5 & 2qt) sauce pans and a small 3-4 qt stock pot and not a full set?

ColtsFan

TEXASBGE2018 said:

Is it really worth spending the kind of money on all clad if I’m just wanting a couple small (1.5 & 2qt) sauce pans and a small 3-4 qt stock pot and not a full set?

Individually buy what you want. Check Williams Sonoma 

johnnyp

I hemmed and hawed, finally settling on All Clad copper core. A big reason was because my cost was offset by a friend’s discount at Williams-Sonoma. 

We love the set. It’s been a whole new cooking experience.

JRWhitee

I bought my all clad individually at williams sonoma

dmchicago

ColtsFan said:

TEXASBGE2018 said:

Is it really worth spending the kind of money on all clad if I’m just wanting a couple small (1.5 & 2qt) sauce pans and a small 3-4 qt stock pot and not a full set?

Individually buy what you want. Check Williams Sonoma 

Buying individual pieces can really ratchet up the spend. The value is in the sets. 

HeavyG

I have a few All Clad pieces and they're fine but most of mine are Cuisinart MultiClad Pro. Same multilayer construction as All Clad thru the entire pot but much better handles.

They are all decades old and I have no idea if Cuisinart still sells that line but I'm sure they still sell something similar.

U_tarded

We have had  a cuisinart set like @Botch for about 8 years.  I think all in for 2 sauce pans, stock pot, skillets and accessories we was like $250.  I know it’s not all clad but it cooks well, cleans easy, and heats evenly.  We probably will never replace them because we still use cast iron most of our skillet work and a small Teflon pan for eggs.  

Battleborn

We bought the Kirkland brand from Costco about 3 year ago and don't have any complaints.

dmourati

All clad copper core here. We like em. One of the four quarts gets used almost every day. I love the skillet.

TEXASBGE2018

great recommendations all. My next question. Are all of the all-clad lines equal? Or is there a low end that I should avoid if I go that route?

xfire_ATX

Carolina Q said:

I have All-Clad polished stainless, Mauviel copper, Le Creuset as well as Wagner and Griswold antique CI. By far, my favorite is All-Clad.

I occasionally find good deals on All-Clad at Home Goods and Marshall's.

I picked for <$20 a nice sauté pan at one of those types of stores.  It came out of a set and I thought WTH.  Turns out it's a nice pan.

TEXASBGE2018

Well went ahead and grabbed these 2 for starters. Will eventually grab the 6qt or 8qt stock pot and then maybe one of the skillets. Used the 20% off 1 item coupon at BB&B. Nice!

HeavyG

Cool pots! What's BB&B's return policy?

buzd504

HeavyG said:

Cool pots! What's BB&B's return policy?

They’ll take pretty much anything back. 

Caphalon tri-ply stainless here. Had it for years. 

caliking

I bought a set of the All-Clad D3 (2 skillets, 2 sauce pans, 3 qt braising pan, 8 qt stock) for $170. Sold as "damaged" because the box was a little crushed in one corner. 

Love these pans. Skillets get beat up first in any set, but these are nearly indestructible. Scrub with some Barkeeper's Friend every once in a while, and they will shine like new. 

But I hate the handles. Bought silicone holders/sleeves for the handles, and that made a big difference.  

SonVolt

TEXASBGE2018 said:

Is it really worth spending the kind of money on all clad if I’m just wanting a couple small (1.5 & 2qt) sauce pans and a small 3-4 qt stock pot and not a full set?

No. 90% of my indoor cookware is All-Clad and I absolutely love it, but if you just need small stock pots check out Caphalon's tri-ply line. You can find it for ~$20 a pot of almost any size at TJ Maxx. That's what I use for outdoor cooking when I'm not using cast iron. 

SonVolt

TEXASBGE2018 said:

Well went ahead and grabbed these 2 for starters. Will eventually grab the 6qt or 8qt stock pot and then maybe one of the skillets. Used the 20% off 1 item coupon at BB&B. Nice!

Honestly I would cancel your order. That's the older 3-ply line. For just a little more you can get the modern d5 line at Williams & Sonoma. Much thicker with better lids and better handles plus a curved lip/rim so you can actually pour liquids from them without dripping all over your counter. Those straight sided rims are infuriating..

 https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/all-clad-d5-stainless-steel-sauce-pan/?pkey=s|all-clad d5|66

Yno

About thirty years ago I started picking up individual pieces of the standard All Clad stainless when it was on sale, and had a pretty good selection. When I bought my first camping trailer, I bought a few more pieces to keep in there, and added to them over time. My girlfriend had also been collecting the same line. When we got married and I had sold the rig, we ended up with enough All Clad to start a store. Almost all of it gets used frequently except for a few of the oddball items that I bought on a whim, but it is the only stuff I use and it works perfectly for us. I also have two sets of the BBQ tools, one from home and one from the camping days.

Just as an aside, I always used Riedel crystal camping, even in a tent. Wine from a plastic cup doesn't do it for me.

Legume

@Yno when I read that last comment about wine, in my head your voice was the same as the “would you have any Grey Poupon?” guy in the Rolls.  Well done.

speed51133

i bought some used all clad d5's. They last forever, so no issues used for me.