New cooking pan set?

JNDATHP

We don’t have a lot of money to spend on a new pan set but are wondering what would be a good replacement for our failing non-stick pans. 

We have stainless for our pots. And we do have a full set of old (from the 70’s) le Creuset. But for a quick omelet?

RRP

you might get better help if you tell us:
use only on your stove?
gas or electric?
approximate amount you want to spend?
are you willing to go slow and buy quality pieces one at a time rather than spending a wad for pieces you may never even want or use?

JNDATHP

We have gas. Never want electric. 

Absolutely willing to buy a piece at a time and can spend a few hundred dollars per pan. 

Would like to be able to put them in the oven or on the egg. 

GrateEggspectations

If you haven’t before considered them, do yourself a favour and buy a set of carbon steel. Season them every now and again. Great, great pans. Then spend the extra cash you would have otherwise spent on pricier pans to buy a nice Japanese chef’s knife and a butcher block. Win win. 

Battleborn

We bought the Kirkland brand set from Costco when we moved. I use the whole set, with the exception of the grill pan. Don’t use them on the Egg, but they have served us well. 

TEXASBGE2018

Agree with @GrateEggspectations Lodge Carbon steel are affordable and I love mine.

4TheGrillOfIt

I believe what you are looking for is All Clad.  

ColtsFan

Check All Clad’s factory 2nd. Minor blemishes but totally functional 

paqman

For non-stick specifically, I am partial to the oxo pans.  They are a good compromise between the cheap 20$ pans and the more expensive 200$ pans.

They are thick enough that they won’t warp under heat like the 20$ pans.

You should see non-stick as disposable and don’t invest too much IMHO.

Never use anything else than wood or nylon utensils in them.

Stick to medium/low heat (never high)

I also use them almost exclusively for eggs/omelet.

PigBeanUs

Protip for finding high grade copper cookware (if you do not want nonstick):

Homegoods (Marshall’s) or TJMaxx and other similar stores, who resell retail goods as “off-price retail” often have a kitchen section. 

You'll often see a bunch of faked up copper pots and pans in the traditional french shapes, like omelette pans in this case. 

But this cheapo stuff is stainless or aluminum or whatever, plated in thin copper plating. It even sometimes has a cut edge, like traditional copper. But if you look at it you will see that the full thickness is the non-copper metal, while the copper plating is just that: plating

But look closer and you can almost always find real copper pans in among them. 

When you look at the cut metal edge or rim, an eighth or more of an inch thick, you can see it is all copper, and the traditional tin lining is the plating. 

The pans are all priced the same. All intermingled. Don’t think I have ever paid more than $25 for an eight or ten inch omelette pan. Heck. Not sure that covers the cost of the copper itself. 

Cheaper to buy another than have it retinned, even. 

After that it is proper technique and butter, butter, plus butter, to keep the omelet from sticking. Jacgues Pepin has a video showing both the French and American methods. I suck at both. 

Problem with teadirional tinned coppr is the tinning can wear off (no metal utensils, no Bon Ami etc).  Normally that’s like $75 to have redone. Or buy another pan at Marshall’s. Plus also, neat freaks will want to clean the copper too (Barkeeper’s Friend is best for that)

jtcBoynton

don't buy a set.  Buy individual pieces to match your cooking needs. Most of us don't need many.  Consider getting different brands and types.  A cast iron skillet 12", a carbon steel 12", a cheap Teflon coated 12", and a cheap Teflon coated 6-7".  Use the 7" exclusively for eggs at low temps with only silicon tools and it will last for years.  Use the 12" teflon pan again only at lower temps and no metal for general use knowing it will last at most 2 years.  I use T-fal pans for this ($30).  The carbon steel and cast iron will handle your high heat needs, take tool abuse and last a lifetime.

JNDATHP

Thanks everyone. 

scdaf

J.A. Henckels International 10-piece Capri Granitium Nonstick Cookware Set 

I have the 3 piece saute' pan set of these and after about 8 months, they still look and perform like new.  Read somewhere when I got them, to avoid cooking sprays and that seems to work.  Costco has the full set for $250.

scdaf

Make that $200 starting tomorrow.  (Just opened the current Costco flyer)

Sweet100s

paqman said:

For non-stick specifically, I am partial to the oxo pans.  They are a good compromise between the cheap 20$ pans and the more expensive 200$ pans.

They are thick enough that they won’t warp under heat like the 20$ pans.

You should see non-stick as disposable and don’t invest too much IMHO.

Never use anything else than wood or nylon utensils in them.

Stick to medium/low heat (never high)

I also use them almost exclusively for eggs/omelet.

I came to same conclusion as paqman after several hours of research.

Purchased Oxo 12” non-stick with the cool handle.    Cook’s Country or Cook’s Illustrated rated it top in their this year rating.  

Same as paq, use them exclusively for eggs at medium heat.

Shopping for them was tricky: 
Bed Bath & Beyond, Macy’s, Target, Amazon, had different models

Teefus

Go to a resturant supply and get a couple Lincoln/Vollrath fry pans. They are commercial grade aluminum with or without non-stick and last forever in the home. When I was a line cook we abused these and they hung in there. I cooked 300 eggs every morning and dozens of omelettes. They hold up. Reasonably priced too.

Botch

jtcBoynton said:

don't buy a set.  Buy individual pieces to match your cooking needs. Most of us don't need many.  Consider getting different brands and types.  A cast iron skillet 12", a carbon steel 12", a cheap Teflon coated 12", and a cheap Teflon coated 6-7".  Use the 7" exclusively for eggs at low temps with only silicon tools and it will last for years.  Use the 12" teflon pan again only at lower temps and no metal for general use knowing it will last at most 2 years.  I use T-fal pans for this ($30).  The carbon steel and cast iron will handle your high heat needs, take tool abuse and last a lifetime.

The OP mentioned omelettes, and nothing has worked better for me than the T-Fal pans (perfect for fish too); yeah, they do have to be replaced every 8-10 years or so, but at <$30 I can do that.  
 
And a more General question for you guys, wrt carbon steel pans: I understand that you can season them to give a non-stick surface, but they still have the poor heat distribution of steel; I still remember my mom's burned dishes and scrubbing at the sink, with her stainless-steel set.  What, here, am I missing?  
 
My woks are carbon-steel and cast-iron, very thin, but with flames licking up on all sides that's okay, heat distribution is not an issue.  And, a perfect, seasoned, non-stick surface that will last forever.