POLL: ATOT chefs: Yet Another COOKWARE Thread: Best cookware?

[Jzero]

It's been awhile since we had one of these...

Well, it's time for me to be registering for wedding gifts, and we are trying to decide what cookware to register for. Price isn't a huge issue since we aren't paying for them, but presumably people will be more likely to buy us cheaper cookware.

I've always believed Wear Ever was as good as the *on brands for much less cost, but who really knows? ATOT!

I've posted 4 common brands. If there are others to add, let me know.

 

[Fausto]

I'm a Le Creuset whore myself. It's heavy as hell, but I likes it.

 

[brunswickite]

my roomates and i used T-FAL, its pretty good and cheap

 

[Jzero]

Added Le Creuset.

BTW comments on why you like/don't like a particular brand are also welcome

I used to buy T-Fal non-stick frying pans but I've had at least 2 "go" on me, and I take pretty good care of my cookware. Now I have Farberware pan and that one has held up a lot better than the T-Fal and it was much cheaper.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: Jzero
Added Le Creuset.

BTW comments on why you like/don't like a particular brand are also welcome

LC stuff heats very evenly, many pieces are oven safe, and the ceramic coating makes cleanup a bit easier than bare metal. The only downsides IMHO are the weight (they are cast iron after all) and having to be somewhat careful not to ding the ceramic coating.

 

[pcmodem]

Talk to a professional chef, they'll tell you what to buy.

They'll tell you the virtues of stainless steel, aluminum, copper, and ceramic.



Bon appetit, :beer:
PCM

 

[LeadMagnet]

aluminum is thought to cause Alzheimer's disease. I would go with stainless steel with a very thick base to distribute heat.

 

depends, you want nonstick?

i bought my wife a calphalon tri-ply set last year for her birthday
she LOVES it - it's amazing stuff...but it's not nonstick
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005Q5I7/qid=1087921789/sr=1-15/ref=sr_1_15/104-7682391-4116763?v=glance&s=kitchen

I'm very happy with the calphalon brand and will soon buy some calphalon nonstick
my t-fal nonstick set is in really bad shape

 

[MisfitsFiend]

Depends on what you are looking to cook - Calphalon makes great skillets, frying pans, etc and I like using these for every day cooking. Le Creuset is great for frying, making roasts, etc. for those big meals...

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: jntdesign
depends, you want nonstick?

i bought my wife a calphalon tri-ply set last year for her birthday
she LOVES it - it's amazing stuff...but it's not nonstick
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005Q5I7/qid=1087921789/sr=1-15/ref=sr_1_15/104-7682391-4116763?v=glance&s=kitchen

I'm very happy with the calphalon brand and will soon buy some calphalon nonstick
my t-fal nonstick set is in really bad shape

For my regular cookware, I would mostly prefer NOT nonstick. The only nonstick piece I really ever use is a frying pan for eggs, pancakes, stuff like that.

Originally posted by: MisfitsFiend
Depends on what you are looking to cook - Calphalon makes great skillets, frying pans, etc and I like using these for every day cooking. Le Creuset is great for frying, making roasts, etc. for those big meals...

I cook anything and everything, really. Both the fiancee and I love to cook and like pretty much any kind of food there is. I really don't have ANY cookware right now, just some cheap stuff I picked up over the past few years since I needed SOMETHING.

 

[poopaskoopa]

I use Calphalon Commercial non-stick pots and pans. Not sure if they're any good, but they get discounted heavily(talking 70% off here) on amazon.com, so I had to buy them on principle.

 

[Atomicus]

From my parents's experience, getting the bang for your buck isn't the best philosophy to follow when purchasing cookware.
If you can, splurge for something a bit more in cost and a good brand. If you want your cookware to last, especially teflon cookware, don't be a cheapskate.
My parents use to cook via wok + metal shovelly thing, but then they invested in a freakin kick ass 18" teflon skillet/wok. Over $100, but now its beens 3-4 years since they got it and I was surprised when I went home last month and was still able to fry an egg sunnyside up without oil or cooking spray and have it not stick.

 

Originally posted by: Atomicus
From my parents's experience, getting the bang for your buck isn't the best philosophy to follow when purchasing cookware.
If you can, splurge for something a bit more in cost and a good brand. If you want your cookware to last, especially teflon cookware, don't be a cheapskate.
My parents use to cook via wok + metal shovelly thing, but then they invested in a freakin kick ass 18" teflon skillet/wok. Over $100, but now its beens 3-4 years since they got it and I was surprised when I went home last month and was still able to fry an egg sunnyside up without oil or cooking spray and have it not stick.

using teflon without oil or cooking spray is what ruins them

OP, i'd go for calphalon

 

[BigSmooth]

Originally posted by: poopaskoopa
I use Calphalon Commercial non-stick pots and pans. Not sure if they're any good, but they get discounted heavily(talking 70% off here) on amazon.com, so I had to buy them on principle.

I've gotten some of those pieces on Amazon as well. If you wait for each pot/pan to go on sale, you can put together a nice set on the cheap. I think they're great; they are well-made with an excellent non-stick surface.

 

[KarenMarie]

I have tried them all.

Emerial sucks... uneven heating, takes forever to heat up, very expensive and 'stay cool handles' are soooo not!

Wolfgang are ok, but not that great for the price.

All Clad are WAY WAY WAY expensive. And if you dont know what oyu are doing, they will burn food easily.

T-Fal is not bad, for a 'homemaker' type set.

My FAVE is cuisinart . I found one piece in a Marshall's and decided to try it. I fell in love with it and looked for the entire set.

The stay cool handles really do stay cool. They heat quickly, cook evenly and look really nice. Another thing I really like about them... with most high polished cookware, you need to dry them as soon as you wash them, or they tend to get those little spots on them that only come off with lemon juice or vinegar. These do not. They will keep the high polish shine ... in the dishwasher or in the drainboard.

And the prices are great for what you get.

Ok, commerical over!

 

[shopbruin]

i currently cook with a t-fal skillet and i have a t-fal pot. this is the SECOND tfal skillet however, as the first somehow the surface got all nasty and corroded... we must have done something wrong. the second we take much better care of.

my only rule with these pans is they are not allowed in the dishwasher. you must wash by hand because even if it says "dishwasher" safe i'll think something will happen to them.

i personally would go with something that's all stainless steel. i find circulon to be a tad on the heavy side. i like my tfal's, but for the price i know they're not going to last. stainless steel is easier to clean (for me at least) and i can ding it up with a metal spatula without worrying about destroying the surface. i don't care about nonstick, because i always use cooking spray, and the nonstick doesn't last forever...

 

[glen]

Go with commercial pans:
Lincoln Wear-Ever
http://www.restaurantequipment.com/frypans.htm

 

[Ogg]

Faustos right again damnit:|
Le Creuset is awesome as long as you have a chunk of change to spend..........

We have one large Le Creuset "dutch oven" pan and for the rest of our culinary needs we rely on our low end Calphalon set

I think we paid @$200 for our Calphalon
The Le Creuset was a gift and might have cost more than our entire calphalon set :Q
thanks granny!!

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: glen
Go with commercial pans:
Lincoln Wear-Ever
http://www.restaurantequipment.com/frypans.htm

Is there any place to get those retail?

Also, aren't the Emeril and Puck cookware really just lower-end versions of common brands?

 

[gotsmack]

I'd go with copper or cast iron cookware maybe stainless and pyrex bakeware.

 

[Vic]

Why is All-Clad not on the poll?

Sure, they're somewhat expensive and a bit more difficult to cook and clean, but if you know what you're doing, your food never tasted so good.

All-Clad is simply the best cookware, bar none.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: Vic
Why is All-Clad not on the poll?

Sure, they're somewhat expensive and a bit more difficult to cook and clean, but if you know what you're doing, your food never tasted so good.

All-Clad is simply the best cookware, bar none.

The list is by no means exhaustive. I've been adding things as they've been mentioned.

How are the all-clad more difficult to clean?

 

[Kelemvor]

All-Clad is by far the best.

Head over to your local Williams-Sonoma store and see for yourself. I think they have both and can show the differences.

 

[Vic]

Thanks

btw, EmerilWare is made by All-Clad, but is low-end. The heating surface is only on the bottom, so the sides don't heat up, and is very thick and heavy. You will notice that Emeril does not use his own cookware in his shows, but real All-Clad (stainless and non-stick).
In fact, if you watch every show on the Food Network, you will a common theme. In virtually every show, they use All-Clad on the stove top and Le Creuset in the oven. Yes, it is more expensive but this is cookware that, if treated and maintained properly, will last a lifetime.

 

[AmerDoux]

I use All Clad and don't find them at all hard to clean. I've had my set for over three years, use them daily and they still look like brand new. I also two dutch ovens from Le Cruset.