Best cooking pots. What do you recommend.

[madmax]

I'm about due for a new set of pots. I have a few pieces of my Mom's old Revere copper bottoms and K-Mart mix and match. I'd like to buy a good set of pots and pans but, I don't want to spend a small fortune.

Received a catalog from chefscatalog.com They have all the chef's brand pots from Emeril, Stephan Pyles. Jamie Oliver etc.

There a so many different types of pots and brands. Coated, uncoated, stainless with or without coating. Some have a copper sandwiched between the stainless. Help!!! I need your expertise.

Thanks to all of you who posted your recommendations on the best knives thread. I've decided. Three will do it for me for starters. Wustof's 7" and 8" chefs knives and a 3 inch parer. Gracias, my DU buddies. :grouphug:

[Neecy]

1. depends...

I've always used Calphalon hard-anondized and I love it. It takes a little bit of extra care, but the stuff really does last forever (and it does a great job of heat distribution).

Macy's Cellar often has good sales on it, or check on eBay - you can find brand-new in the box pieces of Calphalon for about half of what it retails for, and it's impossible to wreck so you're probably safe buying it there.

[SW FL Dem]

4. I love my 20 yr old Calphalon pans (hard anodized)

They are virtually indestructible and easy to keep clean. You can get the newer Calphalon pans at Bed Bath and Beyond (one of the few Dem supporting megastores out there)

[Bjornsdotter]

8. I love mine too

Amazon.com is having a great sale right now.

Cheers,
Kim :toast:

[NMDemDist2]

2. i have this set and love it, won't last forever but it's affordable and

i've had mine 5 years and only have one ding that doesn't effect the use. I am not hard on the equipment, but hubby is a horror LOL

i especially love the glass tops...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=46277&item=4341304007&rd=1#ebayphotohosting

[madmax]

3. Are the glass lids oven safe?

I did a google search and they sell these at Sam's for $98.84.

[NMDemDist2]

5. yes to 400 degrees I believe

and I got mine at Sam's before I started boycotting WalMart/Sam's

[madmax]

9. I don't belong to Sam's so I can't buy them there.

And we won't shop at Wal-Mart so I have to pay a little more but, that's ok. We seem to be getting a consensus on the Wolfgang Puck cookware :)

[NMDemDist2]

10. consensus? well two very satisfied WPuck cookware users anyway

:)

[politicat]

16. I don't have the pans, but I have the WP mixing bowls.

A present from my mother who wouldn't know a boycott if it hit her on the nose.

They're nice bowls.

Our pans are mix and match that I bought at Mervyn's.

Pcat

[The empressof all]

6. I have this set as well

I've been very happy with it. I've had it a little over a year after getting rid of the Costco Calaphon knock off that I had for over 5 years.

I find the Wolf-Gang really versatile and easy to clean. I like the fact that I can put it into the oven without having to worry about a non stick surface.

I'm of the opinion that non stick is really not necessary except maybe for eggs. I keep one non stick frying pan just for that.

I also have some Cast Iron that I like, as well as the copper bottomed Revere ware, but the Wolf-Gang stuff is great for just every day cooking.


PS: I remember reading a review in one of the cooking magazines regarding Chef's name brand cook ware and this one came up tops.

[NMDemDist2]

7. yes I kept Grammy's cast iron of course but find I use it less and

less since I got the Puck set

even the dutch oven has dust on it

I also have a 4 piece set of enamel cookware that is excellent quality, but haven't used it in years since Puck

both are so heavy and harder to clean than the Wolfgang set

glad I'm not the only one who enjoys this reasonably priced set :)

[Kali]

17. get a small cast iron

frying pan and season it properly and ONLY use it for eggs (wipe with a paper towel and avoid water at all costs) and you will never need a plastic non-stick again.

[Stinky The Clown]

11. Don't buy a set of anything

Sets get you some pots you'll use and some that will never get touched. Don't worry about matching. Instead, buy the best pot you can for the purpose to which you'll put it.

By the way, my very favorites are some Mauviel copper pots I have. They're hideously expensive to buy from mainstream sources at brick and mortar stores or on the Internet. I got mine waaaaay cheap at Home Goods and at Marshalls. For example, I have a copper Mauviel saucier that retails for over $400 that I got for $79 at Marshalls! Admittedly that's still a lot for one pot and was a splurge, but copper really is wonderful to cook with.

I've seen all the famous brands at these two outlet/overstock stores and the prices are consistently excellent. The down side is, if you absolutely must have a matching set, you won't find it here. If you want great pots and don't mind visiting the store fairly regularly to check out their ever changing stock, its a great way to go.

I also have a few pieces of Martha Stewart multiclad stainless steel. They work as well as All Clad, but are way cheaper, even brand new. Admittedly not as well made, they're perfectly serviceable. We bought ours when KMart was closing some stores down a few years ago and paid next to nothing for them. Even at full KMart prices, they're reasonable, however.

If you absolutely want a set, this would my recommendation. The multiclad stainless is nice to cook with and easy to care for.

Another option is to go to a restaurant supply store. Most will gladly sell to the public. You'll see lots of very serviceable, although very utilitarian looking pots and pans. Most will be plain old aluminum, but very heavy duty. If you can find it at these same stores, the "Spring" brand is exactly the same as All Clad except for different handles. They come off the same assembly line. All Clad is the pricey consumer product. Spring is still expensive, but less than the All Clad, but is only available in professional stores. Look into it. The stuff is great. I have a few pieces of this too.

Tip for stainless steel: If it ever gets that bluish tinge from slight overheating or from cooking starchy food, like rice or pasta, Bar Keepers Friend cleanser takes it right off.

[NMDemDist2]

12. i threw all my aluminum pots away

a study was done that linked aluminum cookware with Alzheimer's

not worth the chance I'd say. I also found aluminum harder to clean than steel

[yellowdogintexas]

13. I am of the mix and match school, myself.

I have a LaCuisine stainless Heavy skillet that I use for searing, uncoated and 22 years old.

I have some medium quality but heavy nonstick sauce pans from a grocery store special

and a 12 inch saute pan in the Target grade of Caphalon, and I love it.

Also a very old carbon steel wok (indespensible)
a stacking steamer (also indespensible)
an 8 inch Pampered Chef omelet pan (love this pan)
and an 8 inch T-Fal inherited from an uncle.
Oh yeah, a square griddle and a round griddle


I have my eye on a medium weight 8 quart stock pot that I can get at Kroger's, in a cookware promotion they are doing that looks really nice.

I just find that some things are really good for certain purposes and not so good for others, which is why I have not ever bought a whole set of pans just alike.

Most important: good weight. If the pan is heavy, it will cook better, end of story.

A mix of non stick and uncoated pans is nice.

Heat resistant handles are wonderful

glass lids are very nice too.

[fortyfeetunder]

14. What's the best non-stick?

I need to replace mine, at least a couple of them. About 8-10 inch diameter, nothing big.

[Eurobabe]

15. All-Clad, hands down, no contest

I have a bunch of mix and match, Copr Chef (which looks beaut. but a pain to keep clean) Stainless, all around winner; LTD griddle.

I won't buy anything but All-Clad, their customer service and warranty is a winner without a doubt.

You could always start out with a basic set and add to it every Xmas, that's what I do...

A Happy All-Claddite since 1995. -C4C

[Stinky The Clown]

18. If you can afford All Clad, consider Spring instead

Spring is the commercial brand of All Clad. The bowls are identical, no difference whatsoever. The handles, however, are different. Not as fancy as the All Clad. But for service, there's no difference, and the Spring is actually cheaper. Try a restaurant supply house or an online source and check them out.

As it happens, the Spring that I have is their stainless lined copper stuff. I like the way copper heats and the way stainless cleans up. Its a nice combination.

That said, there's nothing at all, however, that beats an old fashioned tin wiped copper saute pan to get a good fond for deglazing. The only good stuff out there is Mauviel, although for other copper shapes and sizes there are very nice, lower cost alternatives from Italy, Portugal, and even South America.

An interesting set of three saute pans I have is Sitram Cybernox. Sitram is a nice quality professional line from France. Nothing special, but nice stainless stuff with aluminum encapsulated disks in the bottoms. The Cybernox is what separates them from the pack. It is an alloy of some sort that was developed in the French aerospace industry for use in jet engines. It has an adhesion coefficient only slightly less than Teflon, but it is harder than stainless steel. These things can take a beating and work nearly as well as a Teflon non-stick pan. To be sure, an egg will stick and so needs some fat to cook properly, but not as much as any non-Teflon pan. For all else, it works fine. You get fond, which is almost impossible in Teflon, and the cleanup is a snap. As these were experimental (but still available to the public) I'm not sure if they'll catch on, but they're pretty cool! I've only ever seen them online from professional suppliers. I got mine from a place in NYC.

[madmax]

19. Viva la France!!!

The French know a thing or two about cooking. Thanks for all the great information. I've been on a kitchen spending spring. In my whole life I've never bought 'good' cutlery or pots and pans. Now I'm having a great time shopping. Love all the little gadgets I've always done without like a good ice cream scoop, a nice large cutting board, a meat thermometer, etc.

That's half the fun. The other half is making some delicious meals.

Today on Emeril he did a rice dish that made my mouth water and my taste buds dance... here it is:

Portuguese Saffron Rice w/chorizo

1/4 pound chorizo sausage, crumbled or finely diced
1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell peppers
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups long grain rice
4 cups chicken stock
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1 cup green peas, thawed if frozen


In a large saucepan, cook the sausage over medium-high heat until browned and the fat is rendered. Add the onions and bell peppers, and cook, stirring, until very soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until opaque, about 1 minute. Add the stock, salt, and saffron, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until almost all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Add the peas without stirring, re-cover and cook until all the water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

[Stinky The Clown]

20. I got carried away in another thread on this forum about knives

It was long, but had lotsa stuff in it. Check it out if you're innerested.

[Eurobabe]

22. Leave it to the French, man!

Have you ever seen a La Cornue oven? That thing is built like a fine automobile! I'll look into Spring. I try to stay away from Teflon, it's not good for you anyhow.

Thanks :)

[NashVegas]

24. I'm Hankering for a Le Creusset or Two

incredibly versatile.

[wildeyed]

29. I saw an oval le creuset oven at Costco today.

$60. Red. Seemed like a smokin' good deal to me. I have a round one already, so I didn't buy it, but good price.

[NashVegas]

32. Oh *Really* ....

hmmmm ... thanks for the tip!

[NashVegas]

34. Went There Today

Did a load of xmas shopping and checked it out. It's a stoneware roaster, not one of the all-purpose pans.

OTOH, Amazon has a deal on the 2 & 1/2 qt ovals, so I purchased my first today, should be cooking with it by the holiday. Hmmmm.

[wildeyed]

39. I thought the Costco pot looked kind of shallow.

I have an all purpose round. Use it all the time. One of those great life time investment pots.

[Lugnut]

35. That's a good price

I have a set of Le Creuset cast iron which I love. The stuff is 20 years old and is indestructable. I always use the 10 inch fry pan for making fried chicken and for meatballs.

[NMDemDist2]

38. i had to look up le creuset oven

seems I have one in my cupboard

i called it my enamel casserole LOL

[liberalnurse]

21. Absolutely!

They will send you a little catalog to look thru......

http://www.allclad.com/

[calico1]

23. I also agree that you should buy

pieces rather than sets. When you get a set usually there is stuff that you end up not using and stuff you wish came in the set which you have to end up buying seperatly. I just went to Amazon.com because I wanted to replace some pieces. I suggest you take a look. If you do a search for "Calphalon" they have some pieces that are marked down 75-85%--a steal because Calphalon is really good. I also bought a couple of pieces of Circulon which is similar. I got a 12 " deep skillet with lid for $15.88 which was around 75% off original price and a pasta pot with strainer for $34.98 which was something like 65% off. Plus if you buy $125 worth of kitchen items you get $25 off plus you get free shipping. You can get a lot of stuff that way and good stuff too! Go check it out! I personally have a mixture of Calphalon, cast iron (also good sale items from Lodge at amazon) and a few pieces of Wolfgang Puck that I got from hsn.

[madmax]

25. Great tip!

Thanks... How did I ever get thru life without DU! I love the new forum topics such as this one. Can it get any better than this - I don't think so. Standing O's and :toast: to Skinner, Elad, EarlG and all the mods.

[NMDemDist2]

26. ya know I am using more and more of the "set" since I started

hanging out here LOL

[wildeyed]

30. I bought a set.

I use all the pieces and the price was much lower on a per item basis, so it worked for me. I have added additional pieces from other brands over the years, but the original package did well for me.

[NMDemDist2]

27. well???? have they come yet??

do you like them?

so what's the news?

[madmax]

36. Waaaaaaaaaaaa they haven't come yet!!!

Everyday I check the porch like a kid checks under the Christmas tree. I emailed no response so far. I'm getting antsy!! Not like I don't have any pots to cook in but...

I've been going nuts with the kitchen redecorating project plus baking cookies, wrapping presents, and having the time of my life, lol.

[NMDemDist2]

37. today will be the magic day (I hope)

then you'll have to cook up a storm and try them all out lOL

[susanna]

28. I do love my All-Clad pieces...

I have about six of them. My favorite is the large (10") straight-sided skillet. That is awesome. The 8" saute pan is pretty good, too. Both are stainless steel interior. (I do have an All-Clad LTD non-stick that I use as well, bought for $10.00 at an outlet store.) I have to say, though, that in my experience they are somewhat over-priced on the retail end.

For every day cooking, I'm a Cuisinart girl. It is relatively affordable and offers a full variety. For cabin/cottage/boat/travel cooking, think about T-FAL* as well. Both are affordable, durable, and reliable; I base my opinion on non-stick, but I'd love to try the stainless!

* I'm still using my T-FAL large non-stick dutch oven fifteen years after I received it as a housewarming gift.

[imenja]

31. Hard anodized from QVC. Really!

Believe it or not I got some excellent non-stick hard anodized aluminum cookware from QVC. It's the best I've ever tried, including Circulon and Calphalon. Only it's MUCH cheaper and I think better.
It's under their brand name Cooks Essentials.

[Stinky The Clown]

33. Cook's Essentials may be a free standing brand

I've seen that brand at Bed Baff 'n' Beyond. It is usually available only as sets and seems to carry a low price relative to their other wares.