Let's talk cookware (1 Viewer)

It's really nice. The lip of the pot seems to have either some chips to the enamel or a few spots of wear or inconsistent application (they really don't seem like chips). We debated sending it back and finally decided not to (it very well could have been why they were half price). Overall, it hasn't affected the performance - I've only used it to bake bread in a 500+ degree oven, but it has performed as one would expected.

I'm doing a pot of beans in it today, so we will see how it goes. So far, I am very pleased.
i'm a big fan of staub.
 

Le Creuset makes great stuff but I wouldn’t want a whole set of non stick.
 
So for cookware we have been using the Calphalon non stick pans for about 10 years and they are simply fantastic. Real durable, non stick, easy to clean, and cooks really well. Also have a steamer pot that we use all the time for steaming, boiling, etc.
Highly recommend. But you can not use any metal utensils in it! It will scratch and then won't be non stick anymore.
We also have a Calphalon coffee pot that we have used for probably 8 years and still going strong. Great customer service as well, since the special metal filter cracked a year or two ago so I emailed the company asking to buy a new one and they just sent me a brand new one for free, didn't even reply to the email. Just sent it! Awesome.

I of course have several cast iron pans that we use a lot. A must for any cook.
I also have one magnalite skillet I inherited from my grandmother. Don't use it that much as it tends to stick more than the Calphalon.

I have started adding LeCruset pieces the past several years. I have a stock pot, a 8-quart and 6-quart dutch oven, and just recently bought a 12" skillet and it has been awesome. My wife has also purchased several bakeware items. They hold heat so well.
Our secret is we go to Orange Beach, AL every year and stop at the Foley Outlet Mall in Gulf Shores on our way out and pick up a new piece each year. You can save some big $ as LeCruest is very expensive. I got the skillet this spring and am loving it. Holds heat like the cast iron but has better non-stick properties. I am still getting it seasoned though. Here it is:

As for knives we are spoiled there as well. My wife worked for Cutco in college and was able to use her employee discount to purchase a knife set that we could NOT afford today. We have been adding pieces here and there when on sale. Now these knives are not cheap but they are simply fantastic! Sharpest knives I have ever used and since they have a lifetime warranty you just pay for shipping and they will sharpen all your knives for free. We send them back every couple of years and what's cool is if there is a chip or notch or something they will just send you back a brand new knife. Couldn't recommend them enough.
 
Alright, so this thread convinced me that I needed to invest more in some stainless steel. I wasn't sure what to get, but it seemed a small and medium frypan are the things we use the most. And I have a stock pot for big things. So I thought a big saucepan - and decided a 6 qt would be good. I grow a lot of tomatoes in the summer and I think this will be better in doing the sauce in this than the big stock pot.

And y'all sold me on All Clad. So I got the 8" and 10" frypans along with the 6 qt pan.

Next I want a Le Creuset enameled stock pot, and thinking the 7 1/4 round qt will get the most use. But any other suggestions are still being taken.

Screen Shot 2020-07-21 at 12.00.14 PM.png
 
Alright, so this thread convinced me that I needed to invest more in some stainless steel. I wasn't sure what to get, but it seemed a small and medium frypan are the things we use the most. And I have a stock pot for big things. So I thought a big saucepan - and decided a 6 qt would be good. I grow a lot of tomatoes in the summer and I think this will be better in doing the sauce in this than the big stock pot.

And y'all sold me on All Clad. So I got the 8" and 10" frypans along with the 6 qt pan.

Next I want a Le Creuset enameled stock pot, and thinking the 7 1/4 round qt will get the most use. But any other suggestions are still being taken.

Nice. We use our big saucepans all the time. They're especially good for adding pasta to sauce.

We just got two enameled cast iron pots (one a dutch oven and one more shallow). We love them (I think they are posted earlier in the thread). We went with a Williams Sonoma brand because it was half off, but of course you can't go wrong with Le Creuset. Main thing is to get metal handles so they don't fail in a super hot oven.
 
Nice. We use our big saucepans all the time. They're especially good for adding pasta to sauce.

We just got two enameled cast iron pots (one a dutch oven and one more shallow). We love them (I think they are posted earlier in the thread). We went with a Williams Sonoma brand because it was half off, but of course you can't go wrong with Le Creuset. Main thing is to get metal handles so they don't fail in a super hot oven.
it may be on sale again, or possibly that was only a few days ago.
 
Other than a cast iron skillet, I can't recommend much. I'm not much of a cookware aficionado.

I tend to like anodized aluminum, but that's less about cooking and more about ease of care.

I had a few pieces of anodized years ago, but they can't handle acidic foods so they got ruined and tossed.
 
Grand total of the pans I use. Total cost probably ten bucks. The cast iron frying pan was at a garage sale, the comal was given to me by my Mexican friend who mercilessly made fun of me because I didn’t have one. The two others- large frying pan and pot were holiday spend so much at the store and they were free things. Heavy and solid all 4.

The bottom is my cutting board. 23x23x2 maple board my dad made for me as a joke when I complained about all these little cutting boards and how I needed 2-3 to do a meal. So he made that thing probably 30 years ago now for me so I can cut all the different things I need all on one board. All I’ve ever used on it is beeswax that I warm up so it’s a smooth soft paste.

As far as the knives that’s what I use with most things. I have the matching paring knife but it’s in the dishwasher.
As you can see I detest small lightweight cookware.
 

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I had a few pieces of anodized years ago, but they can't handle acidic foods so they got ruined and tossed.
anodized aluminum is sheet for continuous cooking. aluminum will eventually turn brown anyway, after high heat, but it is only a good conductor for instant heat. unfortunately it is poor at holding a constant temperature. too volaitle at spiking temps.
 
So for cookware we have been using the Calphalon non stick pans for about 10 years and they are simply fantastic. Real durable, non stick, easy to clean, and cooks really well. Also have a steamer pot that we use all the time for steaming, boiling, etc.
Highly recommend. But you can not use any metal utensils in it! It will scratch and then won't be non stick anymore.
We also have a Calphalon coffee pot that we have used for probably 8 years and still going strong. Great customer service as well, since the special metal filter cracked a year or two ago so I emailed the company asking to buy a new one and they just sent me a brand new one for free, didn't even reply to the email. Just sent it! Awesome.

I of course have several cast iron pans that we use a lot. A must for any cook.
I also have one magnalite skillet I inherited from my grandmother. Don't use it that much as it tends to stick more than the Calphalon.

I have started adding LeCruset pieces the past several years. I have a stock pot, a 8-quart and 6-quart dutch oven, and just recently bought a 12" skillet and it has been awesome. My wife has also purchased several bakeware items. They hold heat so well.
Our secret is we go to Orange Beach, AL every year and stop at the Foley Outlet Mall in Gulf Shores on our way out and pick up a new piece each year. You can save some big $ as LeCruest is very expensive. I got the skillet this spring and am loving it. Holds heat like the cast iron but has better non-stick properties. I am still getting it seasoned though. Here it is:

As for knives we are spoiled there as well. My wife worked for Cutco in college and was able to use her employee discount to purchase a knife set that we could NOT afford today. We have been adding pieces here and there when on sale. Now these knives are not cheap but they are simply fantastic! Sharpest knives I have ever used and since they have a lifetime warranty you just pay for shipping and they will sharpen all your knives for free. We send them back every couple of years and what's cool is if there is a chip or notch or something they will just send you back a brand new knife. Couldn't recommend them enough.
Upvote for Calphalon

Good point on not using any metal utensils on the nonstick coating. Also, keep your genius wife and her stainless steel scrubbers far away from them. That being said, Calphalon sent me a replacement after 5-6 years, no questions asked. I never even registered my product under warranty and only had to pay shipping to - not from.
 
I was dumb enough to buy a couple AllClad non-stick over the years and they've been worn out long enough that I bought a scan pan a couple years ago. I kept living with them because they were expensive, but after reading this thread I went ahead and bought 2 Tramontina non-stick off Amazon.

They're both great. Slick as can be. Now, if only there was a way to strip the useless non-stick off the over-priced AllClad and use them as stainless I'd be happy. It hurts to toss them in the trash.
 
I was dumb enough to buy a couple AllClad non-stick over the years and they've been worn out long enough that I bought a scan pan a couple years ago. I kept living with them because they were expensive, but after reading this thread I went ahead and bought 2 Tramontina non-stick off Amazon.

They're both great. Slick as can be. Now, if only there was a way to strip the useless non-stick off the over-priced AllClad and use them as stainless I'd be happy. It hurts to toss them in the trash.
Get a mouse sander. Start with a more aggressive grit (80-120) and then work through the grits until you get a smooth surface
 
I was dumb enough to buy a couple AllClad non-stick over the years and they've been worn out long enough that I bought a scan pan a couple years ago. I kept living with them because they were expensive, but after reading this thread I went ahead and bought 2 Tramontina non-stick off Amazon.

They're both great. Slick as can be. Now, if only there was a way to strip the useless non-stick off the over-priced AllClad and use them as stainless I'd be happy. It hurts to toss them in the trash.

Scanpans are great. I love mine.
 
I was dumb enough to buy a couple AllClad non-stick over the years and they've been worn out long enough that I bought a scan pan a couple years ago. I kept living with them because they were expensive, but after reading this thread I went ahead and bought 2 Tramontina non-stick off Amazon.

They're both great. Slick as can be. Now, if only there was a way to strip the useless non-stick off the over-priced AllClad and use them as stainless I'd be happy. It hurts to toss them in the trash.

One thing I recommend, but only if you can tolerate a crowd.. is to browse the Homegoods store. They usually have a collection of random cookware, especially non stick, from Europe. My favorite two were from brands I've never heard of, they're really thick cast aluminum, so they never warped, and they both had solid handles, despite being different manufacturers and handle materials. The small one was from Italy. They're all torn to sheet now, because of the kids, but that's why I got them for cheap.

But that place is hit or miss, and the line can be stupid for check out.
 

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