please help me buy cookware.

16 years ago

I posted this in cookware but I don't think there is anyone over there, so excuse the overkill. I have looked through so many reviews and they have confused me more.

I talked my husband into new cookware! Partially because I cook three meals a day everyday at home. Partially because he bought me the worst $70 t-fal pan set ever. Mostly because he hates helping me since I cook with all cast iron.

So I have been pre-approved for $200 and I am going to buy...gasp...a set. I cook alot and I know that I will use everything in a 10 set. I know that I want hard anodized non-stick. I know that I want tempered glass lids. I also know that I break alot of glass so I like anolons lifetime warranty against breakage of the lids.

I have it narrowed down to Emerilware, Simply Calphalon, Rachael Ray (only because they are cheaper and I am scared of getting burned by buying more expensive crap and they have pretty good reviews, not because of rachael ray -that would be my reason to not buy them). But I am really leaning toward Anolon advanced 10 set from amazon. I like that anolon has a 8qt stock instead of a 6qt since I do alot of canning--a little bigger yet smaller then my massive stockpot.

So, what are your thoughts? Also, I have found anolon advanced and anolon profession. What is the difference if there is any?

Thanks in advance, because this decision is as difficult as picking names for my children. (kidding).

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Comments (31)

mustangs81
16 years ago
Can you eek out another $50?

Here is a link that might be useful: Sur La Table
jimster
16 years ago
My answer probably won't be helpful because I will advise against non-stick. To me, "hard non-stick" is an oxymoron. I hate having to baby that surface all the time, both during cooking and during cleaning. Even being careful, that surface gets worn out years before the pot or pan's useful life should be over.

I've gone back to stainless steel. I have a thin SS spatula which I like to press down hard when separating food from the hot pan and turning it. I have a SS scrubby and go after the cooked on stuff with vigor. It cleans up in a hurry.

I also have some cast iron. It's indestructible and is the perfect cookware for certain items.

BTW, the SS cookware I like has no plastic knobs or handles which are always the weak point of the design and which can't be put in the oven. Plastic handles are often fastened on with wimpy screw fittings. Also, I want no decorative trim, such as metal emblems set into the plastic. I like plain metal handles fastened with big rivets.

But hey, we agree on the glass lids. The ones with riveted metal handles anyway. :-)

Jim
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I wouldn't buy either brand. Frankly, both Cusinart and Mr. Lagasse have recently allowed their names to be used on some very shoddy products, sad to say. Check out the consumer complaints about Emerilware here: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/emeril.html I recently threw away a 10 inch Emerilware fry pan. The handle got hotter than blue-blazes, and was so narrow and slippery that, when I grabbed it with a hot pot holder, I couldn't keep it frmo turning and dumping the food. This never happens even with my heavy Lodge cast iron fry pan. Worse, the bottom of the pot is a flat sandwich of stainless with some heat conducting metal inside. There is a copper band to around the outside to make you think that the filler is copper, but it is actually aluminum. It's a fake--just like Emeril Lagasse (a successful restranteur and TV personality whose talents are more along the lines of Ron Popeil than of Jacques Pepin.) The layers of the sandwich are stuck together with some kind of solder. Inevitably, the become loose. Then one day the aluminum melts and comes squirting out: "Pleased to me you, I'm molten aluminum--may I burn your shoes?" This happens even if the pot is full of water at the time--the air gets between the layers and the heat can't get to the water. Surprise! Even before the pan melted down, it was a bad pan. The stainless is a bad alloy (chromium and nickle are expensive, ya'know) which discolors easily and is impossible to clean. Shame on Allclad for building this half-clad junk and shame on Emeril for selling it. If my name was on this cookware, I'd move to Bulgaria or try to buy back every peice that was ever sold. But Emeril Inc. is all about the bucks. I've owned a few cuisinart pans: some were good and some weren't. It depends on who made them for Cuisinart and when. Instead of buying a matched set of pans, all made of the same materials, why not buy the best type of pan for each cooking task? For example, frying and searing meats, you can't beat cast iron. I have a Lodge 10-inch fry pan that beats the hell out of any fancy stainless. The trick with cast iron is to season it first in a HOT oven: coat it with vegetabl oil then place in a 500 F oven for an hour (not 350 F which the manufacturers tell you for liability reasons). Even if it says it's pre-seasoned, season it. What type and size of pan you need depends on the task and how many people you cook for. An exception is a stock pot and roasting pan, which both must accomodate a whole turkey or large fish. here are some suggestions: Frying or searing meat: cast iron Frying or stir-frying vegetables: large, non-stick coated pan with reasonably thick, rounded bottom. Boiling, blanching, etc : cheap single-layer stainless--as long the handle is oven-proof doesn't fall off * One 4-qt pan with lid * Two 2-qt pans with lids * Two 1-qt pans with lids Braising: 12-inc Covered Roasting: oval roasting pan with cover: enamelware is fine unless you plan to use it a lot. (These days, many home cooks use disposable aluminum roasters, which work fine.) Open roasing: heavy gauge stainless roasing pan or disposable aluminum roaster Melting chocolate or heating milk: double boiler Pancakes and scrambled eggs: aluminum griddle with non-stick coating Omlettes and crepes: cast aluminum, flat-bottom pan with non-stick coating (I actually use cast iron, just to enjoy the looks on the faces of people accustomed to doing everything in non-stick pans). Depending on what you cook, you might want to add a pressure cooker, deep frier, or automatic rice maker. For non-stick pans, Silverstone or the newer triple-coated is better than the older single-coat Teflon. But any pan with a non-stick coating should be considered disposable, to be replaced when the coating wears off. I'd stay away from Calphalon or any aluminum pot that claims to be "hard anodized": such aluminum oxide coatings are very thin and easily scractched off, and cannot be restored. You rarely see Calphalon in commerical kitchens. Titanium is a great metal, but ridiculously expensive: I only use it for backpack trips. An expensive pan really only pays for itself when you are sauteing something that tends to burn, making thick sauces or custards, or doing some task that is probably better done in a double boiler. For things really requiring even heat, I'd buy a 10-inch, straight sided, flat-bottomed saute pan that either has real copper on the bottom or aluminum that is completely enclosed in stainless steel. Spend what you save on the other pots on this one. I've been very happy with cheap Culinary Essentials stainless that I bought ten years ago at Costco. They are stainless with an aluminum wafer completely surrounded by a stainless bottom. But if I had to do it over, I wouldn't buy a set of matched pans: I'd buy the best-of-kind for each task as recommended above. That's what I use today: my stainless fry pan gathers dust while I use the inexpensive cast iron one. Hope this info helps you make up your mind. Bill Here is a link that might be useful: ConsumerAffairs.com
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I'm with blazedog on this one. I own an assortment as well, including All Clad, Tramontina tri-ply, Calphalon Commercial Non Stick, Calphalon One, Scanpan, Le Creuset, and of course, some ancient Wagner Ware cast iron pans. I hand wash all of it, for the same space-saving reason. And while tha All Clad is "DW safe", there is still that extra step of polishing out the blue/brown heat stains that come at medium and above heat, and/or prolonged cooking times. Kinda makes that advantage a wash. (pun intended) For performance, I think the Calphalon has the edge. Solid aluminum simply does a better job of distributing heat than stainless with an aluminum core. There is little difference in the actual cooking "techniques" with either stainless and hard anodized, other than one is shiny and the other is a dark matte finish. Both produce a nice fond, deglaze nicely, and cleanup easily. I like the feel of Calphalon's handles better, but I don't notice a problem with either Calphalon or All Clad handles, heat-wise. I might add that I almost never use my stainless stock pot anymore. I much prefer putting my soups and stews into Le Creuset, there's just something about enameled cast iron that neither stainless or aluminum can even come close to. Downside is that it's heavy, but... And for boiling pasta, face it, any $20 steel pot will do the job. A $200+ noodle-boiler just feels wrong, somehow. >ggThat's how things are in *my* kitchen. I give the advantage to Calphalon One (hard anodized), but again, it's a personal preference. This discussion has crept into the higher-end stuff, while the original question was about more mid-range cookware. But there were some good points made. What's important here is that you choose cookware that suits *your* needs and preferences. Weight, balance, "feel", surface, and even lids (yes lids, I won't have glass lids, but others don't want steel. You have to decide if that's important). A lot of us here like a variety of pieces, each suited to more specific needs or tasks in our dishes, others prefer to have a matched set. Again, personal preference. All of your candidates are good choices. What looks/feels best to you?
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I used to sell cookware and have a couple of sets and some extra pieces, but really only use maybe three pans regularly. Think about the pieces you need and buy those. If you need a non-stick pan to fry eggs, get one, but the big pot for boiling water doesn't have to be non-stick also. You can always add to the basics later. (In my opinion!)
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compumom
16 years ago
3 meals a day, everyday? You're a superwoman!!
I appreciate your dilemma and noting what Jim had to say, I can tell you from personal experience that Analon lasts for quite a while and is pretty durable. Jim's right, it's not as durable as SS, but it's easier to clean, not too heavy or too light and good quality. And while I hate all their darn ridges, Circulon has also worn extremely well, maybe better. I know that our Costco has a set for around $200.
jimster
16 years ago
Cathy beat me to the punch. That's a set I would like. It will outlast me and be easy to use and care for.

Jim
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
16 years ago
Well, do keep in mind that aluminum WILL warp and if you have a smooth cooktop, they will be terrible pans to use-even if they still look great.
Terri_PacNW
16 years ago
That set is GORGEOUS!!
triciae
16 years ago
I would get this Cuisinart 17-piece set even though I'd have to toss in another $50. I've had a Cuisinart 9-quart stockpot for decades & it's been used/abused. That pot still shines like new.

I like the SLT set but you get more for your money with the Cuisinart & it's a quality set of cookware.

Another who couldn't recommend a set of non-stick (nor glass lids).

/tricia

Here is a link that might be useful: Cuisinart 17-Piece Cookware Set
elisamcs
16 years ago
I have one piece of QVC's Technique line, and it's a great pan. Actually, it's not the best on my ceramic cooktop, but if I had gas, I'd invest in a set. But I do have a set of clad stainless from Sam's club and it's wonderful. I bought that after reading a whole lot of reviews on the kitchen forum. For long-term use, I'd go with non-coated stainless. It cleans very easily and will last forever.
compumom
16 years ago
Tricia- Other than the breakage factor (which has never happened to me) what's the problem with glass lids? I'm not unhappy.
kris_zone6
16 years ago
I love my glass lids. What am I missing?
triciae
16 years ago
Ellen,

I've had trouble with glass lids not having a good, tight fit and, for some bizzare reason, I have always had a boil over issue with glass. Plus the breakage.

/t
lindac
16 years ago
I would hang with with the cast iron and spend the $200 on a really good stock pot and as couple of non stick frypans that would be considered disposable, expected to last 3 year at the most.
I am very much against "sets"....the material and style is good for one sort of pot is not good for another.
I love aluminum non stick fry pans, but wouldn't want an aluminum non stick Dutch oven, nor a 2 qt sauce pan.
Re think...if you are used to cast iron, you will not be very satisfied with any anodized aluminum stuff.
Linda C
Marigene
16 years ago
Go to TJMaxx, HomeGoods, Ross or Tuesday Morning and you can pick up really good individual pieces (of what you have narrowed down) and make your own "set", most likely for less than your allowance. The tri-ply pans Mustangs showed from Sur la Table are probably a lot better than Emeril or Rachel Ray...I have tri-ply Tramontina and wouldn't trade it for anything, even LeCrueset!
mustangs81
16 years ago
I like the pick and choose method too but jra mentioned a set and she would use all the pieces.

I'm with you Margiene, I love the tri-ply Tramontina that I collected from the sources you mentioned.
magothyrivergirl
16 years ago
My son wanted a "set" for Christmas, even though I tried to talk him out of a complete set. After much research, I purchased the Triply 18/10 Tramontina from (I hate) Walmart. It is a wonderful set. He loves it - he is a very good, adventurous cook. It is not a coated nonstick set, but food does not stick if you learn to cook on stainless properly.
I think I only paid $199.00 on sale online.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cookware
elisamcs
16 years ago
The clad stainless set I purchased from Sam's Club was labeled as Member's Mark. I believe it's the same thing as the Tramontina goods mentioned by others. If you have access to a Sam's club, you might want to check it out. The prices might be substantially lower than Walmart.
annie1992
16 years ago
I have calphalon hard anodized and the only pan that I hated was the "everyday" pan, it won't sit flat on my gas stove and the handles aren't big enough for me. They are aluminum and it's been mentioned that they warp, so that may have been part of the problem.

I love the Calphalon, mine doesn't have glass lids. It cleans up well, doesn't scratch, things don't stick (unless I scorch milk, sigh).

I have cast iron that I just love and wouldn't ever give up, I have the Calphalon and I also have some stainless steel/copper bottomed Revere Ware from back when Revere Ware was good stuff but I seldom use it, I just don't like it, things stick and burn and it's a PIA to clean. I have a bunch of that copper outside/stainless inside stuff that Elery bought too. I never use it but it looks pretty hanging on the wall....

Oh, and I have one non-stick frying pan that never gets used. In fact, since thinking about what I have and what I use, frying pans in general don't get used much here. That's probably unusual for most cooks here, I don't know...

Anyway, I love the Calphalon and the cast iron the best.

Annie
User
16 years ago
I love J.A. Henckel International Classic Clad. Amazon has good sales with free shipping from time to time. Beautiful, heavy, durable, good quality cookware, and very easy to clean.
jclepine
16 years ago
Are you sure you want a "set"? I love my iron skillets, my one gigantic steel pan and my revere copper bottomed pans. I've tried the circulons and the analons and did not care for them. I only wish I'd kept one non-stick pot for steel cut oats, that would have been nice.

I'd look around and think about what you'd be cooking in each pot and decide if you really need a matching set. Oh, and maybe spend some time thinking about your favourite meals and how best to prepare them. Stainless steel is not that hard to clean...unless you let it pile up!

Sounds like fun, I hope you enjoy the process!
sheesh
16 years ago
I also think you're much better off to pick and choose your pieces. Who cares if they don't match - it's how well they work that counts.

What cast iron do you already use? Wouldn't you be duplicating it with a set? For me, it's cast iron and stainless only -- no more hard anodized or non-stick ever again.

Here is my mixed up bunch of equipment: Two cast iron skillets, one cast iron double griddle, one enameled cast iron dutch oven, two stainless skillets that get used when I need that many skillets at one time, a pasta pot that sees plenty of use also as a stock pot (I rarely use the insert), three stainless sauce pans and another deeper stainless dutch oven, a turkey roaster and a steel wok. I, too, cook a whole lot for a lot of people and don't need anything else.

Sherry
Richard Dollard
16 years ago
I posted this set on your other message. My mom bolught this set and is quite pleased with it.

Here is a link that might be useful: costco
Richard Dollard
16 years ago
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11485000&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC:89:56625&N=4017652&Mo=18&No=4&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=54916&Ns=P_Price:1::P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&topnav=

Here is a link that might be useful: costco
annie1992
16 years ago
javaandjazz, which one?

Annie
mandymae
16 years ago
I have 1 piece of Emerilware and I love it. I bought a very expensive set for Christmas and it does not make my oatmeal as well as the Emerilware does.

Home Shopping Network just started featuring Emeril. They were offering a 12 piece set with a bonus 14' skillet and cookbook for $199 in the stainless.

I have 2 of his non-stick frying pans and I marvel at how well they cook and clean every time I use them

Here is a link that might be useful: home shopping
KatieC
16 years ago
I'm down to just a couple of nonstick pans, and I hardly ever use them. It's s/s and cast iron for me, too.

I've been replacing a nonstick set DH bought off QVC, old Revere Ware and an old s/s set from Safeway (a piece a week). I'm not trying for a matched set...I grab pans that feel good and won't warp (and are hopefully on sale!). Out of the newer pans, I seem to use the Cuisinart s/s pieces the most.

I guess I can't say I'm replacing...the old s/s just sort of migrated to the back of the cupboard. You never know when you might need one more saucepan, hehe.
ysop1016
16 years ago
Thanks for the tip. I purchased the Tramontina 12" SS saute pan. It is fantastic! I did crabcakes and they browned nicely on med./low.It was a breeze to clean. Are the saucepans as good?
tropicals9b
16 years ago
Tramontina is wonderful cookware. So is Tools of the Trade Belgique from Macy's. I've had both for at least 5 years and they still look brand new and cook great. And both are inexpensive when bought at Sam's or on sale at Macy's.

The only non-stick I like to use is a 6" skillet for frying eggs. With try ply stainless, it is a breeze to clean and you never have to worry about teflon flaking off.

Oops, just remembered my mom gave me a huge coated saute pan for Christmas (Costco) that I like very much. I like it due to the perfect size though (about 3"x18" and glass lid). The teflon is not normal though, it is grayish and roughish to the touch. Anyway, it is a perfect size for making good amounts of sauces, soups, stews and pasta dishes without having to get my stock pot out. And it is very well made. I think it was about $30. It's not on their site, but it was still in my store yesterday.

Val
patti43
16 years ago
I've used my Belgique for over 22 years and it still looks like new. (I admit I had a pot rack in my last house and HAD to keep them lookin' good.) I have the stainless, not the non-stick. I would recommend it for anyone. The price has gone down considerably since I got mine.

Oh--and it cleans up as easily as non-stick even after all these years. Gotta love that!
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
16 years ago
I was in Tuesday Morning today and they had lots of the tramontina. I have a couple of that line and love it.
But the real deal was a Le Gourmet Chef set for $149.
I have a small dutch oven from them and it is almost exactly like the Tramontina. It's very nice and I paid $80 for the dutch oven 5 years ago.
If I needed a set I would get that one with no remorse.
I did think about getting it too....but I don't need it one bit.
kaismom
16 years ago
I agree with another post that you need to get each item that is best for its purpose.

I think Costco, Cuisinart, Tramontina, and Sur la table fully clad cookware are all good choices. The curved handles on pots are actually easier to work with than the straight handles of All Clad, which are much more expensive. Pick up the pot and get a feel for the handle. You should see how it feels in your own hand. The thicker the core, the more even the heat distribution. Don't get the ones that are too thin.

I just "pick" up cookware when I see a fabulous sale. I prefer to pay a bit more and get a really good piece. I have collected great stuff over many years. (I have 3 Le Creuset dutch ovens! Oy vey!) I have a French (brand?) copper windsor sauce pan which is an amazing thing of beauty and function. I just got a 3 qt All Clad SS sauce pan for $100! This is about 1/2 price of regular price....

I would not get the Belgique that has disc bottoms. I just gave mine away after 20 years of use. If you cook with high powered gas, they (disc bottom pans) burn on the edges. If you burn on the edges, then it does not clean as well in the DW... They did better for me when I had electric.
catlover
16 years ago
Cast iron - I have 4 different size Wagner iron skillets. All are from flea markets much earlier in my life and are awesomely non-stick. On my brother's urging, I have purchased 2 sizes of non-stick pans just for eggs. I use them only for eggs.

I was given Revere Wear with the copper bottoms when I got married and have since given them away, largely to thrift shops. I use a $130 10 piece set from Sam's Club purchased about 5 years ago and a few choice pieces picked up from TJ Maxx.

I have spent very little money on my pots and pans (huge stock pot, etc) and think I am well equipped until I buy induction:) (probably only a dream)

Adele

please help me buy cookware.

Comments (31)

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