Cookware

[merlin1]

For all-around home cooking --

All-Clad LTD vs. All-Clad Stainless vs. Calphalon vs. Mauviel vs. Le Creuset vs. ????

Non-stick vs. regular, especially for fry pans.

Most useful types and sizes.

Thanks!

-merlin

[Fred]

I think you need a mix. Stainless is good as a basic type. I think you need some non stick for handling things like fried eggs and candy. You can do them on stainless but what a hassle. I also have a few Le Creuset pots for low and slow cooking and for small batches of soups. I think stainless stock pots would probably do as well.

[louisianacook]

Yeah, my cookware runs the gambit. I have All-Clad, Bourgeat, Sitram, Lodge, Le Creuset, plus cheap, non-stick restaurant supply house fry pans. These work the best for eggs etc. Been meaning to try some of the plain carbon steel pans though...

[RETREVR]

I have some calphalon tri ply copper that I like for the money. They are made in china and you can get them relatively cheap compared to all the other lines of all-clad and calphalon. I have some all-clad that I'mm not all that impressed with. I don't care for the handles and it is too expensive. I bought mine at garage sales.
The french copper like mauviel is super and makes the others look like toys, but it is over-kill for a lot of tasks. I really like the mauviel type for sauce pans. Nice even heat and it is hard to scorch. They make a nice big alluminum roaster also. There are other coppers such as bourgeat and faulk that are fine also.
You should have a non-stick fry pan. For eggs, you might be able to get a "try-me" cheap from calph or AC. Never spend a bunch on non-stick. It will wear out, unlike traditional finishes.
The le crueset is nice, but again, you only need it for certain tasks. A big dutch oven for stews and roasts will do. It is too expensive, so you might look for a comparable.
Stock pots should be bought on price point. A decent one with a thick bottom will do.
You should have one big cast iron skillet also.
Here are a couple of links:
For Mauviel
http://buycoppercookware.com/index.cfm?act=about

This is a set that I might buy:
http://www.rockymountainretinning.com/forsale.htm
I really like the tin although it is not for everyone.

This is a set I bought for $39 (stole it). I am very happy with it and many folks over at egullet use/like this line.
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref...asin=B00007CWEQ

Cookwear is like cutlery in the way that you may not want to buy a set...then again you may. I spend the money where I need to, and look for bargains to fill in the gaps. I have that cheap(but good and heavy) stainless set, then I bought a couple of mauviels at auction, then I bought a couple of the calphalon triply coppers at discount stores, then I bought three peices of all-clad at garage sales. I bought a 10gal stock pot for $5.
For me it is a journey. I probably don't have $200 invested in my cookwear, and I have a hell of a set, for less than one large all-clad sauce pan.

[merlin1]

I spent some time today clearing out old kitchenware and cookbooks, and inventorying my cookware --

1-, 2- and 4-quart saucepans, 10" frypan (rarely if ever used because everything sticks to it) and 8-quart stockpot, all Farberware aluminum-clad stainless steel (ca. 1983);

4-quart non-stick saucepan (mostly used for melting chocolate and as a double-boiler);

10" (almost never used) and 12" no-name non-stick frypans, both quite ancient;

6.5" (very rarely used), 8" and 10" Lodge cast iron frypans, which never wear out;

14" wok, which gets LOTS of use;

an assortment of pyrex-type casserole dishes and round pie pans;

9" 2-quart pyrex-type covered baking dish;

7.5" ceramic deep baking dish.

I am mostly vegetarian, and occasionally eat poultry and even less-occasionally fish, and am considering adding a 3-quart covered saute pan to the mix, and replacing the ancient (and probably by now toxic) non-stick frypans with one 12" non-stick.

Any other ideas or suggestions?

Many thanks!

-merlin

[brash]

Has anyone had any experience with T-Fal Perfection non-stick saute pans:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg.../-/B00005NWV8/

Or any of the copper bottom Revere stuff:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg.../-/B00013T69M/

I currently don't have any decent cookware, and would like to buy a few good items. I'm particularly interested in how this cheaper stuff compares to Mauviel, or the other copper/stainless stuff out there like Calphalon, Cuisinart, and All-Clad. I'm willing to spend the money for good cookware, but not if I'm not satisfied that I need to... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[RETREVR]

I have not used any T-fal, but it seems like decent home-use stuff.
The Revere stuff is ultra thin and the copper is "painted on" the bottom. It is not fair to compare it to real copper from france which is 2.5mm thick. The reveres are scorchers. If you want to try one, just look at any thrift shop....they usually have a selection.

[RETREVR]

This is a set from Target that I would recomend:
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref...asin=B00007CWEQ
I bought one on sale and it is a good set. You might pick up a single pan at target and try it.

[CuttingBored]

I have All-Clad pans but also one of those T-Fal sautee pans. The T-Fal gets used a lot. It's amazing and a little embarrasing how well a $20 pan performs. The heavy-ish aluminum is a good balance between quick resonse and even heating.

The non-stick doesn't last forever, even if you avoid metal utensils. But again, we're talking about a very inexpensive pan. I've heard that premium/expensive cookware makers' non-stick pans might last longer, but the non-stick coating is not as non-stick as the less expensive ones, because they formulate it more for long-lasting. I don't mind buying a new T-Fal every 4-5 years.

Now there are some things non-stick is not good for, like where you fry some pork chops and want to deglaze the pan for some sauce. The All-Clad is great for that, but there's no shame in using the T-Fal and having a less than perfect sauce.

[Sid Post]

[ QUOTE ]
Or any of the copper bottom Revere stuff:

[/ QUOTE ]

The are a waste of metal. I had those pans as a first set and thought I was a terrible cook. I could almost scorch water in them (I could see the electric coil in the bottom of a pan of boiling water).

The Sitram Profeserie set is ~$135 delivered off Ebay. For "cheap" pans, they work well. They are stainless so, cleaning them is consistent with all the other stainless pans out there.