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Has anyone bought an All Clad pan and not liked it? I think it's the only big name brand that is still made in USA. Everything else, it seems, is made in China.
My whole set is either All-Clad stainless or well seasoned, Lodge cast iron. If you don't like All-Clad, you don't know what you're doing in the kitchen. They're easily the most balanced pans I've ever used. I have one non-stick All-Clad for crepes and the like. It works perfectly. You just have to take proper, common sense precautions with the non-stick surface (no high-temp preheating, no metal spatulas, no dishwasher or other harsh detergents, etc.). I just hand wash it with mild dish washing liquid and dry it with a towel. I've used it for 10 years and it works just as well as when I took it out of the box.
All-Clad stainless (regular; not non-stick) can be put through hell without damaging them and are well worth the money if you do a lot of cooking. You'll never have to replace them. They're built like tanks.
And there is always Amazon or some other web retailer
The small med and large skillets are the key pieces most of us use / for me for sure. There is no need to buy a 15pc set new when just 2-3 of the pcs are used 90% of the time
Agreed with the avoiding the big set purchases. I haven't bought a set of cookware for a few years now. T-fal had a set of ceramic lined pots and pans which did not stand up well and Macy's discontinued (and dramatically priced down) probably because so many people returned their pans. I shop at the Macy's in Manhattan Beach and every time I shop in the kitchen section there is some rich lady returning her frying pan. I don't think I've ever returned a used pan.
I really want to replace my oversized T-fal skillet. The only kind they make now has a loop handle opposite the stick handle part which I do not like (don't care for that loop handle at all) and they are all made in China.
Speaking of which - I went to Costco Business and the one here only carried one brand of frying pans - all made in China - and the display sample which I could inspect had the coating already popped and peeling off one of the rivets on the inside of the pan. I think my next stop will be a restaurant supply store - we have a great one close by in Culver City. For anyone who wants to buy some, the sizes and prices are: one 12" for $19.99, two 8" for $19.99, or two 10" for $24.99.
I recently read that T-fal, despite being a French manufacturer, now has their entire merchandise line manufactured in China. No wonder reviews on Amazon are so harsh - people who've bought them recently are comparing to their old stock which was still made in France. Incidentally - all my Tefal (as it's known in EU) pans are proudly marked 'Made in France' - new stock now has no indication of country of origin.
I just love when they hide in tiny print on a package: designed in the USA (made in China). Does it really matter? Are the Chinese no good at designing? They sure as sheets are no good at manufacturing quality items.
I'm going to try to catch an upcoming sale at Macy's based on what they have in inventory - I think it will be important for this to be an in-person transaction vs. an online purchase.
There's no such thing as truly non-stick cookware. They all use a coating that disappears over time. With any cooking, the proper oil and temperture is important to prevent sticking. I think most people either use the wrong oil or not enough.
For example, a simple egg. If you put the oil and egg down right away it sticks. if you put any oil and heat it up to right temps then drop the egg it instantly cooks and doesn't stick.
I have had my Calphalon non stick cookware 6 years and it's great but pricy.
I have that, and love it.
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Copperchef pans do not leach or stick to glass or any surface. They are also used in the oven up to 500F.
I use the very lightweight copperchef pan DAILY on my glass-top stove with never an issue.
Thinly lined heavy copper pans, which do leach copper, are different than copperchef.
But any pan might stick if you are a sloppy cook and have food on the burners themselves.
OP TRY ONE COPPERCHEF PAN AND GET BACK TO US
We are gradually ridding our kitchen of damaged and less than useful cooking implements. I threw out a cheap old scratched-up "nonstick" saucepan the other day, and my housemate has agreed to try a Copperchef skillet, at which point another scratched up pan will go. I'm pretty excited, although I wish they made saucepans, too. I'm using stainless steel right now, which is definitely not non-stick of you are making something like cheese grits, but at least you don't have to worry about damaging any kind of coating. If we like the skillet, we may get more pieces.
We have an awful lot of pots, pans, skillets, casseroles, dull knives, etc., that were here when I moved in. Lots of stuff, and not much storage. I'm trying to pare down to a few really good items that are useful for more than one thing. I hate clutter, and right now, our cupboards are a nightmare.
Have you used their cutlery, is it any good?
Last edited by Catgirl64; 10-25-2017 at 05:21 AM..
Non stick coated cookware will be non stick only for a short time, unless you are careful with it. I have T Fall skillet that I am very careful with, and I've used it successfully for about 4 years. I found it quite cheap at Ross. Prior to this I've had several non stick pans, some quite pricey, and eventually the finish got bad on all of them. The coating on most pans is not as durable as the pans are.
You cannot put the stuff in the dishwasher. You often get instructions to use nylon or wooden cooking tools with it. Some pans will tolerate metal tools, but some won't. You should not use the pan on high heat, because high heat degrades the non stick coating, and could release toxic fumes.
The non stick finishes are best suited to skillets. I love mine for frying beautiful eggs. But I never heat it higher than medium heat.
I've investigated the ceramic coated pans, and so far it seems to me that the pans need a lot of babying. There is a high priced one put out by Zwilling that I might ultimately spring for. Right now my inexpensive T Fal is working fine, but I can tell that the finish is still going bad, even with my babying.
You can certainly buy an inexpensive fry pan and try it out to see if it works for you. They can be had for not much money almost everywhere.
Also, to consider is the environmental pollution caused by the manufacture of these finishes. That is enough for me to say, I won't buy another typical teflonish pan. Maybe a ceramic coated one. I haven't decided.
This is a very interesting and informative thread.
Like others here, I've moved away from sets, which always include pieces I seldom or never use. Instead, I get odd pots and pans.
I'm careful about what I get rid of, though. The quality isn't the same. I was going to replace three decades-old Farberware stock pots until I did some research. It seems the lid handles are coming off, and some have reported that, for example, the circumference of the 8 qt pot is less than the old ones. So, due to my wrist issues, I had my husband use some of his crazy strength to clean my 3 pans and they look great (except for the bottom).
And I know that some of the pans I've purchased recently must have been made in China, even though I can't find the info on the pan or packaging--or online. So far, I've been lucky, though. That makes me happy, because some of the pots/pans are unusual. I love my odd pieces!
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