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After 28 years we are tossing the last remaining pieces of the cookware we got when we were married plus various pieces we’ve gotten over the years. After researching we’ve decided to invest in All clad. I was all set to get the Stainless steel. Tired of dealing with non stick having to be replaced. We went to two different places to look and one place recommended the stainless steel and also getting a couple non stick fry pans to use for eggs and things like that. The second place we looked recommended the non stick for everything. They said the non stick can be thrown in the dishwasher and they’ve never had anyone have issues with the non stick costing being ruined or coming off and you could even use metal utensils on it. We left empty handed as now I’m more confused than ever. The thing about stainless steel is i can scrub it down with an sos pad if it gets grime on it. I’m sure i can’t do that with the non stick. I’m so tired of the outside of my pots and pans being grimy!
Anyone have experience with either and can recommend one Over the other ? We’ve waited a long time to replace and expect to have this for another 28 years ( or more)
I'm the cook of my house and about 7 years ago I switched from some non-stick single-wall stuff to Tramontina tri-ply (exactly like All-Clad, but 1/4 the price) in stainless. I have 3 pots/pans that aren't, one is a 60qt (15 gallon) stock pot for doing crab boils, huge loads of tamalies and the like ~ it's aluminum. I have an 8qt from the prior set that I desperately want to replace with a Tramontina of like size or slightly larger (largest in the set is a 6qt), and I have a non-stick low-wall, square pancake pan that's on its final legs and will probably be replaced with a like item. Oh, I guess I also have a few cast iron items that are rarely used too, due to the weight of those monsters.
I could not be happier with going SS for the main pans though. I do *NOT* use non-stick with eggs and I simply have no issues with sticking (a light spray of oil and letting the pan get to temp Before adding the egg). The only time stuff sticks is when I get impatient and don't let the pans warm up, or if I just leave it on forever and it burns in place... did that with rice once where I forgot to turn the burner off. But the clean-up in those cases, you can use dang near Anything you want to clean. Scouring pads, steel wool, acid (Barkeepers Friend), doesn't matter as you're not going to harm the SS.
No one could talk me into going Back to a non-stick for daily use. I'm absolutely certain that if you, OP, keep asking though you'll find someone with every different kind of opinion. I'd like to mention that the All-Clad sales people don't care that you get the best, most long-lived product... the smart ones will sell you something that makes you just happy enough that when it wears out, you come back to them. I'm guessing that's why they were pushing the non-stick... because there is no "forever" when it comes to non-stick. You'll need an uncoated metal (yes, even the enamel on Le Creuset comes off eventually) to go the rest of your lifetime without buying a replacement.
Good luck with your decision. I'm still tickled pink with mine, astounded at the value those pans have offered (and yes, I have direct personal experience with All-Clad too, my folks have some).
I do a lot of cooking, so the cookware is important. I don't go with just "one brand." I go with what works. I have a Loge Dutch oven (enameled), what I call a pasta pot that is older than I am and my wife's grandmother cooked her pasta and soup in there. I have various skillets - only one is non-stick. Nothing special either. Some cheap brand. Probably bought it at Bed Bath and Beyond about 15 years ago. We do have a really nice cast iron skillet. Super cheap too. Heavy as anything but if you season it and treat it right, it'll likely last forever.
Honestly, as long as my cookware is serviceable, I'd rather just keep mine rather than getting a "matching set." As someone that cooks countless meals, I prefer what I'm used to. I wouldn't throw out perfectly good cookware. I'm not saying the OP is, I'm just saying that's likely why I'll never have a matching set
>> CAVEAT re: Tramontina tri-ply<<
USE only LOW to MEDIUM heat. (Which deals with some complaints about hot handles and sticking food!)
Using a high heat setting causes the tri-ply base to become very hot, which may cause foods to stick, burn or scorch if added to very hot cookware. In fact, the use of high heat can permanently discolor and damage your cookware and void the warranty.
IF YoU MuSt RoCkEt SeAr, use CARBON STEEL or CAST IRON.
__ Dutch Oven, cast iron :: This is a bit tricky, there are THREE types : home, camping, and porcelain coated. A true camping oven has feet and the lid has a lip to contain hot coals for baking. A home oven has smooth bottom and no lip on the lid. Also, good lids have drip points for condensation to fall back on the food. Porcelain coated are useful for cooking acidic foods (tomato sauce), but don’t have the durability of plain cast iron.
. . . Though I like the idea of a cast iron dutch oven, and they have a long history for camp cookery, they’re not as versatile as other apartment cookware.
If you’re going whole hawg on a cookware set, this is good value (I’ve had several Tramontina 18/10 pieces, and was pleasantly surprised)
18/10 8-piece tri-ply CLAD cookware set https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tramontin...e-Set/19581112
Not just the base, but the whole pot is tri-ply.
Lids from the pots do not fit the skillets.
All metal - oven safe.
Dutch Oven (5 qt) is 9.34 inches (24 cm)
<< Good match for the 18/10 8 qt multi-cooker >>
<< Will fit the PRESTO 8 qt pressure cooker >>
Location: Foothills of Maryland Blue Ridge mountains
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We just did this...bought all new pots and pans after 37 years this past winter.
Take your time and do some in-depth research. It was worth it to me to buy a subscription to America's Test Kitchen to read all of their reviews. From there I looked at serious eats. Then read reviews for particular pans on amazon, Williams Sonoma, etc.
I did no buying a matching set. I figured out what pans I needed and then bought the highest rated individual pan. Some were all clad, le Creuset, lodge, cuisinart, etc. I did buy one 8” non stick skillet for eggs. I bought a 12” all skillet too. I think I will also buy a 12” sauté pan down the road. And a wok. I also bought: a 2 qt, 3 qt., 5 qt., 8 qt with strainer/ steamer basket. A 16 qt. Stock pot for soups, stews, sauce, beans that I freeze. A 6 qt. Enameled Dutch oven, a 12” cast iron skillet and a 12” all clad skillet that I mentioned above.
We had an new induction cooktop installed and so I had to be mindful of the pans being induction compatible. Most of the higher rated pans were. You might want to keep that in mind if you might need a new cooktop down the road...unless you have gas now. I LOVE the induction cooktop. I like it better than the gas I had in my previous home.
I use all of these pans all the time. Now that we’re retired I’m enjoying cooking again.
Also...whatever you buy, make sure they can go into a 500 degree oven. Not all of them can. Read the specifications carefully.
Have fun! I haven’t had a moment's regret with any of my purchases.
Farberware for all saucepans and stock pots. Stainless steel inside, so you can scrub it with anything you want, and things like tomato sauce won't corrode or pit it. They only have about 3 different lids, so you don't have to find the exact lid that fits the exact pot/pan. Our set of Farberware has some pieces that are 45 years old and look and function as new. The Farberware skillets are really good too, and I use them sometimes as a backup to the cast iron (like if I need to do two things at once). I don't know why anyone would use anything else.
Cast iron skillet in the std size (9"?) By the way, the Farberware large lid also fits perfectly a standard size iron skillet, so that's what I use when I have something poppy in the skillet.
Giant cast iron skillet for sauteeing large batches.
Use the fold-up steamer baskets for steaming, just put into an appropriately sized Farberware.
Non-stick pans are for people who don't know how to cook. I guarantee you they will not hold up like stainless or cast iron.
The only issue we have at present is that you can't buy new Corning cornflower casseroles, and every few years another one gets broken. No one has released any casseroles since the discontinuance of the Corning ones that are anywhere near as good.
Anyway, that's what I would do, and not get all wound up in high priced trendy pots and pans that won't actually perform any better.
For years long ago I bought my wife whatever blue Le Cruset pans popped up on e-bay when I happened to look. I bought them because she wanted a Cobalt Blue and white themed kitchen and those were the only quality cobalt blue pans I could find. On E-bay they were pretty inexpensive at the time about $20 - $40 per pan. I bought six or eight of them. About twenty years later, we still have them all, They are in great condition. No chips or worn down surface coatings. They re and always have been out favorite and best performing pans. The only downside is they are super heavy.
A few years ago, I decided I wold get her a nice new set of them for Christmas and throw out all the other junky pans we had collected. I about fell on the floor. A full set of those pans cost more than my car was worth at the time. They have gotten more expensive on Ebay as well.
For years long ago I bought my wife whatever blue Le Cruset pans popped up on e-bay when I happened to look. I bought them because she wanted a Cobalt Blue and white themed kitchen and those were the only quality cobalt blue pans I could find. On E-bay they were pretty inexpensive at the time about $20 - $40 per pan. I bought six or eight of them. About twenty years later, we still have them all, They are in great condition. No chips or worn down surface coatings. They re and always have been out favorite and best performing pans. The only downside is they are super heavy.
A few years ago, I decided I wold get her a nice new set of them for Christmas and throw out all the other junky pans we had collected. I about fell on the floor. A full set of those pans cost more than my car was worth at the time. They have gotten more expensive on Ebay as well.
If you must have Le Creuset, see if you can find one of their outlet stores. They come with the same warranty, but there might be a slight flaw. We have one of their larger dutch ovens and when we got home, we couldn't even find a flaw. It has been going strong without any chips or imperfections for the past few years and it was half the price of a regular one.
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Mixing works for me
