Hey everyone, thanks for your input.
There is a Calphalon outlet not far from me and I will check them out.
All my other lowend pans are holding up fine, it’s just the every day pan that takes a beating.
My primary frying pan is an immense 10 1/2" cast iron deep fryer. I break all the rules – if something does stick to it, I immerse it in soapy water and let it soak. (To listen to some people, you’d think ‘seasoning’ was a complicated process, and that if you cut through it with soap and water you’ve ruined something. Not so.) Mostly, things don’t stick anyhow, unless you cook them dry or let things sit without turning them. It makes the best omelettes, with plenty of room for a 5- or 6-egg omelette and easy turning and flipping. Also makes great fried chicken, fried pork chops, homemade marinara sauce, Mexican sopaipillas, hash browns, etc. I bought it in 1979 and it’s my single favorite piece of kitchenware.
My second and third favorite frying pans are a 9 inch and a 7 inch cast iron pan, respectively, but they just aren’t the same quality. Look for very smooth bottom pan surfaces, not grainy or pebbly surfaced.
I have a basic set of Lifetime cookware. It’s great stuff manufactured by the West Bend Company and guaranteed for a lifetime. It’s made out of stainless steel and if you use it right, you need no butter, water, etc. to cook any of your food in it.
I obtained my set at one of those food cooking parties a friend of mine had about 5 years ago. Her mom brought along one of her pots or pans purchased about 25 years previous to get the knobs replaced on them for free. It was still in grade A shape. I was amazed.
You may have to contact a distributor to get more information, but here’s the Web site: http://www.lifetimecookware.com
TRex
We have two Tramontina (Brazilian) stainless steel skillets, plus a two quart pot and a steamer. Absolutely the best cookware I have ever used.
Repeat after me…Cast Iron, Cast Iron, Cast Iron. Teflon is the tool of the devil. Joking aside, as a once and sometime professional chef, I will say that if someone were to declare that I could only have one pan for the rest of my life, I would choose the cast iron. It is the most versatile, and the best buy (Teflon will start to flake off eventually, and it is really bad for you if you eat it. On the other hand, I am using the cast iron skillet that my grandmother inherited from her mom!
Oh… my… God…
meeker, why’d you have to post about that? Now I’m drooling over those Calphalon deals…
I have a Calphalon 1 qt saucepan (from the Professional Hard Anodized line of pots), and a 1.5 qt with something of a non-stick coating, and a glass lid (from the Professional Nonstick II line). I love these pans. I was reading their enclosed brochure about hard anodized aluminum vs. regular non-stick pots, etc., and heat conduction and so on, and I didn’t believe the hype - until I tried them out. Those pots heat up fast! Water boils so much more quickly, and I’m having a lot better luck with caramelizing, browning evenly, and other things affected by heat conduction.
Drive to the outlet malls. Go to the farberware store…
I got a great collection of their wierd ass aluminum (sp) non stick pans. (They are the ones with the raised rings on the surface).
Nothing, and I mean nothing sticks to these bastards. If it looks like it’ll be a mess to clean up, let it sit out for 4 hrs and peel (yes peel) off the stuff stuck on it.
They are fairly heavy, and heat well. You can get pretty much anything in the outlet stores for less than 35 dollars (my wok was 30 and is bloody amaizing!)
But if you really want good pans… to a professional kitchen supply store and shell out the cash for good copper cookware.
But if you want something that will last for about a dozen years and is cheap. Go with outlet mall faberware.
What Binarydrone said! 
I’m on the verge of buying you all an enameled, large Le Creuset frying pan with the extra long wooden handle.
I bought the Wearever Cookware set and an additional Large stainless steel non-stick frying pan. I could have paid more but they had a lifetime guarantee and they were cheaper. I now know why they are cheaper! There warranty is a joke! You pay for shipping back to the manufacturer under their warranty and then they deny the claim due to heat. They ship it back to you. I will no longer due business with this company for weaseling out of their warranty. They also manufacture Mirror products. Pay the difference and get a set that lasts! This company is not worthy of your business unless you like over paying for under performing products!
I’ve had my Calphalon set for over five years, and everything is good as new. I have both an 8" and 10" omelet pan, and don’t limit their use to omelets. The best thing is that they have glass lids, so you don’t have to take the lid off to check on things.
Calling all zombies: this thread is 10 years old.
Cooks Illustrated favors a Wolfgang Puck skillet for nonstick (you should not be buying an awesome skillet in nonstick because the nonstick will not last forever - have your nonstick pans be on the cheaper side.) When I outfitted my house I pretty much slavishly bought their suggestions for core cookware:
Reasonably decent nonstick skillet (the Wolfgang Puck one - I think I actually had to go to qvc.com for it)
All-Clad skillet
Cast iron skillet
Le Creuset dutch oven
All-Clad saucepan
All-Clad saute pan
Crap-ass Wal-Mart stock pot (you only use it to boil a shitload of water, so it doesn’t have to be nice)
… and that’s it. I mean, it’s more than what you’re looking for right now, but I mention it because so many people buy sets of cookware when they won’t use all the pieces. You should buy good quality and only exactly what you need. I have a couple more pieces, actually, that I’ve been given as gifts over the years but I hardly ever use them.
While you’re at it, you only really need three knives - chef’s knife, paring knife, bread knife.
ETA - damn it, zombie thread. Well, it’s still good advice.
Hell, I’ll help out the undead. You can pick up this Calphalon non-stick set of two very hefty omelet pans for about $50. Bi-metal handles, welded construction, even heat.
Since this has sprung back to life, I’ll send it to Cafe Society. From IMHO.
I have Farberware Millennium copper-bottom stainless and am very happy with it.
I’ve recently picked up 8" and 10" Thermolon pans from Zwilling JA Henckles and they are outstanding. They cost a bit more than the OP specified a decade ago, but they come with a lifetime warranty. These two, along with my All Clad Stainless 12" and a heavy older Circulon chef’s pan are all I need. Well, and this thermos.
I’ve seen a commercial for a ceramic lined pan. Seems like a good idea, but I try to avoid purchasing anything advertised on TV (it only encourages them). Anyone tried them?
As for non-stick, I love my Tramontina pan set from CostCo. Three pans - 8" 10" 12" - for $25. Heavy, great silicone handles. I use the 10" one more than once a day and it has lasted for years.
I’ve had pretty good luck picking up Calphalon at TJ Maxx in the housewares section. Some locations have a much better housewares selection than others.
I reccently got a Bialetti Aeternum ceramic non-stick pan; this thing is remarkable.
I’ve never seen a surface this slick, nothing, and I mean NOTHING, sticks to it.
Amazon reviews have some complaints about the ceramic chipping off but I’ve had the pan 4 months and since I’m very careful with it I’ve had no problems.
Seroulsly though, it’s unreal compared to teflon.
Chipping? I wonder if anyone makes a solid ceramic pan. It would probably need a metal core to spread the heat, but if the exterior was entirely ceramic, chipping would be less of a problem. Kyocera already makes a lot of kitchen tools, so pans wouldn’t be a stretch.