It’s time: give me your cookware recommendations

Cafe Society
1

I currently have a full set of Ninja nonstick cookware. Some of the pieces have seen better days. In particular I need a new large fry pan. That’s what I have to change out right away but I will be replacing more over time.

So what are your recommendations? It has to be nonstick. What kind of nonstick is up for grabs. I do want it to be part of a set that I can build up over time. I’m not interested in cast iron. I have a cast iron pan that I use for certain things. Not necessary but extra points if it’s stove top to oven capable.

2

We switched to HexClad pans about a year ago and they haven’t disappointed yet.

3

I was looking at those. Also looking at ceramic.

4

I have some All-Clad that I got recently that I wouldn’t get again. They construction, build, and quality are top notch. However their utility is awful. Number one they are heavy as hell so lifting them with one hand with food is a chore. Number two the handle design is bad and awkward for gripping. Number three the lid handles are stainless steel on non-insulated so you always need an oven mitt or towel to lift them while cooking.
I have had some Rachel Ray stuff in the past and was surprised how nice it was. Lightweight and cushy insulated handles.
Hexclad was interesting but I passed on them. It’s a basic non-stick surface with raised dimples of stainless. I read/watched a lot of mixed reviews on them.

5

YMMV, but we may replace our oven in the next year or two, so most of what I’ve bought recently has been induction-compatible, just to keep our options open.

6

Based on my experience, I wouldn’t spend too much on non-stick pans, as the coatings do get nicked, scratched, and generally become unusable, unlike straight metal or cast iron (enameled or not). They’re fundamentally disposable, albeit on a longer time frame than most disposable things.

We’ve got all four here- a full set of All-Clad stainless, a couple of enameled cast iron dutch ovens and similar things, a couple of old-school cast iron skillets, a couple of non-stick frying pans/skillets, and a non-stick saute pan (higher, straighter sides).

The two non-stick skillets are both T-Fal, and they’re doing very well after a year or so of use. They’re not expensive, relative to say… All-Clad or Calphalon non-stick, but they’re not bargain basement either. The saute pan is some Korean brand we got at H-Mart on a whim. It’s fine, but it’s showing more wear than the T-Fal are.

In the past, I’ve had a couple of those restaurant-style non-stick pans and they’ve been good as well. I had one of those green colored ones that was advertised on TV (same basic ads as the copper ones), and it worked great for a few months, then out of the blue, everything started sticking. So get the normal dark gray/black ones!

The things you have to look for are whether they’re dishwasher safe (some aren’t) and for the thickness of the underlying metal (usu. aluminum). Thicker = better, for the most part, as it distributes and retains the heat better and more evenly.

So I suppose my recommendation would be to aim somewhere in the middle. Not those “as-seen-on-TV” ones or the very cheapest Walmart “Mainstays” pans, but I wouldn’t go for the high-end ones either. I’d go with T-Fal, Tramontina, or KitchenAid, or some other mid-priced brand.

7

I think this brand is or was at Costco. It’s not cheap. My daily omelet is made in a 10-inch Oxo non-stick pan and that was roughly $25. On Amazon the 10-inch HexClad pan is $150. Is this stuff that great?

Edited to add, I’m willing to pay more, if it’s shown to be worthwhile.

And BTW, what’s up with that stupid Made In Cookware brand? “Made by chefs for chefs” is their tagline. Personally I want stuff made by experts in manufacturing goods, not someone who spends their life in a kitchen.

8

My wife does the shopping (and research) for kitchen stuff, so I don’t know how much the set cost. I do know they clean up easier than any nonstick pans I’ve used in the past and they leave a better sear, too. The only complaint I might have is a narrow stainless steel lip around the top that requires a little extra scrubbing if the food gets up there.

9

My wife has never let me put a nonstick pan in the dishwasher. She’s never given me a convincing reason why not, but it’s easier to wash that stuff by hand than argue about it.

10

Thanks. I’ll consider it though I agree that non-stick pans should be considered disposable, although perhaps not the regular pots without the non-stick coating. And I’ll also be looking for induction compatibility in my next purchase, just in case I ever get an induction cooktop.

11

Like many, I have an eclectic assortment of pots and pans collected over the years. My daily go-to pans are a Cuisinart 12" non-stick, and an Analon 8" non-stick (for eggs). I’m on my third edition of the Cuisinart, but they easily last about 3-4 years with heavy use and some care. I have a set of Le Creuset stainless clad pans that are really well made and I use for things like steaks, etc. Then there is a set of All-Clad Tri-Ply stainless pots, and a Le Creuset enameled Dutch oven that you’d have to pry from my cold dead hands. The oldest pans are a couple of Berndes non-stick, which are of German manufacture, with a really heavy steel bottom that is impossible to warp. They don’t get a lot of use, but the largest one is good for French toast, as the sides are straight instead of curved. All of these pots and pans have their uses, and all of them have given good service.

12

I have a gas stove and hopefully I’ll never have anything other than gas.

13

If it has to be non stick, go to your local restaurant supply store and get their least expensive pan in every size you need. Repeat annually.

Non stick is disposable cookware. The best ones that you baby like crazy won’t last more than about a year of regular use. Five years if you don’t cook often on it and baby it. Buy it cheap and buy it regularly.

14

The New York Times Wirecutter site recommends cookware from a brand called Tramontina, “because it offers solid construction and comfortable design at a reasonable price.” Their upgrade pick is All-Clad.

15

Never say never! You may not have seen this thread, where @CairoCarol also was opposed to induction, but after some research decided to get one and is happy with it.

16

I’d have a really hard time arguing against that logic.