How to buy new pots and pans?

Question

I would like to buy a new set of pots and pans. I have no idea what is a good brand. I am tired of these that if you drop you have ruined it or the teflon peels off. But I don't want to break the bank buying a set. Any ideas of where and what brand would be great! I am tired of replacing, so i want a set that...

Answer 1

Wow! Tough Question!

Of course sizes will depend upon what you cook, and for how many.


Also, if you are heavily into sauces, a saucier (medium-frying pan-looking thing with rounded edges at the bottom for easy whisking), perhaps a wok (if you are so inclined), and a few other specialty items should be considered.

As for materials... Stainless steel with a heavy bottom (see Revere<>http://www.revereware.com/index.asp?page...
for an example. Unless you like polishing copper, get eh all-stainless type.

These will last more than your lifetime and give excellent service. There are many good brands, so do some shopping. OH! Get metal handles so you can stick them in the oven!

Non-stick. I was devastated when my beloved T-Fal just wore out and had to be pitched. It scratched badly, and cost a bundle! <grumble>

I hate to sound like a commercial, but having scraped, scratched and just plain worn out favorite pots and pans, I now buy Calphalon <>http://www.calphalon.com/calphalon/consu...
Downside? Rubber handles. You can (carefully) slip them under the broiler, but no oven time please!


Otherwise, they are tough as nails, and work extremely well.

It may seem odd, but I have a couple of IKEA nonstick frying pans and pots. Incredibly cheap (3 pots, 1 frying pan for under $25), they are my "danger" pots. If I'm doing caramel, or a recipe that is new and likely to burn, I use them based on the theory that if the worst happens, I can replace them for a few bucks!

I hope this helps!

Best wishes!

Answer 2

Try hard anodized pans, they do not flake the way teflon does. compare prices to see if open stock(pieces alone rather than a set) or a set work better for you. For example if a set comes with a dutch oven and you rarely make that much food then you are wasting money buying that set.
I would recomend a 1qt., 2 qt.,sautuse or open skillet to start. These will get you through everyday. If you fry eggs or pancakes get a griddle. Cast Iron is good for browning meats.
Good brands are Cuisinart and Calphlon or Revereware. Pans are often an investment, you often get what you pay for but they can last many years if well taken care of.

Answer 3

I have the Anolon brand and I love it. They are made of anodized (hardened) aluminum and have a non-stick coating. The manufacturer also makes Circulon (a little more expensive but very very nice). I have quite a few pieces but my favorite is a dutch oven, it's a large pan about 4-5 inches deep and 15 inches wide. It has metal handles so it can go in the oven when needed.

I didn't spend a whole lot on all of my pieces. My strategy was to buy them only on sale at a major department store. You can find them online but often the major department stores will have the 8-piece sets (often with a bonus piece) on 30 - 40% discount. And then, keep buying individual specialty pieces that are deeply discounted until you get a good variety. Then you're done for years!!!

Answer 4

For sauce pans, I think Revere Ware is an excellent value. I bought my set 20 years ago, and they still look like new. In fact, my mother has a set that is almost 40 years old, and it's still turning out some great food! When it comes to frying pans, I'm a Calphalon fan. I have purchased their non-stick series with stainless handles, and I bought the glass lids that are oven safe. Calphalon stands behind their pans--I had one where the non-stick started to peel. I followed the warranty instructions and it was promptly replaced. While I can't recommend any stores to you, I know that both of these can be purchased on the Internet, so hopefully that will open up some options for you.

Answer 5

Well Calphalon would be your best bet if you sold on the teflon non stick thing. Although Caphalon s somewhat expensive, the best alternative I have found was at Sam's Club. They have a set identical to Caphlon, same making process, thickness, 18 ml. Rivet welded handles safe for boh stove top an oven (including the lids) and 11 peice set ran about $149, the brand is a Sams Brand "Maker's Mark" . But my sister has and loves her calphalon, she has used my set a few times and swears she can't tell the difference. In appearance or results. Pots and Pans are an investment in my eye's, a really good quality set will last you forever (providing you take care of them) and are somethingthat can be passed down from generation to generation. If you really want to go whole hog on getting a top of he line set, then would suggest buying a peice at a time, that's how my sister aquired hers... She usually got a peice or 2 for christmas, another peice for her birthday ect.. Link below is Sam's Club list of set's they carry. Hope this helps, and good luck..

Answer 6

Get those stainless steel with copper bottoms and steel handles. Those are the kinds which usually restos and hotels uses. It will last very long. Its worth your money spending. Just buy at least 2 teflon pans for those sticky food which is hard to fry. But for the rest its good enough for cooking and you can even pop it inside the oven.

Answer 7

I highly recommend cast iron. I know it's hard for some people to consider such an "antiquated" concept with all the new stuff out there. But you can get just about everything in cast iron. I have a really large skillet that is about 4 inches deep which i use for frying chicken of course (lol) or making things like roast beef and gravy. i have two regular skillets (10 inches i think) that i use for everyday cooking. I have two six inch skillets and two four inch skillets. the smaller one are absolutely perfect for omlettes. they are all perfect for cornbread (depends on how many people you are feeding). you can get cast iron griddles, dutch ovens, all sorts of things. the prices are reasonable, and they truly do last forever! they just need to be seasoned properly, and every now and again, re-seasoned. they are heavy and hold distribute the heat VERY evenly.

Answer 8

All I have to say is you get what you pay for. I was always reluctant to buy pricey pans, but A LOT of them have lifetime guarantees.

I will buy them from Williams-sonoma. The main reason is they have a lifetime guarantee on all their products. IF you are ever unhappy with something, just return it for a refund.

Also, I generally get a new pan every 4-5 months. I keep adding to my collection and it has taken me about 4 years to get most of the pans I need.

I personnaly like Le Creuset and All-Clad.

Answer 9

It depends on your budget. I love my Calphalon, but just the basics will set you back at least 300. It’s anonized so it provides a non-stick surface and I made sure to get the pots that I can stick in the oven to finish. Now, for scrambled eggs and grilled cheese sandwiches- I always trust my t-fal frying pan. It’s super slick. You just have to be careful with it by always using plastic spatulas and nothing super-abrasive when cleaning.

Answer 10

If you like, I wrote a guest blog post on the different types of materials and what you can expect when buying pans.

http://www.diybudgetgirl.com/2014/03/07/type-of-metal-cookware/

There are all different kinds, with advantages and disadvantages to each. I hope that proves helpful to you!