OT: Cookware

[Ron_L]

OK... This is off-topic, but I didn't know where else to put it, and I figure that there are a lot of folks here who like to cook and might have some suggestions... I need to buy some new cookware. The Circulon pots and pans we have now are about 8 years old and are getting pretty bad. To top it off, my wife dropped the big stock pot the other day, and its not quite round any more

I went to the local Bed, Bath and Beyond and looked at Emerilware (by All Clad) and two different lines by Calphalon. The Emerilware is less expensive, but its not made as well as the Circulon. Neither one comes in a set that has the typews of pots and pans I'd really like, so I;d probably end up open buying open stock instead of a set.

I looked online, and am interested in Anolon. They've gotten good review and look to be made well, and the pre-bundled sets have the right types of pots and oans, but I can't find them locally to look at. Does anyone have Anolon pots, or have you seen them anywhere?

Thanks!

 

[tommykendall]

OK... This is off-topic

Close enough - could go here or woodpile. My only suggestion is get something high quality and try to avoid that non-stick stuff.

 

[Bigmista]

I mostly use Calphalon but I have an Emeril Sauce pan that I got as a gift and I love. Whatever you get make sure you get a cast iron skillet and dutch oven. One you have them you'll never figure out how you lived without them.

Lodge is probably the best new brand but you can even get them used from a garage sale or flea market.

 

[Jorge]

Used Calphalon in the past, and agree with TK about the nonstick. It ended up being more hassle than it was worth to me. Now have the stainless Emerilware. With a 20% off coupon from Bed Bath and Beyond it is one of the best purchases I've ever made. What did you see that indicated it wasn't well made? The set I have seems to be close to bulletproof. The bottom line is being happy with what you cook with, and whether or not it suits your cooking style and needs.

 

[Saiko]

Just about everything I own is stainless All-Clad (not the Emeril line, just the regular stainless). It's real hard to find a deal on All-Clad since it almost NEVER goes on sale, so it is very expensive. I got most of my All-Clad as weddings gifts since I have a hard time paying 100 bucks for a frying pan.
Non-stick is not allowed in my house, since it doesn't brown very well and you can't deglaze a pan and get a good sauce.
I also have two cast iron skillets for fried chicken, corn bread, etc., and a cast iron Dutch oven for gumbo.

 

[Ron_L]

Used Calphalon in the past, and agree with TK about the nonstick. It ended up being more hassle than it was worth to me. Now have the stainless Emerilware. With a 20% off coupon from Bed Bath and Beyond it is one of the best purchases I've ever made. What did you see that indicated it wasn't well made? The set I have seems to be close to bulletproof. The bottom line is being happy with what you cook with, and whether or not it suits your cooking style and needs.

Jorge... The Emerilware is well made, but not quite as nice as the calphalon I was comparing it to. At elast on the display set, the handles didn;t look like they were attached as strongly and the lids didn't fit as well. Still, its far better than most of the stuff people buy and would probably last me a long time. Actually, I probably would have bought the Emerilware, but the set didn't have a 2 quart sauce pan, and I like a big covered saute pan in the set either.

Did your B,B & Beyond accept te 20% off coupon for Emerilware? The coupon says that it is not valid for All Clad, and since Emerilware is made by All Clad, my B,B & B said that I couldn't use it!

.Also, I have a couple of cart iron frying pans and two different cast iron dutch ovens and those aren't going anywhere!

...ron

 

[Jorge]

Fair points. I think I got a 10 or 14 piece set that included the 2 Qt pan. In fact, I think that is the only way you can get one since I've never seen that sold seperately. I got the saute pan as well and use it often (Chicken Parmesan just the other night). If you decide to take another look at the Emerilware find another salesperson, or another store. I've purchased one set at Bed Bath and Beyond, and a second at Linens & Things. Both times using a 20% off coupon. At Linens & Things I even used a Bed Bath & Beyond coupon since they are the same company and nobody raised a gripe then either.

I was just curious about what you saw that raised some doubts in your mind. I've cooked with both sets I purchased and have found nothing close to the problems you saw. Maybe it had been dropped while on display too many times. Like I said, the bottom line is what makes you happy. Best of luck finding that set that makes the difference for you. And it is amazing what a quality set of pans that you are happy with can do for you!

 

[jsn1511]

i have stainless cuisinart, i will never buy another non-stick pot or pan (no dead birds for me!), it isn't as expensive as all-clad and i think it still works pretty well. On the other hand if you are willing to spend money on something high quality i would go with the copper all-clad stuff. The copper heats up faster and more evenly. Also there is Le Creuset, i wish i had the money for a full set of that stuff. It is made of enameled cast iron (drool...).

 

[Jorge]

i have stainless cuisinart, i will never buy another non-stick pot or pan (no dead birds for me!), it isn't as expensive as all-clad and i think it still works pretty well. On the other hand if you are willing to spend money on something high quality i would go with the copper all-clad stuff. The copper heats up faster and more evenly. Also there is Le Creuset, i wish i had the money for a full set of that stuff. It is made of enameled cast iron (drool...).

Isn't there some big factory outlet mall down there in Ga. somewhere? There is a Le Creuset outlet at the one in San Marcos here in Tx. and the prices are much more friendly. Have a grill pan that I got as a gift and love it. The qualities of iron, but the easy cleanup of porcelain. It's great stuff!

 

[Neil]

Check out a Chef's Outlet store for the Caphalon Stainless.

 

[Samichlaus]

Lincoln Centurion is really nice stuff, stainless steel with a 1/4" thick aluminum clad bottom.

 

[kcquer]

I guess I'm in the minority, I use a good non stick saute all the time, one with sloped sides for tossing. The key with them is not to spend too much as it's just not gonna last, plan on replacing periodically (I replace mine every 3 yrs or so).
Saucepans and stock pots are Emerilware, and are OK, we got them as a set, and I don't like the pans in most sets either.

 

[Bigmista]

There is a Le Creuset outlet at the one in San Marcos here in Tx. and the prices are much more friendly.

I went to college in San Marcos. Of Course the school doesn't exist anymore...

 

[jsn1511]

If im not buying from Linens n' things im usually buying from Chefs Catalog check it out they have a lot of cool stuff.

 

[racer_81]

There is a Le Creuset outlet at the one in San Marcos here in Tx. and the prices are much more friendly.

I went to college in San Marcos. Of Course the school doesn't exist anymore...

Change The Name Mod.

I had Real Trouble with a Calphalon non-stick bigass skillet. The non-stick came off. Sent it back, they replaced it with an out-of-round bigass skillet. It's non-stick came off too.

Now I'm using some stainless steel non-stick skillets from a chef's supply store and some inexpensive stainless pots from Garden Ridge - and a couple of non nonstick Calphalons.

 

[Neil]

I have all non-stick Caphalon pots and pans and have no problems however, if I were to do it all over again I would go with the Stainless Steel cookware by Caphalon. I bought all my peices separately at the Chef's Outlet store. They were "irregulars" at greatly reduced prices. Only way I could afford them. So far so good. I've had them about ten years now. Naturally the stye I have is no longer in production.

 

[tommykendall]

They were "irregulars" at greatly reduced prices

Maybe they're irregular cuz the non-stick $hit won't come off. Just your luck

 

[parrothead]

I have the black emeril ware. Bought the big set and added individual peices from there. Works pretty good for me. I suspect that any of the other named brands in this thread are probably all just about in the same quality area. I do however have a problem with the bottom of the pans being ugly. Since I have the black ones it is not much of a problem, but could imagine how they would look if they were stainless.

Anyone have a good way to reverse the problem with the bottom of my pans?

 

[parrothead]

Oh, and this is not off topic. Anything cooking related belongs here, right?

 

[Ron_L]

The bottoms of my Circulon get like that, too. I figure that its the outside, and I generally try to cook on the inside, so who cares, but my wife seems to care... She uses a cleanser called Bartender's Friend and makes a paste of it and the gunk comes right off...

I wasn't sure if this would be OT since it really wasn't Q related...