What's the best cookware out there?

Question

Interested in copper but don't want all copper due to maintenance issues. Also, prefer stainless steel over aluminum due to health concerns regarding the aluminum. Cookware needs to go from stove top to oven.

Answer 1

Calphalon and All-Clad will meet some of your needs. They are about equivalent, and each line has many, many pots. They are not inexpensive. They won't discolor the way stainless steel does.

But cast iron will also be extremely useful, but there are not nearly as many different kinds of pots in cast iron. The Lodge brand is very inexpensive -- a fraction of the cost of Calphalon or All-Clad. It's excellent, indestructable stuff, but not stylish. Another brand is Le Creuset -- French, very high quality, attractive, and very expensive.

You may wind up with some of all three, like I did. Cast iron frying pans are the best for some things -- making corn breads, for example, or frittatas, and the Dutch ovens are wonderful. But for sauteeing, Calphalon and All-Clad saute pans are superior -- for one thing, cast iron pans is very heavy and have short, uncomfortable handles, so they're difficult to manipulate in the way you must for a good saute.

I suggest that -- as with knives -- you have clearly in mind what you want to do with a pot, then get the size, type, and material that will best suit those needs. You won't have a chic, all-one-brand-of-glitzy-pots-and-pans kitchen, but you'll be a more successful cook.

Answer 2

Another vote for cast iron. It is the original non-stick cookware. It can go from stovetop to oven, or over an open fire.

Properly seasoned, it won't have sticking problems, and if it starts to stick, just reseason it.

I espceially recommend Lodge Castiron Cookware. It is of much higher quality than the cheap Chinese imports.

Doc

Answer 3

In theory Demeyere but that is cost prohibitive! Over $200 for one sauce pan! (Note: not a set! One freaking sauce pan! lol)

So in the real world that would be Allclad or Caphelon. Both are very good, much more reasonable than Demeyere and have stood the test of time.

Cast Iron is good for some but really not all purposes.

Casto iron is excellent for making corn bread, searing and making chile. Cast iron can be limited for other purposes.

Answer 4

Calphalon can go from the stove to the oven. It comes in a variety of styles (I don't know if that will be a health concern though)
Cast Iron is great too

Answer 5

Cast Iron

Answer 6

Lodge cast iron. Look in thrift stores for Griswold cast iron. (No longer made) They're the bee's knees!

Answer 7

My step-daughter and her husband swear by All-Clad. We have non-stick Calphalon and we love it. Those are my two recommendations. Good luck!