A ??? about pots and pans

[jeca]

As far as safe/good cooking pots and pans sets is stainless steel the way to go? My mom bought some "nice" (she says they were expensive) pots and pans set around Xmas time but they look like crap already. I'm not sure what they are made from but they started rusting pretty soon and I don't leave them in water or anything. So as far as a good set is stainless steel what I should be looking for? What am I looking for cause I need to throw these away.

[applejuice]

I use visions cookware or pyrex on a daily basis. I have had my stainless steel set for over 30 years and one set of iron pans for 30 years also.

I never use teflon or aluminum. Never.

[jeca]

pyrex as in bakeware and storage containers, right? They don't sell pans do they?

[koru]

I've recently fallen in love with cast iron. I've had a few fry pans for a while & used them occasionally but mostly reached for the stainless. I find that a lot sticks to stainless & it requires A LOT of elbow grease to keep clean & looking nice. Cast iron is much more user friendly, IMHO. It took me a bit to get used to cleaning them....no soap (unless you want to re-season it), just scrub with a bristle brush & hot water and towel dry immediately. No soaking or sitting in water.

[bwylde]

Pyrex does have cookware. I wish I could find some as mom used to have the whole set of pots and they were great! I mostly use cast iron cookware now with some stainless steel (can't remember brand).

[snozzberry]

Another vote for cast iron! Le Creuset doesn't have to be seasoned, so that's what we got. We have an outlet store nearby where we were able to get a lot of "seconds" (pieces with miniscule imperfections) for cheap.

[henny penny]

I'd start by buying the best stainless pot you can afford in a commonly used size like 3 qt and add to your set as needed. I have two All Clad pots that look perfect after 10 years. I know they are expensive but I found that two is all I use 95% of the time. I also have a couple cast iron pans that I love for everything like eggs, pancakes, sautes, and fried chicken once in a blue moon. They are indestructable and add benefitial iron to your food. Never, ever use teflon. Yuck! For baking I use an assortment of stoneware, clay, enameled iron, and pyrex dishes collected over the years. Also, Le Creuset has great enameled iron pots that last a lifetime.

[jeca]

I've had a set of cast iron skillets a long time ago they tended to rust or was I just not taking care of them properly?

[mamadelbosque]

you have to make sure you always dry your cast iron right away - I put mine on the stove for a minute or in a a still hot oven. and make sure its stored so that moisture doesn't collect in it - prefferably by hanging. And don't use soap to wash - just hot water and a scrub brush of some sort

[Cabrnay]

I am loving my cast iron pan.

[alysmommy2004]

I cast iron. I have Lodge cast iron and Le Creuset that I use for different things. You can't go wrong with cast iron! I also have some All Clad SS that I buy as seconds from Cookware N More.

[xekomaya]

I love cast iron for pans. I'd either buy pre-seasoned or be super super careful when you're seasoning them. I have a few I've scrubbed and re-seasoned over and over 'cause I keep screwing them up

I also love my stainless pots. Even when you want to brown something in the bottom or - well anything else that might stick - the secret is to heat the pot with some kind of fat before adding any ingredients, and then you can just wipe it out at the end. If you add the food too soon, it'll stick and you'll have to scrub.

[cristeen]

For pans, I'm with the pp... I have visions, which is glass. That and CI make up the bulk of what I use. I do have 1 stainless skillet, copper bottomed, that I bought 2nd hand.

I don't recommend buying a set of any pan, since chances are you'll be spending a lot of money for pans you won't use. Depending on your budget, you want to go to a higher end store to get decent cookware. My last "set" (gift) was from Gottschalks and stood up pretty well to all sorts of abuse. I know Macys also carries some good cookware. If you can afford it, I'd go someplace that specializes in kitchen though, like Sur La Table or Williams Sonoma. If you can't afford it though, you can still get some good pieces fairly cheap by shopping around. Check goodwill/salvation army stores, yard sales and estate sales for old/vintage cookware in stainless or cast iron. You can even find some CI at places like Target (look for the Lodge brand though, since not all CI is created equally). Tuesday Morning has some good stuff on occasion, although they're a very hit-or-miss type of place.

Some tips on checking out cookware. No non-stick coating. Should feel hefty up to downright heavy. Lightweight pans don't work. Look for welds or rivets rather than screws. If the item is lidded, you want to be able to lift the lid with a potholder... I've seen some lids that there's no way you could get it off without burning yourself. Make sure the lid is well-fitting. If the item is so heavy that you'll need 2 hands to lift it when it's got food in it, be sure it has 2 handles.

HTH

[californiajenn]

Another vote for All-Clad and Le Creuset. They literally last a lifetime so I feel that it's a very good investment. I did buy the All-Clad small set and I use every single piece.

I have a couple regular cast-iron pieces and they are great but require more care. It's a trade-off, money or time.

Bon Ami is a good environmentally friendly cleaner for the All-Clad. Le Creuset is a dream to clean.

[jennlyn]

If you want to do more research try www.debralynndadd and go to the blog area or the archives. I recently read something there about why you shouldn't buy pre-seasoned cast iron, but I don't remember the particulars as I like to season it myself. Acidic foods are not good in cast iron, that may be why you need to re-season, either that or scrubbing with soap .

[DevaMajka]

I use cast iron skillets, stainless steel sauce pans, and glass bakeware.

As for the cast iron, I stick mine in soapy dishwater at the end (when its most diluted) for just a minute, then drain the water and rub the pan clean. Then I dry it on the stovetop for a few minutes. Occasionally I'll spray a bit of oil on it.
I didn't start using soap until my pans were pretty well seasoned though.

[EnviroBecca]

We got a Tramontina brand stainless-steel pot at Costco that we really love. It's big enough to cook a huge batch of pasta or rice or lentils (for planned leftovers) but narrow enough that you can cook a smaller amount just in the bottom. Glass lid so you can see in. Strainer top that covers just enough of the pot to keep the pasta from falling out when you drain the water; the rest is open so you can attach the strainer before cooking and still be able to stir while cooking. Veggie steaming basket that fits into the top so you can cook veggies and boiled food on one burner. (The timing for that can be difficult, but it's a neat trick!)

Food sticks to stainless steel moreso than non-stick, but it's not that bad. Soaking helps a lot.

[MrsMike]

Originally Posted by applejuice

I never use teflon or aluminum. Never.

Why no aluminum? I have heard mixed reviews on aluminum so I'm curious.

As for us, we use SS or CI. My CI has taken a beating from us and it's still going strong. I think all of my CI pieces are Lodge brand.