cookware

[cchavez]

What kind of cookware do you guys use? I was considering the AllClad stainless steel but I am now reading that enameled cast iron may be the best bet? I know that Le Crueset is pricey (even pricier than All Clad) so I was thinking of the Lodge brand? I need something that is easy to clean up but safe to cook on. Thanks!

[geochick]

All Clad Stainless!!! I have All Clad LTD - I LOVE it. When I'm ready for an upgrade, I'm going with the stainless. I have absolutely no complaints about my LTD. Nothing!

Read this summary of various reviews:
http://www.consumersearch.com/www/kitchen/cookware/index.html

[kcimato]

I just bought some All Clad and love it. I would suggest buying it one piece at a time and only the pieces that you will use the most. That's what I did. Here is a site where you can buy it at a discount . They are seconds but you won't know it.

http://www.cookwarenmore.com/

[kijip]

We have mostly Le Cruset for pots and then Lodge for fry pans (unenameled cast iron). I have never found a surface I like to cook on more than well seasoned cast iron. It is affordable and nice and lasts a lifetime. Unlike other pans, they just get better with age.

[tylersmama]

I have All-Clad stainless and love it. I also have a couple pieces of Le Creuset that I love. I agree with kcimato, skip the sets and pick and choose which pieces you will use the most. Ultimately, you'll save money this way and not have unused very expensive cookware sitting around. My most used All-Clad pieces are my 1, 2, and 3 qt saucepans, 3 qt saute pan and saucier, 12 in skillet, and 6 qt stockpot. I also have the steamer insert that gets used very frequently. I have a nonstick skillet, but knowing what I do now about how the coating wears down, I wouldn't spend that kind of money on a nonstick skillet again...I would get a much cheaper one that I wouldn't feel so bad about needing to replace after a few years. The All-Clad is great, very easy to take care of and clean up. All the pieces (except the nonstick skillet) go right in the dishwasher. And it's the kind of cookware that will last a lifetime, which was important to me.

I have two pieces of Le Creuset: a 7.25 qt round oven and a grill pan. They both get used fairly often. I also have a plain old Lodge cast iron skillet. I really like all of these, although I will say that they're slightly more difficult to take care of. The oven does go in the dishwasher, but you have to get it out and dry it off right away, otherwise the exposed cast iron will start to rust. I'm still struggling to figure out the best way to clean the grill pan and the skillet. I keep hearing conflicting reports on whether or not to use soap (because it could take off the seasoning). I do still like and use the pieces a lot, they're just not as low-maintenance as my All-Clad!

[MontrealMum]

We have a number of Lagostina stainless (some with copper bottoms) as well as a few Le Creuset and Chantal (also enamel covered cast iron). Our skillets are the old-fashioned iron kind. Two words of advice whatever brand you go for: don't buy a set, most people never use the entire thing, just buy the pieces you need, and don't buy pots with wooden handles if you have gas (my mom learned this the hard way!). Check TJ Maxx- you'd be surprised what you can find there.

ETA: Chantal is a German brand, and costs a bit less than Le Creuset if you're set on having enamel-covered cast iron. I find it cleans quite easily - even more so than the teflon which I replaced with it.

[kusumat]

I returned All-Clad because it was so difficult to clean them. After a few uses, they showed the rainbow mark at the bottom. I followed the cooking and cleaning instruction exactly except I didn't use Bar Keeper for the cleaning as it was recommended by a Sales at WS. I have searched and found out that Bar Keepers was quite toxic.

http://www.dld123.com/q&a/index.php?cid=340

Per "Home Safe Home" book, if stainless steel cookware is scored only once with an abrasive powder or steel wool, small amounts of highly toxic metals such as chromium and nickel may leach into food cooked in it thereafter.

Also, it was a little bit disappointed to see that not All-Clad parts I bought were not made in USA. The pot and pans are still made in the US. Lids and inserts are made in China.

I have then got and used Le Creuset and quite happy with it. The downside of Le Creuset is its weight. But cleaning them is painless by simply using sponge and seventh-generation.



http://www.dld123.com/about/about.php?id=A32

[cchavez]

Per "Home Safe Home" book, if stainless steel cookware is scored only once with an abrasive powder or steel wool, small amounts of highly toxic metals such as chromium and nickel may leach into food cooked in it thereafter.


That is what I am concerned about so I don't think I am going w/ stainless.....

Thanks for the reviews!

[ahrimie]

i love the stainless!! we bought ours at WS too... and i've used bar keeper to clean... i didn't know small amounts were toxic, but it cleans well! :)

everything seems to be toxic these days though and we're all still alive :P i still really like my stainless set. i only use bar keeper once in a blue moon.

[Jen841]

Weird question, do you have a gas or coil stove? If you have a glass top I would not recommend either of the choices you presented. We cracked ours due to the heavy cookware (All Clad and some LC).

I love my All Clad. It does not look like new (I perfer to think it looks used/loved), and I don't use anything like Bar Keepers Friend on it, but I love how it performs.

[snowbunnies300]

I recently purchased the new Pampered Chef stainless sets and love them (I am not a PC representative). PC worked with IMT to develop the pans. I love them more than I can say. They heat up quick and I really haven't had problems getting them clean. I normally wait until the pan is cooled. If looks like it will need to be scoured then I put a little dishwasher powder in the bottom and add hot water. Let sit and everything comes up with little or no effort on my part.

I also own a couple cast iron pans and they are good too.

[tylersmama]

I have a glass top and have never had any problems cooking with my All-Clad, Le Creuset, or my cast iron skillet. I'm not sure how you could unless you were really banging the cookware around?

And I have only very rarely used Barkeepers Friend on my All Clad. Maybe two or three times total in the 7 years I've had it. It's not really necessary except if you want to have perfectly spotless brand-new looking cookware, which is not important to me.

[TaChapm]

I recently ordered the Green Pans from HSN after using my mom's set and I LOVE them. NOTHING sticks to them! They are so easy to clean and use and they are a safer nonstick alternative.

http://www.green-pan.com/dev/ae/html/technology.html