Pots & Pans

[Aubrey]

When dh & I married, we registered for cheapy pots & pans because I couldn't BELIEVE how expensive they were & I couldn't imagine anyone spending that much $ on us. And I knew we couldn't afford them.

 

So, nearly 10 yrs later (is that typical or cheapy?), they're falling apart. The nonstick coating has chipped off the frying pan & the pots so badly that we *need* to throw them out. All the pieces have been dropped at some point, so the lids don't fit. Etc.

 

I threw the frying pan out a few mos ago, & it took me forever to find something else, between $ considerations & trying to avoid nonstick this go-round. Now I need at least 2 pots so I can throw mine out, but the dutch-oven-looking thing will need to be replaced pretty soon, too, I'm thinking.

 

Big Lots has a complete nonstick set on sale for $30. Before I run straight out to buy another cheapy set, I want to know: is this wasted $? I mean, we don't have any right now, so I really need to be careful w/ even $30, kwim? But...there are some things I know better than to scrimp on. I mean, given the choice, I *know* I'd rather have a piece of real wood furniture from the Goodwill than a brand new piece of fall-apart laminate, for ex.

 

W/ pots & pans...I *don't* know. They all look the same to me. Should I get the cheapy set or hold out for a particular brand to go on sale or show up at the thrift store or something? Bearing in mind that I don't cook well but I've got 4 dc now, so I'm going to have to get w/ it in the kitchen sooner or later, lol.

[OnTheBrink]

IMHO, you're better off doing two things: One, avoid sets and Two, avoid teflon.

 

Do you have a TJMaxx or Tuesday Morning or Marshall's? Check out their stock of pots and pans. I'd suggest starting with a good skillet, a 2qt and 3 qt sauce pan, with lids, to get you going. Then, add pans as you need them. If you need non-stick, go with hard anodized, not teflon.

 

I have one chicken fryer-type skillet, w/lid, that I got at TJMaxx for $25 and it's either calphalon or Wolfgang Puck (I can't remember and they had both), I also have a 3 qt sauce pan of the same brand that was $16. My smaller sauce pans are left over from cheapie sets and are doing ok. I also have two kitchenaid skillets that I got brand new from someone on craigslist. I paid $15 for the both!

 

So, don't feel you have to get a set or that you have to spend big bucks. Also, check out Sam's Club or Gordon Food Services (if you have one) and consider restaurant quality pans. Most aren't too pricey if you find them at food services places.

[Jami]

I think I registered for the same set, Aubrey. :glare:

 

Dh has slowly been replacing my old crummy pots and pans with really nice new ones. I just have to wait 6 months to a year between them for the next birthday or Christmas. ;)

 

But mine are really nice and I don't really want to even know what dh paid for one pot or pan. SolaMichelle seems to know her stuff, I'd listen to her. You probably need fewer things than a complete set anyway. I mostly just use one larger pot, one large skillet, and one med. sized pot. I'll be glad when all my crummy stuff is replaced. Sometime in the next decade.

[laughing lioness]

I'm the queen of getting quality for next to nothing. Get thee to a thrift shop and pick up some cast iron. Scrub the rust off, rub oil on and cook it on low for a couple of hours. Like new, non-stick for a couple of bucks (plus it contributes iron to your diet- bonus). While you're at the thrift shop pick up some "bake-light" pans- heavy metal (doesn't sing-haha), that last forever.

ditto on avoiding teflon- not good from a health stand-point.

For a fam of 7, I use our 3 cast iron skillets (diff sizes), our heavy pan, large copper bottom soup pan and tea pot the most. Everything else is a bonus.

[KS_]

You also might check out estate sales or good garage sales. My dad does estate sales locally and the last one he just finished with had *tons* of new to almost new stuff. Very nice pots and pans, bakeware, etc. I ended up with some of it :) But if you keep your eye open at sales like that, you may be able to find very nice stuff at really inexpensively.

[Allearia]

I've gotten my best pots and pans at thrift stores. I got a 12-inch cast iron skillet, and also a Le Crueset cast iron grill pan. I also got a 12-inch very high quality non-stick skillet which is nicer quality than the $100 one I got with a gift certificate. Cast iron pans are pretty common at thrift stores. Quality pots are a bit rarer but can be found, dh already had a nice set if stainless steel pans with copper bottoms before we got married and I found another 4qt one at the thrift store once.

 

The only thing is you have to make sure you aren't so excited about the deals that you walk out with a bunch of extra stuff you don't need. It adds up trust me!

 

Another great thing I have gotten at thrift stores are those clay baking pans with clay tops that were popular a few years ago. I got two and they make the best bread! They are nice for baking things in the oven, but kind of a pain to soak and clean, I mostly use mine for bread.

[Tammyla]

I threw out the nonstick almost six years ago and purchased a stainless steel (Cuisinart) set that was on clearance and had a Kohl's coupon. (This was purchased by my dh because I was caught up in the $ worry.) It was an excellent deal and they are so easy to take care of. If something does stick, I soak and with very little scrubbing it comes out. Mine go in the dishwasher and when I feel they need a little shinning, they get a vinegar rinse.

 

I have a feeling these things are going to last forever. The handles are strong and steel, but don't heat up. The entire set can go into the over up to 500'. There is no warping, the lids still fit, and we don't about eating the nonstick finish.

[Ellie]

We managed to suck it up almost 30 years ago and bought a set of waterless cookware--stainless steel over cast iron. This stuff will never, ever wear out.

 

Long ago, I worked with a young woman who had gotten a set of waterless cookware as a wedding present. Her apartment burned down, and she lost everything...except for the waterless cookware and the china (another wedding gift).

 

I can't bring myself to use cast iron...all that grease and food cooked into it over the years...eeeeuuuu.

[Vida Winter]

I'm the queen of getting quality for next to nothing. Get thee to a thrift shop and pick up some cast iron. Scrub the rust off, rub oil on and cook it on low for a couple of hours. Like new, non-stick for a couple of bucks (plus it contributes iron to your diet- bonus). While you're at the thrift shop pick up some "bake-light" pans- heavy metal (doesn't sing-haha), that last forever.

ditto on avoiding teflon- not good from a health stand-point.

For a fam of 7, I use our 3 cast iron skillets (diff sizes), our heavy pan, large copper bottom soup pan and tea pot the most. Everything else is a bonus.

 

I have to agree here. My best cast iron pan came from a farmer's yard sale! It was much easier to re-season it than to season a new one from scratch.

 

I did get two new cast iron pans - one a huge 12" frying pan (deep, too) and a dutch oven. You'll really use some muscle lifting them. Once seasoned they are just about indestructible. You can clean them with anything, I have even used steel wool on them and it doesn't affect the seasoning. They are almost non-stick.

[Aubrey]

I have to agree here. My best cast iron pan came from a farmer's yard sale! It was much easier to re-season it than to season a new one from scratch.

 

I did get two new cast iron pans - one a huge 12" frying pan (deep, too) and a dutch oven. You'll really use some muscle lifting them. Once seasoned they are just about indestructible. You can clean them with anything, I have even used steel wool on them and it doesn't affect the seasoning. They are almost non-stick.

 

Well...Amazon has new ones pre-seasoned for about $10. That seems like a good deal??? Maybe not?

[laughing lioness]

depends on shipping.

I've seen cast iron skillets for $2 at thrift shops- but with the babe maybe having it shipped would save wear and tear on you?

[Aubrey]

depends on shipping.

I've seen cast iron skillets for $2 at thrift shops- but with the babe maybe having it shipped would save wear and tear on you?

 

Free shipping.

 

There's also a set of calphalon on Craig's List. One 12pc, one 27pc. But...the price tag...while 1/2 of what's listed elsewhere...is...staggerng.

[OnTheBrink]

From what I've heard, you can't use cast iron on a glass-stop stove, so if you have one, check your manufacturer's info on types of cookware. It would be the pits to break the glass top!

[KatieJ]

I passed my cast iron skillets onto someone at a garage years ago. They were just too heavy and my wrists are borderline carpel tunnel. Besides they do need a little bit of upkeep to keep them from non sticking.

You also need just plain kettles for pasta and veggies and the like.

 

Calphalon is fabulous, but I can't afford them.

 

 

I bought a very nice decent set of kettles off QVC I think. My skillets are wearing out faster than the soup pots and pans, but I can replace them.

 

Costco has a brand of skillets that Target also carries. My daughter bought me the pancake griddle at Target and I really like it. They are not terribly expensive.

 

Bialetti is the brand name. Go to Target.com and check out the customer reviews.

 

I like the idea of finding them a pot at a time at Marshall's, thrift stores etc, but I don't think you are in a position to do a lot of bargain hunting with all your little kiddoes. I would go for the best set you can afford and call it good for now.

[Vida Winter]

Well...Amazon has new ones pre-seasoned for about $10. That seems like a good deal??? Maybe not?

 

I got my big frying pan from Amazon, it was a very good deal with free shipping. Even though it is pre-seasoned it still takes some weeks and months of use to get it nice and black. It's worth the effort.

 

~Dana

[jojomojo]

Well...Amazon has new ones pre-seasoned for about $10. That seems like a good deal??? Maybe not?

 

Thats where I get all my cast iron :D I love Lodge Logic, and when I discovered Amazon offers free shipping on it I was so excited!

 

After spending nearly $1000 on a stainless steel set years ago (still have them), I much prefer my little collection of cast iron! I have a cheapy set of stainless steel too from when I first moved out. I probably use these more than the expensive ones (steaming veggies, boiling water, etc).

 

Lodge Logic has a set that I think is perfect for starting out with cast iron (actually, there's two). The lid acts as a second skillet...

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Logic-Pre-Seasoned-Combo-Cooker/dp/B0009JKG9M/ref=sr_1_36?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1224519701&sr=8-36

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Double-Casserole-Skillet-diameter/dp/B000LEXR0K/ref=sr_1_46?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1224519774&sr=8-46

 

I'd go with the last one considering the size of your family. They are a little pricey, but it's two pans and they last forever (you'll be passing them on to your grandkids lol).

[Carol in Cal.]

We now have really nice pots, but they are insanely expensive. They are All Clad, and we bought the Master Chef series--the cheapest and ugliest, but still outstanding quality and very functional. I figure we will use them for the rest of our lives and then pass them on to our DD.

 

I looked for years to find good ones at a thrift store, but they just didn't turn up at all, so I bit the bullet and got them as a set from Whole Earth Access. That was the best deal I could find at the time. Since then, WEA went out of business, but Williams Sonoma has sets on sale from time to time, and if you ever take a class at Home Chef, they give you an instore discount that same day for whatever you buy. I did that once, and picked up a large pan that was not in the original set for a HUGE discount--it was already on sale, and I got 10% off for the class and another 25% off because I bought a display model.

 

Having said that, I can't recommend this if you're watching your wallet right now--it's just too big a chunk. It took me years to decide to do this and then save up for it.

 

If I had to get a good set now, I would go to Costco and see what they have. I would add a Multi Pot--those are great, and very reasonably priced-- for soups and noodles and large batches of spaghetti sauce, and I would add an iron frying pan.

 

At thrift stores you would probably be able to find a couple of really useful kitchen items, cheap--a Romertof clay baker for use in the oven, and a crock pot.

 

If you can't find anything you like at Costco, I think that a good compromise set would be Farberware--not the non-stick. It's not the heaviest, best quality, but it isn't extremely thin either, and the lids fit well which is very helpful. That would keep you going comfortably for quite a while while you save up for the other.

[melissel]

Well, I have one small cast iron frying pan--big enough to cook three fried eggs close together--and that's all I really use it for. The rest we registered for as a set from Macy's (Tools of the Trade). It's not fancy, but it's good quality stainless steel. The handles stay cool, the bottoms are heavy, the lids seal nicely, and they clean up just fine. I used to have some nonstick pieces and got rid of them when they started to flake. I've never missed them. If you have a Macy's (or similar department store) near you, that might be worth looking into. Our is always having special deals and sales, coupons in the paper or mailers, etc.

[Carol in Cal.]

...an electric griddle.

 

That is the only non-stick thing I use.

 

I figure that it can't get hot enough for the teflon to outgas, so I'm OK with it.

 

I use it for making pancakes and for cooking homemade tortillas. It cooks them without burning them, and it's very easy to use. There really isn't even any clean up, as nothing sticks to the pan. The size that I have cooks 6 small tortillas at the same time. I use the bagged Masa Harina, and just follow the package instructions for the proportions. I press them out in a tortilla press, using waxed paper on both sides so that the dough doesn't stick. Those tortillas are the BEST, and they have no added fat or salt in them at all.

[Delighted3]

Check TJ Maxx or Marshalls. They have very nice stainless steel pots and pans for very good prices. I bought a 5 qt. skillet with lid that is very heavy duty and I love it for about $27. Now, I know you said your budget was tight and you were hesitant to spend $30 on a whole set, but the great thing about buying open stock is that you can buy a piece at a time as the budget allows and you can get the pieces you want, without a lot of extras you won't need. Also, if you have any outlet malls near you, you can buy some nice cookware in the kitchen stores like Pyrex or Rival, but you will have a better quality selection at a TJ Maxx type store.

Joy

[melissel]

Another thought--can you ask on your local Freecycle loop? Explain that you're looking for a few decent quality pieces to replace your old falling apart pieces. There are bound to be a few people who have just a piece or two left over from old sets they had before they upgraded, especially if they're like me and can't get rid of that stuff because it just seems like a waste, even if we don't use it :001_rolleyes: It might get you just enough stuff that you can keep going for a little while longer, you know?