Pots and Pans as Gifts & Other for Starting Out - Give Me Your Favs

[Familia]

So far, our ds has the GreenPan 10" Lima Skillet and a wooden spoodle.  With these he has managed to fix a lot.  It is time to expand, however, and I am purchasing;

A Man, A Can, A Plan, A Second Helping by Joachim   and   Joseph, Joseph uni-tool (both recommended here ... thank you)

I want to add a sauce pan and a 6 quart stock pot with lid.  Please share your favorite pot/pan brands.  
Although he likes to cook, he is a minimalist, so any other items you consider absolutely essential?

Thank you!

Edited November 14, 2018 by Familia

[May]

Have you looked at Costco? They have complete sets and some individual pieces.

[Kassia]

We got this set for my son last year and he's very happy with it.  I am pretty sure this brand sells items individually.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VEAJKT2/ref=psdc_289816_t2_B007TIN0GW

[Familia]

I had not thought of costco @May, thank you!  And, @Kassia, that looks like an awesome set at a great price.  I never stick my pots in the oven, but like that I can.  Those can't go in oven...wonder if that really matters. 

 

[gardenmom5]

a 3qt saucepan. 

For economical but still good, cuisinart's multiclad pro or French Classic.  I like the diameter of their 3qt.  they are both full triply in the same thickness as all-clad.  (MOST triply are NOT as thick, even from the 'big names'.)        - the multi-clad has a rolled-rim, the FC has straight sides and is made in france.  (which is why there is such a price difference. though I have found FC less than MCP on occasion.  FC had discontinued their 6qt stock pot - and I found it.  love it. it was my fourth stock pot.  I am tempted to get an 8qt. ) both have a good fitting stainless steel lid.  because the sauce pans are so thick - you are less likely to scorch.  

I do have an AC non-stick 9" skillet with a domed lid we only use for eggs.  there is a performance difference from every other frying pan we own/have used.

after that, it's more about - what does he like to cook?

I  love my cast iron griddle that fits over two burners.

a cast iron dutch oven.     

the thing that's nice about the cast iron and the quality triply - you will never need to replace them.   even dh leaving an empty saucepan on the stove with the burner on - which I found at least an hour later, didn't kill it.

 

[gardenmom5]

I've done a lot of tjmaxx and marshall's for getting AC pieces open stock on the cheap.  there's also place online that sells seconds.   the only difference is cosmetic and price.   I prefer open stock - then I have what I use, and don't pay for what I'm not interested in and will either go to goodwill or clog my cupboards.

[Familia]

5 hours ago, gardenmom5 said:

I've done a lot of tjmaxx and marshall's for getting AC pieces open stock on the cheap.  there's also place online that sells seconds.   the only difference is cosmetic and price.   I prefer open stock - then I have what I use, and don't pay for what I'm not interested in and will either go to goodwill or clog my cupboards.

He cooked a lot for me/family at home as needed, but he is just venturing out on his own beginning slowly with spaghetti of all things.  Makes an occasional chicken breast.  I know he can do a lot more, but without mom's well stocked kitchen and list of steps written out, he is taking it slowly.  Since he now uses some of roomie's kitchen items, I guess I better make sure he has a colander for that spaghetti! 

Completely agree with the above.  And, I really appreciate your thorough description in the former post - really like quality here, and I am always amazed at the cooking I do with only three pans, Cuisinart 2, 3, and 6 quarts.  Now, I do cheat once in awhile and pull out one of my dear departed mother's antique 1 quart saucepans ... the old-fashioned kind with the HOT brass handles.  

I guess I didn't jump straight to cuisinart for our dc thinking that maybe there was a latest and greatest.  Now, someday, there will be the gift of a Le Creuset casserole!

Edited November 15, 2018 by Familia

[Carol in Cal.]

The absolutely most useful pans I have, bar none, are the All Clad Essential pans.  They come in only two sizes.

They are basically double deep fry pans with curved sides and tight fitting lids.  Everything I do in a fry pan I do in these, and the taller sides don't allow as much spattering onto the stove.  And just about everything I do in a deep pot I do in these because they are deep and wide enough to hold a lot, and the lid fits tightly enough that the larger surface area of the top of the food still doesn't let everything boil dry.  IIRC they come in 4 quart and 6 quart sizes, and since I got them I hardly ever use anything else unless I'm just sauteeing one onion or doing something else that is really small.  Best pots EVER.  I got mine at Williams Sonoma.  I watched for All Clad sales, and then hunted up a further discount coupon.

[gardenmom5]

1 hour ago, Familia said:

He cooked a lot for me/family at home as needed, but he is just venturing out on his own beginning slowly with spaghetti of all things.  Makes an occasional chicken breast.  I know he can do a lot more, but without mom's well stocked kitchen and list of steps written out, he is taking it slowly.  Since he now uses some of roomie's kitchen items, I guess I better make sure he has a colander for that spaghetti! 

Completely agree with the above.  And, I really appreciate your thorough description in the former post - really like quality here, and I am always amazed at the cooking I do with only three pans, Cuisinart 2, 3, and 6 quarts.  Now, I do cheat once in awhile and pull out one of my dear departed mother's antique 1 quart saucepans ... the old-fashioned kind with the HOT brass handles.  

I guess I didn't jump straight to cuisinart for our dc thinking that maybe there was a latest and greatest.  Now, someday, there will be the gift of a Le Creuset casserole!

they make silicone handle holders in different sizes.  they even make them for the handles that barely stick out past the pan.

there are a lot of different cuisinart lines.   most manufacturers make multiple lines - they are not created equal.

I got the cusinart because I liked the diameter of the 3qt.   and considering what I cook in it, I didn't feel I could justify the cost of an AC D5 (my favorite cookware ever). - their 3qt is the same diameter at their 4qt. it has it's uses . . . but I prefer a narrower 3qt.

I spent days researching.  one site did very involved tests that found a difference in performance between the AC (even heating) and the "triplys" - but most people will not be able to tell the difference.  the thicknesses of the aluminum core and the stainless outside was the same - also there is one tramontina line (not sure which) which is a comparable triply - those were it in this price range.   the other brands with a 'triply' - aren't as thick.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I got the full set of anodized, nonstick cookware from Sam's Club, and it's marvelous.  Heavy duty aluminum heats evenly.  Nonstick coating is durable.  The whole 15 piece set is only $150.  I'm getting them for my son.

 

https://www.samsclub.com/sams/15pc-ha-set-dsv-in-club-872880/prod18670055.ip?xid=plp_product_1_1

[Familia]

I am going with the Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 2 quart saucepan and 6 quart stockpot.  I just can't pull the trigger to spend the money on the AC for him.  But, I prefer individual pieces that he can own forever if he doesn't become a pot & pan connoisseur.  Now that I think about it, maybe I should buy the AC for me and give him my top of the line Cuisinart LOL

[gardenmom5]

9 minutes ago, Familia said:

I am going with the Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 2 quart saucepan and 6 quart stockpot.  I just can't pull the trigger to spend the money on the AC for him.  But, I prefer individual pieces that he can own forever if he doesn't become a pot & pan connoisseur.  Now that I think about it, maybe I should buy the AC for me and give him my top of the line Cuisinart LOL

I did something similar when 1dd needed a car.   dh was going to just buy one for her.  no dear, you buy one for you, and give her your old car.  we bought him the miata (which he drove for 10 years), and she drove the loss leader tercel (which became known,  as "the kid car".  kids drove it until 1ds totaled it. to which 2dd called "you mean that was all I had to do?"  she drove it in grad school.)

Edited November 15, 2018 by gardenmom5

[Familia]

4 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

I did something similar when 1dd needed a car.   dh was going to just buy one for her.  no dear, you buy one for you, and give her your old car.  we bought him the miata (which he drove for 10 years), and she drove the loss leader tercel (which became known,  as "the kid car".  kids drove it until 1ds totaled it. to which 2dd called "you mean that was all I had to do?"  she drove it in grad school.)

Of course, haha only if she was not hurt, which your post inferred that she was not?

[gardenmom5]

6 minutes ago, Familia said:

Of course, haha only if she was not hurt, which your post inferred that she was not?

1dd got married just before she graduated - and dsil gave her his pilot to drive, and then they bought him an accord (which he preferred, and kept lamenting his that was totaled in an accident.)

no one was hurt, and 1ds was driving it.  He wasn't 'quite' awake as he was driving to class, and rear ended another car.  enough force to deploy the airbag . . . it was still derivable, and our neighbor (owns a auto body shop) said he could fix it so the hood would close - but the biggest cost would be the new airbag.  if we'd gone that route, he would have tried to find an intact airbag system on the used market.  it wasn't worth it.   we helped 1ds buy his first car.  he's making payments and is happy with it.   (and shortly there after, some friends were moving to snow country - so we did the same with their car for 2ds.)

we did debate repairing it, as all the kids learned to drive on it - and dueling still has to learn to drive.  still have a few years for that.